tow TOYOTA CAMRY 1996 User Guide

54
Pull the lever toward you to reduce
glare from the headlights of the ve-
hicle behind you during night driving.
Before adjusting the mirror to the position
with most clarity, push the day-night
change lever away from you (daylight
driving position).
Remember that by reducing glare you
also lose some rear view clarity.To use the vanity mirrors, swing down
the sun visor and open the cover.
On some models, the vanity light comes
on when you open the cover.
Vanity mirrors Anti-glare inside rear view
mirror
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56
For high beam, push the lever away
from you. Pull it toward you for low
beam. For the headlight flasher, pull it
further back.
A blue light in the instrument panel indi-
cates high beam is on.
The headlight flasher works even when
the headlight switch is off.For signaling turns, move the lever up
or down in the conventional manner.
The key must be in the ONº position.
The turn signal is self-cancelling after a
turn, but after a lane change, you may
have to cancel it by hand. You can signal
a lane change by moving the turn signal
lever partway and holding it there. If the
green light in the instrument panel flashes
faster than normal, it indicates that the
front or rear turn signal bulb has burned
out.To turn on the emergency flashers,
push the switch.
All the turn signal lights will flash.
Turn on the emergency flashers to warn
other drivers if your vehicle must be
stopped where it might be a traffic hazard.
Always pull as far off the road as possible.
The turn signal light switch will not work
when the emergency flashers are operat-
ing.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being
discharged, do not leave the switch
on longer than necessary when the
engine is not running.
Emergency flashers
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58
To turn on the personal light, push the
switch. To turn it off, push the switch
once again.To turn the luggage compartment light
on, open the back door and push the
switch. Closing the back door will turn
the light off.To turn the wipers on, move the lever.
To make the washer squirt, push the
button on the end of the lever.
The key must be in the ONº position.
The wipers will operate at intervals when
the lever is in the INTº position. With the
lever in this position, the wipers can be ad-
justed to operate at intervals of 3 to 12
seconds depending on the interval adjust-
er setting between Sº and Fº.
If a single wipe is desired in mist, pull the
lever toward you and release it.
Also, the wipers will automatically operate
a couple of times after the washer squirts
even with the lever in the OFFº position.
Personal lightLuggage compartment light
(wagon)Windshield wipers and washer
(with interval adjuster)
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59 If the washer does not work, check to see
whether the washer tank is empty. For in-
formation on adding washer fluid, see
Adding washer fluidº in Chapter 7-3.
In cold weather, warm the windshield with
the defroster before using the washer.
This will help prevent icing, which could
block your vision.
NOTICE
Do not operate the wipers if the
windshield is dry. It may scratch the
glass.
To turn the wipers on, move the lever.
To make the washer squirt, push the
button on the end of the lever.
The key must be in the ONº position.
The wipers will operate at intervals when
the lever is in the INTº position.
If a single wipe is desired in mist, pull the
lever toward you and release it.
If the washer does not work, check to see
whether the washer tank is empty. For in-
formation on adding washer fluid, see
Adding washer fluidº in Chapter 7-3.In cold weather, warm the windshield with
the defroster before using the washer.
This will help prevent icing, which could
block your vision.
NOTICE
Do not operate the wipers if the
windshield is dry. It may scratch the
glass.
Windshield wipers and washer
(without interval adjuster)
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64
The gauge indicates the engine cool-
ant temperature when the ignition
switch is on. The engine operating
temperature will vary with changes in
weather and engine load.
If the needle points to the red zone or high-
er, stop your vehicle and allow the engine
to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:

Driving up a long hill on a hot day.

Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.

Idling for a long period with the air con-
ditioning on in stop-and-go traffic.

Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to
control 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
vehicle overheatsº in Part 4.
The tachometer indicates engine
speed in thousands of rpm (revolu-
tions per minute). Use it while driving
to select correct shift points and to
prevent engine lugging and overrev-
ving.
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.
Tachometer Engine coolant temperature
gauge
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66(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.
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.)
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level
is low.CAUTION
!
If the brake fluid level is correct...
Have the warning system checked by
your Toyota dealer.
(b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzzer
Once the ignition key is turned to ONº or
STARTº, the reminder light and buzzer
come on if the driver's seat belt is not fas-
tened. Unless the driver fastens the belt,
the light stays on and the buzzer stops af-
ter 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 gaugeº in Chapter 1-5 for in-
structions.)b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See Fuel tank capº in Chapter
1-2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in your
engine or automatic transmission electri-
cal system.
If it comes on while you are driving in case
c, have your vehicle checked/repaired by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
(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.
(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 driv-
ing, pull off the road to a safe place and
stop the engine immediately. Call a Toyota
dealer or qualified repair shop for assis-
tance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on brief-
ly after a hard stop. There is no cause for
concern if it then goes out when the en-
gine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to indi-
cate low oil level, and the oil level must be
checked using the level dipstick.
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71 Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of Pº position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ONº position and the lock re-
lease button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in How
to start the engineº in Part 3. The trans-
mission must be in Pº or Nº.
2. With your foot holding down the brake
pedal, shift the selector lever to Dº.
In Dº position, the automatic transmis-
sion 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.
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.CAUTION
!
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
OFFº indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.

Shift into the 2º position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than the maximum al-
lowable speed for second gear, and
more powerful engine braking will be
obtained.

Shift into the Lº position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the maximum allowable
speed for Lº position and maximum
engine braking will be applied.MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SPEEDS
km/h (mph)
2º Lº
5S-FE engine 120 (75) 66 (41)
1MZ-FE engine 128 (80) 70 (44)
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to
keep engine rpm from going into
the red zone. The maximum allow-
able speed (approximate) for each
position is given above for your
reference.
Do not continue hill climbing for a
long time in the 2º or Lº posi-
tion. This may cause severe auto-
matic transmission damage from
overheating. To prevent such
damage, use Dº position for hill
climbing or hard towing.
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72(c) 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 Rº
position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the
vehicle is moving.
(d) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the parking brake lever up fully to
securely apply the parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down,
shift the selector lever to the Pº position.
While the vehicle is moving, never
attempt to move the selector lever
into Pº position under any circum-
stances. Serious mechanical dam-
age and loss of vehicle control may
result.CAUTION
!
(e) Good driving practice

If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between the
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.
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an
upgrade with the accelerator pedal.
It can cause the transmission to
overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.
(f) Driving in PWRº mode
In the PWRº mode, the transmission is
shifted up and down at a higher vehicle
speed than in the NORMº mode and a
more powerful acceleration is achieved.
To set the PWRº mode, push in the driv-
ing pattern selector button. The PWRº
mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends
using the NORMº mode to improve fuel
economy.
(g) If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of Pº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
Pº position even though the brake pedal
is depressed, use the shift lock override
button. For instructions, see If you can-
not shift automatic transmission selector
leverº in Part 4.
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73
The shift pattern is conventional as
shown above.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, and then release it slowly. Do not
rest your foot on the pedal while driving,
because it will cause clutch trouble. And
do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle
when stopped on an uphill gradeÐuse the
parking brake.Recommended shifting speeds
The transmission is fully synchronized
and upshifting or downshifting is easy.
For the best compromise between fuel
economy and vehicle performance, you
should upshift or downshift at the follow-
ing speeds:
gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 40 (25)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64 (40)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72 (45)
Downshift to the appropriate gear if accel-
eration is needed when you are cruising
below the above downshifting speeds.
Upshifting too soon or downshifting too
late will cause lugging, and possibly ping-
ing. Regularly revving the engine to maxi-
mum speed in each gear will cause exces-
sive engine wear and high fuel
consumption.Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower traf-
fic, maximum acceleration may be neces-
sary. Make sure you observe the following
maximum allowable speeds in each gear:
gear km/h (mph)
1 49 (30)
2 89 (55)
3 140 (87)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower gear.
Good driving practice

If it is difficult to shift into reverse, put
the transmission in neutral, release
the clutch pedal momentarily, and then
try again.

When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use the fifth gear.
Manual transmission
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109 (a) Controls and functions
The temperature control knob is used to
adjust the temperature of the delivered
air.
Turn the knob toward the HIGH position
for higher temperature and toward the
LOW position for lower temperature.
The air intake control lever is used to se-
lect intake air, either outside air or recircu-
lated air.
With the lever in the OUTSIDE AIR posi-
tion, the system will take fresh outside air
into the unit. For recirculated air, move the
lever to the RECIRCULATED AIR posi-
tion.
The air flow control knob is used to select
the air flow outlets air is delivered from.
See (f) Air flow selectionº for detailed in-
formation.
The fan speed control knob is used to turn
on and off the fan and select the fan
speed.
The higher the fan speed setting is, the
more air is delivered. Turning the knob to
the OFFº position turns off the fan.
The air conditioning on-off button is used
to turn on and off the air conditioning.
With the button pressed in, the air condi-
tioning turns on. Pressing the button once
again will turn the air conditioning off.If the indicator light flashes, contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible. There
may be slippage of the drive belt or trouble
in the compressor. If this happens, the air
conditioning is automatically turned off to
avoid damage to the drive belt.
(b) Heating
1. Turn the temperature control knob
anywhere except the LOW position.
When dehumidified heating is desired,
turn the knob between the HIGH and
middle positions.
If cooler air is desired at face level for bi-
level operation, turn the knob around the
middle.
2. Move the air intake control lever to the
OUTSIDE AIR position.
If quick circulation of heated air is desired,
move the lever to the RECIRCULATED
AIR position.
For normal use, it is best to keep the lever
in the OUTSIDE AIR position. Otherwise
the windows will fog up more easily.
3. Turn the air flow control knob to the
FLOOR position.
If cooler air is desired at face level for bi-
level operation, turn the knob to the BI-
LEVEL position.
If the windshield fogs up easily, turn the
knob to the FLOOR/WINDSHIELD posi-
tion.For detailed information on air flow control
including other settings, see (f) Air flow
selectionº.
4. Turn the fan speed control knob any-
where except the OFFº position.
5. Leave the air conditioning on-off but-
ton in the OFF position.
If dehumidified heating is desired, press in
the air conditioning on-off button.
(c) Cooling
1. Turn the temperature control knob
anywhere between the middle and LOW
positions.
If warmer air is desired at floor level for bi-
level operation, turn the knob around the
middle.
2. Move the air intake control lever to the
OUTSIDE AIR position.
If quick circulation of cooled air is desired,
move the lever to the RECIRCULATED
AIR position.
For normal use, it is best to keep the lever
in the OUTSIDE AIR position.
3. Turn the air flow control knob to the
FACE position.
If warmer air is desired at floor level for bi-
level operation, turn the knob to the BI-
LEVEL position.ProCarManuals.com