engine TOYOTA SIENNA 1998 User Guide
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(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, slow down and pull off
the road. Then stop the vehicle carefully.
Remember that stopping distance and ped-
al effort may be increased. There maybe
a problem somewhere in the brake sys-
tem. 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.)
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
If the brake fluid level is correct...
Have the warning system checked by your
Toyota dealer.
(b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzz-
er
The 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 and buzzer
come on if the driver’s seat belt is not
pulled out. Unless the driver starts to pull
the shoulder belt out of the retractor, the
light stays on and the buzzer stops after
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, 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.
(d) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on in the following
cases.
a. The fuel tank is completely empty. (See
”Fuel gauge” in Chapter 1−5 for instruc-
tions.)
b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See ”Fuel tank cap” in Chapter
1−2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in your
engine or automatic transmission electrical
system.
If it comes on while you are driving in
case c, have your vehicle checked/re-
paired by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
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(e) 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.
(f) Low 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.
(g) ”ABS” Warning Light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in your anti−lock brake sys-
tem.
If the light comes on while you are driv-
ing, 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 ”ON” position. After
a few seconds, the light will go off.
When the ”ABS” 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.
When the ignition switch is ”OFF” and this
light stays lighting on, the light will turn off
automatically after 30 minutes with the light
flashing five times. See ”Personal lights” and
”Interior light” for details in chapter 1−4.
(i) Open Power Sliding Door Warning
Light and Buzzer
This light comes on if the power sliding
door is not completely closed with the
ignition key in the “ON” position.
If you forcibly close the power sliding door
by your hand when the ignition key is in
the “ON” position, the open power sliding
door warning light will stay on. In this
case, try again closing the power sliding
door by hand slowly, or use one of the
“PWR DOOR” switches or wireless remote
control transmitter.
If you shift out of “P” when the power
sliding door is opened or in the process
of closing with the power sliding door sys-
tem on, a buzzer will sound and the open
power sliding door warning light will flash.
This is a warning that the sliding door is
not completely closed.
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(j) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ACC” or
“ON” position. After about 6 seconds,
the light will go off. This means the
system of the airbag and front seat belt
pretensioners are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, seat belt pretension-
er 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 ”ACC” or
”ON” position or remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
(k) Low Windshield Washer Fluid Level
Warning Light
The light warns that the windshield washer
fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instructions,
see ”Adding washer fluid” in Chapter 7−3.)(l) Low Tire Pressure Warning Light
This light warns that the tire pressure of any
one of the tires is critically reduced. The light
comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the ”ON” position. It goes off after a few
seconds. This indicates that the low tire pres-
sure warning system is functioning properly.
If the light comes on while driving, adjust tire
pressure to the specified level. (See ”Tires”
in Part 8.) After the tire pressure is adjusted,
the light should go off after driving at about
more than 30 km/h (19 mph) for some time.
If the light still remains, have the low tire
pressure warning system checked at your
Toyota dealer.
(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.CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDICA-
TORS (except the low fuel level warning
light and low windshield washer fluid
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 ”ACC”.
The SRS airbag warning light should
come on. It goes off after about 6 se-
conds.
5. Turn the ignition key to ”ON”, but do
not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light, open
power sliding door warning light and
SRS airbag warning light should come
on. The ”ABS” warning light and low
tire pressure warning light go off after
a few seconds.
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Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLS—
Chapter 1−6
Ignition switch,
Transmission and
Parking brake
Ignition switch with steering lock
Automatic transmission
P ar k ing br ak e
Cruise control”START”—Starter motor on. The key
will return to the ”ON” position when
released.
For starting tips, see Part 3.
”ON”—Engine on and all accessories
on.
This is the normal driving position.
”ACC”—Accessories such as the radio
operate, but the engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ”ACC” or
”LOCK” position and open the driver’s
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
”LOCK”—Engine is off and the steering
wheel is locked. The key can be re-
moved only at this position.You must push in the key to turn the key
from ”ACC” to the ”LOCK” position. The
selector lever must be put in the ”P” posi-
tion before pushing the key.
When starting the engine, the key may
seem stuck at the ”LOCK” 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.
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ”ON”
position if the engine is not running.
The battery will discharge and the
ignition could be damaged.
