1998 Toyota Corolla Owners Manual - Page 85

1998 COROLLA(U) Your automatic transmission has a shift lock system to minimize the possibility of incorrect operation. This means you can only shift out of "P" position when the brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition switch in "ON" position and the lock release button depressed). (a) Normal driving 1. Start the engine as instructed in "How to start the engine" in Part 3. The transmission must be in "P" or "N". 2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to "D". In "D" position, the automatic transmission system will select the most suitable gear for different running conditions such as normal cruising, hill climbing, hard towing, etc. (b) Using engine braking To use engine braking, you can downshift the transmission as follows: With the selector lever in "2", the vehicle will start in the first gear and automatically shift to the second gear. With the selector lever in "L", the transmission is engaged in the first gear. D Shift into the "2" position when the vehicle speed is lower than 93 km/h (58 mph). The transmission will downshift to the second gear and more engine braking will be obtained. NOTICE z Be careful not to overrev the engine. Watch the tachometer to keep engine rpm from going into the red zone. The approximate maximum allowable speed for each position is given below for your reference: "2"...120 km/h (75 mph) "L"...65 km/h (40 mph) z Do not continue hill climbing or hard towing for a long time in the "2" or "L" position. This may cause severe automatic transmission damage from overheating. To prevent such damage, "D" position should be used in hill climbing or hard towing. (d) 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. D Shift into the "L" position when the vehicle speed is lower than 37 km/h (23 mph). The transmission will downshift to the first gear and maximum engine braking will be applied. CAUTION Be careful when downshifting on a slippery surface. Abrupt shifting could cause the vehicle to spin or skid. (c) Using the "2" and "L" position The "2" and "L" positions are used for strong engine braking as described previously. With the selector lever in "2" or "L", you can start the vehicle in motion as with the lever in "D". CAUTION Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while shifting. 3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal slowly for smooth starting. 85