2003 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER oil temperature

1342003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
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.
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 highspeed 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.
Oil consumption:
Max. 1.0 L per 1000
km (1.1 qts./600 miles, 0.9 lmp.qts./600
miles)
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.
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Facts about engine oil
consumption

1562003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has highspeed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are highspeed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes
are applied. Also, the parking brake
will not hold the vehicle securely.
Winter driving tips
Make sure your coolant is properly pro-
tected against freezing.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based nonsilicate, nonamine, nonnitrite,
and nonborate coolant with longlife hy-
brid organic acid technology.
See “Checking the engine coolant level” in
Section 72 for details of coolant type
selection.
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-
mixed with 50% coolant and 50% deion-
ized water. This coolant provides protec-
tion down to about 35C (31 F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
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 73 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 page 206 in Section 72 for recom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer oil in your vehicle during winter
months may cause harder starting. If you
are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Toyota dealer—he will be pleased to
help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock deicer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
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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1662003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
If the engine speed does not increase with
the accelerator pedal depressed down to
about the middle position, there may be
a problem somewhere in your electronic
throttle control system.
At this time, if you depress the accelera-
tor pedal more firmly and slowly, you can
drive you vehicle at low speeds. Have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er as soon as possible.
Even if the abnormality of the electronic
throttle control system is corrected during
low speed driving, the system may not be
recovered until the engine is stopped and
the ignition key is turned to ”ACC” or
”LOCK” position.
CAUTION
Be especially careful to prevent erro-
neous pedal operation.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you ex-
perience a loss of power, or if you hear
a loud knocking or pinging noise, the
engine has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure...1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in “N”
(sequential manual transmission) or in
neutral (manual transmission) and ap-
ply the parking brake. Turn off the air
conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not,
turn the ignition off.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no
steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure.
3. Look for obvious coolant leaks from theradiator, hoses, and under the vehicle.
However, note that water draining from
the air conditioning is normal if it has
been used.
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts.
4. If the coolant is leaking, stop the en-gine immediately. Call a Toyota dealer
for assistance.
5. If there are no obvious leaks, check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add
coolant to the reservoir while the en-
gine is running. Fill it about half full.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to remove the coolant
reservoir cap or air release valve
when the engine and radiator are hot.
Serious injury could result from
scalding hot fluid and steam blown
out under pressure.
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If you cannot incr ease the
engine speed

1942003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
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 210 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 133 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
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 latches
lock securely.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles and retractors operate properly
and smoothly. Make sure the belt webbing
is 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 has the proper travel
and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle
is held securely with only the parking
brake applied.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 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.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge ev-
ery two weeks, or at least once a
month. See page 211 in Section 72
for additional information.
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts,
damage or excessive wear. See page
213 in Section 72 for additional infor-
mation. When checking the tires,
make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
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2012003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
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 203.
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 and trunk room—the
engine, radiator, exhaust manifold,
power steering fluid reservoir and
spark plug boots, etc.—will be hot.
So be careful not to touch them.
Oil, fluids and spark plugs may also
be hot.
If the engine is hot, do not remove
the coolant reservoir cap or air re-
lease valve or loosen the drain
plugs to prevent burning yourself.
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.
Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
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
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.
03 07.07
Doityourself service
precautions

2072003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
Recommended viscosity:SAE 5W30
OIL008
Outside temperature
SAE 5W30 is the best choice for good
fuel economy, and good starting in cold
weather.
If SAE 5W30 oil is not available, SAE
10W30 oil may be used. However, it
should be replaced with SAE 5W30 at
the next oil change.
SOIL13
API service symbol
ILSAC certification mark
Oil identification marks
Either or both API registered marks are
added to some oil containers to help
you select the oil you should use.
The API Service Symbol is located any-
where on the outside of the container.
The top portion of the label shows the oil
quality by API (American Petroleum
Institute) designations such as SL. The
center portion of the label shows the SAE
viscosity grade such as SAE 5W30.
“EnergyConserving” shown in the lower
portion, indicates that the oil has
fuelsaving capabilities.
The ILSAC (International Lubricant Stan-
dardization and Approval Committee) Certi-
fication Mark is displayed on the front of
the container.
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2082003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
Z72109
To ensure excellent lubrication
performance for your engine, “Toyota
Genuine Motor Oil” is available, which has
been specifically tested and approved for
all Toyota engines.
Please contact your Toyota dealer for
further details about “Toyota Genuine
Motor Oil”.Look at the seethrough coolant reser-
voir when the engine is cold. The cool-
ant level is satisfactory if it is between
the “FULL” and “LOW” lines on the
reservoir. If the level is low, add the
coolant. (For the coolant type, see
“Coolant type selection” described be-
low.)
The coolant level in the reservoir will vary
with engine temperature. However, if the
level is on or below the “LOW” line, add
coolant. Bring the level up to the “FULL”
line.
If the coolant level drops within a short
time after replenishing, there may be a
leak in the system. Visually check the
radiator, hoses, drain cock and water
pump.
If you can find no leak, have your Toyota
dealer test the cap pressure and check
for leaks in the cooling system.
CAUTION
To prevent burning yourself, do not
remove the coolant reservoir cap or
air release valve when the engine is
hot.
Coolant type selection
Use of improper coolants may damage
your engine cooling system.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based nonsilicate, nonamine, nonnitrite,
and nonborate coolant with longlife hy-
brid organic acid technology. (Coolant with
longlife hybrid organic acid technology
consists of the combination of low phos-
phates and organic acids.)
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-
mixed with 50% coolant and 50% deion-
ized water. This coolant provides protec-
tion down to about 35
°C (31 °F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
03 07.07
Checking the engine coolant
level

2392003 MR2 from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM17511U)
Service specifications
ENGINE
Valve clearance (engine cold), mm (in.):Intake 0.15—0.25 (0.006—0.010)
Exhaust 0.25—0.35 (0.010—0.014)
Spark plug type: DENSO SK16R11
NGK IFR5A11
Spark plug gap, mm (in.): 1.1 (0.043) ENGINE LUBRICATION
Oil capacity (drain and ref
ill),
L (qt., Imp. qt.):
With filter 3.7 (3.9, 3.3)
Without filter 3.5 (3.7, 3.1)
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” is f illed in
your Toyota vehicle. Use Toyota approved
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
to satisfy the following grade and viscos-
ity. Oil grade:
API grade SL “EnergyConserving” or
ILSAC multigrade engine oil.
Recommended oil viscosity: SAE 5W30
OIL008
Outside temperature
Please contact your Toyota dealer for fur-
ther details.
03 07.07