2003 TOYOTA SOLARA Owners Manual (in English)

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2212003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
Front
Rear (on some models)
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tempo-
rarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to one of the emergency towing
eyelets under the vehicle. Use extreme
caution when towing vehicles.
NOTICE
Only use specified towing eyelet;
otherwise your vehicle may be dam-
aged.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer
it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hardsurfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing ve-
hicles. Avoid sudden starts or erratic
driving maneuvers which would place
excessive stress on the emergency
towing eyelets and towing cable or
chain. The eyelets and towing cable
or chain may break and cause serious
injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifically
intended for use in towing vehicles.
Securely fasten the cable or chain to
the towing eyelets provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral (manu-
al) or “N” (automatic). The key must be
in “ACC” (engine off) or “ON” (engine run-
ning).
—Emergency towing

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2222003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of “P” position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-
pressed, use the shift lock override but-
ton as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to “LOCK” position. Make sure the parking
brake is on.
2. Pry up the cover with a flatbladed screwdriver or equivalent.3. Insert your finger into the hole topush down the shift lock override
button. You can shift out of “P”
position only while pushing the but-
ton.
4. Shift into “N” position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety, keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2232003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
If the convertible top does not raise or
lower when the convertible top control
switch is operated—
1. Check the manual control switch in the trunk is not on the “MANUAL” side.
2. If the manual control switch is not on the “MANUAL” side, have your vehicle
checked at your Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
Do not lower the convertible top
manually. It may cause damage to the
system.
If you have to raise it unavoidable, see
“RAISING THE CONVERTIBLE TOP
MANUALLY”. Then you should have it
checked as soon as possible at your
Toyota dealer.
RAISING THE CONVERTIBLE TOP
MANUALLY
1. Open the trunk and push the manual control switch on the “MANUAL”
side.
2. Lower the side windows, quarter windows and sun visors.
If the battery is discharged and the win-
dows cannot be lowered, open both doors.
If the convertible top does not
raise or lower

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2242003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
3. From the rear seat, place one hand
on top of the rear seatback. With the
other hand, grasp the convertible top
edge at the center and slowly raise
the top half way.4. Move to the front seat, grasp thehandle which is under the convert-
ible top. Pull the top forward and
stop it before the top touches the
windshield frame. Then release the
latch handles.5. Pull the convertible top fully for-ward. While holding the convertible
top against the windshield frame,
push the latch handles fully forward
until they are hooked.
Visually check that the latch handles are
fully seated in the strikers. Also, pull on
the convertible top side rails to make sure
the top is securely hooked.

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2252003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
6. Push the manual control switch on
the opposite side of the “MANUAL”
and close the trunk. Raise the side
windows, quarter windows and sun
visors. Please contact your nearest Toyota
dealer and ask for duplicating key. You
must inform of the key number and, in
case of making the immob
iliser key,
one of the master keys must be pre-
sented.
Vehicles with engine immobiliser system—
Even if you lose only one key, contact
your Toyota dealer to make a new key.
However, if you loose all your master
keys, the dealer cannot duplicate key but
only replace the whole engine immobiliser
system.
See the suggestion given in “Keys” in
Section 12.
If your keys are locked in the vehicle and
you cannot get a duplicate, many Toyota
dealers can still open the door for you,
using their special tools. If you must
break a window to get in, we suggest
breaking the smallest side window be-
cause it is the least expensive to replace.
Be extremely cautious to avoid cuts from
the glass. You can purchase a new wireless re-
mote control transmitter at your Toyota
dealer.
Have the registered identification numbers
of your transmitters deleted from your ve-
hicle by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible to avoid the possibility of theft or
an accident. Then, have the identification
number of your new transmitter registered.
At the same time, you must bring all of
the remaining transmitters to have them
registered again as well.
You can use the wireless remote control
system with the new transmitter. Contact
your Toyota dealer for detailed information.
If you lose your keys
If you lose your wireless
remote control transmitter

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2262003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2272003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
CORROSION PREVENTION AND
APPEARANCE CARE
Protecting your Toyota from corrosion 228
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Washing and waxing your Toyota 229
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning the interior 232
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .
SECTION 5

’03 SOLARA_U (L/O 0207)
2282003 MY SOLARA (OM33573U)
Toyota, through its diligent research, de-
sign and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part to
help prevent corrosion and has provided
you with the finest quality vehicle
construction. Now, it is up to you. Proper
care of your Toyota can help ensure long
term corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corrosion
to your vehicle are:
The accumulation of road salt, dirt and
moisture in hardtoreach areas under
the vehicle.
Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
Care is especially important if you live
in particular areas or operate your ve-
hicle under certain environmental condi-
tions:
Road salt or dust control chemicals will
accelerate corrosion, as will the pres-
ence of salt in the air near the sea
coast or in areas of industrial pollution.
High humidity accelerates corrosion es-
pecially when temperatures range just
above the freezing point.
Wetness or dampness to certain parts
of your vehicle for an extended period
of time, may cause corrosion even
though other parts of the vehicle may
be dry.
High ambient temperatures can cause
corrosion to those components of the
vehicle which are prevented from
quickdrying due to lack of proper ven-
tilation.
The above signifies the necessity to keep
your vehicle, particularly the underside, as
clean as possible and to repair any dam-
age to paint or protective coatings as
soon as possible.
To help prevent corrosion on your
Toyota, follow these guidelines:
Wash your vehicle frequently. It is, of
course, necessary to keep your vehicle
clean by regular washing, but to prevent
corrosion, the following points should be
observed:
If you drive on salted roads in the
winter or if you live near the ocean,
you should hose off the undercarriage
at least once a month to minimize cor-
rosion.
High pressure water or steam is effec-
tive for cleaning the vehicle’s underside
and wheel housings. Pay particular
attention to these areas as it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to simply wet the
mud and debris without removing them.
The lower edge of doors, rocker panels
and frame members have drain holes
which should not be allowed to clog
with dirt as trapped water in these
areas can cause corrosion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle thor-
oughly when winter is over.
See “Washing and waxing your Toyota” for
more tips.
Check the condition of your vehicle’s
paint and trim. If you find any chips or
scratches in the paint, touch them up im-
mediately to prevent corrosion from start-
ing. If the chips or scratches have gone
through the bare metal, have a qualified
body shop make the repair.
Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion