2001 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Page 18

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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 ªOwner 's Warranty Informa-
tion Bookletº or ªOwner 's Manual Supple-
mentº for the details.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 with ade-
quate ventilation if you run the en-
gine.
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 page 444 in Section 7±3 for
additional information.Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the ªFº and ªLº lines on the see±through
reservoir when the engine is cold. See
page 426 in Section 7±2 for additional
information.
Radiator, condenser and hoses
Check that the front of the radiator and
condenser are clean and not blocked with
leaves, dirt, or insects. See page 427 in
Section 7±2 for additional information.
Battery condition
Check the battery condition by the indica-
tor color. See page 440 in Section 7±3 for
additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See page 428 in Section 7±2 for addition-
al information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See page 424 in Section
7±2 for additional information.
General maintenance

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Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the ªHOTº or ªCOLDº
range depending on the fluid temperature.
See page 428 in Section 7±2 for addition-
al information.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have
the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See ªEngine exhaust cautionsº on
page 339 in Section 2.)
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
Check that it has the specified free play.
Be alert for changes in steering condition,
such as hard steering or strange noise.Seats
Check that all seat controls such as seat
adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. operate
smoothly and that all latches lock securely
in any position. Check that the head re-
straint move up and down smoothly and
that the locks hold securely in any latched
position. For folding±down rear seatbacks,
swing±up rear seat cushions and detach-
able temporary third seat, check that the
latches lock securely.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-
aged.
Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance.
Check the brake booster function.
Brakes
In a safe place, check that the brakes do
not pull to one side when applied.Parking brake
Check that the pedal has the proper travel
and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle
is held securely with only the parking
brake applied.
Automatic transmission ªParkº mecha-
nism
On a safe incline, check that your vehicle
is held securely with the selector lever in
ªPº position and all brakes released.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be performed
from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
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 engine hood
Check that all doors including back door
operate smoothly and all latches lock se-
curely. Make sure the engine hood sec-
ondary latch secures the hood from open-
ing when the primary latch is released.

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Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge ev-
ery two weeks, or at least once a
month. See page 429 in Section 7±2
for additional information.
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts,
damage or excessive wear. See page
432 in Section 7±2 for additional in-
formation. When checking the tires,
make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires according to the
maintenance schedule. (For sched-
uled maintenance information, please
refer to the ªScheduled Maintenance
Guideº or ªOwner 's Manual Supple-
mentº.) See page 434 in Section 7±2
for additional information.Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip±offs that
indicate service is needed. Some impor-
tant clues are as follows:

Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging

Appreciable loss of power

Strange engine noises

A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)

Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monoxide
leak. Drive with the windows open and
have the exhaust system checked im-
mediately.)

Flat±looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear

Vehicle pulls to one side when driving
straight on a level road

Strange noises related to suspension
movement

Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake pedal; pedal almost
touches floor; vehicle pulls to one side
when braking

Engine coolant temperature continually
higher than normal

Engine continually runs hot; oil pres-
sure gauge stays low
If you notice any of these clues, take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. It probably needs adjustment or
repair.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving with the ve-
hicle unchecked. It could result in se-
rious vehicle damage and possibly
personal injury.
Does your vehicle need
repairing?

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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 ªParts and
toolsº on page 421 in this Section.
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
compartmentÐthe engine, radiator,
exhaust manifold, power steering
fluid reservoir and spark plug
boots, etc.Ðwill be hot. So be care-
ful not to touch them. Oil, fluids
and spark plugs may also be hot.

If the engine is hot, do not remove
the radiator cap or loosen the drain
plugs to prevent burning yourself.

Do not leave anything that may
burn easily, such as paper or rags,
in the engine compartment.

Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames around fuel or the
battery. Their fumes are flammable.

Do not get under your vehicle with
just the body jack supporting it. Al-
ways use automotive jack stands or
other solid supports.

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.

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.

Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
Do±it±yourself service
precautions

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NOTICE

Remember that battery and ignition
cables carry high currents or volt-
ages. Be careful of accidentally
causing a short circuit.

