2002 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER Owners Manual

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
120
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
SB19030
When you load a long luggage
Remove the side trims on the both sides
in the luggage space when you need to
load a long luggage (except tapered
things) such as a golf bag.
The side trims can be removed by pulling
the clips (at two places).
SB19029
Removing the side trims
SB19028
Installing the side trims
NOTICE
Do not place tapered things or a
long luggage into the luggage
space. That may damage the water
receiving bag installed behind the
side trims.
 Do not lower the soft top with a
long luggage loaded. The luggage
may touch the lower portion of the
soft top side rails and may be dam-
aged.
 Never remove the side trims except
when loading a long luggage. Other-
wise, the luggage may move while
driving and damage the water re-
ceiving bag or the luggage may be
damaged when the soft top is
opened.

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
121
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
Cup holders
SB19013
Front
SB19014
Center console
The cup holders are designed for hold-
ing cups or drinkcans securely in its
holes.
Front: To use the cup holders, pull them
out.
CAUTION
Do not place anything else other
than cups or drinkcans in the cup
holders, as such items may be
thrown about in the compartment
and possibly injure people in the
vehicle during sudden braking or an
accident.
Front only: To reduce the chance of
injury in case of an accident or a
sudden stop while driving, keep the
cup holder closed when it is not in
use.
Floor mat
SB19023
Use a floor mat of the correct size.
If the floor carpet and floor mat have a
hole, then it is designed for use with a
locking clip. Fix the floor mat with locking
clip into the hole in the floor carpet.

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
122
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
SB19022
CAUTION
Make sure the floor mat is properly
placed on the floor carpet. If the floor
mat slips and interferes with the
movement of the pedals during driv-
ing, it may cause an accident.

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
123
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR
TOYOTA
Breakin period124
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . . .
Fuel 124
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel pump shut off system 126
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operation in foreign countries 126
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Threeway catalytic converter 126
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine exhaust cautions 127
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
Facts about engine oil consumption 128
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Iridiumtipped spark plugs 129
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake system 129
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . .
Brake pad wear limit indicators 132
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Luggage stowage precautions 132
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Limitedslip differential 133
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Your Toyota’s identification 133
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Theft prevention labels 134
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Suspension and chassis 135
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
Types of tires 135
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 2

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
124
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
Breakin period
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
breakin. But following a few simple tips
for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can add
to the future economy and long life of
your vehicle:
Do not drive over 88 km/h (55 mph).
Run the engine at moderate speed be-
tween 2000 and 4000 rpm.
Avoid fullthrottle starts.
Try to avoid hard stops during the first
300 km (200 miles).
Do not drive slowly with the transmis-
sion in a high gear.
Do not drive for a long time at any
single speed, either fast or slow.
Fuel
FUEL TYPE
Your new vehicle must use only
unleaded gasoline.
To help prevent gas station mixups, your
Toyota has a smaller fuel tank opening.
The special nozzle on pumps with un-
leaded fuel will fit it, but the larger stan-
dard nozzle on pumps with leaded gas will
not.
At a minimum, the gasoline you use
should meet specifications of ASTM
D4814 in the U.S.A.
NOTICE
Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of
leaded gasoline will cause the three
way catalytic converter to lose its ef-
fectiveness and the emission control
system to function improperly. Also,
this can increase maintenance costs.
OCTANE RATING
Select Octane Rating 87 (Research Oc-
tane Number 91) or higher.
Use of unleaded fuel with an octane num-
ber or rating lower than stated above will
cause persistent heavy knocking. If se-
vere, this will lead to engine damage.If your engine knocks...
If you detect heavy knocking even when
using the recommended fuel, or if you
hear steady knocking while holding a
steady speed on level roads, consult your
Toyota dealer.
However, now and then, you may notice
light knocking for a short time while accel-
erating or driving up hills. This is no need
of concern.
GASOLINES CONTAINING DETERGENT
ADDITIVES
Toyota recommends the use of gaso-
lines that contain detergent additives to
avoid buildup of engine deposits.
However, all gasoline sold in the U.S con-
tains detergent additives to keep clean
and/or clean intake systems.

