1996 TOYOTA AVALON lock

127
CAUTION

Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake if fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.

Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is run-
ning.

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 ac-
celeration or engine braking,
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.!
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high-speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are high-speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.

Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes are
applied. Also, the parking brake
will not hold the vehicle securely. Make sure you have ethylene-glycol
antifreeze in the radiator.
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
NOTICE
Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape to
provide enough power for winter starting.
Chapter 7-3 tells you how to visually in-
spect the battery. Your Toyota dealer and
most service stations will be pleased to
check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Chapter 7-2 for recommended vis-
cosity.
Leaving a heavy summer oil in your
vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota dealerÐ
he will be pleased to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de-icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before in-
serting it.
Winter driving tips
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128Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer's directions for how
much to mix with water.
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may
damage your vehicle's paint.
NOTICE
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
Pº and block the rear wheels. Do not use
the parking brake, or snow or water accu-
mulated in and around the parking brake
mechanism may freeze, making it hard to
release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally. Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the ve-
hicle are tire chains, window scraper, bag
of sand or salt, flares, small shovel, jump-
er cables, etc.
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a
passenger-carrying vehicle. Towing a
trailer will have an adverse effect on han-
dling, performance, braking, durability
and driving economy (fuel consumption,
etc.). Your safety and satisfaction
depend
on the proper use of correct equipment
and cautious driving habits. For your safe-
ty and the safety of others, you must not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Toyota
warranties do not apply to damage or mal-
function caused by towing a tailer for com-
mercial purposes. Ask your local Toyota
dealer for further details before towing.
WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total trailer
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross axle
weight and trailer tongue load are all with-
in the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue load
can be measured with platform scales
found at a highway weighing station,
building supply company, trucking com-
pany, junk yard, etc.
CAUTION

The total trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo load) must
not exceed 907 kg (2000 lb.). Ex-
ceeding this weight is dangerous.!
Trailer towing
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132

Always place wheel blocks under both
the vehicle and trailer wheels when
parking. Apply the parking brake firm-
ly. Put the transmission in Pº. Avoid
parking on a slope with a trailer, but if
it cannot be avoided, do so only after
performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un-
der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place,
release your brakes slowly until the blocks
absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into Pº and turn off the engine.
When restarting out after parking on a
slope:
1. With the transmission in Pº position,
start the engine. Be sure to keep the brake
pedal depressed.
2. Shift into the 2º, Lº or Rº position.
3. Release the parking brake and brake
pedal and slowly pull or back away from
the wheels blocks. Stop and apply your
brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.

Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing
vehicle-trailer combination usual-
ly increases as the speed in-
creases, exceeding 72 km/h (45
mph) may cause loss of control.

Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long down-
hill grades. Do not make sudden
downshifts.

Avoid holding the brake pedal
down too long or too frequently.
This could cause the brakes to
overheat and result in reduced
braking efficiency.
CAUTION!
Getting more kilometers/mileage from a li-
ter/gallon of fuel is easyÐjust 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 Chapter
7-2 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 drivingÐbut gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this
may take a little longer.

Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts.

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 lug or overrevving.
Use a gear position suitable for the
road on which you are travelling.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too
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141
2. Block the wheel diagonally oppo-
site the flat tire to keep the vehicle from
rolling when it is jacked up.
When blocking the wheel, place a wheel
block from the front for the front wheels or
from the rear for the rear wheels.Steel wheels
Aluminum wheels 3. Remove the wheel ornament.
Pry off the wheel ornament, using the bev-
eled end of the wheel nut wrench as
shown.
Do not try to pull off the ornament by
hand. Take due care in handling the
ornament to avoid unexpected per-
sonal injury.
CAUTION
!
ÐBlocking the wheel ÐRemoving wheel ornament
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142
4. Loosen all the wheel nuts.
Always loosen the wheel nuts before rais-
ing the vehicle.
The nuts turn counterclockwise to loosen.
To get maximum leverage, fit the wrench
to the nut so that the handle is on the right
side, as shown above. Grab the wrench
near the end of the handle and pull up on
the handle. Be careful that the wrench
does not slip off the nut.
Do not remove the nuts yetÐjust unscrew
them about one-half turn.5. Position the jack at the correct jack
point as shown.
Make sure the j ack is positioned on a l evel
and solid place.6. After making sure that no one is in
the vehicle, raise it high enough so
that the spare tire can be installed.
Remember you will need more ground
clearance when putting in the spare tire
than when removing the flat tire.
To raise the vehicle, insert the jack handle
into the jack (it is a loose fit) and turn it
clockwise. As the j ack touches the vehicle
and begins to lift, double-check that it is
properly positioned.
Never get under the vehicle when it
is supported by the jack alone. CAUTION
!
ÐPositioning the jack ÐRaising your vehicle
ÐLoosening wheel nuts
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144
9. Lower the vehicle completely and
tighten the wheel nuts.
Turn the jack handle counterclockwise to
lower the vehicle.
Use only the wheel nut wrench and turn it
clockwise to tighten the nuts. Do not use
other tools or any additional leverage oth-
er than your hands, such as a hammer,
pipe or your foot. Make sure the wrench is
securely engaged over the nut.
Tighten each nut a little at a time in the or-
der shown. Repeat the process until all
the nuts are tight.Steel wheels
Aluminum wheels 10. Reinstall the wheel ornament.
1. Put the wheel ornament into position.
On some models, align the cutout of the
wheel ornament with the valve stem as
shown.
2. Then tap it firmly with the side or heel
of your hand to snap it into place.
Take due care in handling the orna-
ment to avoid unexpected personal
injury.
CAUTION
!
ÐLowering your vehicle ÐReinstalling wheel ornament
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147
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable secured to
one of the emergency towing eyelets
under the vehicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it
and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in Nº. The key
must be in ACCº (engine off) or ONº (en-
gine running).
CAUTION!
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.
If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of Pº position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-
pressed, use the shift lock override
button as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCKº
position. Make sure the parking brake
is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flat-bladed
screwdriver or equivalent.3. Insert the screwdriver or equivalent
into the hole to push down the shift
lock override button. You can shift out
of Pº position only while pushing the
button.
4. Shift into Nº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety,
keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
(floor shift)
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148
If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of Pº position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-
pressed, use the shift lock override
button as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCKº
position. Make sure the parking brake
is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flat-bladed
screwdriver or equivalent.3. Insert the screwdriver or equivalent
into the hole to push up the shift lock
override button. You can shift out of
Pº position only while pushing the
button.
4. Shift into Nº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety,
keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.Many Toyota dealers can make a new
key if you can give them the key num-
ber.
See the suggestion given in Keysº in
Chapter 1-2.
If your keys are locked in the vehicle and
you cannot get a duplicate, many Toyota
dealers
can still open the door for you, us-
ing their special tools. If you must break a
window to get in, we suggest breaking the
smallest side window because it is the
least expensive to replace. Be extremely
cautious to avoid cuts from the glass.
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
(column shift) If you lose your keys
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