TOYOTA CAMRY 1996 Owners Manual

165
If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of Pº position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-
pressed, use the shift lock override
button as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCKº
position. Make sure the parking brake
is on.
2. Pry up the cover with a flat-bladed
screwdriver or equivalent.3. Insert the screwdriver or equivalent
into the hole to push down the shift
lock override button. You can shift out
of Pº position only while pushing the
button.
4. Shift into Nº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety,
keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.Many Toyota dealers can make a new
key if you can give them the key num-
ber.
See the suggestion given in Keysº in
Chapter 1-2.
If your keys are locked in the vehicle and
you cannot get a duplicate, many Toyota
dealers can still open the door for you, us-
ing their special tools. If you must break a
window to get in, we suggest breaking the
smallest side window because it is the
least expensive to replace. Be extremely
cautious to avoid cuts from the glass.
If you lose your keys If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
ProCarManuals.com

166ProCarManuals.com

Part 5Protecting your Toyota
from corrosion
167
CORROSION
PREVENTION AND
APPEARANCE
CARE

Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion

Washing and waxing your
Toyota

Cleaning the interior
Toyota, through its diligent research, de-
sign and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part to
help prevent corrosion and has provided
you with the finest quality vehicle
construction. Now, it is up to you. Proper
care of your Toyota can help ensure long-
term corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corro-
sion to your vehicle are:

The accumulation of road salt, dirt and
moisture in hard-to-reach areas un-
der the vehicle.

Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
Care is especially important if you live
in particular areas or operate your ve-
hicle under certain environmental
conditions:

Road salt or dust control chemicals will
accelerate corrosion, as will the pres-
ence of salt in the air near the sea-
coast or in areas of industrial pollution.

High humidity accelerates corrosion
especially when temperatures range
just above the freezing point.

Wetness or dampness to certain parts
of your vehicle for an extended period
of time, may cause corrosion even
though other parts of the vehicle may
be dry.
High temperatures will cause corro-
sion to those components of the ve-
hicle which are prevented from quick-
drying due to lack of proper ventilation.
The above signifies the necessity to keep
your vehicle, particularly the underside,
as clean as possible and to repair any
damage to paint or protective coatings as
soon as possible.
To help prevent corrosion on your To-
yota, follow these guidelines:
Wash your vehicle frequently. It is, of
course, necessary to keep your vehicle
clean by regular washing, but to prevent
corrosion, the following points should be
observed:

If you drive on salted roads in the win-
ter or if you live near the ocean, you
should hose off the undercarriage at
least once a month to minimize corro-
sion.

High pressure water or steam is effec-
tive for cleaning the vehicle's under-
side and wheel housings. Pay particu-
lar attention to these areas as it is
difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to simply
wet the mud and debris without remov-
ing them. The lower edge of doors,
rocker panels and frame members
have drain holes which should not be
allowed to clog with dirt as trapped wa-
ter in these areas can cause corrosion.
ProCarManuals.com

168
Wash the underside of the vehicle
thoroughly when winter is over.
See Washing and waxing your Toyotaº
for more tips.
Check the condition of your vehicle's
paint and trim. If you find any chips or
scratches in the paint, touch them up im-
mediately to prevent corrosion from start-
ing. If the chips or scratches have gone
through the bare metal, have a qualified
body shop make the repair.
Check the interior of your vehicle. Wa-
ter and dirt can accumulate under the floor
mats and could cause corrosion. Occa-
sionally check under the mats to make
sure the area is dry. Be particularly careful
when transporting chemicals, cleansers,
fertilizers, salt, etc.; these should be
transported in proper containers. If a spill
or leak should occur, immediately clean
and dry the area.
Use mud shields on your wheels. If you
drive on salted or gravel roads, mud
shields help protect your vehicle. Full-
size shields, which come as near to the
ground as possible, are the best. We rec-
ommend that the fittings and the area
where the shields are installed be treated
to resist corrosion. Your Toyota dealer will
be happy to assist in supplying and instal-
ling the shields if they are recommended
for your area.Do not park your vehicle in a damp,
poorly ventilated garage. If you wash
your vehicle in the garage, or if you drive
it in covered with water or snow, your ga-
rage may be so damp it will cause corro-
sion. Even if your garage is heated, a wet
vehicle can corrode if the ventilation is
poor.Washing your Toyota by hand
Work in the shade and wait until the ve-
hicle body is not hot to the touch.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re-
move any mud or road salt from the un-
derside of the vehicle or in the wheel
wells.
2. Wash with a mild car-wash soap,
mixed according to the manufacturer's in-
structions. Use a soft cotton mitt and keep
it wet by dipping it frequently into the wash
water. Do not rub hardÐlet the soap and
water remove the dirt.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap or
neutral detergent.
Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not
scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper
faces are soft.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces.
Do not use gasoline or strong
solvents, which may be toxic or
cause damage.
NOTICE
3. Rinse thoroughlyÐdried soap can
cause streaking. In hot weather you may
need to rinse each section right after you
wash it.
Washing and waxing your
Toyota
ProCarManuals.com

