
11 3
The diluting ingredients evaporate out 
when the vehicle is then driven at high 
speeds, as on an expressway, making itappear that oil is excessively consumed 
after driving as high speeds. 
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL CHECK 
One of the most important points in proper vehicle maintenance is to keep the engine 
oil at the optimum level so that oil function
will 
not be impaired. Therefore, it is essen-
tial that the oil level be checked regularly.
Toyota recommends that the oil level bechecked  every time you refuel the vehicle.
Failure to check the oil level
regularly could lead to serious
engine trouble due to insufficient oil.
NOTICE
For detailed information on the oil level 
check,  see Checking the engine oil levelº
in Chapter 7-2.
Your engine is fitted with twin ground elec- trode spark plugs.
Use only twin ground electrode
spark plugs for your engine
performance.
NOTICE
TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE SYSTEM 
The tandem master cylinder brake sys- 
tem is a hydraulic system with two sepa-
rate sub-systems. If either  sub-system 
should fail, the other w ill still work. Howev-
er, the pedal will be harder to press, and 
your stopping distance will be longer. 
Also, the brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION!
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your 
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER 
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to 
power-assist  the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can 
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal 
pedal pressure. There is enough reserve
vacuum for one or two stops - but no more!
Twin ground electrode spark  
plugs (5VZ-FE engine) Brake system  

159
Tire surface and wheel nuts Check the tires carefully 
for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7-2 for 
additional information. When checking the tires, make sure no nuts are missing, 
and check the nuts for looseness. T ighten
them if necessary. 
Tire rotation 
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500 
miles). See Chapter 7-2 for additional in- formation. 
Fluid  leaks Check  underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has been 
parked for a while. If  you smell fuel fumes
or notice any leak, have the cause found
and corrected immediately. Doors and engine hood Check that all doors including tailgate op- erate smoothly and all latches lock se- 
curely. M ake sure the engine hood secon-
dary latch secures the hood from opening
when the primary latch is released. INSIDE THE VEHICLE Items listed below should be checked 
regularly, e.g. while performing peri-
odic services, cleaning the vehicle,etc. LightsMake sure the headlights, stop lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all working. Check headlight aim. Service reminder indicators and 
warn-
ing buzzersCheck that all service reminder indicators 
and warning buzzers function properly. Steering wheel 
Be alert for changes in steering condition, such as hard steering or strange noise. Seats Check that all seat controls such as seat 
adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. operate 
smoothly  and that all latches lock securely
in any position.  Check that the head re-
straints move up and down smoothly and 
that  the locks hold securely in any latched
position. For folding-down seatback
(bench seat), check that the latches lock 
securely. Seat belts 
Check that the seat belt system such as 
buckles, retractors and anchors operate 
properly  and smoothly. Make sure that the
belt webbing is not cut, frayed, worn ordamaged. 
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 
On a safe incline, check that your vehicle is held securely with the selector lever in Pº position and all brakes released. 
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.