If Your Vehicle Overheats - Toyota Supra 1997 Manual

If your vehicle overheats

If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a loud knocking or pinging noise,
the engine has probably overheated.
You should follow this procedure
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve-
hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in "P"
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and
apply the parking brake. Turn off the
air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the
radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not, turn
the ignition off.
CAUTION
!
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no
steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure.
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3. Visually check to see if the engine
drive belt (water pump belt) is broken
or loose. Look for obvious coolant
leaks from the radiator, hoses, and un-
der the vehicle. However, note that
water draining from the air condition-
ing is normal if it has been used.
CAUTION
!
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts.
4. If the engine drive belt is broken or the
coolant is leaking, stop the engine im-
mediately. Call a Toyota dealer for as-
sistance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and
there are no obvious leaks, check the
coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add cool-
ant to the reservoir while the engine is
running. Fill it about half full.
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CAUTION
!
Do not attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap when the engine and radia-
tor are hot. Serious injury could re-
sult from scalding hot fluid and
steam blown out under pressure.
6. After the engine coolant temperature
has cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If neces-
sary, bring it up to half full again. Seri-
ous coolant loss indicates a leak in the
system. You should have it checked as
soon as possible at your Toyota deal-
er.
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