1997 TOYOTA TERCEL Owners Manual

167
CHECKING BY THE FLUID LEVEL
LINES (MAINTENANCE TYPE BAT-
TERY ONLY)
The fluid (electrolyte) level must be
between the upper and lower lines.
When checking the fluid level, look at all six cells, not just one or two.
If the level is lower than the lower line, add
distilled water. (See ADDING DIS-
TILLED WATERº.)CHECKING BY THE HYDROMETER Check the battery condition by the
hydrometer color. Maintenance type batteryHydrometer color
ConditionType AType BCondition
GREENBLUEGood
DARKWHITECharging necessary. Have battery checked
by your Toyota dealer.
CLEAR orLIGHT
YELLOWREDAdd distilled water*
*: See ADDING DISTILLED WATERº. Non-maintenance battery
Hydrometer color
ConditionType AType BCondition
GREENBLUEGood
DARKWHITECharging necessary. Have battery checked
by your Toyota dealer.
CLEAR orLIGHT
YELLOWREDHave battery checked
by your Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
Do not refill the battery with water.

168
ADDING DISTILLED WATER (MAINTE-
NANCE TYPE BATTERY ONLY)
1. Remove the vent plugs.
2. Add distilled water to cells needingfluid.
If the side of your battery is covered,
check the water level by looking down di-
rectly above the cell as illustrated above.
3. Retighten the vent plugs securely.
NOTICE
Do not overfill the cells. Excess electrolyte could squirt out of the
battery during heavy charging,causing corrosion or damage.During recharging, the battery is pro-
ducing hydrogen gas. Therefore, before recharging:
1. Maintenance type batteriesÐRemove the vent plugs.
2. If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect the ground cable.
3. Be sure the power switch on the re- charger is off when connecting the
charger cables to the battery and
when disconnecting them.
Always charge the battery in an un-
confined area. Do not charge the battery in a garage or closed room
where there is not sufficient ven- tilation.
Non-maintenance batteries: Only
do a slow charge (5A or less).
Charging at a quicker rate is dan-
gerous. The battery may explode, causing personal injuries.
Maintenance type batteries: Be
sure to remove the vent plugs be-fore recharging. CAUTION
!
Battery recharging precautions

169
NOTICE
Never recharge the battery while the
engine is running. Also, be sure all
accessories are turned off.
If the headlights or other electrical
components do not work, check the
fuses. If any of the fuses are blown,
they must be replaced.
See Fuse locationsº in Chapter 7-1 for
locations of the fuses.
Turn the ignition switch and inopera-
tive component off. Pull a suspected
fuse straight out and check it.
Determine wh ich fuse may be causing the
problem. The lid of the fuse box shows the name of the circuit for each fuse. See Part8 of this manual for the functions con-
trolled by each circuit.
Checking and replacing fuses

170Type A fuses can be pulled out by using the pull-out tool. The location of the pull- out tool is shown in the illustration.
If you are not sure whether the fuse has
blown, try replacing the suspected fuse with one that you know is good.
If the fuse has blown, push a new fuse
into the clip.
Only install a fuse with the amperage rat-
ing designated on the fuse box lid.
If you do not have a spare fuse, in an emergency you can pull out the CIG &
RADIOº, DOMEº or A/Cº fuse, which
may be dispensable for normal driving, and use it if its amperage rating is thesame.
If you cannot use one of the same amper-
age, use one that is lower, but as close as
possible to the rating. If the amperage is
lower than that specified, the fuse might
blow out again but this does not indicate
anything
wrong. Be sure to get the correct
fuse as soon as possible and return the
substitute to its original clip.
It is a good idea to purchase a set of spare
fuses and keep them in your vehicle for emergencies. If the new fuse immediately blows out, there is a problem with the electrical sys-
tem. Have your Toyota dealer correct it as
soon as possible.
Never use a fuse with a higher am-
perage rating, or
any other object, in
place of a fuse. This may cause ex- tensive damage and possibly a fire. CAUTION
!
If any washer does not work, the wash-
er tank may be empty. Add washer fluid.
You may use plain water as washer fluid.
However, in cold areas where tempera-
tures range below freezing point, use
washer fluid containing antifreeze. This
product is available at your Toyota dealer
and most auto parts stores. Follow the
manufacturer 's directions for how much
to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may
damage your vehicle's paint.
Adding washer fluid

171
The following illustrations show how to
gain access to the bulbs. When replacing
a bulb, make sure the ignition switch and
light switch are off. Use bulbs with the wattage ratings given in the table.
Halogen bulbs have pressurized
gas inside and require special han-
dling. They can burst or shatter ifscratched or dropped. Hold a bulb
only by its plastic or metal case. Do
not touch the glass part of a bulb
with bare hands.
CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Only use a bulb of the listed type.
Light bulbsBulb
No.WType
HeadlightsHB260/55A
Parking, front side marker and front turn signal lights115727/8B
Rear side marker lights1685C
Rear turn signal lights115627B
Stop and tail lights115727/8B
Back-up lights115627B
License plate lights-5C
High mounted stop light92118C
Interior light-8D
Trunk light1943.8C
A: HB2 halogen bulbs B: Single end bulbs
C: Wedge base bulbsD: Double end bulbs
1. Open the hood. Unplug the con-
nector. Remove the rubber cover.
If the connector is tight, wiggle it.
Replacing light bulbsÐ
ÐHeadlights

172
2. Release the bulb retaining springand remove the bulb. Install a new
bulb and the bulb retaining spring.
To install a bulb, align the tabs of the bulb with the cutouts of the mounting hole.3. Install the rubber cover with the TOPº mark upward, and snuggle
on the boss. Insert the connector.
Then install the plastic cover.
Make sure the rubber cover fits snugly on
the connector and the headlight body.
Aiming is not necessary after replacing
the bulb. When aiming adjustment is nec-
essary, contact your Toyota dealer.Use a Phillips-head screwdriver.
ÐParking, front side marker and front turn signal lights

173
Use a wrench.a: Rear side marker light
b: Rear turn signal light
c: Stop and tail light
d: Back-up light
ÐRear side marker, rear turn signal, stop and tail, and back-up lights

174
ÐHigh mounted stoplight
ÐLicense plate lights