2003 TOYOTA AVALON trunk release

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
302003 AVALON (OM41401U)
To open the trunk lid from the driver’s
seat, pull up on the lock release lever.
To deactivate this lock release lever from
opening the trunk lid, see “—Luggage se-
curity system” described below.This system deactivates the lock re-
lease lever so that things locked in the
trunk can be protected.
1. After closing the armrest door, insert
the master key and turn it clockwise
to lock the armrest door.2. After closing the trunk lid, insert the
master key and turn it counterclock-
wise to deactivate the lock release
lever.
After closing the trunk lid, try pulling it up
to make sure it is securely locked.
—Lock release lever —Luggage security system

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
312003 AVALON (OM41401U)
If a person is locked in the trunk, he
or she can pull down the phosphores-
cent handle lever on the inside of trunk
lid in case of emergency to open the
trunk lid.
The phosphorescent (glowinthedark)
handle will continue to glow for a time
after the trunk lid is closed. Exposing the
handle to stronger light will cause it to
glow longer.
CAUTION
Always lock the trunk lid and all
doors, and keep away the vehicle
keys out of children’s reaches.
Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle. Unsupervised children
may lock themselves in the vehicle
or trunk and suffer serious injuries
or death.
To open the trunk lid from the outside,
insert the master key and turn it clock-
wise.
See “Luggage stowage precautions” in
Section 2 for precautions in loading lug-
gage.
To close the trunk lid, lower it and press
down on it. After closing the trunk lid, try
pulling it up to make sure it is securely
closed.
Vehicles with wireless remote control sys-
tem—The trunk lid can be opened with the
wireless remote control transmitter, see
“—Wireless remote control” in this section.
—Internal trunk release handleTr u n k lid
(lock release switch type)—

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
322003 AVALON (OM41401U)
CAUTION
Keep the trunk lid closed while driv-
ing. This not only keeps the luggage
from being thrown out but also pre-
vents exhaust gases from entering
the vehicle.
To open the trunk lid from the driver’s
seat, push the lock release switch.
To deactivate this lock release switch from
opening the trunk lid, see “—Trunk opener
main switch” described below.
On Off
If you do not want to activate the trunk
lid opener system, turn off the trunk
opener main switch in the glove box.
To turn it on, push in the trunk opener
main switch.
—Lock release switch —Trunk opener main switch

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
332003 AVALON (OM41401U)
This system helps protect things locked
in the trunk by safeguarding the trunk
opener main switch from unwanted ac-
cess.
1. To cancel the lock release switch,
turn off the trunk opener main
switch in the glove box.2. After closing the glove box lid, in-
sert the master key into the glove
box lock and turn it clockwise to
safeguard the lock release switch.3. After closing the armrest door, insert
the master key and turn it clockwise
to lock the armrest door.
After closing the trunk lid, try pulling it up
to make sure it is securely locked.
—Luggage security system

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
342003 AVALON (OM41401U)
If a person is locked in the trunk, he
or she can pull down the phosphores-
cent handle lever on the inside of trunk
lid in case of emergency to open the
trunk lid.
The phosphorescent (glowinthedark)
handle will continue to glow for a time
after the trunk lid is closed. Exposing the
handle to stronger light will cause it to
glow longer.
CAUTION
Always lock the trunk lid and all
doors, and keep away the vehicle
keys out of children’s reaches.
Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle. Unsupervised children
may lock themselves in the vehicle
or trunk and suffer serious injuries
or death.
To open the hood:
1. Pull the hood lock release lever. The
hood will spring up slightly.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure that the hood
is closed and securely locked. Other-
wise, the hood may open unexpected-
ly while driving and an accident may
occur.
—Internal trunk release handle Hood

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
482003 AVALON (OM41401U)
CAUTION
Be sure to close the door when the
trunk storage extension is not in use.
Luggage or cargo in the trunk may be
thrown into the passenger compart-
ment in a sudden stop or crash re-
sulting in injury.
Front
Rear
For your safety and comfort, adjust the
head restraint before driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the
lock release button.
Rear center head restraint—When an oc-
cupant sits on the rear center seat, al-
ways pull up the rear center head re-
straint to the lock position.
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 center of the head re-
straint 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

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
992003 AVALON (OM41401U)
Automatic light cut off system
Position 1 or “AUTO” position with the
tail lights on—
The lights automatically turn off when the
driver ’s door is opened with the ignition
key in the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Position 2 or “AUTO” position with the
headlights on—
The lights automatically turn off after 30
seconds when any of the door or trunk lid
is opened and closed with the ignition key
in the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Vehicles with wireless remote control sys-
tem—The lights can be turned off immedi-
ately by pushing the “LOCK” switch on the
wireless remote control transmitter with all
the doors locked and the trunk lid closed.
If any of the door or trunk lid is kept
opened, the lights automatically turn off
after 20 minutes.
To turn on the lights again, turn the igni-
tion key to the “ON” position or actuate
the headlight switch. If you are going to
park for over one week, make sure the
knob is in the “AUTO” position.NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being dis-
charged, do not leave the lights on
for a long period when the engine is
not running.
Daytime running light (DRL) system
Daytime Running Light (DRL) System can
make it easier for others to see the front
of your vehicle during the day. The DRL
system can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, but they can be espe-
cially helpful in the short periods after
dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your headlights
come on at a reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on with the engine run-
ning.
The light switch is in the “AUTO” posi-
tion.
The parking brake is released.
To turn on the other exterior lights and
instrument panel lights, twist the knob to
the position 1.
Twist the knob to the position 2 to turn
the headlights to full intensity for night
driving.To turn off the DRL system, twist the knob
to the position 3 (“DRL OFF”) or turn the
ignition switch off.

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)
2632003 AVALON (OM41401U)
What about doityourself maintenance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Section 7.
If you are a skilled doityourself mechan-
ic, the Toyota service manuals are recom-
mended. Please be aware that doityour-
self maintenance can affect your warranty
coverage. See “Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment” for the details.Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any
unusual noise, smell or vibration, you
should investigate the cause or take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer or a quali-
fied service shop immediately. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer or
the qualified service shop for their advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only where ade-
quate ventilation can be obtained if
you run the engine.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be performed
from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See
Section 72 for additional information.Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Section 72 for
additional information. When checking the
tires, make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires according to the mainte-
nance schedule. (For scheduled mainte-
nance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Own-
er ’s Manual Supplement”.) See Section
72 for additional information.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has
been parked for a while. If you smell fuel
fumes or notice any leak, have the cause
found and corrected immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors including trunk lid
operate smoothly and all latches lock se-
curely. Make sure the engine hood sec-
ondary latch secures the hood from open-
ing when the primary latch is released.
General maintenance