TOYOTA TERCEL 1997 Owners Manual

159
c. Reinstall the filler cap.
d. Remove
the filler cap again and look at
the fluid level. If the fluid is cold, the level
should be in the COLDº range on the dip-
stick. Similarly, if it is hot, the fluid level
should be in the HOTº range. If the level
is at the low side of either range, add auto- matic transmission fluid DEXRON
II or III
to bring the level within the range.
e. After replacing the filler cap, visually check the steering box case, vane pump
and hose connections for leaks or dam-age.
CAUTION
The reservoir tank may be hot so be careful not to burn yourself.!
Avoid overfilling, or the power steering could be damaged.
NOTICE
Keep your tire pressures at the proper level.
The recommended cold tire pressures,
tire size and the vehicle capacity weight are given in Part 8. They are also on the tire pressure label as shown.
You should check the tire pressures every two weeks, or at least once a month. And
do not forget the spare!
Incorrect tire pressure can reduce tire
life and make your vehicle less safe todrive. Low tire pressure results in excessive
wear, poor handling, reduced fuel econo-
my, and the possibility of blowouts from
overheated tires. Also, low tire pressure
can cause poor sealing of the tread bead.
If the tire pressure is excessively low,
there is the possibility of wheel deforma- tion and/or tire separation.
High tire pressure produces a harsh ride,
handling problems, excessive wear at the center of the tire tread, and a greater
pos-
sibility of tire damage from road hazards.
If a tire frequently needs refilling, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
The following instructions for check-
ing tire pressure should be observed: The pressure should be checked
only when the tires are cold. If your
vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours and has not been driven formore than 1.5 km or 1 mile since, you
will get an accurate cold tire pressure reading.
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of a tire can be mis-
leading. Besides, tire pressure that
are even just a few pounds off can de-
grade handling and ride.
Checking tire pressure

160
Take special care when adding air
to the compact spare tire. The
smaller tire size can gain pressure
very quickly. Add compressed air insmall quantities and check the pres-sure often until it reaches the specified
pressure.
Do not bleed or reduce tire pres-sure after driving. It is normal for the
tire pressure to be higher after driving.
Never exceed the vehicle capacityweight. The passenger and luggage
weight should be located so that the
vehicle is balanced.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation
valve caps. Without the valve caps,
dirt or moisture could get into the valve
core and cause air leakage. If the caps
have been lost, have new ones put onas soon as possible.
CHECKING YOUR TIRES Check the tire tread for the tread wear
indicators. If the indicators show, re-
place the tires.
The tires on your Toyota have built-in tread wear indicators to help you know
when the tires need replacement. When
the tread depth wears to 1.6 mm (0.06 in.)
or less, the indicators will appear. If you
can see the indicators in two or more adja-
cent grooves, the tire should be replaced.
The lower the tread, the higher the risk of skidding. The effectiveness of snow tires is lost
if the tread wears down below 4 mm (0.16 in.). Check the tires regularly for damage
such as cuts, splits and cracks. If any
damage is found, consult with a tech-
nician and have the tire repaired or re- placed. Even if the damage does not appear seri-
ous, a qualified technician should ex-
amine the damage. Objects which have penetrated the tire may have caused in-ternal damage.
Any tires which are over six years old
must be checked by a qualified techni-
cian even if damage is not obvious.
Tires deteriorate with age even if they
have never or seldom been used.
This
also applies to the spare tire and tires
stored for future use. REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use only the
same size and construction as origi-
nally installed and with the same or
greater load capacity.
Using any other size or type of tire may se-
riously affect handling, ride, speedome-
ter/odometer calibration, ground clear-
ance, and clearance between the body
and tires or snow chains.
Checking and replacing tires

161
CAUTION
Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
bias-ply tires on your vehicle. It
can cause dangerous handling
characteristics, resulting in loss of control.
Do not use tires or wheels other
than the manufacturer's recom-
mended size.!
Toyota recommends all four tires, or at
least both of the front or rear tires be
replaced at a time as a set.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Wheels can get out
of balance with regular use and should
therefore be balanced occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the air
valve should also be replaced with a
new one.
To equalize tire wear and help extend
tire life, Toyota recommends that you
rotate your tires approximately every
12000 km (7500 miles). However, the
most appropriate timing for tire rota-
tion may vary according to your driv-
ing habits and road surface condi- tions.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure. When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is usu-
ally caused by incorrect tire pressure, im-
proper wheel alignment, out-of-balance
wheels, or severe braking.
CAUTION
Do not include a compact spare tire
when rotating the tires. It is
designed for temporary use only.!
Rotating tires

162WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recom-
mended when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires. SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select the same
size, construction and load capacity
as the original tires on your Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possbile restrictions.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. Installing snow tires on the front wheels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which could cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure to install them in the same direction when replacing.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires in- correctly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.!
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Use tire chains of the correct size and type. Use SAE Class Sº type radial tire chains
except radial cable chains or V-bar type chains.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of r oad, so always check them be-
fore installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATIONInstall the chains on the front tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the rear tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5 '1.0 km
(1/4 '1/2 mile). When installing chains on your tires, care- fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove the covers before putting on the chains.

Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer's recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-
wheel braking, as use of chains
may adversely affect vehicle han- dling.
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to use a tire chain on
the compact spare tire, as it may
result in damage to the vehicle as well as the tire.
NOTICE
Installing snow tires and chains

163
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion,
the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or they may cause loss of handling control. WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that the wheels are
replaced by ones with the same load
capacity, diameter, rim width, and off-set.
This m
ust be observed on compact spare
tires, too.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may ad-
versely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/
odometer calibration, stopping ability,
headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or snow chain clearance to the body and chassis. Replacement
with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub- jected to rough treatment or high mileage
and could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened
may have structural damage and there-
fore should not be used. Never use an in-
ner tube in a leaking wheel which is de-
signed for a tubeless tire.
Replacing wheels

164

Part 7Checking battery conditionÐ ÐPrecautions
165
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
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
for at least 15 minutes and get im-
mediate medical attention. If pos-
sible, continue to apply water with
a sponge or cloth while en route to
the medical office. CAUTION
!
If electrolyte gets on your skin,
thoroughly wash the contact area.
If you feel pain or burning, get
medical attention immediately.
If electrolyte gets on your clothes,
there is a possibility of its soaking
through to your skin, so immedi- ately take off the exposed clothing
and follow the procedure above, if
necessary.
If you happen to swallow electro-
lyte, drink a large quantity of water
or milk. Follow with milk of mag-
nesia, beaten raw egg or vegetable
oil. Then go immediately for emer-
gency help.

166
Check the battery for corroded or
loose terminal connections, cracks, or
loose hold-down clamp.
a. If the battery is corroded, wash it off with a solution of warm water and baking
soda. Coat the outside of the terminals with grease to prevent further corrosion.
b. If the terminal connections are loose, tighten their clamp nuts±but do not over- tighten.
c. Tighten the hold-down clamp only
enough to keep the battery firmly in place.
Overtightening may damage the battery case.
NOTICE
Be sure the engine and all acces-
sories are off before performing
maintenance.
When checking the battery, re-move the ground cable from the
negative terminal (-º mark) first
and reinstall it last.
Be careful not to cause a short cir-cuit with tools.
Take care no solution gets into thebattery when washing it.
There are two types of batteries: Main-
tenance type and non-maintenance type. A non-maintenance battery has MAIN-
TENANCE FREE BATTERYº on its top. A
maintenance type battery does not havesuch indication. Maintenance type batteryÐ Check the fluid condition by the fluid level
lines on the side of the battery. Or if the
battery has a hydrometer on its top, you
can also check the hydrometer. Non-maintenance batteryÐ
Check the battery condition by the
hydrometer on the top of the battery.
ÐChecking battery exterior
ÐChecking battery fluid

167
CHECKING BY THE FLUID LEVEL
LINES (MAINTENANCE TYPE BAT-
TERY ONLY)
The fluid (electrolyte) level must be
between the upper and lower lines.
When checking the fluid level, look at all six cells, not just one or two.
If the level is lower than the lower line, add
distilled water. (See ADDING DIS-
TILLED WATERº.)CHECKING BY THE HYDROMETER Check the battery condition by the
hydrometer color. Maintenance type batteryHydrometer color
ConditionType AType BCondition
GREENBLUEGood
DARKWHITECharging necessary. Have battery checked
by your Toyota dealer.
CLEAR orLIGHT
YELLOWREDAdd distilled water*
*: See ADDING DISTILLED WATERº. Non-maintenance battery
Hydrometer color
ConditionType AType BCondition
GREENBLUEGood
DARKWHITECharging necessary. Have battery checked
by your Toyota dealer.
CLEAR orLIGHT
YELLOWREDHave battery checked
by your Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
Do not refill the battery with water.

168
ADDING DISTILLED WATER (MAINTE-
NANCE TYPE BATTERY ONLY)
1. Remove the vent plugs.
2. Add distilled water to cells needingfluid.
If the side of your battery is covered,
check the water level by looking down di-
rectly above the cell as illustrated above.
3. Retighten the vent plugs securely.
NOTICE
Do not overfill the cells. Excess electrolyte could squirt out of the
battery during heavy charging,causing corrosion or damage.During recharging, the battery is pro-
ducing hydrogen gas. Therefore, before recharging:
1. Maintenance type batteriesÐRemove the vent plugs.
2. If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect the ground cable.
3. Be sure the power switch on the re- charger is off when connecting the
charger cables to the battery and
when disconnecting them.
Always charge the battery in an un-
confined area. Do not charge the battery in a garage or closed room
where there is not sufficient ven- tilation.
Non-maintenance batteries: Only
do a slow charge (5A or less).
Charging at a quicker rate is dan-
gerous. The battery may explode, causing personal injuries.
Maintenance type batteries: Be
sure to remove the vent plugs be-fore recharging. CAUTION
!
Battery recharging precautions