TOYOTA TERCEL 1997 Owners Manual

Part 4If your vehicle will not startÐ
(a) Simple checks
11 9
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
If your vehicle will not start
If your engine stalls while driving
If your vehicle overheats
If you have a flat tire
If your vehicle needs to be towed
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
If you lose your keys
Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting pro-
cedure given in How to start the engineº
in Part 3 and that you have sufficient fuel.
If the engine is not turning over or is
turning over too slowlyÐ
1. Check that the battery terminals are
tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery is
discharged. You may try jump starting.
See (c) Jump startingº for further in- structions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not pullÐ or push-start the vehicle. It may damage the vehicle
or cause a collision when theengine starts. Also the three-way catalytic converter may overheatand become a fire hazard.
If the engine turns over at its normal
speed but will not startÐ
1. Check that all the push-on connectors are tight. (For example, connections at the spark plugs, ignition coil and/or dis-
tributor)
2. If the connectors are O.K., the engine may be flooded because of repeated
cranking. See (b) Starting a flooded
engineº for further instructions.

120If the engine will not start, your engine
may be flooded because of repeated cranking.
If this happens, turn the key to STARTº with the accelerator pedal held down.
Keep
the key and accelerator pedal so for
15 seconds and release them. Then try
starting the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If the engine does not start after 15 sec-
onds of cranking, release the key, wait a few minutes and try again.
If the engine still will not start, it needs ad-
justment or repair. Call a Toyota dealer or
qualified repair shop for assistance.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 seconds at a time. This may
overheat the starter and wiringsystems.
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might
result from battery explosion, acid
burns, electrical burns, or damaged
electronic components, these instruc-
tions must be followed precisely.
If you are unsure about how to follow this procedure, we strongly recommend that you seek the help of a competent me-
chanic or towing service.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid
which is poisonous and corrosive.
Wear protective safety glasses
when jump starting, and avoid
spilling acid on your skin, cloth-
ing, or vehicle.
If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in you eyes, remove
any contaminated clothing and
flush the affected area with water for at least 15 minutes. Then get
immediate medical attention. If
possible, continue to apply water
with a sponge or cloth while en
route to the medical office. CAUTION
!

The gas normally produced by a battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and do not smoke or light a match
while jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must be 12 V. Do not jump start unless
you are sure that the booster batteryis correct.
(b) Starting a flooded engine (c) Jump starting

121
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE
1. If the booster battery is installed in
another vehicle, make sure the ve-
hicles are not touching. T urn off all un-
necessary lights and accessories.
2. If required, remove all the vent plugs from the booster and discharged bat-
teries. Lay a cloth over the open vents
on the batteries. (This helps reduce
the explosion hazard, personal injuries
and burns.)
3. If the engine in the vehicle with the booster battery is not running, start it
and let it run for a few minutes. During
jump starting, run the engine at about
2000 rpm with the accelerator pedal
lightly depressed.
4. Make the cable connection in the ordera, b, c, d.
a. Connect the clamp of the positive (red) jumper cable to the positive (+)
terminal on the discharged battery.
b. Connect the clamp at the other end
of the positive (red) jumper cable to the
positive (+) terminal on the booster
battery.c. Connect the clamp of the negative
(black) jumper cable to the negative
(-) terminal on the booster battery.
d. Connect the clamp at the other end
of the negative (black) jumper cable to
a solid, stationary, unpainted, metallic
point of the ve hicle with the discharged
battery.
The recommended connecting points are shown in the following illustration:

122
Do not connect it to or near any part that moves when the engine is cranked.
When making the connections, to
avoid serious injury, do not lean over the battery or accidentally let
the jumper cables or clamps touch anything except the correct battery
terminals or the ground.CAUTION
!
5. Start your engine in the normal way. After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm
for several minutes with the accelera- tor pedal lightly depressed. 6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the
exact reverse order: the negative
cable and then the positive cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover clothsÐthey may now contain sulfuricacid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent (for example, lights left on), you should have it checked. If your engine stalls while driving
0
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping
a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try starting the engine again.
If the engine will not start, see If your ve-
hicle will not startº.
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual. CAUTION
!
If your engine stalls while driving

123
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a
loud knocking or pinging noise,
the engine has probably overheated.
You should follow this procedure 0
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in Pº
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and
apply the parking brake. Turn off the
air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not, turn
the ignition off.
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure. CAUTION
! 3. Visually check to see if the engine
drive belt (water pump belt) is broken or loose. Look for obvious coolant
leaks from the radiator, hoses, and un-
der the vehicle. However, note that
water draining from the air condition-
ing is normal if it has been used.
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts. CAUTION
!
4. If the engine drive belt is broken or coolant is leaking, stop the engine im-
mediately. Call a Toyota dealer for as- sistance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, check the
coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add cool-
ant to the reservoir while the engine is
running. Fill it about half full.
Do not attempt to remove the
radiator cap when the engine and
radiator are hot. Serious injury
could result from scalding hot fluid
and steam blown out underpressure. CAUTION
!
6. After the engine coolant temperature has cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If
necessary, bring it up to half full again.
Serious coolant loss indicates a leak in
the system. You should have it
checked as soon as possible at your
Toyota dealer.
If your vehicle overheats

1241. Reduce
your speed gradually, keeping
a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place well away from the
traf fic. Avoid stopping on the center di-
vider of a highway. Park on a level spotwith firm ground.
2. Stop the engine and turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Firmly set the parking brake and put the transmission in Pº (automatic) or reverse (manual).
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle on the side away from traffic.
5. Read the following instructions thor- oughly.
When jacking, be sure to observe
the following to reduce the possibil-
ity of personal injury: Follow jacking instructions.
Do not start or run the engine
while your vehicle is supported by
the jack. CAUTION
!

