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109
The three-way catalytic converter is
an emission control device installed in
the exhaust system.
Its purpose is to reduce pollutants in the exhaust gas.
CAUTION!
Keep people and combustible ma- terials away from the exhaust pipe
while the engine is running. The
exhaust gas is very hot.
Do not drive, idle or park your ve-
hicle over anything that might
burn easily such as grass, leaves, paper or rags.
A large amount of unburned gases
flowing into the three-way catalytic
converter may cause it to overheat and create a fire hazard. To preventthis and other damage, observe the
following precautions:
Use only unleaded gasoline.
Do not drive with an extremely low fuel level; running out of fuel
could cause the engine to mis-fire, creating an excessive load
on the three-way catalytic con-verter.
Do not allow the engine to run atidle speed for more than 20 min-
utes.
NOTICE
Avoid racing the engine.
Do not push-start or pull-start
your vehicle.
Do not turn off the ignition whilethe vehicle is moving.
Keep your engine in good run-
ning order. Malfunctions in theengine electrical system, elec-
tronic ignition system/distributorignition system or fuel systemcould cause an extremely high
three-way catalytic converter
temperature.
If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently, takeyour vehicle in for a check-up assoon as possible. Remember,
your Toyota dealer knows your
vehicle and its three-way catalyt-ic converter system best.
To ensure that the three-way cat-
alytic converter and the entireemission control system operate
properly, your vehicle must re-
ceive the periodic inspections re-quired by the Toyota Maintenance
Schedule. For scheduled mainte-
nance information, refer to theseparate Owner's Manual Sup-
plement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
Three-way catalytic converters
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122
Keep your vehicle tuned-up and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease, brakes not adjusted, etc.
all lower engine performance and con-
tribute to poor fuel economy. For lon-
ger life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive undersevere conditions, see that your ve-
hicle receives more frequent mainte-
nance (For scheduled maintenance in-
formation, please refer to the separate
Owner 's Manual Supplement/Main-
tenance Scheduleº).
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and
brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, theemission control system operates
properly only when the engine isrunning.!
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Part 6Maintenance requirements
143
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Maintenance requirements
General maintenance
Does your vehicle need repairing?
For scheduled maintenance infor-
mation, please refer to the sep-
arate Owner's Manual Sup-
plement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
Your Toyota vehicle has been designed
for fewer maintenance requirements with longer service intervals to save both your
time and money. However, each regular
maintenance, as well as day-to-day
care, is more important than ever before
to ensure smooth, trouble-free, safe, and
economical drivings.
It is the owner's responsibility to make sure
the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is per-
formed. Note that both the new vehicle
and emission control system warranties
specify that proper maintenance and care
must be performed. See Owner's Guide,
Owner 's Manual Supplement or W arranty
Booklet for complete warranty informa-tion.
General maintenance General maintenance items are those
day-to-day care practices that are impor-
tant to your vehicle for proper operation.
It is the owner's responsibility to ensure
that the general maintenance items are
performed regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost. Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed
in the Owner's Manual Supplement/
Maintenance Scheduleº are those re-
quired to be serviced at regular intervals. For details of your maintenance Sched-
ule, read the separate ºOwner's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
It is recommended that any replace-
ment parts used for maintenance or
for the repair of the emission control
system be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use non-T
oyota
supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emis-
sion control system warranty. How-
ever, use of replacement parts which
are not of equivalent quality may impair
the effectiveness of the emission con-
trol systems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system
performed by any automotive repair
establishment or individual without
invalidating this warranty. See Own-
er's Guide, Owner's Manual Supple-
ment or Warranty Booklet for complete
warranty information. Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well-trained spe- cialists and are kept up to date with the lat-
est service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and in-dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
