2008 TOYOTA SOLARA Owners Manual (in English)

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STARTING AND DRIVING
Starting and driving
Before starting the engine290
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How to start the engine 290
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Tips for driving in various conditions 291
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Driving in the rain 292
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Winter driving tips 293
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Dinghy towing 294
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Trailer towing 295
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How to save fuel and make your vehicle last longer 296
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SECTION 3

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1. Check the area around the vehicle be-fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion height, head restraint
height and steering wheel angle and
length.
3. Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. 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.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in “P”. If you need to re-
start the engine while the vehicle is
moving, put the selector lever in “N”.
A starter safety device will prevent the
starter from operating if the selector
lever is in any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to
the floor until driving off. Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in “(a) Before crank-
ing”.
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:
With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
crank the engine by turning the engine
switch to “START”. Release it when the
engine 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.
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
300 in Section 4.
Before starting the engine H o w to st art th e en g in e—
(a) Before cranking
(b) Starting the engine

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NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 se-
conds 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 traveling 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 “P” (automatic) or in first or
reverse (manual). 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.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

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Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking on
a slippery surface. Sudden accelera-
tion or engine braking could cause
the vehicle to skid or spin.
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.
Driving on a slippery road surface
Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged−up, and the road will be
slippery.
Drive carefully when it starts to rain,
because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
Refrain from high speeds when driving
on an expressway in the rain, because
there may be a layer of water between
the tires and the road surface,
preventing the steering and brakes
from operating properly.
CAUTION
Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering when driving on a slippery
road surface may cause tire slip-
page and reduce your ability to
control the vehicle, resulting in an
accident.
Sudden changes in engine speed,
such as sudden engine braking,
may cause the vehicle to skid, re-
sulting in an accident.
After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal to
make sure that the brakes are func-
tioning properly. Wet brake pads
may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on
only one side are wet and not func-
tioning properly, steering control
may be affected, resulting in an ac-
cident.
Driving in the rain

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When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded
after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause
serious damage to the vehicle.
NOTICE
Driving on a flooded road may cause
the engine to stall as well as cause
serious vehicle malfunctions such as
shorts in electrical components and
engine damage from water immersion.
In the event that you drive on a
flooded road and the vehicle is
flooded, be sure to have your Toyota
dealer check brake function, changes
in quantity and quality of engine oil,
transaxle fluid, etc. and lubricant con-
dition for the bearings and suspen-
sion joints (where possible) and the
function of all joints and bearings.
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. (Coolant
with long −life hybrid organic acid
technology is a combination of low
phosphates and organic acids.)
See “Checking the engine coolant level”
on page 346 in Section 7 −2 for details of
coolant type selection.
For the U.S.A.—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 50% coolant and
50% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −35 C
( − 31 F).
For Canada—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 55% coolant and
45% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −42 C
( − 44 F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
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 Toyota 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 344 in Section 7 −2 for recom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer oil in your vehicle during winter
months may cause harder starting. If you
are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Toyota dealer—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.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer ’s directions for how
much to mix with water.
Winter driving tips

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NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-
age your vehicle’s paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
“P” (automatic) or into first or reverse
(manual) and block the rear wheels. Do
not use the parking brake, or snow or
water accumulated in and around the
parking brake mechanism may freeze,
making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to your vehicle.
Your vehicle can be dinghy towed (with
four wheels on the ground) from the
front behind a motorhome.
CAUTION
Dinghy towing requires special equip-
ment and accessories. Please refer to
your service outlet of the motorhome
manufacture for the recommended
equipment.
NOTICE
Dinghy towing does not eliminate the
possibility of damage to your vehicle.
Dinghy towing
(with automatic transmission)Dinghy towing
(with manual transmission)

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DINGHY TOWING TIPS
Before dinghy towing, be sure to ob-
serve the following in order to reduce
the damage to your vehicle.1. Put the shift lever in neutral.
2. Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” position. Make sure the audio is turned
off and any item is not plugged into
the power outlet.
NOTICE
To avoid the locking of the steering
wheel, turn the engine switch to the
“ACC” position.
3. Release the parking brake.
After dinghy towing, let the engine idle for
more than 3 minutes before driving the
vehicle.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle from the
rear. This may cause serious damage
to your vehicle.
Toyota does not recommend towing a
trailer with your Toyota. Toyota also
does not recommend the installation of
a tow hitch or the use of a tow hitch
carrier for a wheelchair, scooter, bi-
cycle, etc. Your Toyota is not designed
for trailer towing or for the use of tow
hitch mounted carriers.
Trailer towing

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Improving fuel economy is easy—just take
it easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See page
349 in Section 7 −2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warmup idling. Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
driving—but gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.
Put the selector lever into the “D”
when engine brake is not required.
Driving without the “D” position will re-
duce the fuel economy. (For details,
see “Automatic transmission” on page
146 in Section 1 −7.)
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.
Avoid engine lugging or overrev-
ving. Use a gear position suitable for
the road on which you are traveling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop−and− go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes premature
wear, overheating and poor fuel econo-
my.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease, brakes not adjusted, etc.
all lower engine performance and con-
tribute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle
receives more frequent maintenance.
(For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, please refer to the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide” or “Owner ’s Manu-
al Supplement”.)
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer