1997 TOYOTA AVALON tow

Part 3
How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking
Before starting the engine
141
STARTING AND
DRIVING


Before starting the engine

How to start the engine

Tips for driving in various
conditions

Winter driving tips

Trailer towing

How to save fuel and make your
vehicle last longer, too
1. Check the area around the vehicle be-
fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, head restraint height and steering
wheel angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Put the selector lever in Pº. If you need to restart the engine while the ve-
hicle is moving, put the selector lever
in Nº. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
selector lever is in any drive position.
4. Depress the brake pedal and hold it to the floor until driving off.
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144Use 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-
merical 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.
Trailer towing
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146HITCHES


Use only a hitch which is recom-
mended by the hitch manufacturer and
conforms to the total trailer weight re-
quirment.

Follow the directions supplied by the
hitch manufacturer, and bolt the hitch
securely to the rear bumper. Lubricate
the hitch ball with a light coat of grease.

Toyota recommends removing the
trailer hitch whenever you are not tow-
ing a trailer to reduce the possibility of
additional damage caused by the hitch
if your vehicle is struck from behind.
After removing the hitch, seal any
mounting holes in the vehicle body to
prevent entry of pollutants such as ex-
haust fumes, dirt, water, etc.
Do not use axle-mounting hitches
they can cause damage to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheels ortires. Also, never install a hitchwhich may interfere with the normalfunction of an Energy AbsorbingBumper.
NOTICE
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS

Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any applicable
federal and state/provincial regula-
tions.

A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross
under the trailer tongue to prevent the
tongue from dropping to the ground in
case it becomes damaged or seper-
ated. For correct safety chain proce-
dures, follow the hitch or trailer
manufacturer 's recommendations.
CAUTION

If the total trailer weight exceeds
453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer brakes are
required.

Never tap into your vehicle's hy-
draulic system as it would lower its
braking effectiveness.!

Never tow a trailer without using a
safety chain securely attached to
both the trailer and the vehicle. If
damage occurs to the coupling
unit or hitch ball, there is danger of
the trailer wandering over into
another lane.
TIRES

Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See Chapter 7-2 for
instructions.

The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the
trailer manufacturer in respect to the
total trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS

Trailer lights must comply with federal,
state/provincial and local regulations.
See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correct
type of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.
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147
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE


Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a ve-
hicle with any new power train compo-
nent (engine, transmission, differen-
tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving.
MAINTENANCE

If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will re-
quire more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the Own-
er 's Manual Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº.

Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
PRE-T OWING SAFETY CHECK

Check that your vehicle remains level
when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose-up or nose-down
condition, and check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspen-
sion or other possible causes.

Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
loaded so that it cannot shift.

Check that your rear view mirrors con-
form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or local regulation. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose.
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.ProCarManuals.com

149

Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing ve-
hicle-trailer combination usually
increases as the speed increases,
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 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 easy-just 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 lenghty 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.

Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop-and-go driving
wastes fuel.

Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or take
advantage of through streets to avoid
traffic lights. Keep a proper distance
from other vehicles to avoid sudden
braking. This will also reduce wear on
your brakes.

Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.

Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel econ-
omy.

Maintain a moderate speed on
highways. The faster you drive, the
greater the fuel consumption. By re-
ducing your speed, you will cut down
on fuel consumption.

Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on the
engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too
ProCarManuals.com

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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16210. Reinstall the wheel ornament.
1. Put the wheel ornament into position.
On some models, align the cutout of the
wheel ornamant 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
ornament to avoid unexpected
personal injury. CAUTION
!
11. Check the air pressure of the
replaced tire.
Adjust the air pressure to the specification
designated in Part 8. If the pressure is
lower, drive slowly to the nearest service
station and fill to the correct pressure.
Do not forget to reinstall the tire inflation
valve cap as dirt and moisture could get
into the valve core and possibly cause air
leakage. If the cap is missing, have a new
one put on as soon as possible.
12. Restow all the tools, jack and flat
tire securely.
As soon as possible after changing
wheels, tighten the wheel nuts to the
torque specified in Part 8 with a torque
wrench, have a technician repair the flat
tire and replace the spare tire with it.
Before driving, make sure all the
tools, jack and flat tire are securely
in place in their storage location to
reduce the possibility of personal
injury during a collision or sudden
braking. CAUTION
!
ÐAfter changing wheels
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