1996 TOYOTA COROLLA clutch

78
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:
Low altitude
Ð1219 m (4000 ft) or lower
gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 37 (23)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64/45*
1 (40/28*1)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72/64*1 (45/40*1)
*1: For constant-speed cruise or
constant-speed cruise after decel-
eration.
High altitude
ÐHigher than 1219 m (4000 ft)
Upshifting
gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 24 (15)
2 to 3 40/57*
2(25/36*2)
3 to 4 64/72*2(40/45*2)
4 to 5 72/88*2(45/55*2)
Downshifting
gear km/h (mph)
2 to 1 24 (15)
3 to 2 40 (25)
4 to 3 64 (40)
5 to 4 72 (45)
*
2: 4A-FE onlyÐApplicable under heavy
acceleration conditions.Upshifting too soon or downshifting too late
will cause lugging, and possibly pinging.
Regularly revving the engine to maximum
speed in each gear will cause excessive
engine wear and high fuel comsumption.
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:
4A-FE engine
gear km/h (mph)
1 46 (29)
2 86 (54)
3 126 (78)
4 170 (106)
7A-FE engine
gear km/h (mph)
1 53 (33)
2 88 (55)
3 128 (80)
4 173 (108)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower gear.
Manual transmission
ProCarManuals.com

79 Good driving practice

If it 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.
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into reverse.
To set: Pull up the lever.
To release: Pull up slightly, press the
thumb button, and lower.
Before leaving your vehicle, firmly apply
the parking brake. For better holding pow-
er, first depress the brake pedal and hold
it while setting the parking brake.
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the park-
ing brake reminder light is off.CAUTION
!
The cruise control allows you to cruise
the vehicle at a desired speed over 40
km/h (25 mph) even with your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained up
or down grades within the limits of engine
performance, although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or down
the grades. On steeper hills, a greater
speed change will occur so it is better to
drive without the cruise control.
Parking brake Cruise control
ProCarManuals.com

80

To help maintain maximum control
of your vehicle, do not use the
cruise control when driving in
heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snow-covered)
or winding roads.

Avoid vehicle speed increases
when driving downhill. If the ve-
hicle speed is too fast in relation to
the cruise control set speed, can-
cel the cruise control then down-
shift the transmission to use en-
gine braking to slow down.CAUTION
!
TURNING ON THE SYSTEM
To operate the cruise control, push the
CRUISE ON-OFFº switch. This turns the
system on. The indicator light in the instru-
ment panel shows that you can now set
the vehicle at a desired cruising speed.
Another push will turn the system com-
pletely off.
To avoid accidental cruise control
engagement, keep the CRUISE ON-
OFFº switch off when not using the
cruise control.CAUTION
!
SETTING AT A DESIRED SPEED
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in Dº before
you set the cruise control speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,
press the SET/COASTº direction and re-
lease it. This sets the vehicle at that
speed. Now you may take your foot off the
accelerator pedal. If you need accelera-
tionÐfor example, when passingÐde-
press the accelerator pedal enough for
the vehicle to exceed the set speed.
When you release it, the vehicle will return
to the speed set prior to the acceleration.
For manual transmission:
While driving with the cruise control
on, do not shift to neutral without
depressing the clutch pedal, as this
may cause engine racing or overrev-
ing.CAUTION
!
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by:
a. Pulling the control lever in the CAN-
CELº direction and releasing it.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
c. Depressing the clutch pedal (manual
transmission).If the vehicle speed falls below about 40
km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will auto-
matically cancel out.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10
mph) below the preset speed, the preset
speed will also automatically cancel out.
If the preset speed automatically cancels
out other than for the above cases, have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er at the earliest opportunity.
RESETTING AT A FASTER SPEED
Press the control lever upward in the
RES/ACCº direction and hold it. Release
the lever when the desired speed is at-
tained. While the lever is held upward, the
vehicle will gradually gain speed.
However, a faster way to reset is to accel-
erate the vehicle and then press the lever
downward in the SET/COASTº direction.
RESETTING AT A SLOWER SPEED
Push the control lever downward in the
SET/COASTº direction and hold it. Re-
lease the lever when the desired speed is
attained. While the lever is held down-
ward, the vehicle speed will gradually de-
crease.
ProCarManuals.com

