check engine TOYOTA CAMRY 2005 XV30 / 7.G User Guide
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1. Check the area around the  vehicle be-fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion height, head restraint
height and steering wheel angle.
3. Vehicles with  the power  adjustable ped- als—Adjust the position of  the acceler-
ator and brake pedals.
4. Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
5. Lock all doors.
6. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply  the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Manual transmission:  Press the clutch
pedal to the floor and shift the trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission:  Put the se-
lector lever in “P”. If you need to re-
start the engine while the vehicle is
moving, put the selector lever  in “N”.
A starter safety device will prevent the
starter from operating if the selector
lever is  in any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only:  De-
press the brake pedal  and hold  it to
the floor until driving off. Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in “(a) Before crank-
ing”.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system in your
engine automatically controls the proper
air
−fuel mixture for starting. You can start
a cold or hot engine as  follows:
With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
crank the engine by  turning the  key  to
“START”. Release it when the engine
starts.
Engine should be warmed up by driving,
not in idle. For warming up, drive with
smoothly turning engine until engine cool-
ant temperature is within normal range.
If  the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce-
dure given in normal  starting.
If the engine will not start...
See “If your vehicle will not start” on page
258 in Section 4.
Before starting the engine H o w to st art th e en g in e— 
(a) Before cranking
(b) Starting the engine 
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NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 se-
conds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
 Do not race a cold engine.
 If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharp −edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage such
as a tire burst.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps
or travelling on a bumpy  road. Other-
wise, the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they  touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and place the transmis-
sion in “P” (automatic) or in first or
reverse (manual). If necessary, block
the wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you, and then
press the pedal lightly. If you do not
feel a normal braking force, the brakes
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake applied. If  they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer  for assistance.
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Tips for driving in various
conditions 
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Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking on
a slippery surface. Sudden accelera-
tion or engine braking could cause
the vehicle to skid or spin.
Do not drive in excess of  the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are high speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will  require a
longer stopping distance, and it
may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also,  the park-
ing brake will not hold the vehicle
securely.
Make sure your coolant is properly pro-
tected against freezing.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non−silicate, non −amine, non −nitrite,
and non− borate coolant with long −life
hybrid organic acid technology. (Coolant
with long −life hybrid organic acid
technology is a combination of low
phosphates and organic acids.)
See “Checking the engine coolant level”
on page 307 in Section 7 −2 for details of
coolant type selection.
For the U.S.A.—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 50% coolant and
50% deionized water. This  coolant pro-
vides protection down to about  −35 C
( − 31 F).
For Canada—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 55% coolant and
45% deionized water. This  coolant pro-
vides protection down to about  −42 C
( − 44 F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Check the condition of  the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape
to provide enough power for  winter  start-
ing. Section 7− 3 tells  you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 304 in Section 7 −2 for recom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer oil in your vehicle during winter
months may cause harder starting. If you
are not  sure about which oil to use,  call
your Toyota dealer—he will be pleased to
help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de −icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
Winter driving tips 
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Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer ’s directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-
age your vehicle’s paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
“P” (automatic) or into first or reverse
(manual) and block the rear wheels. Do
not use the parking brake, or  snow or
water accumulated in and around the
parking brake mechanism may freeze,
making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under  your fenders
can make steering difficult.  During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put  in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to your vehicle.
Dinghy towing
(with automatic transmission) 
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TRAILER LIGHTS
Trailer lights must comply with federal,
state/provincial and local regulations.
See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correct
type of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle’s electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.
BREAK IN SCHEDULE
Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a
vehicle with any new power  train com-
ponent (engine, transmission, differen-
tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving.
MAINTENANCE
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner ’s
Manual Supplement”.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving. PRE TOWING SAFETY CHECK
Check that your vehicle remains level
when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the  vehicle has
an abnormal nose
−up or nose −down
condition, and check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspension
or other possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
loaded so that it can not shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors con-
form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or  local regulations.  If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow-
ing. The three main causes of vehicle 
trailer accidents are driver error, exces-
sive speed and improper  trailer loading.
Keep these in mind when towing:
Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle −trailer connec-
tions. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and con-
nections. Before actually towing a trail-
er, practice turning, stopping and back-
ing with a trailer in an area away from
traffic until you learn the feel.
Backing with a trailer is difficult and
requires practice. Grip the bottom of
the steering wheel and move your hand
to the left to move the trailer to the
left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to the right. (This pro-
cedure is generally opposite to that
when backing without a trailer.) Also,
just turn the steering wheel a little at
a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged
turning. Have someone guide you when
backing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle− to−vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between  you and  the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
tion. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, prevent excessive clutch
slippage by keeping engine rpm low
and not racing the engine. Always start
out in first gear. 
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Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting pro-
cedure given in “How to start  the engine”
on page 244 in Section 3 and that you
have sufficient fuel. If your vehicle is
equipped with the engine immobilizer sys-
tem, also check whether the other keys
will start the engine. If they work, your
key may be broken. Have the key
checked at  your Toyota dealer. If  none of
your keys work, there may be a malfunc-
tion in the immobilizer system. Call your
Toyota dealer. (See “Keys (with engine
immobilizer system)” on page 12 in Sec-
tion 1−2.) If the engine is not turning over or is
turning over too slowly—
1. Check that the battery terminals are tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery
is discharged. You may try jump start-
ing. See “(c) Jump starting” on page
259 for further instructions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair
shop.
NOTICE
Do not pull  or push start the ve-
hicle. It may damage the vehicle or
cause a collision when the engine
starts. Also the three way catalytic
converter may overheat and become a
fire hazard.
If the engine turns over at  its normal
speed but will not start— 1. Turn the ignition key to “ACC” or “LOCK” and try starting the engine
again.
2. If the engine will not start, the engine may be flooded because of repeated
cranking. See “(b) Starting a flooded
engine” on page 259 for  further instruc-
tions.
3. If the engine still will not start, it needs adjustment or repair. Call a Toyota
dealer or qualified repair shop.
If your vehicle will not start—
(a) Simple checks