1996 TOYOTA COROLLA overheating

11 6 Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in (a) Before crank-
ingº.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/se-
quential multiport fuel injection system in
your engine automatically controls the
proper air-fuel mixture for starting. You
can start a cold or hot engine as follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator ped-
al, crank the engine by turning the key to
STARTº. Release it when the engine
starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10 sec-
onds, you are ready to drive.
If the weather is below freezing, let the en-
gine warm up for a few minutes before
driving.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce-
dure given in normal starting.
If the engine will not startÐ
See If your vehicle will not startº in Part 4.

Do not crank for more than 15 sec-
onds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
Do not race a cold engine.
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.
NOTICE

Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. This will allow you much better
control

Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharp-edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage result-
ing in tire bursts.

When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so that
the vehicle will not roll. Apply the park-
ing brake, and place the transmission
in Pº (automatic) or in first or reverse
(manual). If necessary, block the
wheels.

Washing your vehicle or driving
through deep water may get the
brakes wet. To see whether they are
wet, check that there is no traffic near
you, and then press the pedal lightly. If
you do not feel a normal braking force,
the brakes are probably wet. To dry
them, drive the vehicle cautiously
while lightly pressing the brake pedal
with the parking brake pulled. If they
still do not work safely, pull to the side
of the road and call a Toyota dealer for
assistance.
CAUTION!

Before driving off, make sure the
parking brake is fully released and
the parking brake reminder light is
off.

Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is run-
ning.

Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.

To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat
and not work properly.

Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking
on a slippery surface. Sudden ac-
celeration or engine braking could
cause the vehicle to spin or skid.
(b) Starting the engineTips for driving
in various conditions
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

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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