How to Replace the Toyota Sienna's License Plate Light
You should keep your license plate lights functional at all times when driving your Toyota Sienna. The license plate light is the only way that a police officer can identify your license plate from behind your car at night. Most states have laws requiring that your license plate light be on at all times at night. The Toyota Sienna uses a number 168 bulb over the license plate. Buy replacement bulbs from auto parts stores or a Toyota dealership.
Difficulty:
Easy
Instructions
things you'll need:
Phillips screwdriver
License plate light, 168 bulb
1
Remove the four screws on the bottom of the license plate light assembly using a Phillips screwdriver.
2
Pull the license plate light cover out away from the rear of the car. Pull the bulb forward and pull it straight out of the wiring socket.
3
Press the new bulb into place until it is secure. Push the bulb and wiring assembly back up inside the light assembly and replace the license plate light cover.
4
Replace the four screws that secure the light cover and tighten them with a Phillips screwdriver. Turn on the lights to test the new bulb.
The Toyota Tercel was manufactured from 1978 to 1999 in the United States, usually with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder motor. Some early models had a 1.3-liter engine, and a turbo was also offered for a short period. All models came with a positive pressure, pump-driven radiator mounted in the front of the vehicle; this radiator can be removed by the average backyard mechanic in about a half hour.
Difficulty:
Moderate
Instructions
things you'll need:
Drain pan
Socket set
Screwdrivers
Pliers or vice grips
1
Drain all coolant from the radiator by loosening the drain plug on the lower left of the radiator housing. Collect the coolant into the drain pan; taking the cap off of the radiator will release the pressure to allow complete drainage.
2
Unplug and unbolt the electric fan and housing from the back of the radiator. The bolts will come out by turning them in a counterclockwise direction. Most models have a two-fan system (one harness adapter for both), with a plastic housing holding the assembly to the radiator. Once free from the bolts, it slides up and out of the engine bay.
3
Disconnect the two coolant hoses, upper and lower, from the radiator by pinching their hose clamps and working them loose. Age may have deteriorated the hose material, but they can be easily replaced with new hoses. Extra coolant might drip out, so have the drain pan handy.
4
Unbolt and remove the radiator. There are two bolts that hold the radiator to the top of the frame rail, and turning these in a counterclockwise direction will free the radiator from the rail. It can then be pulled up, and will slide out of the engine bay.
Tips & Warnings
Repair the old radiator is usually more time-consuming and less reliable than installing a new unit, especially with the Tercel's small radiator.
Dispose of coolant at a local auto parts stores or an authorized facility.
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a mid-sized sport-utility vehicle designed for families who want space and comfort. Because it's a hybrid, you'll save at the pump by filling up less often than if you had the vehicle's non-hybrid counterpart. When buying a car, however, getting the best monthly payments will factor greatly in which vehicle you choose. If you are set on a hybrid, the last thing you want is to get stuck paying more than you can comfortably afford. If you have good credit, Toyota offers leasing options that may allow you to drive the Highlander Hybrid that you want while making minimal payments.
Check for Toyota lease programs and incentives. Look up your local or a nearby Toyota dealership and call to find out if the dealership offers any lease incentives or deals for the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Go to the official Toyota website and familiarize yourself with the leasing programs that Toyota offers. While online, also check for any specials that the company is offering for new hybrid leases. Newspaper advertisements are also a good place to look for Toyota leasing offers.
2
Read the fine print carefully. Research a little further when you find a lease deal. If you have found the lease special over the Internet, read the terms and conditions so that you fully understand what the leasing deal will involve in terms of the down payments, potential mileage limits or any additions to the monthly fee.
3
Determine how long of a lease you want. Most leases range from two to five years, but that may vary according to the terms of a specific leasing incentive. Allow your reason for leasing to determine if you would prefer a short-term lease over a long-term one. If you are leasing to always have a newer model vehicle, then a short-term lease may be the route to take; if you want to get a hybrid at a lower monthly payment, a longer lease will help you to accomplish that goal.
4
Estimate what type of lease payment you can afford. There are numerous websites online that can help you to determine this. Go to websites such as Motor Trends or Edmunds.com to get a quote or to use their online lease calculators. These options will give you a snapshot of what to expect based on your location, the cost of the vehicle, your credit score, interest rate, the length of the lease and other information. Use the results as a guide when visiting car dealerships.
5
Visit several car dealerships to find your Highlander Hybrid. Go to several different Toyota dealers that sell the type of Highlander Hybrid you are interested in. Find the vehicle with the color, interior and any other attributes that are to your liking and take it for a test drive before making the decision to talk lease terms.
6
Haggle for the best lease agreement. Get leasing quotes from each of the dealers that you have visited and compare them to each other and the estimate that you came up with online. Because you have more than one option, use these lease quotes to your advantage and negotiate the best deal.
