2001 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER Owners Manual (in English)

01MY MR2(U) L/O 0008
1702001 MR2 (OM17482U)
SB51001
Spray water on the side windows or top
seals from above, at a 45 angle to the
ground.
NOTICE
Do not spray water at side windows
and top seals in a way which may
cause water to enter the vehicle.
2. Wash with a mild car−wash soap, mixed according to the manufacturer ’s
instructions. Use a soft cotton mitt and
keep it wet by dipping it frequently into
the wash water. Do not rub hardlet
the soap and water remove the dirt.
Plastic wheel ornaments: The plastic
wheel ornaments are damaged easily by
organic substances. If any organic sub-
stances splashes an ornament, be sure to
wash it off with water and check if the
ornament is damaged.
CAUTION
Do not attach the heavily damaged
plastic wheel ornament. It may fly off
the wheel and cause accidents while
the vehicle is moving.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap
or neutral detergent.
Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not
scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper
faces are soft. Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (gaso-
line, kerosene, benzine or strong sol-
vents) which may be toxic or cause
damage.
3. Rinse thoroughlydried soap can
cause streaking. In hot weather you
may need to rinse each section right
after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not
rub or press hardyou might scratch
the paint.
Automatic car wash
NOTICE
Do not run your Toyota through auto-
matic car washes or possible damage
to the soft top may result.

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Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommended
to maintain the original beauty of your
Toyota’s finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle surface
does not repel water well, apply wax.1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be- fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a car−cleaning polish, fol-
lowed by a separate wax. Carefully fol-
low the manufacturer ’s instructions and
precautions. Be sure to polish and wax
the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
NOTICE
Always remove the plastic bumpers
if your vehicle is re−painted and
placed in a high heat paint waxing
booth. High temperatures could
damage the bumpers.
 Do not apply wax on the soft top.
It may damage the soft top.
Touch−up paint
Touch−up paint may be used to cover
small chips or scratches.
Apply the paint soon after the damage
occurs or corrosion may set in. To do a
good job, use a small artist’s brush and
stir the paint well. Make sure the area is
clean and dry. To apply the touch−up paint
so it is hardly noticeable, the trick is to
apply it only to the bare spots. Apply only
the smallest amount possible and do not
paint the surface around the scratch or
chip.
Soft top
Wash using mild soap suds, lukewarm wa-
ter and a sponge.
NOTICE
Do not use harsh or abrasive cleaners
or bleaching agents on the top mate-
rial or damage may result.
If further cleaning is required after using
soap and water, a mild foaming cleaner
can be used. First, rinse the top, then use
a mild foaming cleaner on the entire top.
Scrub with a small soft bristle hand−brush.
Add water as needed until the cleaner
gets soapy. Use a cloth or sponge to
remove dirt so it will not be ground into
the top. Be careful to keep any cleaner
from drying on the body paint as it may
cause streaks.
After the top has been cleaned, rinse ve-
hicle with clean water to remove all traces
of cleaner.
After cleaning, always make sure the top
is completely dry before your lowered it.
Lowering the top while wet or damp may
cause interior water damage, water stains
or mildew of the top material.

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Cleaning the interior
CAUTION
Do not wash the vehicle floor with
water, or allow water to get onto the
floor when cleaning the vehicle interi-
or or exterior. Water may get into
audio components or other electrical
components above or under the floor
carpet (or mat) and cause a malfunc-
tion; and it may cause body corro-
sion.
Vinyl interior
The vinyl upholstery may be easily
cleaned with a mild soap or detergent
and water.
First vacuum over the upholstery to re-
move loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or
soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the
vinyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few
minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt
and wipe off the soap with a clean damp
cloth. If all the dirt do not come off, re-
peat the procedure. Commercial foaming−
type vinyl cleaners are also available
which work well. Follow the manufacturer ’s
instructions.
NOTICE
Do not use solvent, thinner, gasoline
or window cleaner on the interior.
Carpets
Use a good foam−type shampoo to
clean the carpets.
Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to remove
as much dirt as possible. Several types of
foam cleaners are available; some are in
aerosol cans and others are powders or
liquids which you mix with water to pro-
duce a foam. To shampoo the carpets,
use a sponge or brush to apply the foam.
Rub in overlapping circles.
Do not apply waterthe best results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible. Read the shampoo instructions
and follow them closely.
Seat belts
The seat belts may be cleaned with
mild soap and water or with lukewarm
water.
Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-
ing, check the belts for excessive wear,
fraying, or cuts.
NOTICE
Do not use dye or bleach on the
beltsit may weaken them.
 Do not use the belts until they be-
come dry.
Windows
The windows may be cleaned with any
household window cleaner.
NOTICE
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dow, be careful not to scratch or
damage the heater wires or connec-
tors.
Air conditioning control panel, car au-
dio, instrument panel, console panel,
and switches
Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-
warm water then lightly wipe off any dirt.

