TOYOTA CAMRY 1997 Manual PDF

68
The gauge indicates the engine cool-
ant temperature when the ignition
switch is on. The engine operating
temperature will vary with changes in
weather and engine load.
If the needle moves into the red zone,
your engine is too hot. If your vehicle
overheats, stop your vehicle and allow the
engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:

Driving up a long hill on a hot day.

Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.
Idling for a long period with the air con-
ditioning on in stop-and-go traffic.

Towing a trailer
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to
control the flow of coolant to keep
the temperature of the engine
within the specified operating
range.
Do not continue driving with an
overheated engine. See If your
vehicle overheatsº in Part 4.The tachometer indicates engine
speed in thousands of rpm (revolu-
tions per minute). Use it while driving
to select correct shift points and to
prevent engine lugging and overrev-
ving.
Driving with the engine running too fast
causes excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy. Remember, in most cases
the slower the engine speed, the greater
the fuel economy.
NOTICE
Do not let the indicator needle get
into the red zone. This may cause
severe engine damage.
Tachometer Engine coolant temperature
gauge
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This meter displays the odometer and
two trip meters.
1. OdometerÐIt shows the total distance
the vehicle has been driven.
2. Two trip metersÐThey show two dif-
ferent distances independently driven
since the last time each trip meter was
set to zero.
You can use one trip meter to calculate
the fuel economy and the other to
measure the distance on each trip. All
trip meter data is cancelled if the elec-
trical power source is disconnected.3. Trip meter reset knobÐIt can reset the
two trip meters to zero, and also
change the meter display.
To change the meter display, quickly
push and release the knob. The meter
display changes in the order from the
odometer to trip meter A to trip meter
B, then back to the odometer each
time you push.
To reset the trip meter A to zero, dis-
play the meter A reading, then push
and hold the knob until the meter is set
to zero. The same process can be ap-
plied for resetting the trip meter B.
Odometer and two trip metersService reminder indicators
and warning buzzers
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70
(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light has the following functions:
Parking brake reminder
If this light is on, make sure the parking
brake is fully released. The light should go
off.
Low brake fluid level warning
If this light comes on and stays on while
you are driving, slowdown and pull off the
road. Then stop the vehicle carefully.
There maybe a problem somewhere in
the brake system. check the fluid level of
the see-through reservoir.
To make sure the parking brake has not
caused the warning light to come on,
check to see that the parking brake is fully
released.
If the brake fluid level is low...
At a safe place, test your brakes by start-
ing and stopping.

If you judge that the brakes still work
adequately, drive cautiously to your
nearest dealer or shop for repairs.

If the brakes are not working, have the
vehicle towed in for repairs. (For tow-
ing information, see Part 4.)
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It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level
is low.CAUTION
!
If the brake fluid level is correct...
Have the warning system checked by
your Toyota dealer.
(b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzz-
er
Once the ignition key is turned to ONº or
STARTº, the reminder light and buzzer
come on if the driver's seat belt is not fas-
tened. Unless the driver fastens the belt,
the light stays on and the buzzer stops af-
ter about 4 to 8 seconds.
(c) Discharge Warning Light
This light warns that the battery is being
discharged.
If it comes on while you are driving, there
is a problem somewhere in the charging
system.
The engine ignition will continue to oper-
ate, however, until the battery is dis-
charged. Turn off the air conditioning,
blower, radio, ect., and drive directly to the
nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the
engine drive belt is broken or loose.
(d) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on in the following
cases.
a. The fuel tank is completely empty.
(See Fuel gaugeº in Chapter 1-5 for in-
structions.)
b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See Fuel tank capº in Chapter
1-2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in your
engine or automatic transmission electri-
cal system.
If it comes on while you are driving in case
c, have your vehicle checked/repaired by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
(e) Low Fuel Pressure Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel level in
the tank becomes nearly empty. Fill up
the tank as soon as possible.(f) Low Oil Level Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are driv-
ing, pull off the road to a safe place and
stop the engine immediately. Call a Toyo-
ta dealer or qualified repair shop for assis-
tance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on brief-
ly after a hard stop. There is no cause for
concern if it then goes out when the en-
gine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to indi-
cate low oil level, and the oil level must be
checked using the level dipstick.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with the
warning light onÐeven for one
block. It may ruin the engine.
(g) ABSº Warning Light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in your anti-lock brake sys-
tem.
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72
If the light comes on while you are driving,
have your vehicle checked by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to the ONº position. After
about 3 seconds, the light will go off.
When the ABSº warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
brake system operates conventionally but
anti-lock brake system is not assisting
brake performance so that the wheels can
lock-up during sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces.
(h) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the doors
and back door are completely closed.
(i) Rear Light Failure Warning Light
If this light comes on when the headlight
switch is turned on (at the first or second
clickstop), it indicates that one or more of
the tail lights are burned out.
If it comes on when the brake pedal is de-
pressed, one or more stop lights are
burned out.
Have defective bulbs replaced as soon as
possible.(j) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ACCº or ONº
position. After about 6 seconds, the
light will go off. This means the airbag
system is operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the
front airbag sensors, center airbag sensor
assembly, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring and power sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.

