1998 Toyota Tacoma Owners Manual - Page 81

'98 Tacoma (U) Your automatic transmission has a shift lock system to minimize the possibility of incorrect operation. This means you can only shift out of "P" position when the brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition switch in "ON" position and the selector lever pulled toward you). (a) Normal driving 1. Start the engine as instructed in "How to start the engine" in Part 3. The transmission must be in "P" or "N". 2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to "D". In "D" position, the automatic transmission system will select the most suitable gear for running conditions such as normal cruising, hill climbing, hard towing, etc. Always turn the overdrive switch on for better fuel economy and quieter driving. If the engine coolant temperature is low, the transmission will not shift into the overdrive gear even with the overdrive switch on. CAUTION Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while shifting. 3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal slowly for smooth starting. (b) Using engine braking To use engine braking, you can downshift the transmission as follows: Vehicles with cruise control-When the cruise control is being used, even if you downshift the transmission by turning off the overdrive switch, engine braking will not be applied because the cruise control is not cancelled. For ways to decrease the vehicle speed, see "Cruise control" in this chapter. CAUTION Be careful when downshifting on a slippery surface. Abrupt shifting could cause the vehicle to spin or skid. (c) Using "2" and "L" positions The "2" and "L" positions are used for strong engine braking as described previously. With the selector lever in "2" or "L", you can start the vehicle in motion as with the lever in "D". With the selector lever in "2", the vehicle will start in the first gear and automatically shift to the second gear. With the selector lever in "L", the transmission is engaged in the first gear. D Turn off the overdrive switch. The "O/D OFF" indicator light will come on and the transmission will downshift to the third gear. D Shift into the "2" position. The transmission will downshift to the second gear when the vehicle speed drops down to or lower than 131 km/h (81 mph), and more powerful engine braking will be obtained. D Shift into the "L" position. The transmission will downshift to the first gear when the vehicle speed drops down to or lower than 63 km/h (39 mph), and maximum engine braking will be applied. 81