Ignition switch with steering
lock
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Automatic transmission
Shift normally Parking, engine starting
and key removal position
Reverse position
Neutral position
Position for engine braking Normal driving position
Position for stronger
engine braking than
that in ”2” position
Shift while pulling
the selector lever
toward you”ON” position
(Shifting into overdrive
possible)
”OFF” position
(Shifting into overdrive
not possible)
”O/D OFF” indicator light
Shows the overdrive switch
is in ”OFF” position Overdrive switch
For selecting either a three-speed
or four-speed transmission
With the brake pedal
depressed, shift while pulling
the selector lever toward you
(The ignition switch must be
in ”ON” or ”ACC” position.)
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 control” in this chapter.
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Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of ”P” position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ”ON” or ”ACC” position and the
selector lever pulled toward you).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in ”How
to start the engine” in Part 3. The
transmission must be in ”P” or ”N”.
2. With your foot holding down the brake
pedal, shift the selector lever to ”D”.
In ”D” position, the automatic transmission
system will select the most suitable gear
for the running conditions such as normal
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.
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.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Turn off 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 when the
vehicle speed drops down to or lower
than 131 km/h (81 mph). The transmis-
sion will downshift to the second gear
and more powerful engine braking will
be obtained.
Shift into the ”L” position when the
vehicle speed drops down to or lower
than 59 km/h (36 mph). The transmis-
sion will downshift to the first gear and
maximum engine braking will be ap-
plied.
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 is not
applied because the cruise control is not
cancelled.For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see ”Cruise control” in this chapter.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(c) Using ”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 the second gear.
With the selector lever in ”L”, the trans-
mission is engaged in the first gear.
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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”.................120 km/h (74 mph)
”L”..................64 km/h (40 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.
(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
”R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(e) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal pressed down,
fully depress the parking brake pedal
to apply the parking brake securely.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down,
shift the selector lever to the ”P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, never
attempt to move the selector lever
into ”P” position under any circum-
stances. Serious mechanical damage
and loss of vehicle control may re-
sult.
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between ”D”
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.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an up-
grade with the accelerator pedal. It
can cause the transmission to over-
heat. Always use the brake pedal or
parking brake.
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(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may
attempt to rock the vehicle free by
moving it forward and backward. Do
not attempt this procedure if people
or objects are anywhere near the ve-
hicle. During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move for-
ward or backward as it becomes un-
stuck, causing injury or damage to
nearby people or objects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the
following precautions to prevent dam-
age to the transmission and other
parts.
Do not depress the accelerator ped-
al while shifting the selector lever
or before the transmission is com-
pletely shifted to forward or reverse
gear.
Do not race the engine and avoid
spinning the wheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck after
rocking the vehicle several times,
consider other ways such as tow-
ing.
Parking brake
Ty p e A
Ty p e B
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When parking, firmly apply the parking
brake to avoid inadvertent creeping.
To set: Fully depress the pedal. For better
holding power, first depress the brake
pedal and hold it while setting the brake.
To release: Depress the parking brake
pedal once again.
To remind you that the parking brake is
set, the parking brake reminder light in
the instrument panel remains on until you
release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the park-
ing brake reminder light is off.
Cruise control
The cruise control allows you to cruise
the vehicle at a desired speed over 40
km/h (25 mph) even with your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained up
or down grades within the limits of engine
performance, although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or
down the grades. On steeper hills, a
greater speed change will occur so it is
better to drive without the cruise control.
CAUTION
To help maintain maximum control
of your vehicle, do not use the
cruise control when driving in
heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snow−covered) or
winding roads.
Avoid vehicle speed increases when
driving downhill. If the vehicle
speed is too fast in relation to the
cruise control set speed, cancel the
cruise control then downshift the
transmission to use engine braking
to slow down.
TURNING ON THE SYSTEM
To operate the cruise control, press the
”CRUISE ON−OFF” button. This turns the
system on. The indicator light in the
instrument panel shows that you can now
set the vehicle at a desired cruising
speed. Another press will turn the system
completely off.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control en-
gagement, keep the ”CRUISE ON−
OFF” switch off when not using the
cruise control.
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SETTING AT A DESIRED SPEED
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in ”D” before
you set the cruise control speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,
push the lever down in the ”SET/COAST”
direction and release it. This sets the ve-
hicle at that speed. If the speed is not
satisfactory, tap the lever up for a faster
speed, or tap it down for a slower speed.
Each tap changes the set speed by 1.6
km/h (1.0 mph). You can now take your
foot off the accelerator pedal.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.
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.
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 AT 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 up, the vehicle will gradually
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 AT 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.
Even if you turn off the overdrive switch,
with the cruise control on, engine braking
will not be applied because the cruise
control is not cancelled. To decrease the
vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed
with the cruise control lever or depress
the brake pedal. If you use the brake
pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
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