2002 TOYOTA AVALON Owners Manual

’02 AVALON U (L/O 0107)
3022002 MY AVALON_U (OM22493U)
If you believe that your vehicle
has a defect which could cause a
crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately in-
form the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
addition to notifying Toyota Motor
Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
(Toll−free: 1 −800 −331 −4331).
If NHTSA receives similar com-
plaints, it may open an investiga-
tion, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of ve-
hicles, it may order a recall and
remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved
in individual problems between
you, your dealer, or Toyota Motor
Sales, U.S.A., Inc. To contact NHTSA, you may ei-
ther call the Auto Safety Hotline
toll
−free at 1 −800 −424 −9393 (or
366 −0123 in Washington, D.C.
area) or write to: NHTSA, U.S.
Department of Transportation,
Washington, D.C. 20590. You can
also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from the Hot-
line.This information has been prepared in ac-
cordance with regulations issued by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration of the U.S. Department of Trans-
portation. It provides the purchasers and/
or prospective purchasers of Toyota
vehicles with information on uniform tire
quality grading.
Your Toyota dealer will help answer any
questions you may have as you read this
information.
DOT quality grades—All passenger car
tires must conform to Federal Safety
Requirements in addition to these
grades. Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example: Treadwear
200 Traction AA Temperature A
Reporting safety defects for
U.S. owners Uniform tire quality grading

’02 AVALON U (L/O 0107)
3032002 MY AVALON_U (OM22493U)
Treadwear—The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test
course. For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and a half (1 −1/2) times
as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may de-
part significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service prac-
tices and differences in road characteris-
tics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B, C— The traction
grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C, and they represent the tire’s
ability to stop on wet pavement as mea-
sured under controlled conditions on spe-
cified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on braking (straight
ahead) traction tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction. Temperature A, B, C—
The temperature
grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissi-
pate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature
can cause the material of the tire to de-
generate and reduce tire life, and exces-
sive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a lev-
el of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No.109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grades for this
tire are established for a tire that is prop-
erly inflated and not overloaded. Exces-
sive speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combina-
tion, can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.

’02 AVALON U (L/O 0107)
3042002 MY AVALON_U (OM22493U)

’02 AVALON U (L/O 0107)
3052002 MY AVALON_U (OM22493U)
WE REALLY CARE ABOUT YOU  PLEASE BUCKLE UP
Toyota has made a special effort to encourage use of seat belts.
Toyota belts are:
Comfortable
Easy to use
Convenient
We encourage you to use your belts every time you drive.
U
2002 MY AVALON_U (OM22493U)

’02 AVALON U (L/O 0107)
Publication No. OM22493U
Part No. 01999-22493
Printed in Japan 01−0107 −00
Quick index
 If a service reminder indicator or warning buzzer comes on 119 . . . . . . . .
 If your vehicle will not start 231 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. .
 If your engine stalls while driving 234 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 If your vehicle overheats 234 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . .
 If you have a flat tire 235 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . . . .
 If your vehicle needs to be towed 242 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 Tips for driving during break −in period 205 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 How to start the engine 219 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . .
 General maintenance 256 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . . . . .
Gas station information
Fuel type:
UNLEADED gasoline, Octane Rating 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or
higher. For improved vehicle performance, the use of premium unleaded
gasoline with an Octane Rating of 91 (Research Octane Number 96) or
higher is recommended.
See page 205 for detailed information.
Fuel tank capacity: 70 L (18.5 gal., 15.4 lmp. gal.)
Engine oil: API grade SJ, “Energy −Conserving” or ILSAC multigrade engine oil is recom-
mended.
See page 269 for detailed information.
Automatic transmission fluid: Automatic transmission fluid D −II or DEXRON III (DEXRON II)
Tire information: See pages 273 through 278.
Tire pressure: See page 296.
aU6
B

’02 AVALON U (L/O 0107)
You should know as much about the quality and
importance of proper main tenance of your new
vehicle as the people who built it.
The Toyota authorized Repair Manual
tells you how to maint ain your vehicle and
enables you to correct ly perform your own
maintenance.
The best way to keep your new vehicle in top
running order is to maintain it properly from
the moment you drive it off the showroom
floor.
The Toyota authorized Repair Manual is
packed with literally everything you need to
know to perform your own maintenance in
virtually every area of your new vehicle.

’02 AVALON U (L/O 0107)
Where to obtain the Repair Manual
The repair manual for Avalon, written in Eng-
lish, may be purchased as applicable from any
Toy ota dea l er.
Pub. Name: 2002 AVALON Repair Manual
Pub. No.: RM872U1 (Maintenance, Preparation, Service specifications
and Diagnostics)
RM872U2 (Engine, Chassis and Body)
Maintenance procedures for the engine,
chassis, body, electric al system, and more,
are clearly explained and illustrated.
Periodic maintenance and tuneup
Periodic maintenance and tuneup helps to pre-
vent small problems from growing into larger ones lat-
er on. The repair manual outlines exactly what main-
tenance is required and clearly explains how to do the
work yourself stepbystep.
Areas covered include such things as spark plug re-
placement, valve clearance adjustment and engine oil
and filter replacement.