81 However, a faster way to reset is to de-
press the brake pedal and then press the
control lever downward in the SET/
COASTº direction.
RESUMING THE PRESET SPEED
If the preset speed is cancelled by pulling
the control lever or by depressing the
brake pedal or clutch pedal, pushing the
lever up in the RES/ACCº direction will
restore the speed set prior to cancellation.
However, once the vehicle speed falls be-
low about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset
speed will not be resumed.
CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE WARNING
If the CRUISEº indicator light in the in-
strument cluster flashes when using the
cruise control, there is some trouble in the
cruise control system. Contact your Toyo-
ta dealer and have your vehicle inspected.ProCarManuals.com

Part 3
How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking Before starting the engine
11 5
STARTING AND
DRIVING

Before starting the engine

How to start the engine

Tips for driving in various
conditions

Winter driving tips

Trailer towing

How to save fuel and make your
vehicle last longer, too
1. Check the area around the vehicle be-
fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle,
head restraint height and steering wheel
angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view
mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts.1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3.Manual transmission: Press the
clutch pedal to the floor and shift the
transmission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the selec-
tor lever in Pº. If you need to restart the
engine while the vehicle is moving, put the
selector lever in Nº. A starter safety de-
vice will prevent the starter from operating
if the selector lever is in any drive position.
4.Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to the
floor until driving off.
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

122 When restarting out after parking on a
slope:
1. With the transmission in Pº position
(automatic) or the clutch pedal depressed
(manual), start the engine. (With an auto-
matic transmission, be sure to keep the
brake pedal depressed.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also foot
brake on automatic transmission ve-
hicles) and slowly pull or back away from
the wheels blocks. Stop and apply your
brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION!

Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing vehicle-
trailer combination usually in-
creases as the speed increases, ex-
ceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may
cause loss of control.

Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts.

Avoid holding the brake pedal
down too long or too frequently.
This could cause the brakes to
overheat and result in reduced
braking efficiency.Getting more kilometers/mileage from a li-
ter/gallon of fuel is easyÐjust take it easy.
It will help make your vehicle last longer,
too. Here are some specific tips on how to
save money on both fuel and repairs:

Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See Chapter
7-2 for instructions.

Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.

Avoid lengthy warm-up idling.
Once the engine is running smoothly,
begin drivingÐbut gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this
may take a little longer.

Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.

Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic, it
is better to turn off the engine and start
again later.

Avoid engine lug or overrevving.
Use a gear position suitable for the
road on which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop-and-go driving
wastes fuel.

Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or take
advantage of through streets to avoid
traffic lights. Keep a proper distance
from other vehicles to avoid sudden
braking. This will also reduce wear on
your brakes.

Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.

Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel econ-
omy.

Maintain a moderate speed on
highways. The faster you drive, the
greater the fuel consumption. By re-
ducing your speed, you will cut down
on fuel consumption.

Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on the
engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
How to save fuel and make your
vehicle last longer, too
ProCarManuals.com

145 Steering wheel
Be alert for changes in steering condition,
such as hard steering or strange noise.
Seats
Check that all front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op-
erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
head restraints move up and down
smoothly and that the locks hold securely
in any latched position. For folding-down
rear seatbacks and swing-up rear seat
cushion, check that the latches lock se-
curely.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-
aged.
Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching.
Clutch pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance.
Check the brake booster function.Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do
not pull to one side when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the lever has the proper travel
and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle is
held securely with only the parking brake
applied.
Automatic transmission Parkº mech-
anism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your ve-
hicle is held securely with the selector
lever in Pº position and all brakes re-
leased.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be checked
from time to time , e.g. each time when
refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See Chapter 7-3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULLº and LOWº lines on the see-
through reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-
tion.Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower level
lines on the case. Add only distilled water
when replenishing. See Chapter 7-3 for
additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-
tion.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the en-
gine turned off and the vehicle parked on
a level spot. See Chapter 7-2 for addition-
al information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level on the dipstick. The level
should be in the HOTº or COLDº range
depending on the fluid temperature. See
Chapter 7-2 for additional information.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have
the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See engine exhaust cautions in
Part 2.)ProCarManuals.com