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
Part 1Car audio system operating tips
83
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1-7
Car audio system
and Air conditioning
system
Car audio system operating tips
AM-FM radio with electronic
tuner
AM-FM radio with electronic
tuner and cassette tape player
Air conditioning controls
Heater controls
Side vents
You can listen to the car audio system
when the ignition key is at ONº or
ACCº. However, if the engine is not
running, the key must be in the ACCº
position.
ILLUMINATION CONTROL LOGIC
On some audio-units, when the instru-
ment panel lights are on, the letters on op-
erable buttons of the mode in current use
light up together with the mode selection
and eject buttons.
RADIO
FM reception tips
Most of us are not aware that a vehicle is
not an ideal place to listen to a radio. Be-
cause it moves, reception conditions
change continuously. Buildings, terrain,
signal distance and noise from other ve-
hicles are all working against good recep-
tion. Some FM reception conditions may
appear to be problems even though they
are normal.
The following characteristics are normal
for a given reception area, and they do not
indicate any problem with the radio itself.
Fading and Drifting: On the average,
the broadcast range of FM stations is
limited to about 40 km (25 miles), ex-
cept for some high power stations.If a vehicle is moving away from the
desired station's transmitter, the signal
will tend to fade and/or drift. This phe-
nomenon is more noticeable with FM
than with AM, and is accompanied by
distortion.
Fading and drifting can be minimized
to a certain degree by fine tuning, or
you should tune in to a stronger signal.
Static and Fluttering: When the line-
of-sight path between a transmitter
and vehicle is blocked by large build-
ings or the like, static or fluttering may
occur because of the characteristic of
FM. In a similar effect, a fluttering
noise is sometimes heard when driv-
ing along a tree-lined road.
This static and fluttering can be re-
duced by adjusting the tone control for
greater bass response until the distur-
bance has passed.
Multipath: Because of the reflection
characteristics of FM, direct and re-
flected signals may reach the antenna
at the same time (a phenomenon
called multipath reception) and cancel
each other out. As a vehicle moves
through these electronic dead spots,
the listener may hear a momentary
flutter or lose reception.
ProCarManuals.com
93
Air conditioning controls
ProCarManuals.com
94
(a) Controls and functions
The temperature control lever is used to
adjust the temperature of the delivered
air.
Move the lever 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 lever 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 lever 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. Moving the lever 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.
ProCarManuals.com
95 If the indicator light flashes, contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible. There
may be a 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. Place the temperature control lever
anywhere except the LOW position.
When dehumidified heating is desired,
place the lever between the HIGH and
middle positions.
If cooler air is desired at face level for bi-
level operation, place the lever 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. Move the air flow control lever to the
FLOOR position.
If cooler air is desired at face level for bi-
level operation, place the lever to the BI-
LEVEL position.If the windshield fogs up easily, move the
lever to the FLOOR/WINDSHIELD posi-
tion.
For detailed information on air flow control
including other settings, see (f) Air flow
selectionº.
4. Move fan speed control lever any-
where except the OFFº position.
5. Leave the air conditioning on-off but-
ton in the ºOFFº position.
If dehumidifed heating is desired, press in
the air conditioning on-off button.
(c) Cooling
1. Place the temperature control lever
anywhere between the middle and LOW
positions.
If warmer air is desired at floor level for bi-
level operation, place the lever 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. Move the air flow control lever to the
FACE position.
If warmer air is desired at floor level for bi-
level operation, place the lever to the BI-
LEVEL position.
For detailed information on air flow control
including other settings, see (f) Air flow
selectionº.
4. Move the fan speed control lever any-
where except the OFFº position.
5. Press in the air conditioning on-off but-
ton.
(d) Ventilation
1. Place the temperature control lever at
the LOW position.
2. Move the air intake control lever to the
OUTSIDE AIR position.
3. Move the air flow control lever to the
FACE position.
For detailed information on air flow control
including other settings, see (f) Air flow
selectionº.
4. Move the fan speed control lever any-
where except the OFFº position.
