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33
Do not put objects on or in front of
the dashboard or steering wheel
pad that houses the airbag system.
They might restrict inflation or
cause personal injury as they are
projected rearward.
Do not modify, remove or open any
component or wiring, such as the
steering wheel, column cover, front
passenger airbag cover, front pas-
senger airbag or airbag sensor as-
sembly. Doing any of these may
cause sudden SRS airbag inflation
or disable the system, which could
result in personal injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in severe injuries.
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
SRS airbag system in some cases.
Installation of electronic items
such as a mobile two-way radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
Modification of the suspension
system
Modification of the front end struc-
ture
Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end
Repairs made on or near the con-
sole, steering column, steering
wheel or dashboard near the front
passenger airbag
NOTICE
This SRS airbag system has a service re-
minder indicator to inform the driver of op-
erating problems. If either of the following
conditions occurs, this indicates a mal-
function of the airbags. Contact your To-
yota dealer as soon as possible to service
the vehicle.
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
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37
CAUTION!
Do not put objects on the steering
wheel pad. They might restrict
inflation or cause serious injury as
they are projected rearward.
Do not modify, remove or open any
component or wiring, such as the
steering wheel, column cover or
airbag sensor assembly. Doing any
of these may cause sudden SRS
airbag inflation or disable the sys-
tem, which could result in personal
injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in severe injuries.
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of
the SRS airbag system in some
cases.
Installation of electronic items
such as a mobile two-way radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
Modification of the suspension
system
Modification of the front end
structure
Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow-
plow, winches or any other equip-
ment to the front end
Repairs made on or near the con-
sole, steering column or steering
wheel
NOTICE
This SRS airbag system has a service re-
minder indicator to inform the driver of op-
erating problems. If either of the following
conditions occurs, this indicates a mal-
function of the airbag. Contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible to service the
vehicle.
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
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Page 110 of 195

Part 2Break-in period
Fuel
105
INFORMATION
BEFORE DRIVING
YOUR TOYOTA
Break-in period
Fuel
Operation in foreign countries
Three-way catalytic converter
Engine exhaust cautions
Facts about engine oil
consumption
Brake system
Brake pad wear limit indicators
Luggage stowage precautions
Your Toyota's idenitification
Theft prevention labels
Suspension and chassis
Types of tires
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But following a few simple tips
for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can add
to the future economy and long life of your
vehicle:
Do not drive over 88 km/h (55 mph).
Avoid overrevving. Maintain engine
speed between 2000 and 4000 rpm.
Avoid full-throttle starts.
Try to avoid hard stops during the first
300 km (200 miles).
Do not drive slowly with the manual
transmission in a high gear.
Do not drive for a long time at any
single speed, either fast or slow.
Do not tow a trailer during the first 800
km (500 miles).FUEL TYPE
Your new vehicle must use only un-
leaded gasoline.
To help prevent gas station mixups, your
Toyota has a new smaller fuel tank open-
ing. The special nozzle on pumps with un-
leaded fuel will fit it, but the larger standard
nozzle on pumps with leaded gas will not.
Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of
leaded gasoline will cause the three-
way catalytic converter to lose its ef-
fectiveness and the emission con-
trol system to function improperly.
Also, this can increase maintenance
costs.
NOTICE
OCTANE NUMBER
Select Research Octane Number 91
(Octane Rating 87) or higher.
Use of unleaded fuel with an octane num-
ber or rating lower than stated above will
cause persistent heavy knocking. If se-
vere, this will lead to engine damage.
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11 4
CAUTION!
Do not modify the suspension/chas-
sis with lift kits, spacers, etc. It can
cause dangerous handling charac-
teristics, resulting in the loss of con-
trol.Determine what kind of tires your ve-
hicle is originally equipped with.
1. Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited to highway driving under
dry conditions.
Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, sum-
mer tires are inadequate for driving on
snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on
snow-covered or icy roads, we recom-
mend using snow tires. If installing snow
tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2. All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
better traction in snow and to be adequate
for driving in most winter conditions, as
well as for use all year round.
All season tires, however, do not have ad-
equate traction performance compared
with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.
Also, all season tires fall short in accelera-
tion and handling performance compared
with summer tires in highway driving.
CAUTION!
Do not mix summer and all season
tires on your vehicle as this can
cause dangerous handling char-
acteristics, resulting in loss of
control.
Do not use tire other than the
manufacturer 's designated tires,
and do not mix tires or wheels of
the sizes different from the origi-
nals.
Types of tires Suspension and chassis
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Page 151 of 195

146Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip-offs that in-
dicate service is needed. Some important
clues are as follows:
Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monox-
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhaust system checked
immediately.)
Flat-looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when driving
straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspension
movement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking
Engine coolant temperature continual-
ly higher than normalIf you notice any of these clues, take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. It probably needs adjustment or
repair.
Do not continue driving with the ve-
hicle unchecked. It could result in
serious vehicle damage and possi-
bly personal injury.CAUTION
! Does your vehicle need
repairing?
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