1997 TOYOTA AVALON key battery

71
(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light has the following functions:
Parking brake reminder
If this light is on, make sure the parking
brake is fully released. The light should go
off.
Low brake fluid level warning
If this light comes on and stays on while
you are driving, slowdown and pull off the
road. Then stop the vehicle carefully.
There may be a problem somewhere in
the brake system. Check the fluid level of
the see-through reservoir.
To make sure the parking brake has not
caused the warning light to come on,
check to see that the parking brake is fully
released.
If the brake fluid level is low...
At a safe place, test your brakes by start-
ing and stopping.


If you judge that the brakes still work
adequately, drive cautiously to your
nearest dealer or shop for repairs.

If the brakes are not working, have the
vehicle towed in for repairs. (For tow-
ing information, see Part 4.)
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level
is low. CAUTION
!
If the brake fluid level is correct...
Have the warning system checked by
your Toyota dealer.
(b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and
Buzzer
Once the ignition key is turned to ONº or
STARTº, the reminder light and buzzer
come on if the driver's seat belt is not fas-
tened. Unless the driver fastens the belt,
the light stays on and the buzzer stops af-
ter about 4 to 8 seconds.
(c) Discharge Warning Light
This light warns that the battery is being
discharged.
If it comes on while you are driving, there
is a problem somewhere in the charging
system. The engine ignition will continue to oper-
ate, however, until the battery is dis-
charged. Turn off the air conditioning,
blower, ra
dio, etc., and drive directly to the
nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the engine drive belt is broken or loose.
(d) Low Oil Level Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are driv-
ing, pull off the road to a safe place and
stop the engine immediately. Call a Toyo-
ta dealer or qualified repair shop for assis-
tance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on brief-
ly after a hard stop. There is no cause for
concern if it then goes out when the en-
gine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to indi-
cate low oil level, and the oil level must be
checked using the level dipstick.
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Part 1
Ignition switch with steering
lock
75
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1-6
Ignition switch,
Transmission
and Parking brake
Ignition swi tch with steering lock
 Automatic transmission
 Parking brake
 Cruise control
STARTº - Starter motor on. The key
will return to the ONº position when
released.
For starting tips, see Part 3.
ONº - Engine on and all accessories
on.
This is the normal driving position.
ACCº - Accessories such as the ra-
dio operate, but the engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ACCº or
LOCKº position and open the driver's
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
LOCKº - Engine is off and the steer-
ing wheel is locked. The key can be re-
moved only at this position. You must push in the key to turn the key
from ACCº to the LOCKº position. On
vehicles with an automatic transmission,
the selector lever must be put in the Pº
position before pushing the key.
When starting the engine, the key may
seem stuck at the LOCKº position. To
free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering
wheel slightly
while turning the key gently.
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ONº position if the engine is not running.
The battery will discharge and theignition could be damaged.
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143
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 running.

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 dealer-
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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Part 4
If your vehicle will not startÐ
(a) Simple checks
151
IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY

If your vehicle will not start

If your engine stalls while
driving

If your vehicle overheats

If you have a flat tire

If your vehicle needs to be
towed

If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever

If you lose your keys

If you lose your wireless remote
control transmitter
Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting pro-
cedure given in How to start the engineº
in Part 3 and that you have sufficient fuel.
If the engine is not turning over or is
turning over too slowlyÐ
1. Check that the battery terminals are
tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery is
discharged. You may try jump starting.
See (c) Jump startingº for further in-
structions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair
shop.
NOTICE
Do not pullÐ or push-start the vehicle. It may damage the vehicle
or cause a collision when the enginestarts. Also the three-way catalyticconverter may overheat andbecome a fire hazard.
If the engine turns over at its normal
speed but will not startÐ
1. Check that all the push-on connectors are tight. (For example, connectors at
the spark plugs, ignition coil and/or dis-
tributor)
2. If the connectors are O.K., the engine may be flooded because of repeated
cranking. See (b) Starting a flooded
engineº for further instructions.
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152If the engine will not start, your engine
may be flooded because of repeated
cranking.
If this happens, turn the key to STARTº
with the accelerator pedal held down.
Keep
the key and accelerator pedal so for
15 seconds and release them. Then try
starting the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
If the engine does not start after 15 sec-
onds of cranking, release the key, wait a
few minutes and try again.
If the engine still will not start, it needs ad-
justment or repair. Call a Toyota dealer or
qualified repair shop for assistance.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 seconds at a time. This may
overheat the starter and wiringsystems.
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might
result from battery explosion, acid
burns, electrical burns, or damaged
electronic components, these instruc-
tions must be followed precisely.
If you are unsure about how to follow this
procedure, we strongly recommend that
you seek the help of a competent me-
chanic or towing service.

Batteries contain sulfuric acid
which is poisonous and corro-
sive. Wear protective safety
glasses when jump starting, and
avoid spilling acid on your skin,
clothing, or vehicle.

If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in you eyes, remove
any contaminated clothing and
flush the affected area with water
immediately. Then get immediate
medical attention. If possible,
continue to apply water with a
sponge or cloth while en route to
the medical office. CAUTION
!


The gas normally produced by a
battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and
do not smoke or light a match
while jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must be 12 V. Do not jump start unless
you are sure that the booster batteryis correct.
(b) Starting a flooded engine (c) Jump starting
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211
Oil grade:
API SH, Energy-Conserving IIº mul-
tigrade engine oil or ILSAC multi-
grade engine oil is recommended.
Recommended oil viscosity (SAE):
COOLING SYSTEM
Total capacity, L (qt., Imp.): 9.3 (9.8, 8.2)
Coolant type: With ethylene-glycol antifreeze
(Do not use alcohol type.) BATTERY
ÐMaintenance type battery
Specific gravity reading at 20
5C (685 F)
1.260 Fully charged
1.160 Half charged
1.060 Discharged
ÐNon-maintenance type battery
Open voltage* at 205 C (685F)
12.7 V Fully charged
12.3 V Half charged
11.9 V Discharged
*: Voltage that is checked 20 minutes af-
ter the key is removed with all the lights
turned off
Charging Rates: Non-maintenance battery 5 A max.
Maintenance type battery Quick charge 15 A max.
Slow charge 5 A max. AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
Automatic transmission
Fluid capacity (drain and refill),
L (qt., Imp. qt.): Up to 3.5 (3.7, 3.1)
Differential Fluid capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
0.85 (0.9, 0.7)
Fluid type:
Automatic transmission fluid D-II or
DEXRON
[III (DEXRON[II)
BRAKES
Minimum pedal clearance when de-
pressed with the pressure of 490 N (50
kgf, 110 lbf) with the engine running, mm
(in.): 70 (2.8)
Pedal freeplay, mm (in.):
1' 6 (0.04' 0.24)
Pad wear limit, mm (in.): 1.0 (0.04)
Lining wear limit, mm (in.): 1.0 (0.04)
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