MAINT TOYOTA SOLARA 1999 User Guide

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Getting more kilometers/mileage from a
liter/gallon of fuel is easy±just take it
easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See Chapter
7- 2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warm- up idling. Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
drivingÐbut gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.
Avoid engine lug or overrevving. Use
a gear position suitable for the road on
which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop- and- go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel econo-
my.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-ways. The faster you drive,the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tuned- up and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease,brakes not adjusted, etc. all
lower engine performance and contrib-
ute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle
receives more frequent maintenance.
(For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, please refer to the separate ºOwn-
er 's Manual Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº).
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and
brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, the
emission control system operates
properly only when the engine is run-
ning.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too

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194 1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re-
move any mud or road salt from the
underside of the vehicle or in the
wheel wells.
2. Wash with a mild car- wash soap, mixed according to the manufacturer 's
instructions. Use a soft cotton mitt and
keep it wet by dipping it frequently into
the wash water. Do not rub hardÐlet
the soap and water remove the dirt.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap
or neutral detergent.
Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not
scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper
faces are soft.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces.
NOTICE
Do not use gasoline or strong sol- vents, which may be toxic or causedamage.
3. Rinse thoroughlyÐdried soap can cause streaking. In hot weather you
may need to rinse each section right
after you wash it. 4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle
using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not
rub or press hardÐyou might scratch
the paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching reduces
paint durability and gloss, especially on
darker colors. The manager of the car
wash should be able to advise you wheth-
er the process is safe for the paint on
your vehicle.
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommended
to maintain the original beauty of your
Toyota's finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle does not
repel water well, apply wax.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be- fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax. 2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If
the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a car- cleaning polish, fol-
lowed by a separate wax. Carefully fol-
low the manufacturer 's instructions and
precautions. Be sure to polish and wax
the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
NOTICE
Always remove the plastic bumpers if
your vehicle is re- painted and placedin a high heat paint waxing booth. High temperatures could damage the
bumpers.

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198
Part 6
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Maintenance requirements
General maintenance

Does your vehicle need
repairing?
For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, please refer to the separate
ºOwner 's Manual Supplement/Main-
tenance Scheduleº. Maintenance requirements
Your Toyota vehicle has been designed to
for fewer maintenance requirements with
longer service intervals to save both your
time and money. However, each regular
maintenance, as well as day- to- day care,
is more important than ever before to en-
sure smooth, trouble- free, safe, and eco-
nomical drivings.
It is the owner 's responsib
ility to make
sure the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is performed.
Note that both the new vehicle and emis-
sion control system warranties specify that
proper maintenance and care must be per-
formed. See Owner 's Guide, Owner 's
Manual Supplement or Warranty Booklet
for complete warranty information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those day-
to- day care practices that are important to
your vehicle for proper operation. It is the
owner 's responsib ility to insure that the
general maintenance items are performed
regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost. Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed in
the ºOwner 's Manual Supplement/Mainte-
nance Scheduleº are those required to be
serviced at regular intervals.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the separate ºOwner 's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
It is recommended that any replacement
parts used for maintenance or for the
repair of the emission control system
be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use non- Toyota
supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emission
control system warranty. However, use
of replacement parts which are not of
equivalent quality may impair the effec-
tiveness of the emission control sys-
tems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system
performed by any automotive repair es-
tablishment or individual without invali-
dating this warranty. See Owner's
Guide, Owner 's manual Supplement or
Warranty Booklet for complete warranty
information.

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Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well- trained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and in- dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer 's service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehicleÐreliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be
sure to keep a copy of the repair order
for any service performed on your Toyota.
What about do- it- yourself maintenance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Part 7.
If you are a skilled do- it- yourself mechan-
ic, the Toyota service manuals are recom-
mended. Please be aware that do- it- your-
self maintenance can affect your warranty
coverage. See Owner 's Guide, Owner 's
Manual Supplement or Warranty Booklet
for the details.
General maintenance
Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any
unusual noise, smell or vibration, you
should investigate the cause or take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer or a quali-
fied service shop immediately. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer or
the qualified service shop for their advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only where ade-
quate ventilation can be obtained if
you run the engine.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be performed
from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See
Chapter 7- 2 for additional information.

