2003 TOYOTA CAMRY service

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If you are a skilled doityourself mechan-
ic, the Toyota service manuals are recom-
mended. Please be aware that doityour-
self maintenance can affect your warranty
coverage. See “Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment” 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.
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 269 in Section 72 for additional
information.Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See page 270 in Sec-
tion 72 for additional information. When
checking the tires, make sure no nuts are
missing, and check the nuts for loose-
ness. Tighten them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires according to the mainte-
nance schedule. (For scheduled mainte-
nance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Own-
er ’s Manual Supplement”.) See page 272
in Section 72 for additional information.
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 trunk lid
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.
INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing periodic
services, cleaning the vehicle, etc.
General maintenance

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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
Be alert for changes in steering condition,
such as hard steering or strange noise.
Seats
Check that all front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op-
erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
head restraints move up and down
smoothly and that the locks hold securely
in any latched position. For foldingdown
rear seatbacks, 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 that the
belt webbings not cut, frayed, worn or
damaged.Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching.
Clutch pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance.
Check the brake booster function.
Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do
not pull to one side when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the lever or pedal has the
proper travel and that, on a safe incline,
your vehicle is held securely with only the
parking brake applied.
Automatic transmission “Park” mecha-
nism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your
vehicle is held securely with the selector
lever in “P” position and all brakes re-
leased.
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 279 in Section 73 for
additional information.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the “F” and “L” lines on the seethrough
reservoir when the engine is cold. See
page 266 in Section 72 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 268 in
Section 72 for additional information.
Battery condition
Check the battery condition by the indica-
tor color. See page 276 in Section 73 for
additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See page 268 in Section 72 for addition-
al information.

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Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See page 264 in Section
72 for additional information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the “HOT” or “COLD”
range depending on the fluid temperature.
See page 269 in Section 72 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 “Engine exhaust cautions” on
page 196 in Section 2.)Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tipoffs 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.)
Flatlooking 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 normalIf 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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Some states have vehicle emission in-
spection programs which include OBD
(OnBoard Diagnostics) checks.
The OBD system monitors the operation
of the emission control system. When the
OBD system determines that a problem
exists somewhere in the emission control
system, the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on. In this case, your vehicle may
not pass the I/M test and need to be
repaired. Contact your Toyota dealer to
service the vehicle.
Even if the malfunction indicator lamp
does not come on, your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test as readiness codes
have not been set in the OBD system.
Readiness codes are automatically set
during ordinary driving. However, when the
battery is disconnected or run down, the
codes are erased. Also, depending on
your driving habits, the codes may not be
completely set. Also, if the malfunction indicator lamp had
come on recently due to temporary mal-
function such as a loose fuel tank cap,
your vehicle may not pass the I/M test.
The malfunction indicator lamp will go off
after taking several driving trips, but the
error code in the OBD system will not be
cleared unless about 40 trips or more are
taken.
If your vehicle does not pass the I/M test
even the malfunction indicator lamp does
not come on, contact your Toyota dealer
to prepare the vehicle for retesting.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance (I/M) programs

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DOITYOURSELF MAINTENANCE
Introduction
Engine compartment overview256
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Fuse locations 258
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Doityourself service precautions 259
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Positioning the jack 260
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Parts and tools 261
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SECTION 7 1

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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 doityourself 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
ityourself maintenance, see “Parts and
tools” on page 261 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
compartment—the engine, radiator,
exhaust manifold and spark plug
boots, etc.—will 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.
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.
Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
Doityourself service
precautions

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Warning: Battery posts, terminals
and related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
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.
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 off with water to prevent it
from damaging the parts or paint.
 Do not allow dirt or anything else
to fall through the spark plugholes.
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 iridiumtipped 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.
Front
Rear
Positioning the jack

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ENGINE OIL SELECTION
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” is filled in
your Toyota vehicle. Use Toyota approved
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
to satisfy the following grade and
viscosity.
Oil grade: API grade SL “EnergyConserving” or
ILSAC multigrade engine oil
Recommended viscosity: SAE 5W30
Outside temperature
SAE 5W30 is the best choice for good
fuel economy and good starting in cold
weather.
If SAE 5W30 is not available, SAE
10W30 may be used. However, it
should be replaced with SAE 5W30 at
the next oil change.
API service symbol
ILSAC certification mark