check engine TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER 2002 W30 / 3.G Owners Manual

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SB12038
3. Hold the engine hood open byinserting the support rod into the
slot.
Before closing the engine hood, check to
see that you have not forgotten any tools,
rags, etc. and return the support rod to its
clip—this prevents rattles. Then lower the
engine hood and make sure it locks into
place. If necessary, press down gently on
the rear edge to lock it.
CAUTION
After inserting the support rod into
the slot, make sure the rod supports
the engine hood securely from falling
down on to your head or body.
NOTICE
Be sure to return the support rod to
its clip before closing the engine
hood. Closing the engine hood with
the support rod up could cause the
engine hood to bend.
SB12087
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH
ENGINE HOOD
To lock: Turn the key clockwise.
The engine hood lock release lever can
be locked by the key.
When leaving the vehicle with the soft top
lowered, make sure to lock the engine
hood lock release lever with the key.
The fuel filler door o pener lever is locked
at the same time.

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If the indicator Do this.
or buzzer
comes on...
(o)
See “Sequential
manual
transmission” on
page 77 in Section
16.Warning
function of the
sequential
manual
transmission
(n)
Turn off lights.
Light reminder-
buzzer (a) Brake System Warning Light
This light comes on in the following cases
when the ignition key is in the “ON” posi-
tion.
When the parking brake is applied...
When the brake fluid level is low...
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
Have your vehicle checked at your
Toyota dealer in the following case:
The light does not come on even if the
parking brake is applied when the igni-
tion key is in the “ON” position.
CAUTION
If the light does not turn off even
after the parking brake is released
while the engine is running, immedi-
ately stop your vehicle at a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.
In this case, the brakes may not work
properly and your stopping distance
will become longer. Depress the brake
pedal firmly and bring the vehicle to
an immediate stop.
(b) Driver’s Seat Belt Reminder Light
and Buzzer
This light and buzzer remind you to
buckle up the driver’s seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to “ON” or
“START”, the reminder light flashes and
buzzer sounds if the driver ’s seat belt is
not fastened. Unless the driver fastens the
belt, the light keeps flashing and the
buzzer stops after about 4 to 8 seconds.

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(c) Passenger ’s Seat Belt ReminderLight
This light reminds you to buckle up the
passenger ’s seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to “ON” or
“START”, the reminder light flashes if a
passenger sits in the passenger seat and
does not fasten the seat belt. Unless the
passenger fastens the belt, the light stays
flashing. However, if a passenger uses an
additional seat cushion, the light may not
flash even when the seat belt is not
buckled up.
If luggage load is placed on the passen-
ger seat, depending on its weight and how
it is placed on the seat, builtin sensors
in the seat cushion may detect the pres-
sure, causing the reminder light to come
on.
(d) 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, etc., 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.
(e) Low Engine Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are
driving, pull off the road to a safe place
and stop the engine immediately. Call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on
briefly after a hard stop. There is no
cause for concern if it then goes out when
the engine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to
indicate low oil level, and the oil level
must be checked using the level dipstick.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with the
warning light on—even for one block.
It may ruin the engine.
(f) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on when the ignition
key is turned to the “ON” position and
goes off after the engine starts. This
means that the warning light system is
operation properly.
If the lamp remains on, or the lamp
comes on while driving, first check the
following.
Empty fuel tank
If the fuel tank is empty, refuel immedi-
ately.
Loose fuel tank cap
If the fuel tank cap is loose, securely
tighten it.
These cases are temporary malfunctions.
The malfunction indicator lamp will go off
after taking several driving trips.
If the lamp will not go off even after sev-
eral trips, contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
If the fuel tank is not empty or the fuel
tank cap is not loose...
There is a problem somewhere in the
engine, emission control system, elec-
tronic throttle control system, automatic
transmission electrical system or warn-
ing light system itself.

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Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible to service the vehicle.
If the engine speed does not increase with
the accelerator pedal depressed down to
about the middle position, there may be
a problem somewhere in your electronic
throttle control system.
At this time, if you depress the accelera-
tor pedal more firmly and slowly, you can
drive your vehicle at low speeds. Have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er as soon as possible.
Even if the abnormality of the electronic
throttle control system is corrected during
low speed driving, the system may not be
recovered until the engine is stopped and
the ignition key is turned to “ACC” or
“LOCK” position.
Emissions lnspection and Maintenance
(I/M) programs
Your vehicle may not pass a state emis-
sion inspection if the malfunction indicator
lamp remains on. Contact your Toyota
dealer to check your vehicle’s emission
control system and OBD (OnBoard Diag-
nostics) system before taking your vehicle
for the inspection.
For details, see “Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance (I/M) programs” in Section 6.(g) Low Fuel Level Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel level
in the tank becomes nearly empty. Fill up
the tank as soon as possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than
usual.
(h) “Sequential Manual Transmission”
Warning Light (Sequential manual
transmission only)
This light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to the “ON” position. After
a few seconds, the light will go off. This
means the sequential manual transmission
system is operating pr operly.
In case the “Sequential Manual
Transmission” warning light comes on, pull
off the road, stop the engine and contact
your Toyota dealer. Although you may be
able to drive your vehicle, the vehicle may
jerk when shifted or the clutch may not
engage properly, causing the vehicle to
jerk due to the malfunction. In some
cases the shift requirement may be
canceled, and the gear may be locked. (i) “ABS” Warning Light
The light comes on when the ignition key
is turned to the “ON” position. If the anti
lock brake system works properly, the
light turns off after a few seconds. There-
after, if the system malfunctions, the light
comes on again.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
antilock brake system does not operate,
but the brake system still operates con-
ventionally.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
antilock brake system does not operate
so that the wheels could lock up during
a sudden braking or braking on slippery
road surfaces.
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 “ON” posi-
tion, or remains on.
The light comes on while you are driv-
ing.

