check engine TOYOTA T100 1998 Owners Manual

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2. In front of the vehicle, pull up onthe auxiliary catch l ever and lift the
hood.3. Hold the hood open by inserting the
support rod into the slot.
Before closing the 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 hood
and make sure it locks into place. If nec-
essary, press down gently on the front
edge to lock it.
CAUTION
After inserting the support rod into
the slot, make sure the rod supports
the hood securely from falling down
on to your head or body.
Fuel tank cap
1. To open the fuel filler door, insert the key and turn it counterclockwise.
When refueling, turn off the engine.
CAUTION
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames when refuelling.
The fumes are flammable.
When opening the cap, do not re-
move the cap quickly. In hot weath-
er, fuel under pressure could cause
injury by spraying out of the filler
neck if the cap is suddenly re-
moved.

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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 ve-
hicle overheats” in Part 4.
Oil pressure gauge
The oil pressure gauge indicates engine
oil pressure when the ignition is on.
Check it while driving to make sure
that the needle is in the proper range.
If the oil pressure should stay below the
normal range, pull off the road to a safe
place and stop the engine immediately.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair
shop for assistance.
Oil pressure may not build up when the
oil level is too low. The oil pressure
gauge is not designed to indicate oil level,
and the oil level must be checked using
the level dipstick.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with the oil
pressure below the normal range until
the cause is fixed–it may ruin the en-
gine.

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Vo l t m e t e r
The voltmeter tells whether the battery
is charged or discharged. Check it
while the engine is running—the needle
should always indicate as shown above.
If the needle reads below or above the
normal range while the engine is running,
it indicates the charging system needs im-
mediate repair.
However, it is normal for the needle to
drop below the normal range during en-
gine starting.
TachometerThe 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 overfeeding.
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.
Odometer and trip meter
The odometer records the total distance
the vehicle has been driven. The trip
meter may be set to zero to record the
distance on each trip. To reset the trip
meter, press the trip meter reset knob.
The black digits on white indicate tenths
of kilometers or miles.

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62
(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 pedal
effort may be increased. There may be a
problem somewhere in the brake system.
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
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
fastened. Unless the driver fastens the
belt, 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) 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.

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NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with the
warning light on—even for one block.
It may ruin the engine.
(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) 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 Chapter1 −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 b, have your vehicle checked/re-
paired by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
(g) ”ABS” Warning Light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in your anti-lock brake system.
If it comes on while you are driving, 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
about 3 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) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to the ”ACC” or ”ON” posi-
tion. After about 6 seconds, the light will
go off. This means the airbag system is
operating properly. The warning light system monitors the
front airbag sensors, center airbag sensor
assembly, inflator, 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 ”ACC” or
”ON” position or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
(i) Light Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the driver ’s door
is opened while the ignition switch is
turned to the ”LOCK” position with the
headlight switch on. Removing the key will
not stop the buzzer as long as the head-
light switch is on.
(j) 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.

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(k) Unengaged ”Park” Warning Light
(vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion)
This light warns that the transmission
”Park” mechanism is not engaged. If the
four-wheel drive control is in the ”N” posi-
tion while the selector lever is in the ”P”
position, the transmission will disengage
and the wheels will not lock.
CAUTION
To restore the park function, shift the
four-wheel drive control out of ”N”,
or the vehicle can move.
(l) Automatic Transmission Fluid Tem- perature Warning Light
This light warns that the automatic trans-
mission fluid temperature is too high.
If this light comes on while you are driv-
ing, slow down and pull off the road. Stop
the vehicle at a safe place and put the
selector lever in ”P”. With the engine id-
ling, wait until the light goes off. If the
light goes off, you may start the vehicle
again. If the light does not go off, call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance. (m) 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.)
CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDICA-
TORS (except the low fuel level warning
light and low windsield washer fluid
level warning light) 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition key to ”ACC”. The SRS airbag warning light should
come on. It goes off after about 6 se-
conds.
3. Turn the ignition key to ”ON”, but do not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the SRS airbag warning light
should come on. The ”ABS” warning
light goes off after about 3 seconds.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, either the bulb is burned out or the
circuit is in need of repair. Have it
checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.

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(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between third
gear 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.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
To rock your vehicle if it becomes
stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., first
check that there are no objects or
people around the vehicle. During the
rocking operation the vehicle may
suddenly move forward or backward
as it becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or ob-
jects.
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.

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CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control en-
gagement, keep the ”CRUISE ON-
OFF” switch off when not using the
cruise control.
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.
CAUTION
For manual transmission:
While driving with the cruise control
on, do not shift to neutral without
depressing the clutch pedal, as this
may cause engine racing or overrev-
ving.
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by:
a. Pulling the control lever in the ”CAN-CEL” direction and release it.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
c. Depressing the clutch pedal (manual transmission).
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
Press the control lever upward in the
”RES/ACC” direction and hold it. Release
the lever when the desired speed is at-
tained. While the lever is held upward, the
vehicle will gradually gain speed.
However, a faster way to reset is to ac-
celerate the vehicle and then press the
control lever downward in the ”SET/
COAST” direction.
RESETTING AT A SLOWER SPEED
Press the control lever downward in the
”SET/COAST” direction and hold it. Re-
lease the lever when the desired speed is
attained. While the lever is held, the ve-
hicle speed will gradually decrease.
However, a faster way to reset is to de-
press the brake pedal and then press the
control lever downward in the ”SET/
COAST” direction.
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
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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CAUTION
Keep people and combustible mate-
rials away from the exhaust pipe
while the engine is running. The
exhaust gas is very hot.
Do not idle or park your vehicle
over anything that might burn easi-
ly such as grass, leaves, paper or
rags.
NOTICE
A large amount of unburned gases
flowing into the three-way 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 push-start or pull-start 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 three-way catalytic
converter temperature.
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, take your
vehicle in for a check-up as soon
as possible. Remember, your Toyota
dealer knows your vehicle and its
three-way catalytic converter system
best.
To ensure that the three-way 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 separate ”Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Maintenance
Schedule”.

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120
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.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open. Have the cause immediately
located and corrected.
Toyota does not recommend occu-
pying the rear cargo area when it
is fitted with a slide-in camper,
camper shell or other type cover
while the engine is running. This
caution applies to both driving and
stopped or parked situations with
the engine running. Particular care
should be taken to prevent exhaust
gases from entering camper bodies,
trailers or other enclosures on or
around your vehicle. If exhaust
fumes are detected, open all win-
dows and thoroughly ventilate the
area.FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.
Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated when
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some
of this oil into the combustion chamber.
This oil as well as some part of the oil
film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion
gases during the combustion process.
Facts about engine oil
consumption