1996 TOYOTA AVALON heater

2
1. Side vent
2. Side defroster outlet
3. Tilt steering lock release lever
4. Automatic transmission selectorlever (column shift)
5. Center vents
6. Electric moon roof switch or front interior light, and front personal lights
7. Power door lock switch
8. Power window switches
9. Seat heater switch
10.Glovebox
11. Automatic transmission selector lever (floor shift)
12.Lower vent
13.Parking brake release lever
14. Parking brake pedal
Instrument panel overview
ProCarManuals.com

Part 1
21
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
AND CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1-3
Seats, Seat belts, Steering
wheel and Mirrors

Seats

Front seats

Head restraints

Seat heaters

Seat belts

SRS airbags

Child restraint

Tilt steering wheel

Outside rear view mirrors

Anti-glare inside rear view
mirror

Vanity mirrors
While the vehicle is being driven, all ve-
hicle occupants should have the seatback
upright, sit well back in the seat and prop-
erly wear the seat belts provided.
CAUTION

Do not drive with the occupants
not properly seated, such as sit-
ting on top of a folded-down seat-
back, or in the luggage compart-
ment. Persons not properly
seated and not properly re-
strained by seat belts can be se-
verely injured in the event of emer-
gency braking or a collision.

During driving, do not allow pas-
sengers to stand up or move
around between seats. Balance
can be unsteady and severe inju-
ries can occur in the event of
emergency braking or a collision.!
Adjust the driver's seat so that the foot
pedals, steering wheel and instrument
panel controls are within easy reach of the
driver.
CAUTION

Adjustments should not be made
while the vehicle is moving, as the
seat may unexpectedly move and
cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.

When adjusting the seat, be careful
not to hit the seat against a passen-
ger or luggage.

After adjusting the seat position,
try sliding it forward and backward
to make sure it is locked in posi-
tion.

After adjusting the seatback, exert
body pressure to make sure it is
locked in position.

Do not put objects under the seats
as they may interfere with the seat-
lock mechanism or unexpectedly
push up the seat position adjusting
lever; the seat may suddenly move,
causing the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.

While adjusting the seat, do not put
your hands under the seat or near
the moving parts. You may jam
your hands or fingers.!
Seats
Front seatsÐ
ÐSeat adjustment precautions
ProCarManuals.com

24
For your safety, adjust the head re-
straint before driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the
lock release button.
You can also move the head restraint for-
ward or backward, pull or push the head
restraint.
The head restraint is most effective when
it is close to your head. Therefore, using
a cushion on the seatback is not recom-
mended.
CAUTION!

Adjust the top of the head restraint
so that it is closest to the top of
your ears.

After adjusting the head restraint,
make sure it is locked in position.

Do not drive with the head re-
straints removed.
Head restraints Seat heaters
ProCarManuals.com

25
To turn on the seat heater, push the
switch.
The key must be in the ONº position.
Pushing on the opposite side will turn it off.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being
discharged, turn the switch on
when the engine is running.
Toyota recommends that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly re-
strained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase
the chance of injury and/or the severity of
injury in accidents.
Baby or small child. Use a child restraint
system which fits your vehicle. See Child
restraintº for details.
Child. If a child is too large for a child re-
straint system, the child should sit in the
rear seat and must be restrained using the
vehicle's seat belt. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the front
seat. Do not allow the child to stand up or
kneel on either rear or front seats. If the
shoulder belt falls across the child's neck
or face, have the child sit slightly closer to
the buckle side or the seat so that the belt
lays across the shoulder.
Pregnant woman. Toyota recommends
the use of a seat belt. Ask your doctor for
specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips and not on the
waist.
Injured person. Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Depending on the injury,
first check with your doctor for specific
recommendations.CAUTION!
Persons should ride in their seats
properly wearing their seat belts
whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more likely
to suffer serious bodily injury in the
event of s udden braking or a collision.
When using the seat belts, observe
the following:

Use the belt for only one person at
a time. Do not use a single belt for
two or more peopleÐeven chil-
dren.

Avoid reclining the seatbacks too
much. The seat belts provide maxi-
mum protection when the seat-
backs are in the upright position.
(See the seat adjustment instruc-
tions.)

Be careful not to damage the belt
webbing or hardware. Take care
that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or side doors.