Add only ªToyota Super Long Life
Coolantº or similar high quality eth-
ylene glycol based non±silicate,
non±amine, non±nitrite, and non±bo-
rate coolant with long±life hybrid
organic acid technology to fill the
radiator. ªToyota Super Long Life
Coolantº is a mixture of 50% cool-
ant and 50% deionized water (for
the U.S.A.) or 55% coolant and 45%
deionized water (for Canada).

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.

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 overfill automatic transmis-
sion fluid, or the transmission
could be damaged.

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,
check to see that you have not for-
gotten any tools, rags, etc.
Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need to perform 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):

ªToyota Genuine Motor Oilº or equiva-
lent
See page 425 in Section 7±2 for de-
tails about engine oil selection.
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding oil)
CHECKING THE ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Parts (if level is low):

ªToyota Super Long Life Coolantº or
similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non±silicate, non±amine, non±ni-
trite, and non±borate coolant with long±
life hybrid organic acid technology.
ªToyota Super Long Life Coolantº is a
mixture of 50% coolant and 50% deion-
ized water (for the U.S.A.) or 55%
coolant and 45% deionized water (for
Canada).
Parts and tools

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Tools:

Funnel (only for adding coolant)
CHECKING BRAKE FLUID
Parts (if level is low):

SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
brake fluid
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding fluid)
CHECKING POWER STEERING FLUID
Parts (if level is low):

Automatic transmission fluid
DEXRONII or III
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding fluid)
CHECKING BATTERY CONDITION
Tools:

Warm water

Baking soda

Grease

Conventional wrench (for terminal
clamp bolts)CHECKING AND REPLACING FUSES
Parts (if replacement is necessary):
Fuse with same amperage rating as origi-
nal
ADDING WASHER FLUID
Parts:

Water

Washer fluid containing antifreeze
(for winter use)
Tools:

Funnel
REPLACING LIGHT BULBS
Parts:

Bulb with same number and wattage
rating as original (See charts in ªRe-
placing light bulbsº on page 444 in
Section 7±3.)
Tools:

Screwdriver

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Clean all dirt from the outside of the res-
ervoir tank and look at the fluid level. If
the fluid is cold, the level should be in the
ªCOLDº range. Similarly, if it is hot, the
fluid level should be in the ªHOTº 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 reservoir cap, turn it coun-
terclockwise and lift up. To reinstall it,
turn it clockwise. After replacing the reser-
voir 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.
Keep your tire inflation pressures
at the proper level.
The recommended cold tire inflation
pressures, tire sizes and the com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
(vehicle capacity weight) are de-
scribed on page 454 and 458. The
recommended cold tire inflation pres-
sures and tire sizes are also de-
scribed on the tire information label.
You should check the tire inflation
pressure every two weeks, or at least
once a month. And do not forget the
spare!
Checking tire inflation
pressure

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REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use a tire of
the same size and construction,
and the same or greater maximum
load as the originally installed
tires. Also, on four±wheel drive
models, all the tires must be the
same brand and have the same
tread patterns.
Using any other size or type of tire
may seriously affect handling, ride,
speedometer/odometer calibration,
ground clearance, and clearance be-
tween the body and tires or snow
chains.
Check that the maximum load of the
replaced tire is greater than 1/2 of the
Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR)
of either the front axle or the rear
axle, whichever is greater. As for the
maximum load of the tire, see the load
limit at maximum cold tire inflation
pressure mentioned on the sidewall
of the tire, and as for the Gross Axle
Weight Ratings (GAWR), see the Cer-
tification Label.For details about the side wall of the
tire and the Certification Label, see
pages 347 and 345.
CAUTION
Observe the following instruc-
tions. Otherwise, an accident
may occur resulting in death or
serious injuries.

Do not mix radial, bias belted,
or bias±ply tires on your ve-
hicle, as this may cause dan-
gerous handling characteris-
tics resulting in loss of control.

Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer's recommended
size, as this may cause danger-
ous handling characteristics
resulting in loss of control.

Four±wheel drive models:
Do not use tires of different
brands, sizes, construction or
tread patterns, as this may
cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
For vehicles with vehicle stability
control systemÐ

Do not use tires of different
brands, sizes and construc-
tions. This may damage the
drive system and prevent the
vehicle skid control system
from functioning correctly.