1996 TOYOTA SUPRA brake light

11 9

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 drivingonto 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 thewheels.
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 T oyota 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.!
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high-speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to de-
termine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at suchspeeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes
are applied. Also, the parking
brake will not hold the vehicle se-
curely.
Tips for driving in various conditions

121
Toyota does not recommend towing a
trailer with your Supra. It is not designed for trailer towing.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 andbraking. 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.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle
free from mud, etc. This not only
lessens weight but also helps prevent corrosion.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too
Trailer towing

126Do not connect the cable to or near any
part that moves when the engine is cranked.
NOTICE
When making the connections, do not lean over the battery or
accidentally let the jumper cables or clamps touch anything exceptthe correct battery terminals or the ground.
5. Start your engine in the normal way.
After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm for several minutes with the accelerator ped-
al lightly depressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the
exact reverse order: the negative cable
and then the positive cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover
clothsÐthey may now contain sulfuricacid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent (for example, lights left on), you should have it checked. If your engine stalls while driving
0
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 procedure 0
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 beingused.
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.
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 (fan 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 condi-
tioning is normal if it has been used.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine stalls while driving

127
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 immedi-
ately. Call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, you may help the en-
gine cool down more quickly by running it
at about 1500 rpm for a few minutes with the accelerator pedal lightly depressed.
6. Check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry,
add coolant to the reservoir while the en- gine is running. Fill it about half full.
Do not attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap when the engine and radia-
tor are hot. Serious injury could re-
sult from scalding hot fluid and
steam blown out under pressure. CAUTION
!
7. 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. 1. Reduce
your speed gradually, keeping
a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place well away from the
traffic. Avoid stopping on the center divid-
er of a highway. Park on a level spot with firm ground.
2. Stop the engine and turn on your emer-
gency flashers.
3. Firmly set the parking brake and put the transmission in Pº (automatic) or re- verse (manual).
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle
on the side away from traffic.
5. Read the following instructions thor-
oughly.When jacking, be sure to observe
the following to reduce the possi-
bility of personal injury: Follow jacking instructions.
Use a jack only for lifting your ve-
hicle during wheel changing.
Never get beneath the vehicle
when supported by a jack.
Do not start or run the engine
while your vehicle is supported
by a jack. CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Do not continue driving with a deflated tire. Driving even a short
distance can damage a tire beyond repair.
If you have a flat tireÐ

152Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need on performing do-it-yourself main-
tenance. Remember all Toyota parts are
designed in metric sizes, so your tools
must be metric. Checking the engine oil level Parts (if level is low):
Engine oil API SH, Energy-Conserv-
ing IIº multigrade or ILSAC multigrade
having viscosity proper for your cli-mate
Tools: Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding oil)
Checking the engine coolant level Parts (if level is low): Ethylene-glycol antifreeze
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) Checking power steering fluid Parts (if level is low):
Automatic transmission fluid DEXRON )
-II or -III
Tools: Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding fluid)
Checking battery condition Non-maintenance batteriesÐ
Tools: Warm water
Baking soda
Grease
Conventional wrench (for terminal clamp bolts)
Maintenance type batteriesÐ Parts (if level is low): Distilled water
Tools: Warm water
Baking soda
Grease
Conventional wrench (for terminal clamp bolts)
Coin (for vent plugs)
Funnel (only for adding distilled water) Checking and replacing fuses Parts (if replacement is necessary):
Fuse with same amperage rating as original
Adding washer fluid Parts: Water
Washer fluid containing antifreeze (for winter use)
Tools: Funnel
Replacing light bulbs Parts: Bulb with same number and wattage rating as original (See charts in Re-
placing light bulbsº in Chapter 7-3.)
Tools: Screwdriver
Parts and tools

Part 7Checking the engine oil level
153
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
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 en-gine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstick 'push it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not be cor- rect.
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 refer- ence.
When the level reaches within the correct range, install the filler cap hand-tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., Imp. qt.): 1.5 (1.6, 1.3)

Avoid overfilling, or the enginecould be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.
NOTICE

156
2JZGE engineTo check the fluid level, simply look at
the see-through reservoir. The level
should be between the MAXº and
MINº lines on the reservoir. It is normal for the brake fluid level to go
down slightly as the brake pads wear. So be sure to keep the reservoir filled.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilling, it may indicate a serious mechanical prob- lem.
If the level is low, add SAE J1703 or
FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3 brake fluid to the
brake reservoir. Remove and replace the reservoir cover
by hand. Fill the brake fluid to the dotted
line. This brings the fluid to the correct lev-
el when you put the cover back on. Use only newly opened brake fluid. Once
opened, brake fluid absorbs moisture
from the air, and excess moisture can cause a dangerous loss of braking.
CAUTION
Take care when filling the reservoir
because brake fluid can harm your
eyes and damage painted surfaces.
If fluid gets in your eyes, flush your
eyes with clean water.!
NOTICE
If you spill the fluid, be sure to wash it off with water to prevent it from
damaging the parts or paint.
Checking brake fluid

161
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion,
the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or they may cause loss of handling control. WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels,
care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re- placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset. This must be observed on compact spare
tires, too.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may ad-
versely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/
odometer calibration, stopping ability,
headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or snow chainclearance to the body and chassis. Replacement
with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub-jected to rough treatment or high mileageand could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened
may have structural damage and there-
fore should not be used. Never use an in-
ner tube in a leaking wheel which is de-
signed for a tubeless tire.
After driving your vehicle the first 1600
km (1000 miles), check that the wheel
nuts are tight.
If you have repaired or changed your
tires, check that the wheel nuts are still
tight after driving 1600 km (1000miles).
When using tire chains, be careful not
to damage the aluminum wheels.
Use only the Toyota wheel nuts and
wrench designed for your aluminumwheels.
When balancing your wheels, use only
Toyota balance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber hammer.
As with any wheel, periodically checkyour aluminum wheels for damage. If
damaged, replace immediately.
Replacing wheels
Aluminum wheel precautions