Toyota Tacoma (N400, 2024-2026) Owner's Manual: Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 Overview

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 brings together a range of driver-assistance systems intended to support safer, more comfortable operation of the Toyota Tacoma during everyday driving.

WARNING

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is designed on the assumption that the driver remains attentive and operates the vehicle safely at all times. Its functions can help reduce the effects of certain collisions on vehicle occupants and provide driving assistance under normal operating conditions.

The system has limitations in both recognition accuracy and the amount of control it can provide. It cannot identify every hazard or respond correctly in every situation. Never depend on Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as a substitute for attentive driving. The driver remains responsible for monitoring traffic, road conditions, pedestrians, and the area surrounding the Toyota Tacoma.

For safe use

• Do not place excessive reliance on the system.

  The driver must continuously observe the surroundings and operate the Toyota Tacoma safely. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 may not function under every road, weather, traffic, or vehicle condition, and the assistance it provides has defined limitations.

  Depending on the system instead of maintaining proper awareness and vehicle control could contribute to an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

• Do not deliberately attempt to test whether a system function will activate. Artificially creating a situation to trigger the system may cause an unexpected response or the function may fail to operate as anticipated, increasing the risk of an accident.
• When the driver's attention is required during vehicle operation, or when the system detects a malfunction, a warning message, warning buzzer, or both may be activated. If information appears on the display, read the message carefully and follow the instructions shown.
• Warning buzzers may be difficult to hear when there is substantial external noise, when the audio system volume is high, or under other noisy conditions. Likewise, certain road surfaces or driving conditions may make system intervention less noticeable. Continue monitoring vehicle behavior rather than relying solely on audible or physical indications.

When it is necessary to disable the system

In each of the situations listed below, disable the applicable Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 functions before proceeding.

Leaving the system active under conditions for which normal detection or control cannot be expected may result in improper operation and could contribute to an accident causing death or serious injury.

• When the Toyota Tacoma is noticeably tilted because it is overloaded or because a tire is flat.
• When the vehicle is being driven at extremely high speeds.
• When towing another vehicle while TDA (Trailer Driving Assist) is deactivated.
• When the vehicle is being transported on a truck, ship, train, or another form of carrier.
• When the vehicle is raised on a lift and one or more tires are able to rotate freely.
• When the vehicle is being inspected on equipment such as a chassis dynamometer or speedometer tester, or when an on-vehicle wheel balancer is being used.
• When the Toyota Tacoma is being driven in a sporty manner or operated off-road, where vehicle movement and surface conditions may differ significantly from ordinary road driving.
• When the vehicle is passing through an automatic car wash.
• When a sensor or the area surrounding it has been struck strongly enough to cause possible misalignment, deformation, or other damage.
• When temporary accessories, equipment, or attachments are installed in a position that obstructs a sensor or vehicle light.
• When a compact spare tire or tire chains are installed, or after an emergency tire puncture repair kit has been used.
• When the tires are excessively worn or their inflation pressure is below the appropriate level.
• When non-genuine Toyota suspension components are installed and/or tires are fitted that differ from the manufacturer-specified size.
• When the vehicle cannot be driven in a stable and predictable manner because of a collision, malfunction, mechanical problem, or similar condition.
• Vehicles equipped with TDA (Trailer Driving Assist): When driving on a slippery surface, including an icy road or a roadway that is extremely wet.

Sensors used by Toyota Safety Sense 3.0

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 relies on several sensors to gather the information required for its driver-assistance functions. These sensors monitor different areas around the Toyota Tacoma and provide data used by the system during operation.

Sensors which detect the surrounding conditions

Front

1. Front radar sensor
2. Front camera

Rear (if equipped)

1. Rear side radar sensors

WARNING

To prevent malfunction of the radar sensors

Follow the precautions below to maintain proper radar sensor operation.

Ignoring these precautions may prevent one or more radar sensors from detecting surrounding conditions correctly. Improper sensor operation can reduce the effectiveness of Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 and may contribute to an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

• Keep the radar sensors, their covers, and the areas directly around them clean at all times.

If the front surface of a radar sensor or either side of a radar sensor cover becomes dirty or is covered by water droplets, snow, mud, or similar material, clean the affected area before driving.

Use a soft cloth when cleaning the radar sensor and its cover. Remove contamination carefully without scratching, deforming, or otherwise damaging these components.

