2000 TOYOTA AVALON ABS

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The SRS airbag system consists mainly of
the following components, and their loca-
tions are shown in the illustration.1. Front airbag sensors
2. Airbag module for driver (airbag and inflator)
3. Airbag module for front passenger (air- bag and inflator)
4. Airbag sensor assembly
5. SRS warning light
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor. In a severe frontal impact, the sensors
detect deceleration and the system trig-
gers the airbag inflators. Then a chemical
reaction in the inflators quickly fills the
airbags with non- toxic gas to help restrain
the forward motion of the occupants.
When the airbags inflate, they produce a
fairly loud noise and release some smoke
and residue along with non- toxic gas. This
does not indicate a fire. This gas is nor-
mally harmless; however, for those who
have delicate skin, it may cause a minor
skin irritation. Be sure to wash off any
residue as soon as possible to prevent
any potential skin irritation.
Deployment of the airbags happens in a
fraction of a second, so the airbags must
inflate with considerable force. While the
system is desi
gned to reduce serious inju-
ries, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swelling.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel
hub, dashboard) may be hot for several
minutes, but the airbags themselves will
not be hot. The airbags are designed to
inflate only once. A crash severe enough to inflate the air-
bags may break the windshield as the
vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a pas-
senger airbag the windshield may also be
damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.
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(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light comes on in the following cases
when the ignition key is turned on.

When the parking brake is applied...
This light comes on for a few seconds
with the ignition on even after the parking
brake is released.

When the brake fluid level is low...
Have your vehicle checked at your
Toyota dealer in the following cases:

The light does not come on even if the
parking brake is applied with the igni-
tion ONº.

The light does not come on even if the
ignition key is turned on with the park-
ing brake released.
If the light lit during driving goes out and
does not come again, it is a normal op-
eration.
CAUTION
If either of the following conditions
occurs, immediately stop your vehicle
at a safe place and contact your To-
yota dealer.

The light does not go out even af-
ter the parking brake is released
during the engine running.
In this case, the brakes might be
failing and your st opping distance
will be longer. Depress the brake
pedal firmly and bring the vehicle
to an immediate stop.

The brake system warning light re-
mains on together with the ABSº
warning light.
In this case, the vehicle may be-
come harder to control or skid dur-
ing hard braking or braking on slip-
pery road surfaces.
(b) Driver's Seat Belt Reminder Light
and Buzzer
This light and buzzer remind you to
buckle up the driver's seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to ONº or
STARTº, the reminder light flashes and
buzzer sounds if the driver 's seat belt is
not fastened. Unless the driver fastens the
belt, the light keep flashing and the buzz-
er sounds for about 4 to 8 seconds. (c) Front outside Passenger 's Seat Belt
Reminder Light
This light reminds you to buckle up the
front outside passenger 's seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to ºONº or
ºSTARTº, the reminder light flashes if a
passenger sits in the front outside passen-
ger seat and does not fasten the seat
belt. Unless the front passenger fastens
the belt, the light stays on. This light re-
minds you to buckle up the front passen-
ger 's seat belt.
If luggage load is placed on the front
outside passenger seat, depending on its
weight and how it is placed on the seat,
built- in sensors in the seat cushion may
detect the pressure, causing the reminder
light to come on.
(d) 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, radio, etc., and drive directly to
the nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
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NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the enginedrive belt is broken or loose.
(e) Low Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are
driving, pull off the road to a safe place
and stop the engine immediately. Call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on
briefly after a hard stop. There is no
cause for concern if it then goes out when
the engine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to
indicate low oil level, and the oil level
must be checked using the level dipstick.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with thewarning light onÐeven for one block.It may ruin the engine.
(f) Malfunction indicator lamp
This lamp comes on in the following
cases.
a. The fuel tank is completely empty. (See
Fuel gaugeº in Section 1- 5 for instruc-
tions.)
b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See Fuel tank capº in Section
1- 2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in your
engine or automatic transmission electrical
system.
If it comes on while you are driving in
case c, have your vehicle checked/re-
paired by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
(g) Low Fuel Level Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel level
in the tank becomes nearly empty. Fill up
the tank as soon as possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than
usual. (h) ABSº Warning Light
The light comes on with the ignition key
turned to ONº. If the anti- lock brake sys-
tem and the brake assist system work
properly, the light goes out after a few
seconds. Thereafter, if either of the sys-
tems malfunctions, the light comes on.
When the ABSº warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
anti- lock brake system, the brake assist
system, the traction control system and/or
the vehicle skid control system do/does
not operate, but the system still operate
conventionally.
When the ABSº warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
anti- lock brake system does not operate
so that the wheels could lock up during
a sudden brake or braking on slippery
road surfaces.
If the following conditions occur, this
indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning
light system. Contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible to service
the vehicle.