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A warning light turning on briefly during
operation does not indicate a problem.
(j) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until both the doors
are completely closed.
(k) SRS Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ON” position.
After about 6 seconds, the light will go
off. This means the systems of the air-
bag and seat belt pretensioners are op-
erating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, occupant detection sensor, seat belt
buckle switch, seat belt pretensioner as-
semblies, inflators, warning light, intercon-
necting 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 “ON” posi-
tion, or the light remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.(l) Power Steering System Warning
Light
This light warns that there is a problem
in your power steering system.
If the light comes on while you are driv-
ing, have your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
(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 “ACC” or “LOCK”
position.
(n) Light reminder buzzer
The buzzer will sound if the headlight
switch is left on and the driver’s door is
opened with the key removed from the
ignition switch.
(o) Warning function of the Sequential Manual Transmission (sequential
manual transmission only)
When driving, if any incorrect operation
that may cause damage to this system is
performed or if the gear is not shifted as
desired by the driver, the warning buzzer
will sound and the gear position indicator
will flash to warn the driver in some
cases. For details, see “(k) Warning
functions” on page 86 in Section 16. CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER
INDICATORS (except the low fuel level
warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open either side door. 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 “ON”, but do not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light should
come on. The “ABS” and power steer-
ing system warning lights go off after
a few seconds. The SRS warning light
goes off after about 6 seconds.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, have it checked by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible.

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When leaving the vehicle, stop the
engine and park the vehicle with
the gear engaged. In case you need
to leave the vehicle with the engine
running, apply the parking brakes
firmly, and shift the selector lever
in the “N” position. When the driv-
er’s door is opened with the selec-
tor lever in the “S” position while
stopping with the engine running,
warning buzzer (long pulse sound)
will sound. 10 seconds later, the
“N” indicator in the instrument
cluster will also flash, and the sys-
tem will automatically shift the
transmission gear to the neutral
gear position. If this happens on a
hill when starting off the vehicle,
the vehicle may move unexpectedly
and cause an accident.NOTICE
Do not hold or stop the vehicle on
a hill with the accelerator pedal ap-
plied. Otherwise, the warning buzz-
er (long pulse sound) will sound,
and in some cases the engine will
stall. It will also cause excessive
damage to the clutch.
 If the selector lever is operated
more than necessary, the system
may not allow operation of the se-
lector lever for a certain period of
time, and the gear may not be
shifted appropriately. Therefore, do
not operate the selector lever if not
necessary.
(i) 

Unlike the automatic transmission, the se-
quential manual transmission does not
have a parking position. The vehicle can
be parked with the selector lever in any
position. Apply the parking brake firmly,
and while depressing the brake pedal,
shift the selector lever into the “R” posi-
tion on a level or downhill, and into the
“S(1)” position on an uphill.
SD16020
1: Uphill
2: Level or downhill
To stop the engine:
Check the transmission gear position by
the gear position indicator, then turn the
ignition switch off to stop the engine. Re-
lease the brake pedal after a few sec-
onds. The selector lever will be locked in
the position just before the ignition switch
was turned off.
You can check the gear position by the
gear position indicator within 5 seconds
after turning the ignition switch off.


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If you need acceleration—for example,
when passing—depress the accelerator
pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the set speed. When you release it, the
vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
CAUTION
While driving with the cruise control
on, do not shift to the “N” position,
as this may cause engine racing or
overrevving.
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by:a. Pulling the lever in the “CANCEL” direction and releasing it.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
c. Shifting upward or downward.
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40
km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will auto-
matically cancel out.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10
mph) below the preset speed, the preset
speed will also automatically cancel out. If the preset speed automatically cancels
out other than for the above cases, have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er at the earliest opportunity.
RESETTING TO A FASTER SPEED
Push the lever up in the “RES/ACC” direc-
tion and hold it. Release the lever when
the desired speed is attained. While the
lever is held upward, the vehicle will grad-
ually gain speed.
However, a faster way to reset is to ac-
celerate the vehicle and then push the
lever down in the “SET/COAST” direction.
RESETTING TO A SLOWER SPEED
Push the lever down in the “SET/COAST”
direction and hold it. Release the lever
when the desired speed is attained. While
the lever is held down, the vehicle speed
will gradually decrease.
However, a faster way to reset is to de-
press the brake pedal and then push the
lever down in the “SET/COAST” direction.
RESUMING THE PRESET SPEED
If the preset speed is cancelled by pulling
the control lever, by depressing the brake
pedal, or by shifting upward or downward
the selector lever, pushing the lever up in
the “RES/ACC” direction will restore the
speed set prior to cancellation.
However, once the vehicle speed falls be-
low about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset
speed will not be resumed.
CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE WARNING
If the “CRUISE” indicator light in the
instrument cluster flashes when using the
cruise control, press the “CRUISE ON
OFF” button to turn the system off and
then press it again to turn it on.
If any of the following conditions then oc-
curs, there is some trouble in the cruise
control system.
The indicator light does not come on.
The indicator light flashes again.
The indicator light goes out after it
comes on.
If this is the case, contact your Toyota
dealer and have your vehicle inspected.