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204
Part 7
DO- IT- YOURSELF
MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7- 1 Introduction
Engine compartment overview
Fuse locations
Do- it- yourself service
precautions
P ar t s and tools

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208
If you perform maintenance by yourself,
be sure to follow the correct procedure
given in this part.
You should be aware that improper or in-
complete servicing may result in operating
problems.
Performing do- it- yourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect your
warranty coverage. Read the separate
Toyota Warranty statement for details and
suggestions.
This part gives instructions only for those
items that are relatively easy for an owner
to perform. As explained in Part 6, there
are still a number of items that must be
done by a qualified technician with special
tools.
For information on tools and parts for do-
it- yourself maintenance, see ºParts and
toolsº.
Utmost care should be taken when work-
ing on your vehicle to prevent accidental
injury. Here are a few precautions that
you should be especially careful to ob-
serve:CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from the moving fan and engine
drive belts. (Removing rings,
watches, and ties is advisable.)
Right after driving, the engine
compartmentÐthe engine, radiator,
exhaust manifold and spark plug
boots, etc.Ðwill be hot. So be care-
ful not to touch them. Oil, fluids
and spark plugs may also be hot.
If the engine is hot, do not remove
the radiator cap or loosen the drain
plugs to prevent burning yourself.
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames around fuel or the
battery. Their fumes are flammable.
Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
Do not get under your vehicle with
just the body jack supporting it. Al-
ways use automotive jack stands or
other solid supports.
Do- it- yourself service
precautions

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210
Parts and tools
Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need on performing do- it- yourself mainte-
nance. Remember all Toyota parts are de-
signed in metric sizes, so your tools must
be metric.
Checking the engine oil level
Parts (if level is low):
Engine oil API grade SJ,
ºEnergy- Conservingº or ILSAC
multigrade having viscosity proper for
your climate
Tools: Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding oil)
Checking the engine coolant level
Parts (if level is low): ºToyota Long Life Coolantº or equiva-
lent
See Chapter 7- 2 for details about cool-
ant type selection.
Demineralized or distilled water
Tools: Funnel (only for adding coolant)
Checking brake fluid
Parts (if level is low): SAE J1703 or FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3
brake fluid Tools:
Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding fluid)
Checking power steering fluid
Parts (if level is low): Automatic transmission fluid DEXRON )
II or III
Tools: Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding fluid)
Checking battery condition
Tools: Warm water
Baking soda
Grease
Conventional wrench (for terminal
clamp bolts)
Checking and replacing fuses
Parts (if replacement is necessary): Genuine Toyota fuse or equivalent with
same amperage rating as original
Adding washer fluid
Parts: Water
Washer fluid containing antifreeze (for
winter use)
Tools: Funnel Replacing light bulbs
Parts:
Bulb with same number and wattage
rating as original (See charts in ºRe-
placing light bulbsº in Chapter 7- 3.)
Tools: Screwdriver
Flat- bladed screwdriver

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Part 7
DO- IT- YOURSELF
MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7- 2
Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level
Checking the engine coolant
level
Checking brake fluid
Checking power steering fluid
Checking tire pressure
Checking and replacing tires
Rotating tires
Installing snow tires and chains
Replacing wheels
Aluminum wheel precautions
Checking the engine oil level
Add oil
Low level Full level
O.K. Too full Ty p e A
Ty p e B
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick. 1. To get a true reading, the vehicle should be on a level spot. After turning
off the engine, wait a few minutes for
the oil to drain back into the bottom of
the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstickÐpush it in as far as it will go, or the reading will not be
correct.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil level on the end.
CAUTION
Be careful not to touch the hot ex-
haust manifold.
If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level line, add engine oil
of the same type as already in the en-
gine.
Remove the oil filler cap and add engine
oil in small quantities at a time, checking
the dipstick.
The approximate quantity of oil needed to
fill between the low level and the full level
on the dipstick is indicated below for ref-
erence.
When the level reaches within the correct
range, install the f iller cap hand- tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., lmp. qt.): 5S-FE engine 0.7 (0.7, 0.6)
1MZ-FE engine 1.5 (1.6, 1.3)
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstickonce again after adding the oil.

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222
Part 7
DO- IT- YOURSELF
MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7- 3
Electrical components
Checking battery condition
Battery recharging precautions
Checking and replacing fuses
Adding washer fluid
Replacing light bulbs
CAUTION
BATTERY PRECAUTIONS
The battery produces flammable and
explosive hydrogen gas.
Do not cause a spark from the bat-
tery with tools.
Do not smoke or light a match near
the battery.
The electrolyte contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with eyes, skin or
clothes.
Never ingest electrolyte.
Wear protective safety glasses when
working near the battery.
Keep children away from the bat-
tery.
EMERGENCY MEASURES If electrolyte gets in your eyes,
flush your eyes with clean water
immediately and get immediate
medical attention. If possible, con-
tinue to apply water with a sponge
or cloth while en route to the medi-
cal office.
If electrolyte gets on your skin,
thoroughly wash the contact area. If
you feel pain or burning, get medi-
cal attention immediately.
If electrolyte gets on your clothes,
there is a possibility of its soaking
through to your skin, so immediate-
ly take off the exposed clothing and
follow the procedure above, if nec-
essary.
If you happen to swallow electro-
lyte, drink a large quantity of water
or milk. Follow with milk of magne-
sia, beaten raw egg or vegetable
oil. Then go immediately for emer-
gency help.
Checking battery c onditionÐ
ÐPrecautions