'99camry U
46
Do not modify or remove any wir-
ing. Do not modify, remove, strike
or open any components such as
the steering wheel column cover,
front passenger airbag cover, front
passenger airbag, airbag sensor as-
sembly. Doing any of these may
cause sudden SRS airbag inflation
or disable the system, which could
result in death or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious inju-
ries.NOTICE
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 sys-
tem
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 front
fenders, front end structure, con-
sole, steering column, steering
wheel or dashboard near the front
passenger airbag
This SRS airbag system has a service
reminder indicator to inform the driver of
operating problems. If either of the
following conditions occurs, this indicates
a malfunction of the airbags. 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 ºACCº or
ºONº position, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
'99camry U
47
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The SRS airbags have been inflated.
The front part of the vehicle (shaded
in the illustration) were involved in an
accident that did not cause the SRS
airbags to inflate.
The pad section of the steering wheel
or front passenger airbag cover
(shaded in the illustration) is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables
before contacting your Toyota dealer.
SRS side airbags
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem) side airbags are designed to pro-
vide further protection for the driver
and front passenger when added to the
primary protection provided by the seat
belts.
In response to a severe side impact, the
SRS side airbags work together with the
seat belt to help prevent or reduce injury
by inflating, in order to decrease the im-
pact mainly on the driver's or front pas-
senger 's chest. The SRS side airbag on
the passenger seat is activated even with
no passenger in the front seat.
Be sure to wear your seat belt.
'99camry U
73
Outside anchorsÐ
a. Should you select to use the outer
anchor positions, please contact your
Toyota dealer for proper modifications to
the filler panel.
b. After modifications have been made to
the filler panel, insert a 15 mm (0.6 in.)
spacer and tighten down the anchor brack-
et for your child restraint system with a
bolt. Torque the bolt to 16.5Ð24.7 NVm
(1.68Ð2.52 kgfVm, 12.2Ð18.2 ftVlbf).
c. Securely latch the hook of the top strap
onto the anchor bracket and make sure
the hook does not make contact with the
filler panel.To comply with Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards, this model sold in Can-
ada is provided with a bracket set in the
glovebox, designed for use with any of the
3 anchor locations shown in the illustra-
tion.
If your child restraint system does not
provide any of the necessary parts, ask
your Toyota dealer. (See ºÐChild restraint
systemº.)
Tilt steering wheel
To change the steering wheel angle,
hold the steering wheel, pull up the
lock release lever, tilt the steering
wheel to the desired angle and release
the lever.
When the steering wheel is in a low posi-
tion, it will spring up as you release the
lock release lever.
'99camry U
74
CAUTION
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving.
After adjusting the steering wheel,
try moving it up and down to make
sure it is locked in position.
Outside rear view mirrorsÐ
Adjust the mirror so that you can just
see the side of your vehicle in the mir-
ror.
Be careful when judging the size or dis-
tance of any object seen in the outside
rear view mirror on the passenger 's side.
It is a convex mirror with a curved sur-
face. Any object seen in a convex mirror
will look smaller and farther away than
when seen in a flat mirror.
On some models, when you push the rear
window defogger switch, the heater panels
in the outside rear view mirrors will quick-
ly clear the mirror surface.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the mirror while the
vehicle is moving. It may cause the
driver to mishandle the vehicle and
an accident may occur resulting in
personal injuries.
Since the mirror surfaces can get
hot, keep your hands off them when
the defogger switch is on.
'99camry U
93
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1±6
Ignition switch,
Transmission and
Parking brake
Ignition switch with steering lock
Automatic transmission
Manual transmission
P ar k ing br ak e
Cruise controlºSTARTºÐStarter motor on. The key
will return to the ºONº position when
released.
For starting tips, see Part 3.
ºONºÐEngine on and all accessories
on.
This is the normal driving position.
ºACCºÐAccessories such as the radio
operate, but the engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ºACCº or
ºLOCKº position and open the driver's
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
ºLOCKºÐEngine is off and the steering
wheel is locked. The key can be re-
moved only at this position.You must push in the key to turn the key
from ºACCº to the ºLOCKº position. On
vehicles with an automatic transmission,
the selector lever must be put in the ºPº
position before pushing the key.