7
Verify and sign the agreement. Read over the agreement carefully before you sign to verify that it reflects everything that you and the dealer discussed. Signing the agreement will seal you into the terms that are outlined in the lease.
Tips & Warnings
When making the decision to lease, make sure that you understand what leasing involves and have a clear understanding that you do not own the vehicle that you are driving.
Longer lease terms will require greater costs for upkeep, including the purchase of an extended-warranty program.
Toyota or the car dealership may require that you buy gap insurance to cover the price difference in the event your vehicle is totaled in an accident or stolen.
A new radiator is important to extend the life of an engine.
Toyota Camry has been a popular car, due to its durability, for many years. It is not uncommon for the car to provide many years and thousands of miles of service. This means the radiator may need to be replaced several times during the lifetime of a Camry. Replacing the radiator is not difficult, if the correct procedures are followed.
Difficulty:
Moderately Challenging
Instructions
things you'll need:
Wrench set
3/8-inch socket set
Screwdriver set
Drain pan
Teflon tape
1
Open the hood of the car, and place a drain pan underneath the right side of the Camry radiator. Open the drain valve, and remove the radiator cap. After the radiator has drained, remove the upper and lower radiator hoses.
2
Unplug the two cooling fans that are bolted to the radiator. Remove the four upper and four lower mounting bolts that hold the fans in place. Pull both fans out, and set them aside. Loosen the lower hose clamps that secure the transmission cooler lines in place, and pull the line off of their fittings. Capture the radiator fluid in the drip pan. Unplug the wires going to the coolant sensor that is mounted in the bottom of the radiator.
3
Remove the upper radiator mounting brackets, by removing the attaching bolts with a 3/8-inch socket. Lift the brackets off, and make sure the rubber isolators are in good shape. Remove the overflow hose from the radiator neck, and lift the radiator out.
4
Remove the coolant sensor and the two, brass transmission hose fittings that will need to be reused. Clean the fittings, and wrap the threads with a small amount of Teflon tape. Install the fittings into the new radiator, and snug them into place with a wrench.
5
Install the new radiator, by placing it into the lower support brackets. Fit the mounting tabs into the lower rubber isolators, and make sure it is set, securely. Reattach the upper brackets, and bolt them into place.
6
Install the lower transmission cooler lines onto their fittings, and tighten the clamps. Install the lower radiator hose, and secure it into place. Plug the coolant sensor into the wiring harness, and reinstall the two cooling fans an plug in their connectors to the main harness. Fit the upper radiator hose into place, and tighten the clamps.
7
Fill the radiator with a 50-50 mix of water and antifreeze. Squeeze the upper and lower radiator hoses to remove as much air as possible. Install the radiator cap, and start the car. Allow it to run, until the fans begin to cycle on and off. Allow the car to cool, and add more antifreeze to make sure the radiator is full. This process purges any trapped air. Continue this process, until there is no more trapped air.
Tips & Warnings
If the car has a lot of miles, replace the radiator cap and the two radiator hoses when the radiator is replaced. If the car is equipped with an automatic transmission, consider replacing the two transmission cooler hoses. Use hoses that are approved for hydraulic fluid use. Fuel line hoses will swell and deteriorate when exposed to hydraulic fluid.
How to Change the Rear Brake Pads on a Toyota Camry
Brake pads are an important part of your Toyota Camry's braking system. They are the replaceable friction pads that pinch the brake disc or drum when the brakes are applied. You should replace the brake pads before they wear beyond a quarter inch or risk damaging your Camry's brake discs.
Difficulty:
Easy
Instructions
things you'll need:
Blocks
Car jack
Lug nut wrench
Turkey baster
Heavy duty plastic container
Allen head, star head or 6-point socket wrench
Small bungee cord or wire hanger
New brake bads
Piston caliper tool
Brake fluid
Remove the old Brake Pads
1
Park your car on a level surface. If you have a stick shift car make sure the car is in gear. Place blocks in front of the front tires so the car does not move while you are working on it.
2
Open the hood of your car and locate the master cylinder If necessary, remove brake fluid until the level in the container is less than half full. A turkey baster is a good tool for this. Put the brake fluid in the plastic container and dispose of it the way you dispose of motor oil.
3
Raise the rear end of your car with your car jack. Remove the rear tire or wheel assembly.
4
Use the socket wrench to remove the caliper mounting bolts. Slide the caliper off of the disc rotor and hang it in the wheel well with a small bungee cord or wire hanger. Do not let the caliper hang from the brake hose.
5
Remove the brake pads from the caliper. Also remove any shims, springs, wear indicators and support plates from the caliper.
