towing TOYOTA CELICA 2000 Owners Manual
Page 41 of 256
Celica_U
402000 CELICA (OM20735U)
CAUTION
High−positioned lap belts and
loose −fitting belts both could cause
serious injuries due to sliding un-
der the lap belt during a collision
or other unintended result. Keep
the lap belt positioned as low on
hips as possible.
For your safety, do not place the
shoulder belt under your arm.
To release the belt, press the buckle −re-
lease button and allow the belt to re-
tract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull
it out and check for kinks or twists. Then
make sure it remains untwisted as it re-
tracts.The seat belt can be stowed in the
tongue holder when not in use.
CAUTION
The seat belt must be removed from
the tongue holder when the seat belt
is in use.
—Stowing the front
passenger ’s seat belt
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872000 CELICA (OM20735U)
Towing a trailer.
If the engine coolant temperature gauge
needle is not displayed, there may be a
problem in the system. In this case, con-
tact your Toyota dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to con-
trol 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 overheats” in Section 4.
Tachometer
The tachometer indicates engine speed
in thousands of rpm (revolutions per
minute). Use it while driving to select
correct shift points and to prevent en-
gine lugging and over −revving.
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.
2ZZ −GE engine only—The engine
will not exceed 7100 rpm before it
warms up.
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Page 97 of 256
Celica_U
962000 CELICA (OM20735U)
(b) Overdrive switch
You can select either a third gear (with
overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-
drive on) by pushing this switch.
To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.
The “O/D OFF” indicator light should come
on. To turn the overdrive on again, push
the switch again. The “O/D OFF” indicator
light should go off.
Always drive your vehicle with the over-
drive on for better fuel economy and
quieter driving.
If the engine is turned off when the over-
drive is off and restarted, the overdrive
will automatically be on.Vehicles with cruise control—When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by pushing and
releasing 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 section.
(c) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in “How to start the engine” in Section 3. The
transmission must be in “P” or “N”.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.
When the lever is in the “D” position, the
automatic transmission system will select
the most suitable gear for running condi-
tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-
ing, hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive on for better
fuel economy and quieter driving. If the
engine coolant temperature is low, the
transmission will not shift the overdrive
gear even with the overdrive on.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.
Shift into the “2” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than 101 km/h (63
mph), and stronger engine braking will
be enabled.
Shift into the “L” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than 50 km/h (31 mph), and
maximum engine braking will be en-
abled.
Vehicles with cruise control—When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by pushing and
releasing 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 section.
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Celica_U
972000 CELICA (OM20735U)
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(e) Using the “2” and “L” positions
The “2” and “L” positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
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 automatical-
ly shift to second gear.
With the selector lever in “L”, the trans-
mission is engaged in first gear.
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 al-
lowable speed for each position is
given below for your reference:
“2” 124 km/h (77 mph) . . . . . . . . .
“L” 67 km/h (41 mph)
. . . . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the
“2” or “L” position. This may cause
severe automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To prevent
such damage, “D” position should
be used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(f) 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
“R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(g) 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 “P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector
lever into “P” position under any cir-
cumstances while the vehicle is mov-
ing. Serious mechanical damage and
loss of vehicle control may result.
(h) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope, the
overdrive should be turned off. Be sure
to turn the switch on immediately after-
ward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
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Page 101 of 256
Celica_U
1002000 CELICA (OM20735U)
(b) Overdrive switch
You can select either a third gear (with
overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-
drive on) by pushing this switch.
To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.
The “O/D OFF” indicator light should come
on. To turn the overdrive on again, push
the switch again. The “O/D OFF” indicator
light should go off.
Always drive your vehicle with the over-
drive on for better fuel economy and
quieter driving.
If the engine is turned off when the over-
drive is off and restarted, the overdrive
will automatically be on.Vehicles with cruise control—When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by pushing and
releasing 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 section.(c) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in “How to start the engine” in Section 3. The
transmission must be in “P” or “N”.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.
When the lever is in the “D” position, the
automatic transmission system will select
the most suitable gear for running condi-
tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-
ing, hard towing, etc. The current gear
position is displayed on the instrument
cluster.
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1032000 CELICA (OM20735U)
Vehicles with cruise control—When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by pushing and
releasing 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 section.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(f) Using the “2” and “L” positions
The “2” and “L” positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
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 automatical-
ly shift to second gear.
With the selector lever in “L”, the trans-
mission is engaged in first gear.