Stop the vehicle on a level place
and chock the wheel diagonally
opposite to the one being
changed. Otherwise, the vehicle
will move and possibly cause un-
expected accident.
Make sure to set the jack properly
in the jack point. Raising the ve-
hicle with jack improperly posi-
tioned will damage the vehicle or
may allow the vehicle to fall off the jack and cause injury to the per-son.
Never get under the vehicle when
the vehicle is supported by the jack alone.
Use the jack only for lifting your
vehicle during wheel changing.
Do not raise the vehicle with some-
one in the vehicle.
When raising the vehicle, do not
put an object on or under the jack.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving with a deflated tire. Driving even a short
distance can damage a tire beyondrepair.
Compact spare tire
The compact spare tire is designed for
temporary emergency use only.
The compact spare tire is identified by the
distinctive wheel design and color and
special wording TEMPORARY USE
ONLYº molded into the side wall of the tire.
The standard tire should be repaired and replaced as soon as possible.
To keep the compact spare tire notice-
able, do not hide the wheel by a wheel cover or such.
If you have a flat tireÐ

125
The compact spare tire saves space in your trunk, and its lighter weight helps to improve fuel economy and permits easier
installation in case of a flat tire.
The compact spare
tire can be used many
times, if necessary. It has tread life of up
to 4800km (3000 miles) depending on
road conditions and your driving habits.
When tread wear indicators appear on the
tire, replace the tire.
See also the tire section in Chapter 7-2 for
details on the tread wear indicators and other service information.
The compact spare tire was de-
signed especially for your Toyota. Do not use it on any other vehicle.
Do not exceed 80 km/h (50 mph)
when driving with the compactspare tire.
Avoid sudden acceleration, sud-
den deceleration, and sharp turns with the compact spare tire. CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Your ground clearance is reduced when the compact spare tire is
installed so avoid driving over obstacles and drive slowly onrough, unpaved roads and speed bumps. Also, do not attempt to gothrough an automatic car wash asthe vehicle may get caught,
resulting in damage.
1. Get the required tools and spare tire.
1 Wheel nut wrench
2 Jack
3 Jack handle
4 Spare tire
To prepare yourself for an emergency, you should familiarize yourself with the
use of the jack, each of the tools and theirstorage locations.
ÐRequired tools and spare tire

126
Turn the jack joint by hand.
To remove: Turn the joint in direction 1 un- til the jack is free.
To store: Turn the joint in direction 2 until the jack is firmly secured to prevent it fly-
ing forward during a collision or sudden braking.To remove the spare tire:
1. Remove the spare tire cover.
2. Loosen the bolt and remove it. Then take the spare tire out of the vehicle.
When storing the spare tire, put it in place with the outer side of the wheel facing up. Then secure the tire by repeating the
above removal st eps in reverse order to
prevent it from flying forward during a col-
lision or sudden braking.2. Block the wheel diagonally oppo-
site the flat tire to keep the vehicle from rolling when it is jacked up.
When blocking the wheel, place a wheel
block from the front for the front wheels or
from the rear for the rear wheels.
ÐBlocking the wheel

127
Type A
Type B3. Remove the wheel ornament.
Pry off the wheel ornament, using the bev-
eled end of the wheel nut wrench asshown.
Do not try to pull the ornament by
hand. Take due care in handling the
ornament to avoid unexpected
personal injury.
CAUTION
!
4. Loosen all the wheel nuts. Always l
oosen the wheel nuts before rais-
ing the vehicle.
The nuts turn counterclockwise to loosen.
To get maximum leverage, fit the wrench
to the nut so that the handle is on the right
side, as shown above. Grab the wrench
near the end of the handle and pull up on
the handle. Be careful that the wrench
does not slip off the nut.
Do not remove the nuts yetÐjust unscrew
them about one-half turn.
ÐLoosening wheel nuts
ÐRemoving wheel ornament

128
5. Position the jack at the correct jack
point as shown.
Make sure the jack is positioned on a level
and solid place.6. After making sure that no one is in
the vehicle, raise it high enough so
that the spare tire can be installed.
Remember you will need more ground
clearance when putting in the spare tire than when removing the flat tire.
To raise the vehicle, insert the jack handle
into the jack (it is a loose fit) and turn it
clockwise. As the j ack touches the vehicle
and begins to lift, double-check that it is
properly positioned.
Never get under the vehicle when
the vehicle is supported by the jack alone. CAUTION
!
ÐPositioning the jack ÐRaising your vehicle