Vehicles with engine immobiliser systemÐ
Once you remove the key, the engine im-
mobiliser system is automatically set. (See
ºEngine immobiliser systemº in Chapter
1±2.)
When starting the engine, the key may
seem stuck at the ºLOCKº position. To
free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering
wheel slightly while turning the key gently.
CAUTION
For manual transmission:
Never remove the key when the ve-
hicle is moving, as this will lock the
steering wheel and result in loss of
steering control.
Ignition switch with steering
lock
'99camry U
217
Part 7
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
Checking the engine oil level
Low level Full level
Add oil O.K. Too fullTy p e A
Ty p e B
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 engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean
with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstickÐpush it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not be
correct.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil
level on the end.
CAUTION
Be careful not to touch the hot ex-
haust manifold.
If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level line, add engine oil
of the same type as already in the en-
gine.
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 ref-
erence.
When the level reaches within the correct
range, install the filler cap hand±tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., lmp. qt.):
5S±FE engine 0.7 (0.7, 0.6)
1MZ±FE engine 1.5 (1.6, 1.3)
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.
'99camry U
221
Clean all dirt from outside of the reservoir
tank and look at the fluid level. If the fluid
is cold, the level should be in the ºCOLDº
range. Similarly, if it is hot, the fluid level
should be in the ºHOTº range. If the level
is at the low side of either range, add
automatic transmission fluid DEXRONII
or III to bring the level within the range.
To remove the filler cap, turn it counter-
clockwise and lift up. To reinstall it, turn
it clockwise. After replacing the filler
cap,visually check the steering box case,
vane pump and hose connections for
leaks or damage.
CAUTION
The reservoir tank may be hot so be
careful not to burn yourself.
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the power steer-
ing could be damaged.
Checking tire pressure
Keep your tire pressures at the proper
level.
The recommended cold tire pressures, tire
size and the vehicle capacity weight are
given in Part 8. They are also on the tire
pressure label as shown.
You should check the tire pressures every
two weeks, or at least once a month. And
don't forget the spare!
Incorrect tire pressure can reduce tire
life and make your vehicle less safe to
drive.Low tire pressure results in excessive
wear, poor handling, reduced fuel econo-
my, and the possibility of blowouts from
overheated tires. Also, low tire pressure
can cause poor sealing of the tire bead.
If the tire pressure is excessively low,
there is the possibility of wheel deforma-
tion and/or tire separation.
High tire pressure produces a harsh ride,
handling problems,excessive wear at the
center of the tire tread, and a greater
possibility of tire damage from road haz-
ards.
If a tire frequently needs refilling, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
The following instructions for checking
tire pressure should be observed:
The pressure should be checked only
when the tires are cold. If your ve-
hicle has been parked for at least 3
hours and has not been driven for
more than 1.5 km or 1 mile since, you
will get an accurate cold tire pressure
reading.
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of a tire can be mis-
leading. Besides, tire pressures that
are even just a few pounds off can
degrade handling and ride.
'99camry U
163
Your engine is fitted with twin ground
electrode platinum±tipped spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only twin ground electrode plati-
num±tipped spark plugs for your en-
gine performance.
Brake system
TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE
SYSTEM
The tandem master cylinder brake system
is a hydraulic system with two separate
sub±systems. If either sub±system should
fail, the other will still work. However, 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 stopsÐbut no
more!
CAUTION
Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls. Each push on the
pedal uses up your vacuum reserve.
Even if the power assist is com-
pletely lost, the brakes will still
work. But you will have to push the
pedal hardÐmuch harder than nor-
mal. And your braking distance will
be longer.
ANTI±LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (with
ºABSº warning light)
The anti±lock brake system is designed to
automatically help prevent lock±up of the
wheels during sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces. This assists in
providing directional stability and steering
performance of the vehicle under these
circumstances.
The anti±lock brake system becomes op-
erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the
vehicle decelerate to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).
Twin ground electrode
platinum±tipped spark plugs