2004 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER parking brake

902004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
The system will re−try shifting automat-
ically. This will take some time, noise
may be heard from the gears, and shift
shock may occur. However, they do not
indicate malfunction.
The driver may shift the selector lever
to the “N” position once, then shift to
the “S” position.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
CAUTION
Unlike automatic transmission mod-
els, the sequential manual transmis-
sion models do not creep.
NOTICE
On a slippery surface, it is possible
to start off with the gear in 2nd,
but to protect the clutch, try to
start using the 1st gear whenever
possible.
 If the gear cannot be engaged to
1st when the selector lever is
shifted from the “N” to “S” posi-
tion, try to shift the selector lever
to the “N” position once, then shift
it to “S” position a few seconds
later.
(f) Starting off on an uphill/downhill
—Uphill
1. Apply the parking brake firmly so that the vehicle does not roll backwards.
2. Shift the selector lever to the “S” posi- tion while holding down the brake pe-
dal. Make sure that the gear position
indicator in the instrumental cluster dis-
plays 1st gear.
3. Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator pedal gradually, and
when the vehicle starts to move, re-
lease the parking brake and depress
the accelerator pedal to start off. —Downhill
1. Hold down the brake pedal and shift the selector lever to the “S” position.
Make sure by using the gear position
indicator that the gear is in 1st.
2. Release the brake pedal, and depress the accelerator pedal slowly. Even
though the accelerator pedal is not de-
pressed, when the vehicle speed in-
creases, the clutch will be engaged
and the engine brake will be applied.
CAUTION
Unlike automatic transmission mod-
els, the sequential manual transmis-
sion models will not creep.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an uphill
with the accelerator pedal applied.
Doing so may damage the clutch. Al-
ways use the brake pedal or parking
brake.

912004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
SD16019
(g) Backing up
While holding down the brake pedal, shift
the selector lever to the “R” position. The
reverse warning buzzer will sound at this
time. Depress the accelerator pedal slow-
ly, as when starting off. Before driving off,
make sure by using the gear position indi-
cator that the gear is in reverse.
When the gear will not engage even
though the selector lever is shifted to the
“R” from “N” position, the “N” indicator will
flash and a warning buzzer (long pulse
sound) will sound. In this case, the sys-
tem will re−try shifting, or the driver can
operate the selector lever to shift, as fol-
lows.
The system will re −try shifting automat-
ically. This will take some time, noise
may be heard from the gears, and shift
shock may occur. However, they do not
indicate malfunction.
The driver can shift the selector lever
to the “N” position once, then shift to
the “R” position.
NOTICE
 The system will not allow shifting
to the “R” position if the vehicle
speed is over 3 km/h (2 mph). In
case the selector lever is operated
under this condition, the “N” indica-
tor in the instrument cluster will
flash. However, when the vehicle
speed drops below 3 km/h (2 mph),
the gear is shifted to reverse. Make
sure that the vehicle has stopped
completely before shifting to the
“R” position.
 Do not hold the vehicle on an uphill
with the accelerator pedal applied.
Doing so may damage the clutch.
Always use the brake pedal or park-
ing brake.
If the gear cannot be engaged to
reverse when the selector lever is
shifted from the “N” to “R” posi-
tion, try to shift the selector lever
to the “N” position once, then shift
it to “R” position a few seconds
later.
(h) Stopping
The vehicle can be stopped by depressing
the brake pedal regardless of the gear
position. This is because the clutch is
automatically disengaged to prevent the
engine from stopping. If the selector lever
is in the “S” position, the gear will be
downshifted to 1st when the vehicle stops.
However, if you do not drive the vehicle
over 40 km/h (24 mph) or convert the
drive position after starting with the gear
in 2nd, the gear will not be downshifted
to 1st when the vehicle stops the next
time and the gear is left in 2nd.
When stopping, for example, at a traffic
light, be sure to shift the selector lever to
the “N” position, and depress the brake
pedal firmly. For your safety, apply parking
brake, too, when stopping on a hill.