Install the new Brake Pads
1
Return the support plates to the caliper bracket. Place the wear indicators from the old brake pads on the new brake pads making sure the arrow on the indicator plate points in the direction the tire rotates. Place the shims on the outside of each brake pad and insert the pads into the caliper bracket.
2
Use the recommended piston caliper tool to turn the caliper piston clockwise while pressing it into the caliper bore. Place the caliper over the brake pads. Insert and tighten the caliper mounting bolts.
3
Replace the wheel assembly (tire). Lower the car to the ground.
4
Pump the brake pedal a few times to seat the brake pads. Do this before trying to move your car.
5
Add fluid to the master cylinder container to replace any you removed before you removed the old brake pads.
6
Season the brake pads by making only gentle stops when you are driving for the first week after you install the new brake pads. Try not to do any hard stopping when you are seasoning the brakes.
Tips & Warnings
The master cylinder is a metal cylinder located in front of the steering wheel on the metal firewall that separates the engine from the body of the car. On top of the cylinder there is a plastic container that holds brake fluid for the system. When you work on the brakes you adjust the level of fluid so that the container is less than half-full.
The caliper is the arc-shaped, cast iron piece attached to the brake rotor. It is usually on the upper-rear of the brake rotor. Caliper bolts are located on the back side of the caliper. Use penetrating oil to loosen the bolts if necessary.
Be careful using brake fluid. It is an eye irritant and is hazardous if swallowed. Always wash your hands thoroughly after you have been handling brake fluid. If brake fluid does get in your eyes, immediately use clear, running water to flush your eyes for 15 minutes. If your eyes are still irritated after you rinse them or if you swallow any brake fluid, get medical assistance immediately.
Be careful when you are handling used brake parts. The dust and dirt on the brake parts may contain asbestos fibers that can be hazardous to your health if they are inhaled.
When you clean brake parts, always use a damp cloth, not compressed air, wire brushes, scouring pads or anything else that could move the dust and dirt particles around. Throw away any cleaning cloths that you use and swept up dirt and dust in a sealed, impermeable container. For more information, visit the library or go online to view the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines and procedures for handling or throwing away anything that might contain asbestos fibers.
Adjusting the timing on a Toyota Camry to install aftermarket performance parts gives better horsepower gains and cleaner emissions. This guide covers changing the timing on a Toyota Camry with a distributed ignition system only, all other models use a computer module for automatic calibration and can't be adjusted. Adjusting the timing on a Toyota Camry requires special tools and a clear understanding of engine mechanics.
Difficulty:
Moderately Challenging
Instructions
things you'll need:
Timing light
Wrenches
Tape or golf tee
1
Start the engine and allow it to reach normal operating temperature. Shut the engine off locate the crank pulley at the bottom front of the engine. Wipe away any dirt or oil to expose the timing marks.
2
Connect the timing light to the battery of necessary and then to the number one ignition wire. The position of the number one ignition wire varies greatly on the Toyota Camry, always look at the sticker inside the engine fuse block cover to properly identify its location.
3
Pull out the one or two vacuum hoses from the distributor and plug them with tape or a golf tee. Restart the engine and allow it to idle for 2 minutes.
4
Point the timing light at the crank pulley. Determine the amount of adjustment required. Loosen the hold down bolts on the distributor and turn it slowly until the crank pulley timing mark matches the middle line of the timing light.
5
Tighten the hold down distributor bolts and recheck the timing to ensure it's still correct. Turn off the engine and remove the timing light. Replace the number one ignition wire and distributor vacuum hoses.
Tips & Warnings
Forcing an engine to run out of its manufactured specified setting can cause serious and permanent damage to the engine.
If you are entering college in the fall and are of African-American heritage, you may qualify for the Toyota/United Negro College Fund Scholarship.
Difficulty:
Moderately Challenging
Instructions
1
*Determine your Eligibility
In order to apply for the Toyota/UNCF scholarship, students must have a 3.0 high school cumulative grade point average, must be African-American, and must be planning to attend one of the following traditional black colleges: Bethune-Cookman College, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Xavier University, or Xavier University, or Clark Atlanta University.
2
*Confirm your Field of Study
Scholarship applicants must also plan to major in specific disciplines. In order to apply, prospective college students must plan to study in one of the following academic areas: general, biomedical, electrical, environmental, industrial, manufacturing, mechanical, civil, or construction engineering; finance, accounting or economics; English or communications; computer science, network administration, computer engineering, management information systems, information systems, or information technology; education or liberal arts, political science, public administration, history or psychology; or business, marketing, international business, sales, management or supply chain management.
3
*Apply and Wait for Notification
Once you have determined your eligibility for the scholarship, you should apply on the United Negro College Fund website. (See link below.) Although deadlines can change from year to year, this scholarship's window typically ends in January of the year the fall semester begins. Chosen students receive $7500 for college tuition sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation.
