1996 TOYOTA AVALON air conditioning

106Ventilation
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operationÐ
Press in the AUTOº button.
Temperature Ð Towards low
temperature
Air intake Ð FRESH (outside air)
Air conditioning Ð OFF
For manual operationÐ
Fan speed Ð Any setting except OFFº
Temperature Ð Towards COLD
Air intake Ð FRESH (outside air)
Air flow Ð PANEL
Air conditioning Ð OFF
Defogging and defrosting
The inside of the windshield
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operationÐ
Temperature Ð Towards high tem-
perature to heat; low
temperature to cool
Air intake Ð FRESH (outside air)
Air flow Ð WINDSHIELD
Air conditioning Ð ON
For manual operationÐ
Fan speed Ð Any setting except OFFº
Temperature Ð Towards WARM to
heat; COLD to cool
Air intake Ð FRESH (outside air)
Air flow Ð WINDSHIELD
Air conditioning Ð ON
On humid days, do not blow cold air on
the windshieldÐthe difference be-
tween the outside and inside tempera-
tures could make the fogging worse. The outside of the windshield
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operationÐ
Temperature Ð Towards high
temperature
Air intake Ð FRESH (outside air)
Air flow Ð WINDSHIELD
Air conditioning Ð OFF
For manual operationÐ
Fan speed Ð Any setting except OFFº
Temperature Ð Towards WARM
Air intake Ð FRESH (outside air)
Air flow Ð WINDSHIELD
Air conditioning Ð OFF
To heat the vehicle interior while de-
frosting the windshield, choose floor/
windshield air flow.
ProCarManuals.com

131
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow-
ing.
The three main causes of vehicle-
trailer accidents are driver error, ex-
cessive speed and improper trailer
loading. Keep these in mind when tow-
ing:

Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle-trailer con-
nections. After driving a short dis-
tance, stop and recheck the lights and
connections. Before actually towing a
trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you learn the feel.

Backing w ith a trailer is difficult and re-
quires practice. Grip the bottom of the
steering wheel and move your hand to
the left to move the trailer to the left.
Move your hand to the right to move
the trailer to the right. (This procedure
is generally opposite to that when
backing without a trailer). Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at a time,
avoiding sharp or prolonged turning.
Have someone guide you when back-
ing to reduce the risk of an accident.

Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle-to-vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.

Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
tion.

Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns.
The trailer could hit your vehicle in a
tight turn. Slow down before making a
turn to avoid the necessity of sudden
braking.

Remember that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Therefore, compensate for this
by making a larger than normal turning
radius with your vehicle.

Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention
to the rear from time to time to prepare
yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your
vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering wheel
and reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed. Steer
straight ahead. If you make no extreme
correction with the steering or brakes,
the vehicle and trailer will stabilize.

Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer and
be sure you have plenty of room be-
fore changing lanes.

In order to maintain engine braking ef-
ficiency do not use overdrive.

Because of the added load of the trail-
er, your vehicle's engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
305C [85 5 F]) when going up a long or
steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the
air conditioning (if in use), pull off the
road and stop in a safe spot. Refer to
If your vehicle overheatsº in Part 4 of
this manual.ProCarManuals.com

1385. Start your engine in the normal way.
After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm for
several minutes with the accelerator ped-
al lightly depressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the
exact reverse order: the negative cable
and then the positive cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover
clothsÐthey may now contain sulfuric
acid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent
plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent (for example, lights left on),
you should have it checked.
If your engine stalls while driving
0
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping
a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try starting the engine again.
If the engine will not start, see If your ve-
hicle will not startº.
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual. CAUTION
!
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
0
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the vehicle
and turn on your emergency flashers. Put
the transmission in Pº and apply the park-
ing 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 oper-
ating. If it is not, turn the ignition off.
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. CAUTION
!
3. Look for obvious coolant leaks from
the radiator, hoses, and under the vehicle.
However, note that water draining from
the air conditioning is normal if it has been
used.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine stalls while
driving
ProCarManuals.com

