2000 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER spark plugs

MR2 U
1072000 MR2 (OM17475U)
INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR
TOYOTA
Break−in period 108. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
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Fuel 108
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Fuel pump shut off system 110
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Operation in foreign countries 110
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Threeway catalytic converter 111 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine exhaust cautions 112
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Facts about engine oil consumption 112
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Iridium−tipped spark plugs 113
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Brake system 114
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Brake pad wear limit indicators 116
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Luggage stowage precautions 117
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Limited−slip differential 117
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Your Toyota’s identification 118
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Theft prevention labels 119
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Suspension and chassis 119
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Types of tires 119
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SECTION 2

MR2 U
11 32000 MR2 (OM17475U)
The amount of engine oil consumed de-
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions the
vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed by high−speed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may become
diluted and make it difficult to judge
the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This
is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed.
The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving at high speeds.IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in prop-
er vehicle maintenance is to keep the en-
gine oil at the optimum level so that oil
function will not be impaired. Therefore, it
is essential that the oil level be checked
regularly. Toyota recommends that the oil
level be checked every time you refuel
the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level regularly
could lead to serious engine trouble
due to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see Checking the engine oil level" in Sec-
tion 7−2.
Iridium−tipped spark plugs
SB21011
Your engine is fitted with iridium−tipped
spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only iridium−tipped spark plugs
and do not adjust gaps for your en-
gine performance and smooth drive-
ability.

MR2 U
1292000 MR2 (OM17475U)
(c) Jump starting
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might re-
sult from battery explosion, acid burns,
electrical burns, or damaged electronic
components, these instructions must be
followed precisely.
If you are unsure about how to follow this
procedure, we strongly recommend that
you seek the help of a competent me-
chanic or towing service.
CAUTION
Batteries contain sulfuric acid
which is poisonous and corrosive.
Wear protective safety glasses when
jump starting, and avoid spilling
acid on your skin, clothing, or ve-
hicle.
If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in your eyes, remove
any contaminated clothing and flush
the affected area with water imme-
diately. Then get immediate medical
attention. If possible, continue to
apply water with a sponge or cloth
while en route to the medical office.
The gas normally produced by a
battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and do
not smoke or light a match while
jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must
be 12 V. Do not jump start unless you
are sure that the booster battery is
correct.
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE1. If the booster battery is installed in another vehicle, make sure the vehicles
are not touching. Turn off all unneces-
sary lights and accessories.
2. If required, remove all the vent plugs from the booster and discharged batter-
ies. Lay a cloth over the open vents
on the batteries. (This helps reduce the
explosion hazard, personal injuries and
burns.) 3. If the engine in the vehicle with the
booster battery is not running, start it
and let it run for a few minutes. During
jump starting, run the engine at about
2000 rpm with the accelerator pedal
lightly depressed.

MR2 U
1472000 MR2 (OM17475U)
(c) Jump starting
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might re-
sult from battery explosion, acid burns,
electrical burns, or damaged electronic
components, these instructions must be
followed precisely.
If you are unsure about how to follow this
procedure, we strongly recommend that
you seek the help of a competent me-
chanic or towing service.
CAUTION
Batteries contain sulfuric acid
which is poisonous and corrosive.
Wear protective safety glasses when
jump starting, and avoid spilling
acid on your skin, clothing, or ve-
hicle.
If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in your eyes, remove
any contaminated clothing and flush
the affected area with water imme-
diately. Then get immediate medical
attention. If possible, continue to
apply water with a sponge or cloth
while en route to the medical office.
The gas normally produced by a
battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and do
not smoke or light a match while
jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must
be 12 V. Do not jump start unless you
are sure that the booster battery is
correct.
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE1. If the booster battery is installed in another vehicle, make sure the vehicles
are not touching. Turn off all unneces-
sary lights and accessories.
2. If required, remove all the vent plugs from the booster and discharged batter-
ies. Lay a cloth over the open vents
on the batteries. (This helps reduce the
explosion hazard, personal injuries and
burns.) 3. If the engine in the vehicle with the
booster battery is not running, start it
and let it run for a few minutes. During
jump starting, run the engine at about
2000 rpm with the accelerator pedal
lightly depressed.

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