2003 TOYOTA SOLARA engine

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
302003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
1. To open the fuel filler door, pull the
lever up.
When refueling, turn off the engine.
CAUTION
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames when refueling.
The fumes are flammable.
When opening the cap, do not re-
move the cap quickly. In hot weath-
er, fuel under pressure could cause
injury by spraying out of the filler
neck if the cap is suddenly re-
moved.
2. To remove the fuel tank cap, turnthe cap slowly counterclockwise,
then pause slightly before removing
it. After removing the cap, hang it
on the cap hanger.
It is not unusual to hear a slight swoosh
when the cap is opened. When insta lling,
turn the cap clockwise till you hear a
click.
If the cap is not tightened securely, the
malfunction indicator lamp comes on.
Make sure the cap is tightened securely. The indicator lamp goes off after driving
several times. If the indicator lamp does
not go off, contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
CAUTION
Make sure the cap is tightened se-
curely to prevent fuel sp
illage in
case of an accident.
Use only a genuine Toyota fuel tank
cap for replacement. It is designed
to regulate fuel tank pressure.

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NOTICE
Do not put unevenly weighed ob-
jects on the seat and do not stick
sharp objects (needles, nails, etc.)
into the seat.
 When cleaning the seats, do not
use organic substances (paint thin-
ner, benzine, alcohol, gasoline,
etc.). They may damage the heater
and seat surface.
 To prevent the battery from being
discharged, turn the switch off
when the engine is not running.
For your safety and comfort, adjust the
head restraint before driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the
lock release button.
You can also move the head restraint for-
ward or backward. If such adjustment is
desired, pull or push the head restraint.
The head restraint is most effective when
it is close to your head. Therefore, using
a cushion on the seatback is not recom-
mended.
CAUTION
Adjust the center of the head re-
straint so that it is closest to the
top of your ears.
After adjusting the head restraint,
make sure it is locked in position.
Do not drive with the head re-
straints removed.
Head restraints

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HEADLIGHTS
To turn on the following lights: Twist
the headlight/turn signal lever knob.
Position 1—Parking, tail, license plate,
side marker and instrument panel lights
Position 2—Headlights and all of the
above
Automatic light cut off system
The lights automatically turn off when the
driver ’s door is opened with the ignition
turned off.
To turn the lights on again, turn the key
to the “ON” position or actuate the head-
light switch. If you are going to park for
over one week, make sure the headlight
switch is off.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being dis-
charged, do not leave the lights on
for a long period when the engine is
not running.
Daytime running light (DRL) system
Daytime Running Light System (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the front
of your vehicle during the day. The DRL
system can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, but they can be espe-
cially helpful in the short periods after
dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your headlights
come on at a reduced brightness when:
The light switch is in “DRL” position.
The ignition is on with the engine run-
ning.
The headlight switch is off.
The parking brake is released.
To turn on the other exterior lights and
instrument panel lights, twist the knob to
the position 1.
Twist the knob to the position 2 to turn
the headlights to full intensity for night
driving. To turn off the DRL system, twist the knob
to the position 3 (“DRL OFF”) or turn the
switch off.
Headlights and turn signals
( f o r th e U.S.A .)

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962003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
The automatic light control sensor is on
the top of the passenger ’s side instrument
panel.
Do not place anything on the instrument
panel, and/or do not affix anything on the
windshield to block this sensor. Automatic light cut off system
The lights automatically turn off when the
driver ’s door is opened with the ignition
key turned off.
To turn the lights on again, turn the key
to the “ON” position or actuate the head-
light switch. If you are going to park for
over one week, make sure the headlight
switch is off.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being dis-
charged, do not leave the lights on
for a long period when the engine is
not running.
Daytime running light (DRL) system
Daytime Running Light System (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the front
of your vehicle during the day. The DRL
system can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, but they can be espe-
cially helpful in the short periods after
dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your headlights
come on at a reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on with the engine run-
ning.
The headlight switch is off.
The parking brake is released.
To turn on the other exterior lights and
instrument panel lights, twist the knob to
the position 1.
Twist the knob to the position 2 to turn
the headlights to full intensity for driving
at night.

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
1032003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS
Gauges, Meters and Service reminder indicators
Fuel gauge 104
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Engine coolant temperature gauge 104
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Tachometer 105
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Odometer and two trip meters 105
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Service reminder indicators and warning buzzers 107
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SECTION 1 5

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1042003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
Low fuel level
warning light
The gauge indicates the approximate
quantity of the fuel remaining in the
tank when the ignition switch is on.
Nearly full—Needle at “F”
Nearly empty—Needle at “E”
It is a good idea to keep the tank over
1/4 full.
This fuel gauge has a nonreturn type
needle which remains at the last indicated
position when the ignition switch is turned
off.
If the fuel level approaches “E” or the low
fuel level warning light comes on, fill the
fuel tank as soon as possible. On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the fuel gauge
needle may fluctuate or the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than
usual.
If the fuel tank is completely empty, the
malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Fill
the fuel tank immediately.
The indicator lamp goes off after driving
several times. If the indicator lamp does
not go off, contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.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.
Fuel gauge
Engine coolant temperature
gauge

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Idling for a long period with the air
conditioning on in stopandgo traffic.
Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to con-
trol the flow of coolant to keep the
temperature of the engine within
the specified operating range.
 Do not continue driving with an
overheated engine. See “If your ve-
hicle overheats” in Section 4.
The tachometer indicates engine speed
in thousands of rpm
( revolutions per
minute). Use it while driving to select
correct shift points and to prevent en-
gine lugging and overrevving.
Driving with the engine running too fast
causes excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy. Remember, in most cases
the slower the engine speed, the greater
the fuel economy.
NOTICE
Do not let the indicator needle get
into the red zone. This may cause
severe engine damage.
This meter displays the odometer and
two trip meters.
1. Odometer—Shows the total distance the vehicle has been driven.
2. Two trip meters—Show two different distances independently driven since
the last time each trip meter was set
to zero.
You can use one trip meter to calculate
the fuel economy and the other to
measure the distance on each trip. All
trip meter data is cancelled if the elec-
trical power source is disconnected.
Tachometer Odometer and two trip meters

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1092003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light comes on in the following cases
when the ignition key is in the “ON” posi-
tion.
When the parking brake is applied...
When the brake fluid level is low...
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
Have your vehicle checked at your
Toyota dealer in the following case:
The light does not come on even if the
parking brake is applied when the igni-
tion key is in the “ON” position.
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 “ON” or
“START”, the reminder light and buzzer
come on if the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened. Unless the driver fastens the
belt, the light stays on 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 “ON” or
“START”, the reminder light comes on 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 stays on. However, if a front
passenger uses an additional seat cush-
ion, the light may not flash even when the
seat belt is not buckled up.
If luggage load is placed on the front
passenger seat, depending on its weight
and how it is placed on the seat, builtin
sensors in the seat cushion may detect
the pressure, causing the reminder light to
come on.
(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.