1. Radar sensor
2. Radar sensor cover

• Do not attach accessories, stickers, transparent films, aluminum tape, or similar materials to a radar sensor, radar sensor cover, or the surrounding area. Even thin or transparent objects can interfere with sensor detection.
• Protect each radar sensor and the area around it from strong impacts or other physical damage.

If a radar sensor, the front grille, or the front bumper of the Toyota Tacoma has received a significant impact, have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer even if no obvious external damage is visible.

• Do not disassemble, open, or attempt to repair the radar sensors yourself.
• Do not modify or paint the radar sensors or radar sensor covers. Do not replace these parts with components other than genuine Toyota parts intended for the vehicle.

Radar sensor recalibration is required after certain repairs or component replacements so the sensing direction and system operation remain accurate. Contact your Toyota dealer for the required procedure in the following situations.

• When a radar sensor has been removed and reinstalled, or when a radar sensor has been replaced.
• When the front bumper or front grille has been replaced.

To prevent malfunction of the front camera

Observe the following precautions to preserve clear front camera detection.

Failure to maintain the camera and the windshield area in front of it can interfere with image recognition. If the front camera cannot operate correctly, Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 functions may not respond as intended, which could increase the risk of an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

• Keep the windshield clean at all times, particularly the section through which the front camera monitors the road.
  • If the windshield is covered by dirt, an oily film, water droplets, snow, or other contamination, clean the glass thoroughly so the Toyota Tacoma front camera has a clear view.
  • Even when a glass coating product has been applied to the windshield, use the windshield wipers as necessary to remove water droplets or other moisture from the area directly in front of the camera.
  • If the inside surface of the windshield around the front camera installation area becomes dirty, contact your Toyota dealer rather than attempting work around the camera assembly yourself.
• Do not attach stickers, including transparent stickers, films, labels, or other objects to the windshield area directly in front of the front camera, including the shaded section indicated in the illustration. Anything placed in this area can obstruct the camera's field of view and interfere with normal system operation.

1. Approximately 1.6 in. (4 cm)
2. Approximately 1.6 in. (4 cm)

If the windshield area directly in front of the front camera becomes fogged, covered with condensation, or iced over, use the windshield defogger to clear the affected section. The camera needs an unobstructed view through the glass for Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 functions to operate correctly.

• If the windshield wipers cannot adequately remove water droplets from the area in front of the camera, replace the appropriate wiper insert or wiper blade. Poor wiping performance can leave moisture in the camera's field of view.
• Do not apply window tint to the windshield, as tint material can interfere with the front camera's ability to recognize the road and surrounding objects.
• If the windshield is cracked, chipped, or otherwise damaged, replace it rather than continuing to use the Toyota Tacoma with compromised glass in the camera's viewing area.

Whenever the windshield has been replaced, the front camera must be recalibrated so that its detection direction and system operation remain accurate. Contact your Toyota dealer for information about the required calibration procedure.

• Do not allow water, cleaning liquids, or other fluids to come into contact with the front camera.
• Avoid directing intense or unusually bright light into the front camera, as this may interfere with detection.
• Do not scratch, damage, touch, or allow contamination to accumulate on the front camera lens.

When cleaning the inside surface of the windshield, take care to keep glass cleaner and other cleaning products away from the camera lens. Do not touch the lens with your fingers, a cloth, or cleaning tools.

If the front camera lens becomes dirty, scratched, or damaged, contact your Toyota dealer rather than attempting to clean or repair the camera assembly yourself.

• Protect the front camera and the surrounding installation area from strong impacts.
• Do not alter the installed position or viewing angle of the front camera, and do not remove the camera from the Toyota Tacoma.
• Do not disassemble or attempt to repair the front camera.
• Do not modify components located around the camera, including the inside rear view mirror, headliner, ceiling trim, or other nearby parts.
• Do not install accessories on the hood, front grille, or front bumper if they could obstruct the front camera or interfere with its field of view. Contact your Toyota dealer if there is any uncertainty about accessory compatibility.
• When carrying a surfboard or another long object on the roof, position and secure the load so it does not extend into or obstruct the front camera's viewing area.
• Do not modify the headlights or other exterior lights in a way that changes their intended illumination characteristics.

Front camera installation area on the windshield

If the system determines that the windshield around the front camera may be fogged, a heater can operate automatically to clear the section of glass used by the camera. This helps restore the camera's view without requiring the driver to operate the heater manually.

