engine coolant TOYOTA COROLLA 1999 User Guide

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Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of ºPº position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ºONº position and the lock re-
lease button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in ºHow
to start the engineº in Part 3. The
transmission must be in ºPº or ºNº.
2. With your foot holding down the brake
pedal, shift the selector lever to ºDº.
In ºDº position, the automatic transmission
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.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
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 ºO/D
OFFº indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.
Shift into the º2º position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than 100 km/h (61
mph), and more powerful engine brak-
ing will be obtained.
Shift into the ºLº position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
When the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than 41 km/h (25 mph), and
maximum engine braking will be ap-
plied.Vehicles with cruise control'When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by turning off
the overdrive switch, engine braking is not
applied because the cruise control is not
cancelled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see ºCruise controlº in this chapter.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(c) Using º2º and ºLº positions
The º2º and ºLº positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in º2º or ºLº, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in ºDº.
With the selector lever in º2º, the vehicle
will start in the first gear and automatical-
ly shift to the second gear.
With the selector lever in ºLº, the trans-
mission is engaged in the first gear.
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Engine compartment overview
1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine oil level dipstick
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Fuse blocks
6. Battery
7. Engine coolant reservoir
8. Electric cooling fans
9. Windshield washer fluid tank
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If you perform maintenance by yourself,
be sure to follow the correct procedure
given in this part.
You should be aware that improper or in-
complete servicing may result in operating
problems.
Performing do- it- yourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect your
warranty coverage. Read the separate
Toyota Warranty statement for details and
suggestions.
This part gives instructions only for those
items that are relatively easy for an owner
to perform. As explained in Part 6, there
are still a number of items that must be
done by a qualified technician with special
tools.
For information on tools and parts for do-
it- yourself maintenance, see ºParts and
toolsº.
Utmost care should be taken when work-
ing on your vehicle to prevent accidental
injury. Here are a few precautions that
you should be especially careful to ob-
serve:CAUTION

When the engine is running, keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from the moving fan and engine
drive belts. (Removing rings,
watches, and ties is advisable.)

Right after driving, the engine
compartmentÐthe engine, radiator,
exhaust manifold and spark plug
boots, etc.Ðwill be hot. So be care-
ful not to touch them. Oil, fluids
and spark plugs may also be hot.

If the engine is hot, do not remove
the radiator cap or loosen the drain
plugs to prevent burning yourself.

Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames around fuel or the
battery. Their fumes are flammable.

Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.

Do not get under your vehicle with
just the body jack supporting it. Al-
ways use automotive jack stands or
other solid supports.

Be sure that the ignition is off if
you work near the electric cooling
fans or radiator grille. With the
ignition on, the electric cooling fans
will automatically start to run if the
engine coolant temperature is high
and/or the air conditioning is on.

Use eye protection whenever you
work on or under your vehicle
where you may be exposed to flying
or falling material, fluid spray, etc.

Used engine oil contains potentially
harmful contaminants which may
cause skin disorders such as in-
flammation or skin cancer, so care
should be taken to avoid prolonged
and repeated contact with it. To re-
move used engine oil from your
skin, wash thoroughly with soap
and water.

Do not leave used oil within the
reach of children.
Do- it- yourself service
precautions
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Dispose of used oil and filter only
in a safe and acceptable manner.
Do not dispose of used oil and fil-
ter in household trash, in sewers or
onto the ground. Call your dealer or
a service station for information
concerning recycling or disposal.
NOTICE

Remember that battery and ignition
cables carry high currents or volt-
ages. Be careful of accidentally
causing a short circuit.

Add only demineralized or distilled
water to fill the radiator. And if you
spill some of the coolant, be sure
to wash off with water to prevent it
from damaging the parts or paint.

Do not allow dirt or anything else
to fall through the spark plugholes.

Use only spark plugs of the speci-
fied type. Using other types will
cause engine damage, loss of per-
formance or radio noise.

Do not overfill automatic transmis-
sion fluid, or the transmission
could be damaged.

Do not drive with the air cleaner
filter removed, or excessive engine
wear could result. Also backfiring
could cause a fire in the engine
compartment.

Be careful not to scratch the glass
surface with the wiper frame.

When closing the engine hood,
check to see that you have not for-
gotten any tools, rags, etc.
Parts and tools
Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need on performing do- it- yourself mainte-
nance. Remember all Toyota parts are de-
signed in metric sizes, so your tools must
be metric.
Checking the engine oil level
Parts (if level is low):

Engine oil API grade SJ, ºEnergy- Con-
servingº or ILSAC multigrade having
viscosity proper for your climate
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding oil)
Checking the engine coolant level
Parts (if level is low):

ºToyota Long Life Coolantº or equiva-
lent
See Chapter 7- 2 for details about cool-
ant type selection.

Demineralized or distilled water
Tools:

Funnel (only for adding coolant)
Checking brake fluid
Parts (if level is low):

SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
brake fluid
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding fluid)
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Part 7
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
Checking the engine oil level
Low level Full level
Add oilO.K. Too full
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 engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean
with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstickÐpush it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not be
correct.
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, add engine oil of
the same type as already in the engine.
Remove the oil filler 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 and the full level
on the dipstick is indicated below for ref-
erence.
When the level reaches within the correct
range, install the filler cap hand- tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., lmp. qt.):
1.3 (1.4, 1.1)
NOTICE

Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.

Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.
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Look at the see- through coolant reser-
voir when the engine is cold. The cool-
ant level is satisfactory if it is between
the ºFULLº and ºLOWº lines on the
reservoir. If the level is low, add ethyl-
ene- glycol type coolant for a proper
corrosion protection of aluminum com-
ponents.
The coolant level in the reservoir will vary
with engine temperature. However, if the
level is on or below the ºLOWº line, add
coolant. Bring the level up to the ºFULLº
line.
Always use ethylene- glycol type coolant
for a proper corrosion protection of alumi-
num components. See information in the
next column.
If the coolant level drops within a short
time after replenishing, there may be a
leak in the system. Visually check the
radiator, hoses, engine coolant filler cap,
radiator cap and drain cock and water
pump.
If you can find no leak, have your Toyota
dealer test the cap pressure and check
for leaks in the cooling system.CAUTION
To prevent burning yourself, do not
remove the radiator cap when the en-
gine is hot.
Coolant type selection
Use of improper coolants may damage your
engine cooling system. Your coolant must
contain ethylene- glycol type coolant for a
proper corrosion protection of your engine
that contains aluminum components. Use
ºToyota Long Life Coolantº or equivalent.
In addition to preventing freezing and sub-
sequent damage to the engine, this will
also prevent corrosion. Further supplemen-
tal inhibitors or additives are neither need-
ed nor recommended.
Read the coolant container for information
on freeze protection. Follow the manufac-
turer's directions for how much to mix
with plain water (preferably demineralized
water or distilled water). The total capacity
of the cooling system is given in Part 8.We recommend to use 50% solution for
your Toyota, to provide protection down to
about -35C (- 31F). When it is extreme-
ly cold, to provide protection down to
about -505C (- 585F), 60% solution is rec-
ommended. Do not use more than 70%
solution for better coolant performance.NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
Checking the engine coolant
level
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