169 4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle
using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not rub
or press hardÐyou might scratch the
paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching re-
duces paint durability and gloss, especial-
ly on darker colors. The manager of the
car wash should be able to advise you
whether the process is safe for the paint
on your vehicle.
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommend-
ed to maintain the original beauty of
your Toyota's finish.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-
fore you begin waxing, even if you are us-
ing a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If
the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a car-cleaning polish, followed
by a separate wax. Carefully follow the
manufacturer 's instructions and precau-
tions. Be sure to polish and wax the
chrome trim as well as the paint.3. Wax the vehicle again when water
does not bead but remains on the surface
in large patches.
Always remove the plastic bumpers
if your vehicle is re-painted and
placed in a high heat paint waxing
booth. High temperatures could
damage the bumpers.
NOTICE
CAUTION!
Do not wash the vehicle floor with wa-
ter, or allow water to get onto the floor
when cleaning the vehicle interior or
exterior. Water may get into audio
components or other electrical com-
ponents above or under the floor car-
pet (or mat) and cause a malfunction;
and it may cause body corrosion.
Vinyl interior
The vinyl upholstery may be easily
cleaned with a mild soap or detergent
and water.
First vacuum over the upholstery to remove
loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or soft cloth,
apply the soap solution to the vinyl. After al-
lowing it to soak in for a few minutes to loos -
en the dirt, remove the dirt and wipe off the
soap with a clean damp cloth. If all the dirt
does not come off, repeat the procedure.
Commercial foaming- type vinyl cleaners
are also available which work well. Follow
the manufacturer 's instructions.
NOTICE
Do not use solvent, thinner,
gasoline or window cleaner on the
interior.
Carpets
Use a good foam-type shampoo to
clean the carpets.
Cleaning the interior
ProCarManuals.com

170Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to re-
move as much dirt as possible. Several
types of foam cleaners are available;
some are in aerosol cans and others are
powders or liquids which you mix with wa-
ter to produce a foam. To shampoo the
carpets, use a sponge or brush to apply
the foam. Rub in overlapping circles.
Do not apply waterÐthe best results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible. Read the shampoo instructions
and follow them closely.
Seat belts
The seat belts may be cleaned with
mild soap and water or with lukewarm
water.
Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-
ing, check the belts for excessive wear,
fraying, or cuts.
Do not use dye or bleach on the
beltsÐit may weaken them.
NOTICE
Windows
The windows may be cleaned with any
household window cleaner.
When cleaning the inside of the
windows, be careful not to scratch
or damage the heater wires on the
rear window.
NOTICE
Air conditioning control panel, car au-
dio, instrument panel, console panel,
and switches
Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-
warm water then lightly wipe off any dirt.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (sol-
vents, kerosene, alcohol, gasoline,
etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discolor-
ing, staining or peeling of the sur-
face.
If you use cleaners or polishing
agents, make sure their ingredients
do not include the substances men-
tioned above.
If you use a liquid car freshener, do
not spill the liquid onto the vehicle's
interior surfaces. It may contain the
ingredients mentioned above. Im-
mediately clean any spill using the
method mentioned above.
Leather Interior
The leather upholstery may be cleaned
with neutral detergent for wool.
Remove dirt using a soft cloth dampened
with 5% solution of neutral detergent for
wool. Then thoroughly wipe off all traces of
detergent with a clean damp cloth.
After cleaning or whenever any part of the
leather gets wet, dry with a soft clean cloth.
Allow the leather to dry in a ventilated
shaded area.
NOTICE
If a stain should fail to come out with
a neutral detergent, apply a cleaner
that does not contain an organic
solvent.
Never use organic substances such
as benzine, alcohol or gasoline, or
alkaline or acid solutions for clean -
ing the leather as these could cause
discoloring.
Use of a nylon brush or synthetic fi -
ber cloth, etc. may scratch the fine
grained surface of the leather.
Mildew may develop on soiled leath -
er upholstery. Be especially careful
to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your
upholstery always clean.
Long exposure to direct sunlight
may cause the leather surface to
harden and shrink. Keep your ve-
hicle in a shaded area, especially in
the summer.
The interior of your vehicle is apt to
heat up on hot summer days, so
avoid placing on the upholstery
items made of vinyl or plastic or
containing wax as these tend to
stick to leather when warm.
Improper cleaning of the leather up -
holstery could result in discolor-
ation or staining.
If you have any questions about the
cleaning of your Toyota, your local To-
yota dealer will be pleased to answer
them.
ProCarManuals.com