The windshield near the front camera can become hot while this heater is operating. When cleaning the glass or working near the camera area, do not touch this section until it has cooled sufficiently, as contact with a hot surface may cause burns.

 Situations in which the sensors and the systems may not operate properly

• When vehicle height or body inclination has changed because of modifications, altered suspension geometry, or another condition that changes the normal attitude of the Toyota Tacoma.
• When the windshield is dirty, fogged, cracked, chipped, or otherwise damaged in a way that affects the front camera's view.
• When the surrounding temperature is extremely high or extremely low and sensor performance is affected.
• When mud, water, snow, ice, dead insects, road debris, or other foreign material covers the front surface of a sensor.
• During severe weather such as heavy rain, dense fog, snowfall, or a sandstorm, when visibility and sensor detection can be significantly reduced.
• When water, snow, dust, or other material is thrown into the area ahead of the vehicle, or while driving through mist, spray, smoke, or similar airborne obstruction.
• When the headlights are not illuminated while the vehicle is being driven in darkness, including at night or inside a tunnel.
• When a headlight lens is dirty and the amount of light projected ahead is reduced.
• When the headlights are aimed incorrectly and no longer illuminate the road in the intended direction.
• When one or more headlights are malfunctioning or fail to illuminate normally.
• When headlights from another vehicle, direct sunlight, or strong reflected light shines directly into the front camera and affects image recognition.
• When the brightness of the surrounding area changes abruptly, such as when entering or leaving a tunnel or moving between brightly lit and dark areas.
• When driving close to a television tower, broadcasting station, electrical power plant, radar-equipped vehicle, or another location where strong radio waves or electrical interference may be present.
• When a windshield wiper blade passes across or remains in a position that blocks the front camera's field of view.
• When the Toyota Tacoma is traveling through an area or near objects that strongly reflect radar waves, including the following:
  • Tunnels
  • Truss bridges
  • Gravel roads
  • Rutted or snow-covered roads
  • Walls
  • Large trucks
  • Manhole covers
  • Guardrails
  • Metal plates
• When driving close to a step, curb-like change in height, protrusion, or similar road feature that may affect sensor recognition.
• When a vehicle that should be detected has an unusually narrow body, such as a small mobility vehicle.
• When the detectable vehicle has a small front or rear profile, such as an unloaded truck with limited body area facing the sensors.
• When a detectable vehicle has a very low front or rear end, such as a low-bed trailer, making it more difficult for the sensors to recognize consistently.

• When a vehicle that should be detected has exceptionally high ground clearance, its shape and position relative to the sensors may make reliable recognition more difficult.

• When a detectable vehicle is carrying cargo that extends beyond or protrudes from its normal cargo area, changing the outline that the Toyota Tacoma sensors are attempting to recognize.
• When a detectable vehicle has only a small amount of exposed metal, such as a vehicle that is partially covered with fabric, a tarp, or similar material.
• When the vehicle ahead has an unusual shape or configuration, such as a tractor, motorcycle with a sidecar, or another vehicle that differs significantly from a conventional passenger vehicle.
• When the distance between the Toyota Tacoma and a detectable vehicle becomes extremely short, leaving the sensors with limited space and time for recognition.
• When another vehicle is positioned at an angle instead of directly ahead or behind, making its detectable profile less distinct.
• When snow, mud, ice, road debris, or other material is attached to a detectable vehicle and alters the surface or shape visible to the sensors.
• When driving on any of the following types of roads, where road geometry or vehicle movement may make sensor recognition less stable:
  • Roads containing sharp bends, consecutive curves, or winding sections.
  • Roads with rapid changes in grade, including sudden uphill or downhill sections.
  • Roads that slope noticeably toward the left or right.
  • Road surfaces containing deep ruts that can alter the vehicle's position or direction.
  • Rough, damaged, or poorly maintained roads that cause substantial vehicle movement.
  • Roads with frequent rises, dips, bumps, or other repeated changes in surface height.
• When the steering wheel is turned frequently, rapidly, or abruptly, causing the Toyota Tacoma to change direction in a way that makes object tracking more difficult.
• When the vehicle does not maintain a stable or consistent position within its lane.
• When components related to Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the braking system, or other associated systems are extremely cold, excessively hot, wet, or otherwise affected by environmental conditions.
• When the wheels are not correctly aligned, which can alter the relationship between the vehicle's actual path and the direction expected by the system.
• When driving on a low-grip surface covered with ice, packed snow, loose gravel, or similar material that may cause the vehicle to slide or move unpredictably.
• When the actual path of the vehicle does not follow the shape or direction of the curve in the road.
• When entering a curve at an excessively high speed, reducing the time available for the system to recognize and respond to changing road geometry.
• When entering or leaving a parking lot, garage, vehicle elevator, or another confined area with abrupt changes in surroundings or road layout.
• When driving within a parking lot, where lane markings, vehicle positions, pedestrians, and surrounding structures may differ from ordinary road conditions.
• When passing through an area containing objects that could touch or brush against the Toyota Tacoma, such as tall grass, overhanging tree branches, hanging curtains, or similar obstructions.
• When driving in strong winds that cause the vehicle to move laterally or make it more difficult to maintain a steady course.

