2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA oil level

'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
72001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel
Seat belt reminder light*
1
Low oil pressure warning light*1
Low fuel level warning light*1
Brake system warning light*1
Discharge warning light*1
Malfunction indicator lamp*1
Anti±lock brake system warning light*1
SRS warning light*1
or
Automatic transmission fluid temperature warning
light*1
Unengaged ªParkº warning light*1
Low windshield washer fluid level warning
light*1
Headlight high beam indicator light
Overdrive±off indicator light Turn signal indicator lights
Open door warning light*1
Passenger airbag off indicator light
Front passenger 's seat belt reminder light*1
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'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
872001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)
The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature when the ignition switch is
on. The engine operating temperature
will vary with changes in weather and
engine load.
If the needle moves into the red zone,
your engine is too hot. If your vehicle
overheats, stop your vehicle and allow the
engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:

Driving up a long hill on a hot day.

Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.

Idling for a long period with the air
conditioning on in stop±and±go traffic.

Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as thismay cause the engine to overheat.The thermostat is designed to con-
trol the flow of coolant to keep thetemperature of the engine withinthe specified operating range.
Do not continue driving with anoverheated engine. See ªIf your ve-hicle overheatsº in Section 4.
Oil pressure gauge
Idling Normal
driving
The oil pressure gauge indicates engine
oil pressure when the ignition switch is
on. Check it while driving to make sure
that the needle is in the proper range.
If the oil pressure should stay below the
normal range, pull off the road to a safe
place and stop the engine immediately.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair
shop for assistance.
Oil pressure may not build up when the
oil level is too low. The oil pressure
gauge is not designed to indicate oil level,
and the oil level must be checked using
the level dipstick.
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'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
912001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)
CAUTION
If the light does not turn off even
after the parking brake is released
while the engine is running, immedi-
ately stop your vehicle at a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.
In this case, the brakes may not work
properly and your stopping distance
will become longer. Depress the brake
pedal firmly and bring the vehicle to
an immediate stop.
(b) Driver's Seat Belt Reminder Light
and Buzzer
This light and buzzer remind you to
buckle up the driver's seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to ªONº or
ªSTARTº, the reminder light flashes and
buzzer sounds if the driver 's seat belt is
not fastened. Unless the driver fastens the
belt, the light keeps flashing and the
buzzer stops after about 4 to 8 seconds. (c) Front Passenger 's Seat Belt Re-
minder Light
This light reminds you to buckle up the
front passenger 's seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to ªONº or
ªSTARTº, the reminder light flashes if a
passenger sits in the front passenger seat
and does not fasten the seat belt. Unless
the front passenger fastens the belt, the
light keeps flashing.
If luggage load is placed on the front
passenger seat, depending on its weight
and how it is placed on the seat, built±in
sensors in the seat cushion may detect
the pressure, causing the reminder light to
keep flashing.
(d) Discharge Warning Light
This light warns that the battery is being
discharged.
If it comes on while you are driving, there
is a problem somewhere in the charging
system.
The engine ignition will continue to oper-
ate, however, until the battery is dis-
charged. Turn off the air conditioning,
blower, radio, etc., and drive directly to
the nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the engine drive belt is broken or loose.
(e) Low Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are
driving, pull off the road to a safe place
and stop the engine immediately. Call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on
briefly after a hard stop. There is no
cause for concern if it then goes out when
the engine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to
indicate low oil level, and the oil level
must be checked using the level dipstick.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with thewarning light onÐeven for one block.It may ruin the engine.
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'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
1762001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)

To allow proper operation of your
vehicle's ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.

If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open. Have the cause immediately
located and corrected.

Toyota does not recommend occu-
pying the rear cargo area when it
is fitted with a slide±in camper,
camper shell or other type cover
while the engine is running. This
caution applies to both driving and
stopped or parked situations with
the engine running. Particular care
should be taken to prevent exhaust
gases from entering camper bodies,
trailers or other enclosures on or
around your vehicle. If exhaust
fumes are detected, open all win-
dows and thoroughly ventilate the
area.
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.

Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated when
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some
of this oil into the combustion chamber.
This oil as well as some part of the oil
film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion
gases during the combustion process.

Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil
is sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-
perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve
stems. 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.
Facts about engine oil
consumption
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'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
1772001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)
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 troubledue to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see ªChecking the engine oil levelº in Sec-
tion 7±2.
Your engine is fitted with twin ground
electrode spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only twin ground electrode spark
plugs for your engine performance.
Brake system
The tandem master cylinder brake system
is a hydraulic system with two separate
sub±systems. If either s ub±system should
fail, the other will still work. However, the
pedal will be harder to press, and your
stopping distance will be longer. Also, the
brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a
single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
power±assist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserved
vacuum for one or two stopsÐbut no
more!
Twin ground electrode spark
plugs (5VZ±FE engine)
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'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
1902001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)
Always perform a maintenance in-
spection after each day of off±roaddriving that has taken you throughrough terrain, sand, mud, or water.
For scheduled maintenance in-formation, refer to the ªScheduledMaintenance Guideº or ªOwner's
Manual Supplementº.
Winter driving tips
Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection of engine coolant.
Your coolant must contain ethylene±glycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components. Use
ªTOYOTA Long Life Coolantº or equivalent.
See Section 7±2 for details about coolant
type selection.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze orplain water alone.
When it is extremely cold, we recommend
to use 60% solution for your Toyota, to
provide protection down to about ±50 C
(±58 F). Do not use more than 70% solu-
tion for better coolant performance.
Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape
to provide enough power for winter start-
ing. Section 7±3 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge. Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Section 7±2 for recommended viscos-
ity. Leaving a heavy summer oil in your
vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota deal-
erÐhe will be pleased to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de±icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before
inserting it.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer 's directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-age your vehicle's paint.
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'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
2352001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)
Battery electrolyte level
Your Toyota has a maintenance free bat-
tery. You do not have to add distilled wa-
ter. For longer life of the battery, however,
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 on the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See Section 7±2 for addi-
tional information.
Power steering fluid level (5VZ±FE en-
gine)
Check the level on the dipstick. The level
should be in the ªHOTº or ªCOLDº range
depending on the fluid temperature. See
Section 7±2 for additional information.
Power steering fluid level (2UZ±FE en-
gine)
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the ªHOTº or ªCOLDº
range depending on the fluid temperature.
See Section 7±2 for additional 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 engine exhaust cautions in
Section 2.)
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 or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking

Engine coolant temperature continually
higher than normal
Does your vehicle need
repairing?
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'01 TUNDRA_U (L/O 0008)
2382001 TUNDRA (OM 34416U)
1. Engine oil filler cap
2. Brake fluid reservoir
3. Fuse blocks
4. Battery
5. Engine coolant reservoir
6. Engine oil level dipstick
7. Power steering fluid reservoir
8. Windshield washer fluid tank
Engine compartment overview

5VZ±FE engine
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