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 al-
lowable speed for each position is
given below for your reference:
“2” 125 km/h (77 mph) . . . . . . . . .
“L” 70 km/h (43 mph)
. . . . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the
“2” or “L” position. This may cause
severe automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To prevent
such damage, “D” position should
be used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(g) 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
“R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(h) 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 “P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector
lever into “P” position under any cir-
cumstances while the vehicle is mov-
ing. Serious mechanical damage and
loss of vehicle control may result.
(i) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope, the
overdrive should be turned off. Be sure
to turn the switch on immediately after-
ward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
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Page 107 of 256
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1062000 CELICA (OM20735U)
Downshift to the appropriate gear if accel-
eration is needed when you are cruising
below the above downshifting speeds.
Upshifting too soon or downshifting too
late will cause lugging, and possibly ping-
ing. Regularly revving the engine to maxi-
mum speed in each gear will cause ex-
cessive engine wear and high fuel
consumption.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower
traffic, maximum acceleration may be nec-
essary. Make sure you observe the follow-
ing maximum allowable speeds in each
gear:
5−speed
gear km/h (mph)1 56 (35)
2 92 (57)
3 126 (78)
4 171 (106)
6 −speed
gear km/h (mph)1 60 (37)
2 93 (58)
3 128 (80)
4 163 (101)
5 208 (129)NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower gear.
Good driving practice
If it is difficult to shift into reverse, put
the transmission in neutral, release the
clutch pedal momentarily, and then try
again.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use the fifth or sixth gear.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into reverse.
Parking brake
Ty p e A
Ty p e B
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Page 148 of 256
Celica_U
1472000 CELICA (OM20735U)
Luggage stowage precautions
When stowing luggage or cargo in the
vehicle, observe the following:
Put luggage or cargo in the luggage
compartment when at all possible. Be
sure all items are secured in place.
Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far for-
ward as possible helps maintain bal-
ance.
For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded weight.
CAUTION
To prevent luggage or packages
from sliding forward during braking,
do not stack anything in the lug-
gage compartment higher than the
seatbacks. Keep luggage or package
low, as close to the floor as pos-
sible.
Never allow anyone to ride in the
luggage compartment. It is not de-
signed for passengers. They should
ride in their seats with their seat
belts properly fastened. Otherwise,
they are much more likely to suffer
serious bodily injury, in the event
of sudden braking or a collision.
Do not place anything on the lug-
gage cover. Such items may be
thrown about and possibly injure
people in the vehicle during sudden
braking or an accident.
Do not drive with objects left on
top of the instrument panel. They
may interfere with the driver’s field
of view. Or they may move during
sharp vehicle acceleration or turn-
ing, and impair the driver’s control
of the vehicle. In an accident they
may injure the vehicle occupants.
NOTICE
Do not load the vehicle beyond the
vehicle capacity weight specified in
Section 8.
The vehicle identification number (VIN)
is the legal identifier for your vehicle.
This number is on the left top of the
instrument panel, and can be seen
through the windshield from outside.
This is the primary identification number
for your Toyota. It is used in registering
the ownership of your vehicle.
Your Toyota’s identification—
—Vehicle identification
number
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STARTING AND DRIVING
Before starting the engine152
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to start the engine 152
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Tips for driving in various condition s153
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Winter driving tips 154
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . .
Trailer towing 155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . .
How to save fuel and make your vehicle last longer, too 160
. . . . . . . . .
SECTION 3
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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.
NOTICE
Do not use window scraper or deicer
when the plastic resin moon roof is
heavily coated with frost or ice. The
plastic resin moon roof is easily dam-
aged.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a
passenger−carrying vehicle. Towing a
trailer will have an adverse effect on
handling, performance, braking, durability
and driving economy (fuel consumption,
etc.). Your safety and satisfaction depend
on the proper use of correct equipment
and cautious driving habits. For your
safety and the safety of others, you must
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Toyota
warranties do not apply to damage or
malfunction caused by towing a trailer for
commercial purposes. Ask your local
Toyota dealer for further details before
towing.
WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total trailer
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross axle
weight and trailer tongue load are all with-
in the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue load
can be measured with platform scales
found at a highway weighing station, build-
ing supply company, trucking company,
junk yard, etc.CAUTION
The total trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo load) must
not exceed 907 kg (2000 lb.). Ex-
ceeding this weight is dangerous.
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