The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position or remains on.

The light comes on while driving.
(k) Low Windshield Washer Fluid
Level Warning Light
The light warns that the windshield wash-
er fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instruc-
tions, see Adding washer fluidº in Chap-
ter 7-3.)(l) TRAC OFFº Indicator/Warning
light
This light comes on when the ignition key
is turned to ONº, and will go off after 3
seconds. This means that the system is
operating properly.
If one of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitors by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.

The light remains on more than 3 sec-
onds after the ignition switch is turned
on.

The light comes on while driving even
if the TRAC OFFº switch is not
pushed.

The light flashes.
(m) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver's door with
the ignition key in the ACCº or LOCKº
position.
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CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDI-
CATORS (except the low fuel level
warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open one of the doors.
The open door warning light should
come on.
3. Close the door.
The open door warning light should go
off.
4. Turn the ignition key to ACCº.
The SRS airbag warning light should
come on. It goes off after about 6 sec-
onds.
5. Turn the ignition key to ONº, but do
not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators except
the open door warning light, SRS airbag
warning light and automatic transmission
fluid temperature warning light should
come on. The ABSº warning light goes
off after about 3 seconds.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, either the bulb is burned out or the
circuit is in need of repair. Have it checked
by your Toyota dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
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Part 1Ignition switch with steering
lock
75
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1-6
Ignition switch,
Transmission and
Parking brake

Ignition switch with steering lock

Automatic transmission

Manual transmission

Parking brake

Cruise control
Startº - Starter motor on. The key will
return to the ONº position when re-
leased.
For starting tips, see Part 3.
ONº - Engine on and all accessories
on.
This is the normal driving position.
ACCº - Accessories such as the ra-
dio operate, but the engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ACCº or
LOCKº position and open the driver's
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
LOCKº - Engine is off and the steer-
ing wheel is locked. The key can be re-
moved only at this position.You must push in the key to turn the key
from ACCº to the LOCKº position. On
vehicles with an automatic transmission,
the selector lever must be put in the Pº
position before pushing the key.
When starting the engine, the key may
seem stuck at the LOCKº position. To
free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering
wheel slightly while turning the key gently.For manual transmission:
Never remove the key when the ve-
hicle is moving, as this will lock the
steering wheel and result in loss of
steering control.CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ONº
position if the engine is not running.
The battery will discharge and the
ignition could be damaged.
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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 controlº in this chapter.
76Automatic transmissionProCarManuals.com

77
Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of Pº position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ONº position and the lock re-
lease button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in How
to start the engineº in Part 3. The trans-
mission must be in Pº or Nº.
2. With your foot holding down the brake
pedal, shift the selector lever to Dº.
In Dº position, the automatic transmis-
sion system will select the most suitable
gear for running conditions such as nor-
mal 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 overdrive
gear even with the overdrive switch on.
Never put your foot in the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.CAUTION
!
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:

Turn off the overdrive switch. The O/D
OFFº indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.

Shift into the 2º position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than the following
speed, and more powerful engine
braking will be obtained.
5S-FE engine 106 km/h (65 mph). .
1MZ-FE engine 119 km/h (73 mph).

Shift into the Lº position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
maximum engine braking will be ap-
plied.
5S-FE engine 46 km/h (28 mph). . . .
1MZ-FE engine 56 km/h (34 mph). . Vehicles with cruise controlÐWhen the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by turning off
the overdrive switch, engine braking is not
applied because the cruise control is not
cancelled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see Cruise controlº in this chapter.
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.CAUTION
!
(c) Using the 2º and Lº positions
The 2º and Lº positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in 2º or Lº, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in Dº.
With the selector lever in 2º, the vehicle
will start in the first gear and automatically
shift to the second gear.
With the selector lever in Lº, the trans-
mission is engaged in the first gear.
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78
NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to
keep engine rpm from going into
the red zone. The approximate
maximum allowable speed for
each position is given below for
your reference:
2º 125 km/h (77 mph). . . . . .
Lº 69 km/h (42 mph). . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the
2º or Lº position. This may
cause severe automatic transmis-
sion damage from overheating.
To prevent such damage, Dº
position should be used in hill
climbing or hard towing.
(d) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with
your foot, shift the selector lever to the
Rº position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the
vehicle is moving.
(e) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the parking brake lever up fully to
securely apply the parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down,
shift the selector lever to the Pº posi-
tion.
While the vehicle is moving, never
attempt to move the selector lever
into Pº position under any circum-
stances. Serious mechanical dam-
age and loss of vehicle control may
result.CAUTION
!
(f) Good driving practice

If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between third
gear and overdrive when climbing a
gentle slope, the overdrive switch
should be turned off. Be sure to turn
the switch on immediately afterward.

When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an
upgrade with the accelerator pedal.
It can cause the transmission to
overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
If you rock your vehicle to make it
out when it becomes stuck in snow,
mud, sand, etc., first check that
there are no physical objects or
people around the vehicle. During
the rocking operation the vehicle
may suddenly move forward or
backward as it becomes unstuck,
causing injury or damage to nearby
people or objects.CAUTION
!
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