2008 TOYOTA tC engine overheat

102
Fuel gauge
16T001
Low fuel level
warning light
The gauge indicates the approximate
quantity of fuel remaining in the tank
when the ignition switch is on.
Nearly full—Needle at “1/1”
Nearly empty—Needle at “R”
It is a good idea to keep the tank over
1/4 full.
The needle moves when braking, acceler-
ating or making turns. This is caused by
the movement of the fuel in the tank.
On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the fuel gauge
needle may fluctuate or the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than
usual.If the fuel level approaches “R” or the low
fuel level warning light comes on, fill the
fuel tank as soon as possible.
If the fuel tank is completely empty, the
malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Fill
the fuel tank immediately.
The indicator lamp goes off after driving
several times. If the indicator lamp does
not go off, contact your Scion dealer as
soon as possible.The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature when the ignition switch is
on. The engine operating temperature
will vary with changes in weather and
engine load.
If the needle moves to the “H” position,
your engine is too hot. If your vehicle
overheats, stop your vehicle and allow the
engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:
Driving up a long hill on a hot day.
Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.
Idling for a long period with the air
conditioning on in stop–and–go traffic.
Engine coolant temperature
gauge

103
If the engine coolant temperature gauge
needle is not displayed, there may be a
problem in the system. In this case, con-
tact your Scion dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to con-
trol the flow of coolant to keep the
temperature of the engine within
the specified operating range.
 Do not continue driving with an
overheated engine. See “If your
vehicle overheats” on page 193.
Tachometer
The tachometer indicates engine speed
in thousands of rpm (revolutions per
minute). Use it while driving to select
correct shift points and to prevent en-
gine lugging and over–revving.
Driving with the engine running too fast
causes excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy. Remember, in most cases
the slower the engine speed, the greater
the fuel economy.
NOTICE
Do not let the indicator needle get
into the red zone. This may cause
severe engine damage.
Odometer and two trip meters
This meter displays the odometer and
two trip meters.
1. Odometer—Shows the total distance the vehicle has been driven.
2. Two trip meters—Show two different distances independently driven since
the last time each trip meter was set
to zero.
You can use one trip meter to calculate
the fuel economy and the other to
measure the distance on each trip. All
trip meter data is cancelled if the elec-
trical power source is disconnected.

11 7
NOTICE
Be careful not to over–rev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to keep
engine rpm from going into the red
zone. The approximate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position is
given below for your reference:
“2” 108 km/h (67 mph) . . . . . . . . .
“ L” 60 km/ h ( 37 mph)
. . . . . . . . . .
 Do not continue hill climbing for a
long time in the “2” or “L” posi-
tion. This may cause severe auto-
matic transmission damage from
overheating. To prevent such dam-
age, “D” position should be used in
hill climbing.
(e) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the selector lever to the
“R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(f) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the parking brake lever up fully to securely apply the parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down, shift the selector lever to the “P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector
lever into “P” position under any cir-
cumstances while the vehicle is mov-
ing. Serious mechanical damage and
loss of vehicle control may result.
(g) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope, shift
the selector lever to the “3” position. Be
sure to shift the selector lever to the “D”
position immediately afterward.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Always use the brake pedal or the
parking brake to hold the vehicle on
an upgrade. Do not attempt to hold
the vehicle using the accelerator ped-
al, as this can cause the transmission
to overheat.

151
CAUTION
Keep people and combustible mate-
rials away from the exhaust pipe
while the engine is running. The
exhaust gas is very hot.
Do not drive, idle or park your ve-
hicle over anything that might burn
easily such as grass, leaves, paper
or rags.
Do not leave anything that may
burn easily, such as paper or rags,
in the engine compartment.
NOTICE
A large amount of unburned gases
flowing into the three–way catalytic
converter may cause it to overheat
and create a fire hazard. To prevent
this and other damage, observe the
following precautions:
Use only unleaded gasoline.
 Do not drive with an extremely low
fuel level; running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, creat-
ing an excessive load on the
three–way catalytic converter.
 Do not allow the engine to run at
idle speed for more than 20 min-
utes.
 Avoid racing the engine.
 Do not push–start or pull–start your
vehicle.
 Do not turn off the ignition while
the vehicle is moving.
Keep your engine in good running
order. Malfunctions in the engine
electrical system, electronic ignition
system/distributor ignition system
or fuel system could cause an ex-
tremely high three–way catalytic
converter temperature.
 If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, take your
vehicle in for a check–up as soon
as possible. Remember, your Scion
dealer knows your vehicle and its
three–way catalytic converter sys-
tem best.
 To ensure that the three–way
catalytic converter and the entire
emission control system operate
properly, your vehicle must receive
the periodic inspections required by
the Scion Maintenance Schedule.
For scheduled maintenance
information, refer to the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”.

181
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 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 “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 Scion dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure 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 skid or spin.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

186
Tr ailer to win g
Scion does not recommend towing a
trailer with your vehicle. Scion 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 Scion is not designed
for trailer towing or for the use of tow
hitch mounted carriers.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
237 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 warm–up 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.
Keep the automatic transmission se-
lector lever into “D” when engine
braking is not required. Driving with
the selector lever in “3” will reduce the
fuel economy. (For details, see “Auto-
matic transmission” on page 115.)
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 over–rev-
ving. Use a gear position suitable for
the road on which you are travelling.
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 needless
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.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too

189
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
In case of an emergency
If your vehicle will not start190
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If your engine stalls while driving 193
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If your vehicle overheats 193
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
If you have a flat tire 194
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . .
If your vehicle becomes stuck 205
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If your vehicle needs to be towed 205
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you cannot shift automatic transmission selector lever 209
. . . . . . . .
If you lose your keys 210
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .
If you cannot operate back door opener 210
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 4

190
Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting pro-
cedure given in “How to start the engine”
on page 180 and that you have sufficient
fuel.
If the engine is not turning over or is
turning over too slowly—1. Check that the battery terminals are tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery
is discharged. You may try jump start-
ing. See “(c) Jump starting” for further
instructions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Scion dealer or qualified repair
shop.
NOTICE
Do not pull– or push–start the ve-
hicle. It may damage the vehicle or
cause a collision when the engine
starts. Also the three–way catalytic
converter may overheat and become a
fire hazard.
If the engine turns over at its normal
speed but will not start—
1. The engine may be flooded because of repeated cranking. See “(b) Starting a
flooded engine” for further instructions.
2. If the engine still will not start, it needs adjustment or repair. Call a Scion deal-
er or qualified repair shop.
(b) Starting a flooded engine
If the engine will not start, your engine
may be flooded because of repeated
cranking.
If this happens, turn the key to “START”
with the accelerator pedal held down.
Keep the key and accelerator pedal in
these positions for 15 seconds and re-
lease them. Then try starting the engine
with your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If the engine does not start after 15 se-
conds of cranking, release the key, wait
a few minutes and try again.
If the engine still will not start, it needs
adjustment or repair. Call a Scion dealer
or qualified repair shop for assistance.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 se-
conds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
If your vehicle will not start—
(a) Simple checks