oil pressure TOYOTA COROLLA 1996 Owners Manual

6
Anti-lock brake system warning light *1
Brake system warning light *1
Seat belt reminder light*1
Discharge warning light*1
Low oil pressure warning light*1
Malfunction indicator lamp*1
Open door warning light*1
SRS airbag warning light*1
Turn signal indicator lights
Headlight high beam indicator light
Overdrive-of f indicator light
Cruise control indicator light*
2
Rear window defogger indicator light
*
1: For details, see Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzersº in Chapter 1-5.
*
2: If this light flashes, see Cruise controlº in Chapter 1-6.
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel
ProCarManuals.com

70(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 operate,
however, until the battery is discharged.
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 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.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with the
warning light onÐeven 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.
ProCarManuals.com

108
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 some-
thing, or notice a change in the
sound of the exhaust, have the sys-
tem 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.

Keep the trunk lid or back door
closed while driving. An open or
unsealed trunk lid or back door
may cause exhaust gases to be
drawn into the vehicle. If you must
drive with the trunk lid or back door
open to accommodate a large ob-
ject, close the windows, open all
the instrument panel vents and
have the heating or cooling system
deliver fresh air into the vehicle by
turning the fan to high speed with
the air intake control lever set at the
OUTSIDE AIR position.

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 ve-
hicle, drive with the windows open
and the trunk lid or back door
closed. Have the cause immediately
located and corrected.FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of lu-
bricating and cooling the inside of the en-
gine, and plays a major role in maintaining
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 piston
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 com-
bustion gases during the combustion
process.

Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil is
sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-
perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve
stems.
Facts about engine oil
consumption Engine exhaust cautions
ProCarManuals.com

109 The amount of engine oil consumed
depends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions
the vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed by high-speed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may be-
come diluted and make it difficult to
judge the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for re-
peated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This
is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it ap-
pear that the oil level has not changed.
The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving at high speeds.IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in proper
vehicle maintenance is to keep the engine
oil at the optimum level so that oil function
will not be impaired. Therefore, it is essen-
tial that the oil level be checked regularly.
Toyota recommends that the oil level be
checked every time you refuel the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level
regularly could lead to serious
engine trouble due to insufficient
oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see Checking the engine oil levelº in
Chapter 7-2.TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE
SYSTEM
The tandem master cylinder brake system
is a hydraulic system with two separate
sub-systems. If either sub-system should
fail, the other will still work. However, the
pedal will be harder to press, and your stop-
ping distance will be longer. Also, the brake
system warning light may come on.
CAUTION!
Do not drive your vehicle with only
a single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
power-assist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserve
vacuum for one or two stopsÐbut no
more!
CAUTION!

Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls. Each push on the
pedal uses up your vacuum re-
serve.
Brake system
ProCarManuals.com

128If your engine stalls while driving0
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 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 procedure0
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the vehicle
and turn on your emergency flashers. Put
the transmission in Pº (automatic) or neu-
tral (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 oper-
ating. 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 under the vehicle.
However, note that water draining from
the air conditioning 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 the
coolant is leaking, stop the engine imme-
diately. Call a Toyota dealer for assis-
tance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and
there are no obvious leaks, check the
coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add coolant to
the reservoir while the engine is running.
Fill it about half full.
Do not attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap when the engine and radiator
are hot. Serious injury could result
from scalding hot fluid and steam
blown out under pressure.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 cool-
ant loss indicates a leak in the system.
You should have it checked as soon as
possible at your Toyota dealer.
If your engine stalls while
drivingIf your vehicle overheats
ProCarManuals.com

144You 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 mainte-
nance?
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 me-
chanic, the Toyota service manuals are
recommended. Please be aware that do-
it-yourself maintenance can affect your
warranty coverage. See Owner's Guide,
Owner 's Manual Supplement or Warranty
Booklet for the details.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 un-
usual noise, smell or vibration, you should
investigate the cause or take your vehicle
to your Toyota dealer or a qualified service
shop immediately. It is recommended
that any problem you notice be brought to
the attention of your dealer or the qualified
service shop for their advice.
Make these checks only where
adequate ventilation can be obtained
if you run the engine.CAUTION
!
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be per-
formed 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.
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7-2 for
additional information. When checking
the tires, make sure no nuts are missing,
and check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7-2 for additional in-
formation.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has been
parked for a while. If you smell fuel fumes
or notice any leak, have the cause found
and corrected immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors including trunk lid or
back door operate smoothly and all
latches lock securely. Make sure the en-
gine hood secondary latch secures the
hood from opening when the primary latch
is released.
INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing peri-
odic services, cleaning the vehicle,
etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights
are all working. Check headlight aim.
Service reminder indicators and warn-
ing buzzers
Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly.
General maintenance
ProCarManuals.com

Part 7Checking the engine oil level
155
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
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 en-
gine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean
with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstick'push it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not be cor-
rect.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil
level on the end.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 filter 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 line and the full
level line on the dipstick is indicated below
for reference.
When the level reaches within the correct
range, install the filler cap hand-tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
4A-FE engine 1.0 (1.1, 0.9)
7A-FE engine 1.2 (1.3, 1.1)
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.
ProCarManuals.com