2004 TOYOTA xA checking oil

11 7
As an example, if a vehicle is used for re-
peated short trips, and consumes a normal
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 express way, making it appear that oil
is excessively consumed after driving at high
speeds.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in proper
vehicle maintenance is to keep the engine oil
at the optimum level so that oil function will
not be impaired. Therefore, it is essential that
the oil level be checked regularly. Scion rec-
ommends that the oil level be checked every
time you refuel the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level regularly
could lead to serious engine trouble
due to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see “Checking the engine oil level” on page
186.
Brake system
The tandem master cylinder brake system is
a hydraulic system with two separate sub
systems. If either subsystem should fail, the
other will still work. However, the pedal will
be harder to press, and your stopping dis-
tance will increase. Also, the brake system
warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a
single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
powerassist the brakes. If the engine should
quit while you are driving, you can bring the
vehicle to a stop with normal pedal pressure.
There is enough reserved vacuum for one or
two stops but no more!

138
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
longer stopping distance, and it
may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the park-
ing 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 non−silicate, non−amine, non−nitrite,
and non−borate coolant with long−life
hybrid organic acid technology.
See “Checking the engine coolant level”
on page 188 for details of coolant type
selection.
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is
premixed with 50% coolant and 50%
distilled water. This coolant provides
protection down to about −35C (−31F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
When it is extremely cold, we recommend
to use 60% solution for your Scion, to
provide protection down to about −50°C
(−58°F). Do not use more than 70% solu-
tion for better coolant performance.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 7−3 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Scion 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 187 for recommended viscosity.
Leaving a heavy summer oil in your ve-
hicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Scion deal-
er—they will be pleased to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de−icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before
inserting it.

181
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 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.
Parts and tools
Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need to perform do−it−yourself mainte-
nance. Remember all Scion parts are de-
signed in metric sizes, so your tools must
be metric.
CHECKING THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL
Parts (if level is low):
“Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent. See
page 187 for details about engine oil
selection.
Tools:
Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding oil)
CHECKING THE ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Parts (if level is low):
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is
filled in your Scion vehicle at factory
fill. In order to avoid technical prob-
lems, only use “Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” or similar high quality ethylene
glycol based non−silicate, non−amine,
non−nitrite, and non−borate coolant with
long−life hybrid organic acid technology.
See page 188 for details about coolant
type selection.
Demineralized or distilled water
Tools:
Funnel (only for adding coolant)CHECKING BRAKE FLUID
Parts (if level is low):
SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
brake fluid
Tools:
Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding fluid)
CHECKING POWER STEERING FLUID
Parts (if level is low):
Automatic transmission fluid
DEXRON®II or III
Tools:
Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding fluid)
CHECKING BATTERY CONDITION
Tools:
Warm water
Baking soda
Grease
Conventional wrench (for terminal
clamp bolts)
CHECKING AND REPLACING FUSES
Parts (if replacement is necessary):
Genuine fuse or equivalent with same
amperage rating as original

185
DOITYOURSELF MAINTENANCE
Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level186 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the engine coolant level188 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the radiator and condenser189 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking brake fluid189 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking power steering fluid190 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking tire infration pressure191 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking and replacing tires194 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rotating tires196 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing snow tires and chains196 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing wheels198 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 7 2

186
Checking the engine oil level
Low level Full level
Add
oilO.K.To o
full
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick.
1. To get a true reading, the vehicle
should be on a level ground. After turn-
ing off the engine, wait a few minutes
for the oil to drain back into the bottom
of the engine.
2. Pull the dipstick out, hold a rag under
the end and wipe it clean.
3. Reinsert the dipstick—Push it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not be
correct.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil
level while holding a rag under the
end.
CAUTION
Be careful not to touch the hot ex-
haust manifold.
NOTICE
Be careful not to drop the engine oil
on the vehicle components.
If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level, add engine oil of
the same type as already in the engine.
Remove the oil filler cap and add engine
oil in small quantities at a time, checking
the dipstick. We recommend that you use
a funnel when adding oil.
The approximate quantity of oil needed to
fill between the low level and the full level
on the dipstick is indicated below for ref-
erence.
When the level reaches within the correct
range, install the filler cap hand−tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., lmp. qt.):
1.5 (1.6, 1.3)
NOTICE
Be careful not to spill the engine
oil on the vehicle components.
Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.

188
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 Insti-
tute) designations such as SL. The center
portion of the label shows the SAE viscos-
ity grade such as SAE 5W−30. “Energy−
Conserving” shown in the lower portion,
indicates that the oil has fuel−saving ca-
pabilities.
The ILSAC (International Lubricant Stan-
dardization and Approval Committee) Certi-
fication Mark is displayed on the front of
the container.
To ensure excellent lubrication perfor-
mance for your engine, “Genuine Motor
Oil” is available, which has been specifi-
cally tested and approved for all Scion
engines.
Please contact your Scion dealer for fur-
ther details about “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.
Always use ethylene−glycol type coolant
for a proper corrosion protection of alumi-
num components. See information in the
next column.
If the coolant level drops within a short
time after replenishing, there may be a
leak in the system. Visually check the
radiator, hoses, engine coolant filler cap,
radiator cap and drain cock and water
pump.
If you can find no leak, have your Scion
dealer test the cap pressure and check
for leaks in the cooling system.CAUTION
To prevent burning yourself, do not
remove the radiator cap when the en-
gine 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 non−silicate, non−amine, non−nitrite,
and non−borate coolant with long−life hy-
brid organic acid technology. (Coolant with
long−life 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% distilled
water. This coolant provides protection
down to about –35C (–31F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Checking the engine coolant
level

200
CAUTION
BATTERY PRECAUTIONS
The battery produces flammable and
explosive hydrogen gas.
Do not cause a spark from the bat-
tery with tools.
Do not smoke or light a match near
the battery.
The electrolyte contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid.
Avoid contact with eyes, skin or
clothes.
Never ingest electrolyte.
Wear protective safety glasses when
working near the battery.
Keep children away from the bat-
tery.
EMERGENCY MEASURES
If electrolyte gets in your eyes,
flush your eyes with clean water
immediately and get immediate
medical attention. If possible, con-
tinue to apply water with a sponge
or cloth while en route to the medi-
cal office.
If electrolyte gets on your skin,
thoroughly wash the contact area. If
you feel pain or burning, get medi-
cal attention immediately.
If electrolyte gets on your clothes,
there is a possibility of its soaking
through to your skin, so immediate-
ly take off the exposed clothing and
follow the procedure above, if nec-
essary.
If you accidentally swallow electro-
lyte, drink a large quantity of water
or milk. Follow with milk of magne-
sia, beaten raw egg or vegetable
oil. Then go immediately for emer-
gency help.
Warning: Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories contain lead and
lead compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause can-
cer and reproductive harm. Wash
hands after handling.
—Checking battery exterior
Hold−down clampTerminals
Ground cable
Check the battery for corroded or loose
terminal connections, cracks, or loose
holddown clamp.
a. If the battery is corroded, wash it off
with a solution of warm water and bak-
ing soda. Coat the outside of the termi-
nals with grease to prevent further cor-
rosion.
b. If the terminal connections are loose,
tighten their clamp nuts—but do not
overtighten.
c. Tighten the hold−down clamp only
enough to keep the battery firmly in
place. Overtightening may damage the
battery case.
Checking battery condition—
—Precautions