The light does not come on with the
ignition key turned to ONº, or remains
on.

The light comes on while driving.
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If the light lit during driving goes out and
does not come on again, it is a normal
operation.
CAUTION
If the ABSº warning light remains on
together with the brake system warn-
ing light, immediately stop your ve-
hicle at a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
In this case, the vehicle may become
harder to control or skid during hard
braking or braking on slippery road
surfaces.
(i) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the doors
are completely closed.
(j) Rear Light Failure Warning Light
If this light comes on when the headlight
switch is turned on (at the position 1 or
position 2), it indicates that one or more
of the tail lights are burned out.
If it comes on when the brake pedal is
depressed, one or more stop lights are
burned out.
Have defective bulbs replaced as soon as
possible.(k) SRS Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position. After about 6 seconds,
the light will go off. This means the
system of the airbags and front seat
belt pretensioners are operating proper-
ly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side airbag sensors, inflators, front,
seat belt pretensioner assemblies, warning
light, interconnecting wiring and power
sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.

The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position or remains on.

The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
(l) VSCº Warning Light
The light warns that when there is a prob-
lem somewhere in the vehicle skid control
system or traction control system.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to ONº, and will go off after
about a few seconds.
If the VSCº warning light comes on, the
vehicle skid control system and traction
control system do not work. However, as
conventional braking operates when ap-
plied, there is no problem to continue your
driving.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle:

The VSCº warning light does not come
on after the ignition is turned to on.

The VSCº warning light is left on after
the ignition is turned to on.

The VSCº warning light comes on
while driving without pushing VSC
OFFº switch.
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(m) VSC OFFº Indicator Light
The light warns that when there is a prob-
lem somewhere in the vehicle skid control
system or traction control system.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to ONº, and will go off after
about a few seconds.
If the VSC OFFº indicator light comes on,
the vehicle skid control system and trac-
tion control system do not work. However,
as conventional braking operates when ap-
plied, there is no problem to continue your
driving.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle:

The VSC OFFº indicator light does not
come on after the ignition is turned to
on.

The VSC OFFº indicator light is left on
after the ignition is turned to on.