932004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
When leaving the vehicle, stop the
engine and park the vehicle with
the gear engaged. In case you need
to leave the vehicle with the engine
running, apply the parking brakes
firmly, and shift the selector lever
in the “N” position. When the driv-
er’s door is opened with the selec-
tor lever in the “S” position while
stopping with the engine running,
warning buzzer (long pulse sound)
will sound. 10 seconds later, the
“N” indicator in the instrument
cluster will also flash, and the sys-
tem will automatically shift the
transmission gear to the neutral
gear position. If this happens on a
hill when starting off the vehicle,
the vehicle may move unexpectedly
and cause an accident.NOTICE
Do not hold or stop the vehicle on
a hill with the accelerator pedal ap-
plied. Otherwise, the warning buzz-
er (long pulse sound) will sound,
and in some cases the engine will
stall. It will also cause excessive
damage to the clutch.
 If the selector lever is operated
more than necessary, the system
may not allow operation of the se-
lector lever for a certain period of
time, and the gear may not be
shifted appropriately. Therefore, do
not operate the selector lever if not
necessary.
(i) Parking
Unlike the automatic transmission, the se-
quential manual transmission does not
have a parking position. The vehicle can
be parked with the selector lever in any
position. Apply the parking brake firmly,
and while depressing the brake pedal,
shift the selector lever into the “R” posi-
tion on a level or downhill, and into the
“S(1)” position on an uphill.
SD16020
1: Uphill
2: Level or downhill
To stop the engine:
Check the transmission gear position by
the gear position indicator, then turn the
ignition switch off to stop the engine. Re-
lease the brake pedal after a few sec-
onds. The selector lever will be locked in
the position just before the ignition switch
was turned off.
You can check the gear position by the
gear position indicator within 5 seconds
after turning the ignition switch off.

942004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
CAUTION
In case the gear shift is not com-
pleted before the ignition switch is
turned off, the gear may not be en-
gaged properly preventing the vehicle
from parking with gear. When park-
ing, always confirm the gear position
by the gear position indicator. On a
level surface or a downhill, the gear
should be put in reverse, and in the
1st on an uphill. Otherwise, the ve-
hicle may move, and cause an unex-
pected accident. If the gear is left in
the neutral gear position, the vehicle
can not be parked with the gear en-
gaged.
(j) Cancel from parking with gear
Depress the brake pedal, and turn the
ignition switch to the “ON” position. The
selector lever lock will be released.
Then, shift the selector lever to the “N”
position. The gear will be disengaged.
(k) Warning Functions
A warning buzzer will sound or the indica-
tor will flash under the following condi-
tions:Warning buzzer (long pulse sound)
It may sound when the selector lever
is shifted to the “S” or “R” position
while racing the engine.
The clutch is heated with excessive
load.
The ignition switch is turned to the
“OFF” position with the gear in 2nd or
either 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th.
In this case, turn the ignition switch to the
“ON” position once and shift the selector
lever to the “S” or “R” position, then turn
the ignition switch to “OFF” position.
During a stop, the driver ’s door is
opened with the selector lever in the
“S” position while the engine is run-
ning.
Warning buzzer (short pulse sound)
The transmission is shifted down to a
gear where the engine is over −revving.
SD16021
“N” indicator flashing
The selector lever is shifted to the “R”
position while the vehicle speed is over
3 km/h (2 mph).
The selector lever is shifted to the “S”
from “R” position while backing up with
the vehicle speed over 8 km/h (5 mph).
The selector lever is operated exces-
sively and continuously, then shifted to
the “S” or “R” position.
In this case, shift the selector lever to the
“N” position once, and wait for a few sec-
onds, shift the selector lever again to the
“S” or “R” position.

962004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
SD16023
“R” indicator blinking
At the same time when turning the igni-
tion switch to the “ON” position and
shifting the selector lever from the “R”
position to the “N” or “S” position.
At the same time when turning the igni-
tion switch to the “OFF” position and
shifting the selector lever from the “R”
to “N” position.
In this case, shift the selector lever to the
“R” position once, then shift the selector
lever again to the “N” position.
Manual transmission
SB16017c
The shift pattern is as shown above.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, and then release it slowly. Do not
rest your foot on the pedal while driving,
because it will cause clutch trouble. Do
not use the clutch to hold the vehicle
when stopped on an uphill grade—use the
parking brake.
Recommended shifting speeds
The transmission is fully synchronized and
upshifting or downshifting is easy.
For the best compromise between fuel
economy and vehicle performance, you
should upshift or downshift at the following
speeds: gear
km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 40 (25)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64 (40)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72 (45)
Downshift to the appropriate gear if accel-
eration is needed when you are cruising
below the above downshifting speeds.
Upshifting too soon or downshifting too
late will cause lugging, and possibly ping-
ing. Regularly revving the engine to maxi-
mum speed in each gear will cause ex-
cessive engine wear and high fuel
consumption.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower
traffic, maximum acceleration may be nec-
essary. Make sure you observe the follow-
ing maximum allowable speeds in each
gear: gear km/h (mph)
1 53 (33)
2 88 (55)
3 120 (75)
4 163 (101)

972004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower gear.
Good driving practice
If it is difficult to shift into reverse, put
the transmission in neutral, release the
clutch pedal momentarily, and then try
again.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into reverse.
Parking brake
SB16008
When parking, firmly apply the parking
brake to avoid inadvertent creeping.
To set: Pull up the lever. For better hold-
ing power, first depress the brake pedal
and hold it while setting the parking
brake.
To release: Pull up the lever slightly (1),
press the lock release button (2), and low-
er (3).
To remind you that the parking brake is
set, the parking brake reminder light in
the instrument panel remains on until you
release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the park-
ing brake reminder light is off.

1542004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
Before starting the engine
1. Check the area around the vehicle be-fore entering it.
Sequential manual transmission only:
When the driver ’s door is opened, a motor
sound may be heard from the engine
compartment, but it is not a malfunction.
The motor will stop after a certain period
of time. 2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion angle and steering wheel
angle.
3. Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock both the doors.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Sequential manual transmission: Turn
the ignition switch to “ON” position.
Hold down the brake pedal firmly, and
place the selector lever to the “N” posi-
tion. Make sure that the “N” indicator
in the instrument cluster comes on. A
starter safety device will prevent the
starter from operating if the selector
lever is in a position except “N” or the
brake pedal is not depressed.
Manual transmission: Press the clutch
pedal to the floor and shift the trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
(b) Starting the engine
Before starting the engine, be sure to
follow the instructions in “(a) Before
cranking”.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system in your
engine automatically controls the proper
air −fuel mixture for starting. You can start
a cold or hot engine as follows:
Sequential manual transmission: With
your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to the ”START” position
and crank the engine while depressing
the brake pedal. Release the key when
the engine starts.
The engine cannot be cranked if the
selector lever is in a position except
”N” or the brake pedal is not de-
pressed.
Manual transmission: With your foot
off the accelerator pedal, crank the en-
gine by turning the key to the “START”
position. Release the key when the en-
gine starts.
Engine should be warmed up by driving,
not in idle. For warming up drive with
smoothly turning engine until engine cool-
ant temperature is within normal range.
How to start the engine—
(a) Before cranking

1552004 MR2 from Feb. ’04 Prod. (OM17518U)
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce-
dure given in normal starting.
If the engine will not start...
See “If your vehicle will not start—” on
page 162 in Section 4.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 sec-
onds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
 Do not race a cold engine.
 If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharp −edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage such
as a tire burst.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps
or travelling on a bumpy road. Other-
wise, the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and place the transmis-
sion in “S(1)” or “R” (sequential manual
transmission) or in first or reverse
(manual transmission). If necessary,
block the wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you, and then
press the pedal lightly. If you do not
feel a normal braking force, the brakes
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake applied. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking on
a slippery surface. Sudden accelera-
tion or engine braking could cause
the vehicle to spin or skid.
Tips for driving in various
conditions