2008 TOYOTA CAMRY Owners Manual

5
When trouble arises
417
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the batter y is discharged
The following procedures may be used to start the engine if the vehi-
cle's battery is discharged.
You can call your Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop.
If you have a set of jumper (or boo ster) cables and a second vehi-
cle with a 12-volt battery, you can jump start your Toyota following
the steps below.
Connecting the jumper cables
If required, remove all vent plugs from the booster battery. Lay a
cloth over the open vents on t he booster battery. (This helps
reduce the explosion hazard, personal injuries and burns.)
Positive (+) battery terminal on your vehicle
Positive (+) battery terminal on the second vehicle
Negative (-) battery terminal on the second vehicle
Connect the jumper cable to ground on your vehicle as shown in
the illustration.
STEP1

418 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Avoiding a discharged battery
●Turn off the headlights and the audio system while the engine is turned
off.
● Turn off any unnecessary electrical components when the vehicle is run-
ning at a low speed for an extended period, such as in heavy traffic, etc.
■ When the battery is removed or discharged
The tire pressure warning system must be initialized.
(P. 336)
Start the engine of the second vehicle. Increase the engine
speed slightly and maintain at that level for approximately 5
minutes to recharge the battery of your vehicle.
Vehicles with smart key system — Open and close any of
the doors with the “ENGINE START STOP” switch OFF.
Maintain the engine speed of the second vehicle, and turn
the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to IGNITION ON mode
(vehicles with smart key system) or turn the engine switch
to “ON” position (vehicles without smart key system), then
start the vehicle's engine.
Once the vehicle’s engine has started, remove the jumper
cables in the exact reverse order in which they were con-
nected.
Once the engine starts, have the vehicle checked at your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible.STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

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When trouble arises
419
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
CAUTION
■
Avoiding battery fires or explosions
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidentally igniting the flam-
mable gas that may be emitted from the battery.
●Make sure the jumper cable is connected to the correct terminal and that it
is not unintentionally in contact with any part other than the intended termi-
nal.
● Do not allow the jumper cables to come into contact with the “+” and “-” ter-
minals.
● Do not smoke, use matches, cigarette lighters or allow open flame near
the battery.
■ Battery precautions
The battery contains poisonous and corrosive acidic electrolyte, while
related parts contain lead and lead compounds. Observe the following pre-
cautions when handling the battery.
●When working with the battery, always wear safety glasses and take care
not to allow any battery fluids (acid) to come into contact with skin, clothing
or the vehicle body.
● Do not lean over the battery.
● In the event that battery fluid comes into contact with the skin or eyes,
immediately wash the affected area with water and seek medical attention.
Place a wet sponge or cloth over the affected area until medical attention
can be received.
● Always wash your hands after handling the battery support, terminals, and
other battery-related parts.
● Do not allow children near the battery.

420 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
Do not pull- or push-start the vehicle, because the catalytic converter may
overheat and become a fire hazard.
■ When handling jumper cables
Be careful that the jumper cables do not become tangled in the cooling fans
or any of the belts when connecting or disconnecting them.

5
When trouble arises
421
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine overheats:
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the air condi-
tioning system.
Check to see if steam is coming out from under the hood.
If you see steam: Stop the engine and carefully lift the hood.
If you do not see steam: Leave the engine running and carefully lift the hood.
3.5 L V6 (2GR-FE) engine only: Remove the engine com-
partment cover. (
P. 318)
Check to see if the cooling fans are operating.
If the fans are operating: Wait until the temperature of the engine (shown on the
instrument cluster) begins to fall and then stop the
engine.
If the fans are not operating: Stop the engine and call your Toyota dealer.
After the engine has cooled
down sufficiently, check the
engine coolant level and
inspect the radiator core (radi-
ator) for any leaks.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5STEP5

422 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Overheating
If you observe the following, your vehicle may be overheating.
●The engine coolant temperature gauge enters the red zone or a loss of
power is experienced.
● Steam is coming from under the hood.
CAUTION
■To prevent an accident or injury when inspecting under the hood of
your vehicle
● Keep hands and clothing away from the fan and other belts while the
engine is running.
● Do not loosen the coolant reservoir cap while the engine and radiator are
hot.
Serious injury, such as burns, may result from hot coolant and steam
released under pressure.
Add engine coolant if neces-
sary.
Water can be used in an emer-
gency if engine coolant is
unavailable.
(P. 433)
Have the vehicle chec ked at the nearest Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
STEP6

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When trouble arises
423
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
NOTICE
■
When adding engine coolant
Wait until the engine has cooled down before adding engine coolant.
When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot engine too
quickly can cause damage to the engine.

424
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the vehicle becomes stuck
■Emergency hooks (if equipped)
Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow.
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and put the shift
lever in P (automatic transmission) or N (manual transmis-
sion).
Remove the mud, snow, or sand from around the stuck tire.
Place wood, stones or some other material to help provide
traction under the tires.
Restart the engine.
Shift the shift lever to the D or R position (automatic trans-
mission) or 1 or R position (manual transmission) and care-
fully apply the accelerator to free the vehicle.STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
When your vehicle becomes stuck and
cannot move, the emergency hooks are
used for another vehicle to pull your vehi-
cle out in an emergency.
Your vehicle is not designed to tow
another vehicle.