5. Leave the air conditioning on-off but-
ton in the OFFº position.ProCarManuals.com
96(e) Windshield defogging and defrost-
ing
To remove interior fog on the windshield:
1. Place the temperature control lever at
any position.
2. Move the air intake control lever to the
OUTSIDE AIR position.
3. Move the air flow control lever to the
WINDSHIELD position.
For detailed information on air flow con-
trol, see (f) Air flow selectionº.
4. Move fan speed control lever any-
where except the OFFº position.
5. Press in the air conditioning on-off but-
ton.
To remove frost or exterior fog on the
windshield:
1. Place the temperature control lever at
the HIGH position.
2. Move the air intake control lever to the
OUTSIDE AIR position.
3. Move the air flow control lever to the
WINDSHIELD position.
For detailed information on air flow con-
trol, see (f) Air flow selectionº.
4. Move fan speed control lever to the
HIº position.
5. Leave the air conditioning on-off but-
ton in the OFF position.(f) Air flow selection
FACE positionÐThis position directs the
air flow to face level.
BI-LEVELÐThis position directs the air
flow to face level and floor. Except in ven-
tilation, the air to the floor is slightly warm-
er than that to the face level.
FLOOR positionÐThis position directs
the air flow mostly to the floor.
FLOOR / WINDSHIELD position Ð This
position directs the air flow to the wind-
shield and front side windows as well as
the floor.
WINDSHIELD positionÐThis position di-
rects the air flow mostly to the windshield,
front side windows.
Do not use the WINDSHIELD position
during cooling operation in extremely hu-
mid weather. The difference between the
temperature of the outside air and that of
the windshield could cause the outer sur-
face of the windshield to fog up blocking
your vision.
(g) Operating tips
Be sure the air inlet grilles in front of the
windshield are not blocked by leaves
or other obstructions.If air flow control is not satisfactory,
check the side vents. (See Side
ventsº after Heater controlsº.)
To help cool down the interior after
parking in the hot sun, drive for the first
few minutes with the windows open.
After the excess heat has blown away,
close the windows.
When driving on dusty roads, close all
windows. If dust thrown up by the ve-
hicle is still drawn into the vehicle after
closing the windows, it is recom-
mended that the air intake control le-
ver be set to the OUTSIDE AIR posi-
tion and the fan speed control lever
anywhere except the OFFº position.
If following another vehicle on a dusty
road, or driving in windy and dusty con-
ditions, it is recommened that the air
intake control lever be temporarily set
to the RECIRCULATED AIR position,
which will close off the outside pas-
sage and prevent outside air and dust
from entering the vehicle interior.ProCarManuals.com
121 Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle-to-vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
tion. If your vehicle has manual trans-
mission, prevent excessive clutch slip-
page by keeping engine rpm low and
not racing the engine. Always start out
in first gear.
Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns.
The trailer could hit your vehicle in a
tight turn. Slow down before making a
turn to avoid the necessity of sudden
braking.
Remember that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Therefore, compensate for this
by making a larger than normal turning
radius with your vehicle.Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing sway. Pay atten-
tion to the rear from time to time to pre-
pare yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your
vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering wheel
and reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed.
Steer straight ahead. If you make no
extreme correction with the steering or
brakes, the vehicle and trailer will sta-
bilize.
Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer and
be sure you have plenty of room be-
fore changing lanes.
In order to maintain engine braking effi-
ciency, do not use fifth gear (manual
transmission or overdrive (automatic
transmission).Because of the added load of the trail-
er, your vehicle's engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
305C [855F]) when going up a long or
steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperatue gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the
air conditioning (if in use), pull off the
road and stop in a safe spot. Refer to
If your vehicle overheatsº in Part 4 of
this manual.
Always place wheel blocks under both
the vehicle and trailer wheels when
parking. Apply the parking brake firm-
ly. Put the transmission in Pº (auto-
matic) or in first or reverse (manual).
Avoid parking on a slope with a trailer,
but if it cannot be avoided, do so only
after performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un-
der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place,
release your brakes slowly until the blocks
absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or
Pº (automatic) and turn off the engine.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
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