154Carpets
Use a good foam-type shampoo to
clean the carpets.
Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to re-
move as much dirt as possible. Several
types of foam cleaners are available;
some are in aerosol cans and others are
powders or liquids which you mix with wa-
ter to produce a foam. To shampoo the
carpets, use a sponge or brush to apply
the foam. Rub in overlapping circles.
Do not apply waterÐthe best results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible. Read the shampoo instructions
and follow them closely.
Seat belts
The seat belts may be cleaned with
mild soap and water or with lukewarm
water.
Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-
ing, check the belts for excessive wear,
fraying, or cuts.
Do not use dye or bleach on the
beltsÐit may weaken them.
NOTICE
Windows
The windows may be cleaned with any
household window cleaner.
When cleaning the inside of the windows, be careful not to scratch
or damage the heater wires on therear window.
NOTICE
Air conditioning control panel, car au-
dio, instrument panel, console panel,
and switches
Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-
warm water then lightly wipe off any dirt.

Do not use organic substances(solvents, kerosene, alcohol, gas-
oline, etc.) or alkaline or acidicsolutions. These chemicals cancause discoloring, staining or
peeling of the surface.
If you use cleaners or polishingagents, make sure their ingredi-
ents do not include the sub-stances mentioned above.
NOTICE
If you use a liquid car freshener,do not spill the liquid onto the ve-
hicle's interior surfaces. It maycontain the ingredients men-tioned above. Immediately clean
any spill using the method men-tioned above.
Leather Interior
The leather upholstery may be cleaned
with neutral detergent for wool.
Remove dirt using a soft cloth dampened
with 5% Solution of neutral detergent for
wool. Then thoroughly wipe off all traces
of detergent with a clean damp cloth.
After cleaning or whenever any part of the
leather gets wet, dry with a soft clean
cloth. Allow the leather to dry in a venti-
lated shaded area.

If a stain should fail to come outwith a neutral detergent, apply a
cleaner that does not contain anorganic solvent.
Never use organic substancessuch as benzine, alcohol or gaso-line, or alkaline or acid solutionsfor cleaning the leather as these
could cause discoloring.
NOTICE
ProCarManuals.com

160Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULLº and LOWº lines on the see-
through
reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-
tion.
Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower level
lines on the case. Add only distilled water
when replenishing. See Chapter 7-3 for
additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-
tion.
Engine oil level
Check the l evel on the dipstick with the en-
gine turned off and the vehicle parked on
a level spot. See Chapter 7-2 for addition-
al information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the HOTº or COLDº
range depending on the fluid t emperature.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-
tion.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have
the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See engine exhaust cautions in
Part 2.) Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip-offs
that in-
dicate service is needed. Some important
clues are as follows:

Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging

Appreciable loss of power

Strange engine noises

A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)

Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monox-
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhaust system checked
immediately.)

Flat-looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear

Vehicle pulls to one side when driving
straight on a level road

Strange noises related to suspension
movement

Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking

Engine coolant temperature continual-
ly higher than normal If you notice any of these clues, take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. It probably needs adjustment or
repair.
Do not continue driving with the ve-
hicle unchecked. It could result in
serious vehicle damage and possi-
bly personal injury.
CAUTION
!
Does your vehicle need
repairing?
ProCarManuals.com

165

Be sure that the ignition is off if
you work near the electric cooling
fans or radiator grille. With the
ignition on, the engine cooling fan
will automatically start to run if the
engine coolant temperature is
high and/or the air conditioning is
on.

Use eye protection whenever you
work on or under you vehicle
where you may be exposed to fly-
ing or falling material, fluid spray,
etc.

Used engine oil contains poten-
tially harmful contaminants which
may cause skin disorders such as
inflammation or skin cancer, so
care should be taken to avoid pro-
longed and repeated contact with
it. To remove used engine oil from
your skin, wash thoroughly with
soap and water.

Do not leave used oil within the
reach of children.