Inspect the belt system periodical-
ly. check for cuts, fraying, and
loose parts. Damaged parts should
be replaced. Do not disassemble or
modify the system.
Seat belts-
ÐSeat belt precautions
ProCarManuals.com

25
To turn on the seat heater, push the
switch.
The key must be in the ONº position.
Pushing on the opposite side will turn it off.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being
discharged, turn the switch on
when the engine is running.
Toyota recommends that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly re-
strained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase
the chance of injury and/or the severity of
injury in accidents.
Baby or small child. Use a child restraint
system which fits your vehicle. See Child
restraintº for details.
Child. If a child is too large for a child re-
straint system, the child should sit in the
rear seat and must be restrained using the
vehicle's seat belt. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the front
seat. Do not allow the child to stand up or
kneel on either rear or front seats. If the
shoulder belt falls across the child's neck
or face, have the child sit slightly closer to
the buckle side or the seat so that the belt
lays across the shoulder.
Pregnant woman. Toyota recommends
the use of a seat belt. Ask your doctor for
specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips and not on the
waist.
Injured person. Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Depending on the injury,
first check with your doctor for specific
recommendations.CAUTION!
Persons should ride in their seats
properly wearing their seat belts
whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more likely
to suffer serious bodily injury in the
event of s udden braking or a collision.
When using the seat belts, observe
the following:

Use the belt for only one person at
a time. Do not use a single belt for
two or more peopleÐeven chil-
dren.

Avoid reclining the seatbacks too
much. The seat belts provide maxi-
mum protection when the seat-
backs are in the upright position.
(See the seat adjustment instruc-
tions.)

Be careful not to damage the belt
webbing or hardware. Take care
that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or side doors.

Inspect the belt system periodical-
ly. check for cuts, fraying, and
loose parts. Damaged parts should
be replaced. Do not disassemble or
modify the system.
Seat beltsÐ
ÐSeat belt precautions
ProCarManuals.com

56
To spray fluid on the headlights, turn
the headlights on and push the switch.
The key must be in the ONº position.
Check the fluid level of the see-through
headlight cleaner tank every so often.
Use washer fluid for replenishment. For
information on adding fluid, see Adding
washer fluidº in Chapter 7-3.
NOTICE
Do not turn the headlight cleaner on with the tank empty. It may cause
the cleaner motor to overheat.
To defog or defrost the rear window,
push the switch.
The key must be in the ONº position.
The thin heater wires on the inside of the
rear window will quickly clear the surface.
An indicator light will illuminate to indicate
the defogger is operating.
Push the switch once again to turn the de-
fogger off.
The system will automatically shut off af-
ter the defogger has operated about 15
minutes. Make sure you turn the defoggers off
when the surfaces are clear. Leaving the
defoggers on for a long time could cause
the battery to discharge, especially during
stop-and-go driving. The defoggers are
not designed for drying rain water or for
melting snow.
NOTICE
When cleaning the inside of the rear
window, be careful not to scratch or
damage the heater wires.
Headlight cleaner Rear window defogger
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

179
If the headlights or other electrical
components do not work, check the
fuses. If any of the fuses are blown,
they must be replaced.
See Fuse locationsº in Chapter 7-1 for
locations of the fuses.
Turn the ignition switch and inopera-
tive component off. Pull a suspected
fuse straight out and check it.
Determine which fuse may be causing the
problem. The lid of the fuse box shows the
name of the circuit for each fuse. See Part
8 of this manual for the functions con-
trolled by each circuit.
Type A fuses can be pulled out by the pull-
out tool. The location of the pull-out tool
is shown in the illustration. If you are not sure whether the fuse has
blown, try replacing the suspected fuse
with one that you know is good.
If the fuse has blown, push a new fuse
into the clip.
Only install a fuse with the amperage rat-
ing designated on the fuse box lid.
If you do not have a spare fuse, in an
emergency
you can pull out the CIG/RA-
DIOº, DOMEº or HEATERº fuse, which
may be dispensable for normal driving,
and use it if its amperage rating is the
same.
If you cannot use one of the same amper-
age, use one that is lower, but as close as
possible to the rating. If the amperage is
lower than that specified, the fuse might
blow out again but this does not indicate
anything wrong. Be sure to get the correct
fuse as soon as possible and return the
substitute to its original clip.
It is a good idea to purchase a set of spare
fuses and keep them in your vehicle for
emergencies.
If the new fuse immediately blows out,
there is a problem with the electrical sys-
tem. Have your Toyota dealer correct it as
soon as possible.
Checking and replacing fuses
ProCarManuals.com