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
125
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
QUALITY GASOLINE
Automotive manufacturers in the U.S.,
Europe and Japan have developed a
specification for quality fuel named
WorldWide Fuel Charter (WWFC) that
is expected to be applied world wide.
The WWFC consists of three categories
that depend on required emission lev-
els. In the U.S., category 3 has been
adopted. The WWFC improves air quali-
ty by providing for better emissions in
vehicle fleets, and customer satisfaction
through better vehicle performance.
CLEANER BURNING GASOLINE
Cleaner burning gasoline, including re-
formulated gasoline that contains oxy-
genates such as ethanol or MTBE is
available in many areas.
Toyota recommends the use of cleaner
burning gasoline and appropriately blended
reformulated gasoline. These types of
gasoline provide excellent vehicle perfor-
mance, reduce vehicle emissions, and im-
prove air quality.OXYGENATES IN GASOLINE
Toyota allows the use of oxygenate
blended gasoline where the oxygenate
content is up to 10% ethanol or 15%
MTBE. If you use gasohol in your
Toyota, be sure that it has an octane
rating no lower than 87.
Toyota does not recommend the use of
gasoline containing methanol.
GASOLINE CONTAINING MMT
Some gasoline contain an octane en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
cropentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl).
Toyota does not recommend the use of
gasoline that contains MMT. If fuel con-
taining MMT is used, your emission con-
trol system may be adversely affected.
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp on the in-
strument cluster may come on. If this
happens, contact your Toyota dealer for
service.
GASOLINE QUALITY
In a very few cases, you may experience
drivability problems caused by the particu-
lar gasoline that you are using. If you
continue to have unacceptable drivability,
try changing gasoline brands. If this does
not rectify your problem, then consult your
Toyota dealer.NOTICE

Do not use gasohol other than
stated above. It will cause fuel sys-
tem damage or vehicle performance
problems.
 If driveab ility problems occur (poor
hot starting, vaporizing, engine
knock, etc.), discontinue the use.
 Take care not to spill gasohol dur-
ing refueling. Gasohol may cause
paint damage.
FUEL TANK CAPACITY
48 L (12.7 gal., 10.6 Imp. gal.)

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
126
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
Fuel pump shut off system
The fuel pump shut off system stops sup-
plying fuel to the engine to minimize the
risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls
or an airbag inflates upon collision. To
restart the engine after the fuel pump shut
off system activates, turn the ignition
switch to “ACC” or “LOCK” once and start
it.
CAUTION
Inspect the ground under the vehicle
before restarting the engine. If you
find that liquid has leaked onto the
ground, it is the fuel system has
been damaged and it is in need of
repair. In this case, do not restart the
engine.
Operation in foreign countries
If you plan to drive your Toyota in
another country...
First, comply with the vehicle registration
laws.
Second, confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel (unleaded and minimum octane
number).
Threeway catalytic converter
SB21013
The threeway catalytic converter is an
emission control device installed in the
exhaust system.
Its purpose is to reduce pollutants in the
exhaust gas.
CAUTION
Keep people and combustible mate-
rials away from the exhaust pipe
while the engine is running. The
exhaust gas is very hot.
Do not drive, idle or park your ve-
hicle over anything that might burn
easily such as grass, leaves, paper
or rags.

02 MY MR2 SMT(U) L/O 0108
127
01 06 12
2002 MR2 (OM17493U)
NOTICE
A large amount of unburned gases
flowing into the threeway catalytic
converter may cause it to overheat
and create a fire hazard. To prevent
this and other damage, observe the
following precautions:
Use only unleaded gasoline.
 Do not drive with an extremely low
fuel level; running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, creat-
ing an excessive load on the three
way catalytic converter.
 Do not allow the engine to run at
idle speed for more than 20 min-
utes.
 Avoid racing the engine.
 Do not pushstart or pullstart your
vehicle.
 Do not turn off the ignition while
the vehicle is moving.
 Keep your engine in good running
order. Malfunctions in the engine
electrical system, electronic ignition
system/distributor ignition system
or fuel system could cause an ex-
tremely high threeway catalytic
converter temperature.
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, take your
vehicle in for a checkup as soon
as possible. Remember, your Toyota
dealer knows your vehicle and its
threeway catalytic converter sys-
tem best.
 To ensure that the threeway cata-
lytic converter and the entire emis-
sion control system operate proper-
ly, your vehicle must receive the
periodic inspections required by the
Toyota Maintenance Schedule. For
scheduled maintenance information,
refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner ’s Manual
Supplement”.
Engine exhaust cautions
CAUTION
Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.
It contains carbon monoxide, which
is a colorless and odorless gas. It
can cause unconsciousness or even
death.
Make sure the exhaust system has
no holes or loose connections. The
system should be checked from
time to time. If you hit something,
or notice a change in the sound of
the exhaust, have the system
checked immediately.
Do not run the engine in a garage
or enclosed area except for the
time needed to drive the vehicle in
or out. The exhaust gases cannot
escape, making this a particularly
dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the engine run-
ning. If it is unavoidable, however,
do so only in an unconfined area
and adjust the heating or cooling
system to force outside air into the
vehicle.