The VSC OFFº indicator light comes
on while driving without pushing VSC
OFFº switch.(n) Low Windshield Washer Fluid Level
Warning Light
The light warns that the windshield washer
fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instructions,
see Adding washer fluidº in Section 7- 3.)
(o) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver 's door with
the ignition key in the ACCº or LOCKº
position. CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER
INDICATORS (except the low fuel level
warning light and low windshield
washer fluid level warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open one of the doors. The open door warning light should
come on.
3. Close the door. The open door warning light should go
off.
4. Turn the ignition key to ACCº. The SRS warning light should come on.
It goes off after about 6 seconds.
5. Turn the ignition key to ONº, but do not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light and
SRS warning light should come on. The
ABSº, VSCº, VSC OFFº and slip indi-
cator lights go off after a few seconds.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, either the bulb is burned out or the
circuit is in need of repair. Have it
checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
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CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the ve-
hicle skid control system. Even if
the vehicle skid control system is
operating, it is not that your vehicle
is absolutely safe. Reckless driving
will result in an unexpected acci-
dent. Always keep safety driving in
mind. If the slip indicator light fla-
shes and/or an alarm sounds, spe-
cial care should be taken while
driving.
Only use tires of specified size. The
size, manufacturer, brand and tread
pattern for all 4 tires should be the
same. If you use the tires other
than specified, or different type or
size, the vehicle skid control sys-
tem may not function correctly.
When replacing the tires or wheels,
contact your Toyota dealer.VEHICLE SKID CONTROL SYSTEM
FAILURE WARNING
These lights warn that when there is a
problem somewhere in the vehicle skid
control system.
The lights will come on when the ignition
key is turned to ONº, and will go off after
about a few seconds.
If the VSCº warning light and VSC OFFº
indicator light come on, the vehicle skid
control system does not work. However,
as conventional braking operates when ap-
plied, there is no problem to continue your
driving.If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle:
The VSCº warning light and/or VSC
OFFº indicator light do/does not come
on after the ignition is turned to on.
The VSCº warning light and VSC
OFFº indicator light are left on after the
ignition is turned to on.
The VSCº warning light and VSC
OFFº indicator light comes on while
driving without pushing VSC OFFº
switch.
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ANTI- LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
The anti- lock brake system is designed to
help prevent lock- up of the wheels during
a sudden braking or braking on slippery
road surfaces. This assists in providing
stability and steering performance of the
vehicle under these circumstances.
Effective way to press the ABS brake
pedal:
When the anti- lock brake system func-
tion is in action, just hold the brake
pedal down more firmly. Especially, in a
panic stop, you need to keep it de-
pressed more firmly, and do not pump
the brake. Pumping the brake pedal
makes the stopping distance longer.
The anti- lock brake system becomes op-
erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the
vehicle decelerates to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).
Depressing the brake pedal on slippery
road surfaces such as on the manhole
cover, the steel plate under the construc-
tion, joints in the bridge, etc. on a rainy
day tends to activate the anti- lock brake
system. You may hear a click or motor sound in
the engine compartment for a few seconds
when the engine is started or just after
the vehicle is started. This means that the
anti- lock brake system is in the self
check mode, and does not indicate a mal-
function.
When the anti- lock brake system is ac-
tivated, the following conditions may
occur, however, do not indicate a mal-
function of the system:

You may hear the anti- lock brake sys-
tem operating and feel the brake pedal
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-
hicle body and steering wheel. You
may also hear the motor sound in the
engine compartment even after the ve-
hicle is stopped.

At the end of the anti- lock brake sys-
tem activation, the brake pedal may
move a little to the forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the anti- lock
brake system: Although the anti- lock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti-
lock brake system on
.
If tires grip performance exceeds its
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs
during high speed driving in the rain,
the anti- lock brake system does not
provide vehicle control.
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Anti- lock brake system is not de-
signed to shorten the stopping dis-
tance: Always drive at the moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles not fitted
with an anti- lock brake system, your
vehicle may require a longer stopping
distance in the following cases:

Driving on rough, gravel or snow-
covered roads.

Driving with tire chains installed.

Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road

Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The anti- lock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels' turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed,
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.
Ty p e A
Ty p e B
ABSº warning light
The lights come on with the ignition
key turned to ONº. If the anti- lock
brake system and the brake assiste sys-
tem work properly, the light goes out
after a few seconds. Thereafter, if either
of the system malfunctions, the lights
come on.
When the ABSº warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
anti- lock brake system, the brake assist
system, the traction control system and/or
the vehicle skid control system do/does
not operate, but the brake system still
operates conventionally.
When the ABSº warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
anti- lock brake system does not operate
so that the wheels could lock up during
a sudden brake or braking on slippery
road surfaces.
If the following conditions occurs, this
indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning
light system. Contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible to service
the vehicle.

The light does not come on with the
ignition key turned to ONº or remainds
on.
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