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NOTICE
A large amount of unburned gases
flowing into the threeway catalytic
converter may cause it to overheat
and create a fire hazard. To prevent
this and other damage, observe the
following precautions:
Use only unleaded gasoline.
 Do not drive with an extremely low
fuel level; running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, creat-
ing an excessive load on the three
way catalytic converter.
 Do not allow the engine to run at
idle speed for more than 20 min-
utes.
 Avoid racing the engine.
 Do not pushstart or pullstart your
vehicle.
 Do not turn off the ignition while
the vehicle is moving.
 Keep your engine in good running
order. Malfunctions in the engine
electrical system, electronic ignition
system/distributor ignition system
or fuel system could cause an ex-
tremely high threeway catalytic
converter temperature.
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, take your
vehicle in for a checkup as soon
as possible. Remember, your Toyota
dealer knows your vehicle and its
threeway catalytic converter sys-
tem best.
 To ensure that the threeway cata-
lytic converter and the entire emis-
sion control system operate proper-
ly, your vehicle must receive the
periodic inspections required by the
Toyota Maintenance Schedule. For
scheduled maintenance information,
refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner ’s Manual
Supplement”.
Engine exhaust cautions
CAUTION
Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.
It contains carbon monoxide, which
is a colorless and odorless gas. It
can cause unconsciousness or even
death.
Make sure the exhaust system has
no holes or loose connections. The
system should be checked from
time to time. If you hit something,
or notice a change in the sound of
the exhaust, have the system
checked immediately.
Do not run the engine in a garage
or enclosed area except for the
time needed to drive the vehicle in
or out. The exhaust gases cannot
escape, making this a particularly
dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the engine run-
ning. If it is unavoidable, however,
do so only in an unconfined area
and adjust the heating or cooling
system to force outside air into the
vehicle.

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IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in prop-
er vehicle maintenance is to keep the en-
gine oil at the optimum level so that oil
function will not be impaired. Therefore, it
is essential that the oil level be checked
regularly. Toyota recommends that the oil
level be checked every time you refuel
the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level regularly
could lead to serious engine trouble
due to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see “Checking the engine oil level” on
page 188 in Section 72.
Iridiumtipped spark plugs
SB21011
Your engine is fitted with iridiumtipped
spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only iridiumtipped spark plugs
and do not adjust gaps for your en-
gine performance and smooth drive-
ability.
Brake system
The tandem master cylinder brake system
is a hydraulic system with two separate
subsystems. If either subsystem should
fail, the other will still work. However, the
pedal will be harder to press, and your
stopping distance will be longer. Also, the
brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a
single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
powerassist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserved
vacuum for one or two stops but no more!

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CAUTION
Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls. Each push on the
pedal uses up your reserved vacu-
um.
Even if the power assist is com-
pletely lost, the brakes will still
work. But you will have to push the
pedal hard, much harder than nor-
mal. And your braking distance will
be longer.
ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
The antilock brake system is designed
to automatically help prevent lockup of
the wheels during a sudden braking or
braking on slippery road surfaces. This
assists in providing directional stability
and steering performance of the vehicle
under these circumstances.
Effective way to press the ABS brake
pedal:
When the antilock brake system
function is in action, you may feel the
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise.
In this situation, to let the antilock
brake system work for you, just hold the
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not
pump the brake in a panic stop. This
will result in reduced braking
performance.
The antilock brake system becomes op-
erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the
vehicle decelerates to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).
Depressing the brake pedal on slippery
road surfaces such as on the manhole
cover, the steel plate under the construc-
tion, joints in the bridge, etc. on a rainy
day tends to activate the antilock brake
system.
You may hear a click or motor sound in
the front trunk room for a few seconds
when the engine is started or just after
the vehicle is started. This means that the
antilock brake system is in the self
check mode, and does not indicate a mal-
function. When the antilock brake system is ac-
tivated, the following conditions may
occur. They do not indicate a malfunc-
tion of the system:
You may hear the antilock brake sys-
tem operating and feel the brake pedal
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-
hicle body and steering wheel. You
may also hear the motor sound in the
front trunk room even after the vehicle
is stopped.
At the end of the antilock brake sys-
tem activation, the brake pedal may
move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the antilock
brake system: Although the antilock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti
lock brake system on.