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NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (sol-
vents, kerosene, alcohol, gasoline,
etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discol-
oring, staining or peeling of the
surface.
 If you use cleaners or polishing
agents, make sure their ingredients
do not include the substances men-
tioned above.
 If you use a liquid car freshener, do
not spill the liquid onto the ve-
hicle’s interior surfaces. It may con-
tain the ingredients mentioned
above. Immediately clean any spill
using the method mentioned above.
Leather Interior
The leather upholstery may be cleaned
with neutral detergent for wool.
Remove dirt using a soft cloth dampened
with 5% solution of neutral detergent for
wool. Then thoroughly wipe off all traces
of detergent with a clean damp cloth.
After cleaning or whenever any part of the
leather gets wet, dry with a soft clean
cloth. Allow the leather to dry in a venti-
lated shaded area.
NOTICE
If a stain should fail to come out
with a neutral detergent, apply a
cleaner that does not contain an
organic solvent.
 Never use organic substances such
as benzine, alcohol or gasoline, or
alkaline or acid solutions for clean-
ing the leather as these could
cause discoloring.
 Use of a nylon brush or synthetic
fiber cloth, etc. may scratch the
fine grained surface of the leather.
Mildew may develop on soiled leath-
er upholstery. Be especially careful
to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your
upholstery always clean.
 Long exposure to direct sunlight
may cause the leather surface to
harden and shrink. Keep your ve-
hicle in a shaded area, especially in
the summer.
 The interior of your vehicle is apt
to heat up on hot summer days, so
avoid placing on the upholstery
items made of vinyl or plastic or
containing wax as these tend to
stick to leather when warm.
 Improper cleaning of the leather up-
holstery could result in discolor-
ation or staining.
If you have any questions about the
cleaning of your Toyota, your local
Toyota dealer will be pleased to answer
them.

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VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Maintenance requirements176
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General maintenance 177
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. . .
Does your vehicle need repairing? 179
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For scheduled maintenance information, please refer to the
Scheduled Maintenance Guide" or Owner’s Manual Supplement".
SECTION 6

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Maintenance requirements
Your Toyota vehicle has been designed for
fewer maintenance requirements with lon-
ger service intervals to save both your
time and money. However, each regular
maintenance, as well as day−to−day care,
is more important than ever before to en-
sure smooth, trouble−free, safe, and eco-
nomical drivings.
It is the owner ’s responsibility to make
sure the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is performed.
Note that both the new vehicle and
emission control system warranties specify
that proper maintenance and care must be
performed. See Owner ’s Warranty
Information Booklet" or Owner ’s Manual
Supplement" for complete warranty
information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those day−
to−day care practices that are important to
your vehicle for proper operation. It is the
owner ’s responsibility to insure that the
general maintenance items are performed
regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost.Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed in
the Scheduled Maintenance Guide" or
Owner ’s Manual Supplement" are those
required to be serviced at regular inter-
vals.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the Scheduled Maintenance Guide"
or Owner ’s Manual Supplement".
It is recommend that only genuine
Toyota parts be used for maintenance
or for the repair of the emission
control system.
The owner may elect to use non−Toyota
supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emission
control system warranty. However, use
of replacement parts which are not of
equivalent quality may impair the effec-
tiveness of the emission control sys-
tems.
You may also elect to have
maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and
system performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual
without invalidating this warranty. See
Owner ’s Warranty Information Booklet"
or Owner’s Manual Supplement" for
complete warranty information.Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well−trained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information through technical
bulletins, service tips and in−dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer ’s service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehiclereliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be
sure to keep a copy of the repair order
for any service performed on your Toyota.
What about do−it−yourself maintenance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Section 7.

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If you are a skilled do−it−yourself
mechanic, the Toyota service manuals are
recommended. Please be aware that
do−it−yourself maintenance can affect your
warranty coverage. See Owner ’s Warranty
Information Booklet" or Owner ’s Manual
Supplement" 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
page 194 in Section 7−2 for additional
information.Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See page 195 in Sec-
tion 7−2 for additional information. When
checking the tires, make sure no nuts are
missing, and check the nuts for loose-
ness. 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.