Toyota Tacoma Owners Manual: If your vehicle overheats

The following may indicate that your vehicle is overheating.

● The needle of the engine coolant temperature gauge (→P. 155) enters the red zone or a loss of engine power is experienced.

(For example, the vehicle speed does not increase.) ● Steam comes out from under the hood.

Correction procedures

Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the air conditioning system, and then stop the engine.

If you see steam: Carefully lift the hood after the steam subsides completely.

If you do not see steam: Carefully lift the hood.

After the engine has cooled down sufficiently, inspect the hoses and radiator core (radiator) for any leaks.

1.

Radiator

2.

Cooling fan

If a large amount of coolant leaks, immediately contact your Toyota dealer.

The coolant level is satisfactory if the reservoir level is between the “FULL” and “LOW” lines on the reservoir.

1. Reservoir

2. “FULL”

3. “LOW”

4. Radiator cap

Add coolant if necessary.

Water can be used in an emergency if coolant is unavailable.

Start the engine and check that the radiator cooling fan operates and check for coolant leaks from the radiator or hoses.

If the fan is not operating: Stop the engine immediately and contact your Toyota dealer.

If the fan is operating: Have the vehicle inspected at the nearest Toyota dealer.

CAUTION

■To prevent an accident or injury when inspecting under the hood of your vehicle

●If steam is seen coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until the steam has subsided. The engine compartment may be very hot, causing serious injuries such as burns.

●Keep hands and clothing (especially a tie, a scarf or a muffler) away from the fan and belts. Failure to do so may cause the hands or clothing to be caught, resulting in serious injury.

●Do not loosen the radiator cap and the coolant reservoir cap while the engine and radiator are hot.

Serious injury, such as burns, may result from hot coolant and steam released under pressure.

NOTICE

■When adding engine coolant

Wait until the engine has cooled down before adding engine coolant.

When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot engine too quickly can cause damage to the engine.

■To prevent damage to the cooling system

Observe the following precautions: ●Avoid contaminating the coolant with foreign matter (such as sand or dust etc.).

●Do not use any coolant additives.