 Situations in which the lane may not be detected

• When the lane is unusually wide or extremely narrow, making the boundaries difficult for the camera to identify consistently.
• Immediately after changing lanes or after passing through an intersection, where lane markings may be interrupted or temporarily unclear.
• When driving in a temporary lane or a lane whose path has been altered because of construction work, road maintenance, or traffic control.
• When nearby structures, pavement patterns, road repairs, shadows, or other visual features resemble lane markings and may be mistaken for actual lane lines.
• When several white lines appear close together and it is difficult for the system to determine which marking represents the true lane boundary.
• When lane markings are faded, partially erased, covered, difficult to distinguish, or viewed on a wet road where reflections reduce contrast.
• When a lane line is located directly along or on top of a curb, making its shape or position harder for the front camera to interpret.
• When driving across a bright or highly reflective road surface, such as light-colored concrete, where glare and reflections can reduce the visual contrast of lane markings.

 Situations in which some or all of the system functions may be unavailable

• If a malfunction is detected in this system or in a related vehicle system, such as the brakes, steering, or another component involved in system operation, some or all functions may become unavailable.
• When VSC, TRAC, or another safety-related system is actively operating, certain functions may be temporarily limited or unavailable.
• If VSC, TRAC, or another safety-related system has been turned off, some functions may also be restricted or unable to operate as intended on the Toyota Tacoma.

 Changes in brake operation sound and pedal response

• When the brakes are applied during system operation, brake-related operating sounds may be heard and the feel or response of the brake pedal may change. These characteristics can occur during normal system operation and do not, by themselves, indicate a malfunction.
• While the system is operating, the brake pedal may feel firmer than expected or may move farther downward. In either case, the brake pedal can still be depressed further. Apply additional pedal pressure as necessary to obtain the required braking response from the Toyota Tacoma.

 When using the SDM (Stabilizer with Disconnection Mechanism) (if equipped)

When the SDM (Stabilizer with Disconnection Mechanism) is operating, availability of individual system functions is limited as shown below. These restrictions apply while the mechanism is operating and should be considered when using the related driver assistance features of the Toyota Tacoma:

• System functions

Definition of symbols used in the table:

O = Available

- = Not available

*1: Alert is available only
*2: Partially unavailable
*3: If equipped

 PDA (Proactive driving assist) functions when SDM (Stabilizer with Disconnection Mechanism) is operating (if equipped)

When SDM (Stabilizer with Disconnection Mechanism) is operating, the following functions of PDA (Proactive driving assist) are restricted. The level of restriction depends on the specific PDA function described below.

• OAA (Obstacle Anticipation Assist) functions

Brake assist remains operational, but steering assist does not operate while this restriction is in effect.

• SA (Steering Assist) function: Steering Assist does not operate while SDM is operating.

 When lift up

When using a lift kit on the Toyota Tacoma, the total lift must be up to 4 in. (101 mm), including the increase resulting from tire height.

Toyota recommends using a Toyota genuine lift kit, as a non-genuine lift kit may adversely affect system performance. The combination of suspension lift and tire height should therefore be considered when modifying the vehicle.

Details regarding the applicable lift and tire size conditions are provided in the following table.

*1: Manufacturer-specified tire sizes
*2: Tire sizes up to 3 inches plus the tire size specified by the manufacturer
*3: Any size other than the manufacturer-specified tire sizes
*4: Tire sizes exceeding the range specified in *2