Page 128 of 224

MR2 U
1252000 MR2 (OM17475U)
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
first or  reverse and block the rear wheels.
Do not use the parking brake, or snow or
water accumulated in and around the
parking brake mechanism may freeze,
making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under  your fenders
can make steering difficult.  During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put  in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.
Trailer towing
SB31002
Toyota does not recommend towing a trail-
er with your MR2. It is not designed for
trailer towing.Getting more kilometers/mileage from a
liter/gallon of fuel is easyjust take it
easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. 
Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See Section
7−2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle.  Excess weight puts a
heavier  load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warm−up idling.  Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
drivingbut gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling.  If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.
Avoid engine lugging or over−rev-
ving.  Use a gear position suitable for
the road on which you are travelling.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too 
     
        
        Page 143 of 224

MR2 U
1402000 MR2 (OM17475U)
After changing wheels
9. Check the air pressure of the re-placed tire.
Adjust the air pressure to the specification
designated in Section 8. If the pressure is
lower, drive slowly to the nearest service
station and fill to the correct pressure.
Do not forget to reinstall the tire inflation
valve cap as dirt and moisture could get
into the valve core and possibly  cause air
leakage. If the cap is missing, have a new
one put on as  soon as possible.
10. Restow all the tools, jack and flat tire securely.
As soon as possible after changing
wheels, tighten the wheel nuts to the
torque specified in Section 8 with a torque
wrench. Have a technician repair the flat
tire and replace the compact  spare tire
with it.CAUTION
Before driving, make sure all the
tools, jack and flat  tire are securely
in place in their storage location to
reduce the possibility of personal in-
jury during a collision or s udden
braking.
SB41025
Remove the wheel ornament from the flat
tire before restowing the flat tire. 
     
        
        Page 161 of 224

MR2 U
1582000 MR2 (OM17475U)
After changing wheels
9. Check the air pressure of the re-placed tire.
Adjust the air pressure to the specification
designated in Section 8. If the pressure is
lower, drive slowly to the nearest service
station and fill to the correct pressure.
Do not forget to reinstall the tire inflation
valve cap as dirt and moisture could get
into the valve core and possibly  cause air
leakage. If the cap is missing, have a new
one put on as  soon as possible.
10. Restow all the tools, jack and flat tire securely.
As soon as possible after changing
wheels, tighten the wheel nuts to the
torque specified in Section 8 with a torque
wrench. Have a technician repair the flat
tire and replace the compact  spare tire
with it.CAUTION
Before driving, make sure all the
tools, jack and flat  tire are securely
in place in their storage location to
reduce the possibility of personal in-
jury during a collision or s udden
braking.
SB41025
Remove the wheel ornament from the flat
tire before restowing the flat tire. 
     
        
        Page 193 of 224

MR2 U
1902000 MR2 (OM17475U)
Checking tire pressure
SB72013
Keep your tire pressures at the proper
level.
The recommended cold tire pressures, tire
size and the vehicle capacity weight are
given in Section 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
do not 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 w
heel 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 ref illing, 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 ride and handling.
Take special care when adding air to
the compact spare tire.  The smaller
tire size can gain pressure very quick-
ly. Add compressed air in small quanti-
ties and check  the pressure often until
it reaches the specified pressure.
Do not bleed or reduce tire pressure
after driving.  It is normal for the tire
pressure to be higher after driving.
Never exceed the vehicle capacity
weight.  The passenger and luggage
weight should be located so that the
vehicle is balanced.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation
valve caps.  Without the valve caps,
dirt or moisture could get into the valve
core and cause air leakage. If the caps
have been lost, have new ones put on
as soon as possible.