Part 6Maintenance requirements
171
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE

Maintenance requirements

General maintenance

Does your vehicle need
repairing?
For scheduled maintenance
information, please refer to the
separate Owner's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº.
Your Toyota vehicle has been designed
for fewer maintenance requirements with
longer service intervals to save both your
time and money. However, each regular
maintenance, as well as day-to-day
care, is more important than ever before
to ensure smooth, trouble-free, safe, and
economical drivings.
It is the owner's responsibility to make
sure the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is per-
formed. Note that both the new vehicle
and emission control system warranties
specify that proper maintenance and care
must be performed. See Owner's Guide,
Owner 's Manual Supplement or Warranty
Booklet for complete warranty informa-
tion.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those
day-to-day care practices that are impor-
tant to your vehicle for proper operation.
It is the owner's responsibility to ensure
that the general maintenance items are
performed regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost.Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed
in the Owner's Manual Supplement/
Maintenance Scheduleº are those re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals.
For details of your maintenance Sched-
ule, read the separate ºOwner's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
It is recommended that any replace-
ment parts used for maintenance or
for the repair of the emission control
system be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use non-Toyo-
ta supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emis-
sion control system warranty.
However, use of replacement parts
which are not of equivalent quality
may impair the effectiveness of the
emission control systems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system
performed by any automotive repair
establishment or individual without
invalidating this warranty. See Own-
er's Guide, Owner's Manual Supple-
ment or Warranty Booklet for complete
warranty information.
ProCarManuals.com

172Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well-trained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the lat-
est service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and in-dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer's service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehicleÐreliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be sure
to keep a copy of the repair order for any
service performed on your Toyota.
What about do-it-yourself mainte-
nance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Part 7.If you are a skilled do-it-yourself me-
chanic, the Toyota service manuals are
recommended. Please be aware that do-
it-yourself maintenance can affect your
warranty coverage. See Owner's Guide,
Owner 's Manual Supplement or Warranty
Booklet for the details.Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any un-
usual noise, smell or vibration, you should
investigate the cause or take your vehicle
to your Toyota dealer or a qualified service
shop immediately. It is recommended that
any problem you notice be brought to the
attention of your dealer or the qualified
service shop for their advice.
Make these checks only where
adequate ventilation can be ob-
tained if you run the engine.CAUTION
!
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be per-
formed from time to time, unless
otherwise specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See
Chapter 7-2 for additional information.
General maintenance
ProCarManuals.com

173 Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7-2 for
additional information. When checking
the tires, make sure no nuts are missing,
and check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7-2 for additional in-
formation.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has been
parked for a while. If you smell fuel fumes
or notice any leak, have the cause found
and corrected immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors including trunk lid op-
erate smoothly and all latches lock se-
curely. Make sure the engine hood secon-
dary latch secures the hood from opening
when the primary latch is released.
INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing peri-
odic services, cleaning the vehicle,
etc.Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights
are all working. Check headlight aim.
Service reminder indicators and warn-
ing buzzers
Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly.
Steering wheel
Be alert for changes in steering condition,
such as hard steering or strange noise.
Seats
Check that all front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op-
erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
head restraints move up and down
smoothly and that the locks hold securely
in any latched position. For folding-down
or swing-up rear seatbacks or rear seat
cushion, check that the latches lock se-
curely.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly and smoothly. Make sure that the
belt webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or
damaged.Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching.
Clutch pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance.
Check the brake booster function.
Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do
not pull to one side when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the lever (lever type) or pedal
(pedal type) has the proper travel and
that, on a safe incline, your vehicle is held
securely with only the parking brake ap-
plied.
Automatic transmission Parkº mech-
anism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your ve-
hicle is held securely with the selector
lever in Pº position and all brakes re-
leased.ProCarManuals.com

174IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be checked
from time to time, e.g. each time when
refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See Chapter 7-3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULLº and LOWº lines on the see-
through reservoir. See Chapter 7-2 for
additional information.
Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower level
lines on the case. Add only distilled water
when replenishing. See Chapter 7-3 for
additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-
tion.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the en-
gine turned off and the vehicle parked on
a level spot. See Chapter 7-2 for addition-
al information.Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the HOTº or COLDº
range depending on the fluid temperature.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-
tion.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have
the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See engine exhaust cautions in
Part 2.)ProCarManuals.com