2000 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER oil

MR2 U
1312000 MR2 (OM17475U)
5. Start your engine in the normal way.After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm
for several minutes with the accelerator
pedal 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 clothsthey may now contain sulfuric
acid.
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...
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. Turn the ignition key to ACC" or LOCK", and try starting the engine
again.
If the engine will not start, see If your
vehicle will not start" in this Section.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you ex-
perience a loss of power, or if you hear
a loud knocking or pinging noise, the
engine has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure... 1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in neu-
tral and apply the parking brake. Turn
off the air conditioning if it is being
used.
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 and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not,
turn the ignition off.
CAUTION
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.
If your engine stalls while
driving

MR2 U
1492000 MR2 (OM17475U)
5. Start your engine in the normal way.After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm
for several minutes with the accelerator
pedal 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 clothsthey may now contain sulfuric
acid.
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...
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. Turn the ignition key to ACC" or LOCK", and try starting the engine
again.
If the engine will not start, see If your
vehicle will not start" in this Section.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you ex-
perience a loss of power, or if you hear
a loud knocking or pinging noise, the
engine has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure... 1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in neu-
tral and apply the parking brake. Turn
off the air conditioning if it is being
used.
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 and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not,
turn the ignition off.
CAUTION
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.
If your engine stalls while
driving

MR2 U
1732000 MR2 (OM17475U)
If you are a skilled do−it−yourself mechan-
ic, the Toyota service manuals are recom-
mended. Please be aware that do−it−your-
self maintenance can affect your warranty
coverage. See Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet" or Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment" for the details.
General maintenance
Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any
unusual noise, smell or vibration, you
should investigate the cause or take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer or a quali-
fied service shop immediately. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer or
the qualified service shop for their advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only where ade-
quate ventilation can be obtained if
you run the engine.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be performed
from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See
Section 7−2 for additional information.Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Section 7−2 for
additional information. When checking the
tires, make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
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 trunk lid
Check that both the doors operate
smoothly and all latches lock securely.
Make sure the trunk lid secondary latch
secures the lid from opening when the
primary latch is released.

MR2 U
1742000 MR2 (OM17475U)
INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing periodic
services, cleaning the vehicle, etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights
are all working. Check headlight aim.
Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers
Check 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 front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op-
erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
latches lock securely.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles and retractors operate properly
and smoothly. Make sure the belt webbing
is not cut, frayed, worn or damaged.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.
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 Section 7−3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULL" and LOW" lines on the see−
through reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Section 7−2 for additional information.
Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower lev-
el lines on the case. Add only distilled
water when replenishing. See Section 7−3
for additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See Section 7−2 for additional information.
Engine oil level
Check the level by the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See Section 7−2 for addi-
tional information.

SC71003
MR2 U
1782000 MR2 (OM17475U)
1. Fuse block
2. Battery
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Engine oil level dipstick
5. Engine coolant reservoir
Engine compartment overview

MR2 U
1812000 MR2 (OM17475U)
If you perform maintenance by yourself,
be sure to follow the correct procedure
given in this section.
You should be aware that improper or in-
complete servicing may result in operating
problems.
Performing do−it−yourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect your
warranty coverage. Read the separate
Toyota Warranty statement for details and
suggestions.
This section gives instructions only for
those items that are relatively easy for an
owner to perform. As explained in Section
6, there are still a number of items that
must be done by a qualified technician
with special tools.
For information on tools and parts for do−
it−yourself maintenance, see Parts and
tools".
Utmost care should be taken when work-
ing on your vehicle to prevent accidental
injury. Here are a few precautions that
you should be especially careful to ob-
serve:CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from the moving fan and engine
drive belts. (Removing rings,
watches, and ties is advisable.)
Right after driving, the engine
compartment and trunk roomthe
engine, radiator, exhaust manifold,
power steering fluid reservoir and
spark plug boots, etc.will be hot.
So be careful not to touch them.
Oil, fluids and spark plugs may also
be hot.
If the engine is hot, do not remove
the coolant reservoir cap or air re-
lease valve or loosen the drain
plugs to prevent burning yourself.
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames around fuel or the
battery. Their fumes are flammable.
Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
Do not get under your vehicle with
just the body jack supporting it. Al-
ways use automotive jack stands or
other solid supports.
Be sure that the ignition is off if
you work near the electric cooling
fans or radiator grille. With the
ignition on, the electric cooling fans
will automatically start to run if the
engine coolant temperature is high
and/or the air conditioning is on.
Use eye protection whenever you
work on or under your vehicle
where you may be exposed to flying
or falling material, fluid spray, etc.
Used engine oil contains potentially
harmful contaminants which may
cause skin disorders such as in-
flammation or skin cancer, so care
should be taken to avoid prolonged
and repeated contact with it. To re-
move used engine oil from your
skin, wash thoroughly with soap
and water.
Do not leave used oil within the
reach of children.
Do−it−yourself service
precautions

MR2 U
1822000 MR2 (OM17475U)
Dispose of used oil and filter only
in a safe and acceptable manner.
Do not dispose of used oil and fil-
ter in household trash, in sewers or
onto the ground. Call your dealer or
a service station for information
concerning recycling or disposal.
Take care when filling the brake and
clutch fluid reservoirs because
brake fluid can harm your eyes and
damage painted surfaces. If fluid
gets in your eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water.
NOTICE
Remember that battery and ignition
cables carry high currents or volt-
ages. Be careful of accidentally
causing a short circuit.
 Add only demineralized or distilled
water to fill the radiator. And if you
spill some of the coolant, be sure
to wash it off with water to prevent
it from damaging the parts or paint.
Do not allow dirt or anything else
to fall through the spark plug holes.
 Do not pry the outer electrode of a
spark plug against the center elec-
trode.
 Use only spark plugs of the speci-
fied type. Using other types will
cause engine damage, loss of per-
formance or radio noise.
 Do not reuse iridium−tipped spark
plugs by cleaning or regapping.
 Do not drive with the air cleaner
filter removed, or excessive engine
wear could result. Also backfiring
could cause a fire in the engine
compartment.
 Be careful not to scratch the glass
surface with the wiper frame.
 When closing the engine hood or
trunk, check to see that you have
not forgotten any tools, rags, etc.
Parts and tools
Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need on performing do−it−yourself mainte-
nance. Remember all Toyota parts are de-
signed in metric sizes, so your tools must
be metric.
Checking the engine oil level
Parts (if level is low):
Engine oil API grade SJ,
Energy−Conserving" or ILSAC
multigrade having viscosity proper for
your climate
Tools:
Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding oil)
Checking the engine coolant level
Parts (if level is low):
TOYOTA Long Life Coolant" or equiva-
lent
See Section 7−2 for details about cool-
ant type selection.
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

MR2 U
1852000 MR2 (OM17475U)
DO−IT−YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level186
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Checking the engine coolant level 187
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Checking brake fluid 188
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. . . .
Checking power steering fluid 189
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking tire pressure 190
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. .
Checking and replacing tires 191
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rotating tires 192
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. . . . . . . . . . .
Installing snow tires and chains 192
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing wheels 194
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Aluminum wheel precautions 194
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SECTION 7− 2