Dispose of used oil and filter only
in a safe and acceptable manner.
Do not dispose of used oil and fil-
ter in household trash, in sewers
or onto the ground. Call your deal-
er or a service station for informa-
tion concerning recycling or dis-
posal. 
Remember that battery and igni-
tion cables carry high currents or
voltages. Be careful of accidental-ly causing a short circuit.
Add only demineralized or dis-tilled water to fill the radiator. And
if you spill some of the coolant, besure to wash it off with water to
prevent it from damaging theparts or paint.
Do not allow dirt or anything elseto fall through the spark plug
holes.
Do not pry the outer electrode of aspark plug against the center elec-
trode.
Use only spark plugs of the speci- fied type. Using other types will
cause engine damage, loss of per-
formance or radio noise.
Do not reuse platinum-tipped
spark plugs by cleaning or regap-ping.
Do not overfill automatic trans-mission fluid, or the transmission
could be damaged.
Do not drive with the air cleaner fil-ter removed, or excessive engine
wear could result. Also backfiringcould cause a fire in the enginecompartment.
NOTICEBe careful not to scratch the glasssurface with the wiper frame.
When closing the engine hood,
check to see that you have not for-gotten any tools, rags, etc.
ProCarManuals.com

192Tire size:
P205/65R 15 92H
Tire pressure, kPa (kgf/cm
2 or bar, psi):
Front 220 (2.2, 32)
Rear 220 (2.2, 32)
Wheel size:
15 x 6JJ
Wheel nut torque, NV m (kgfVm, ftVlbf):
103 (10.5, 76)
Engine compartment (U.S.A.)
Fuses (type A)
1. 7.5 A: Spare fuse
2. EFI 15 A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system, air conditioning control system,
electrical idle-up system, electronically
controlled automatic transmission system
3. HORN 10 A: Horn
4. OBD. TRAC 7.5 A: On-board diagno-
sis system
5. OBD 7.5 A: On-board diagnosis
system
6. HAZ 10 A: Turn signal lights, emer-
gency flasherEngine compartment (Canada)
7. DOME 7.5 A: Interior light, personal
light, vanity mirror light, door courtesy
light, ignition switch light, trunk light, pow-
er door lock control, locking with wireless
remote control system, theft deterrent
system, automatic light control system,
daytime running light system, service re-
minder indicators and warning buzzer,
clock
8. HEAD (LH) 15 A: Left-hand headlight
9. HEAD (RH) 15 A: Right-hand head-
light
10. HEAD HI (LH) 15 A: Left-hand head-
light (high beam)
11. HEAD HI (RH) 15 A: Right-hand
headlight (high beam)
12. ALT-S 5 A: Charging system
Tires Fuses
ProCarManuals.com

193
Engine compartment
13. AM2 30 A: Gauge and meters, SRS
airbag system, Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system, starter system
14. ECU-B 5 A: Cruise control system,
air conditioning control system
15. 15 A: Spare fuse
16. 30 A: Spare fuse
17. TEL 15 A: No circuit
18. HEAD LO (LH) 10 A: Left-hand
headlight (low beam)
19. HEAD LO (RH) 10 A: Right-hand
headlight (low beam)
20. RAD NO.1 15 A: Audio system
21. FOG 15 A: No circuitEngine compartment (Canada only)
22. DRL 5 A: Daytime running light sys-
tem
23. SRS 5 A: SRS airbag system
24. IGN 5 A: Gauge and meters, SRS air-
bag system, Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system
25. SEAT HEATER 20 A: Seat heater
26. TURN 7.5 A: Turn signal lights, emer-
gency flasher
27. ECU-IG 10 A: Cruise control system,
anti-lock brake system, shift lock system,
power antenna, power door lock system,
electric cooling fan
28. WIPER 20 A: Windshield wipers and
washer, headlight cleanerInstrument panel
29. GAUGE 7.5 A: Gauge and meter,
back-up lights, interior lights, charging
system, electronically controlled auto-
matic transmission system, cruise control
system, power door lock system, service
reminder indicators and warning buzzer,
automatic light control system, daytime
running light system
30. TAIL 15 A: Parking lights, license
plate lights, tail lights, front side marker
lights
31. STOP 15 A: Stop lights, cruise con-
trol system, high mounted stoplight, anti-
lock br ake system, shift lock system, mul-
tiport fuel injection system/sequential
multiport fuel injection system
ProCarManuals.com