2004 TOYOTA AVALON engine coolant

’04 AVALON U (L/O 0408)
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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
1. Engine coolant temperature gauge
2. Tachometer
3. Service reminder indicators andindicator lights
4. Speedometer 5. Engine immobilizer system indicator
light
6. Odometer and two trip meters
7. Clock
8. Outside temperature display 9. “ADJ” button∗
10. “MODE” button∗
11. “ODO/TRIP” button
12. Fuel gauge
∗: This button is used to adjust the clock. For details, see “Clock” in Section 110.
Instrument cluster overview
 Ty p e A

’04 AVALON U (L/O 0408)
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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
1. Engine coolant temperature gauge
2. Tachometer
3. Service reminder indicators andindicator lights
4. Speedometer
5. Theft deterrent system/engine immobilizer system indicator light 6. Clock∗
7. Outside temperature display∗
8. Multiinformation display
9. “LIGHT” button
∗
10. “MODE” button∗
11. “RESET/ADJ” button∗
12. “DISPLAY” button∗
13. Odometer and two trip meters
14. “ODO/TRIP” button
15. Fuel gauge
∗: This button is used to operate the multiinformation display. For details, see “Multiinformation display” in Section 110.

Ty p e B

’04 AVALON U (L/O 0408)
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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
1. Engine coolant temperature gauge
2. Tachometer
3. Service reminder indicators andindicator lights
4. Speedometer 5. Theft deterrent system/engine
immobilizer system indicator light
6. Clock
∗
7. Outside temperature display∗
8. Odometer and two trip meters 9. “ODO/TRIP” button
10. Fuel gauge
∗: For details, please refer to the separate “Navigation system Owner ’s manual”.

Ty p e C

’04 AVALON U (L/O 0408)
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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS
Gauges, Meters and Service reminder indicators
Fuel gauge11 7
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Engine coolant temperature gauge 11 7
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Tachometer 11 8
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. . . . . . . . . . . .
Odometer and two trip meters 11 8
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Service reminder indicators and warning buzzers 120
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 1 6

’04 AVALON U (L/O 0408)
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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
The gauge indicates the approximate
quantity of fuel remaining in the tank
when the ignition switch is on.
Nearly full—Needle at “F”
Nearly empty—Needle at “E”
It is a good idea to keep the tank over
1/4 full.
If the fuel level approaches “E” or the low
fuel level warning light comes on, fill the
fuel tank as soon as possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the fuel gauge
needle may fluctuate or the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than
usual.If the fuel tank is completely empty, the
malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Fill
the fuel tank immediately.
The indicator lamp goes off after driving
several times. If the indicator lamp does
not go off, contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature when the ignition switch is
on. The engine operating temperature
will vary with changes in weather and
engine load.
If the needle moves into the red zone,
your engine is too hot. If your vehicle
overheats, stop your vehicle and allow the
engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:
Driving up a long hill on a hot day.
Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.
Fuel gauge
Engine coolant temperature
gauge

’04 AVALON U (L/O 0408)
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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
Idling for a long period with the air
conditioning on in stopandgo traffic.
Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to con-
trol the flow of coolant to keep the
temperature of the engine within
the specified operating range.
 Do not continue driving with an
overheated engine. See “If your ve-
hicle overheats” in Section 4.
The tachometer indicates engine speed
in thousands of rpm (revolutions per
minute). Use it while driving to select
correct shift points and to prevent en-
gine lugging and overrevving.
Driving with the engine running too fast
causes excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy. Remember, in most cases
the slower the engine speed, the greater
the fuel economy.
NOTICE
Do not let the indicator needle get
into the red zone. This may cause
severe engine damage.
Ty p e A
Ty p e B
Tachometer Odometer and two trip meters

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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
(b) Overdrive switch
You can select either third gear (with
overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-
drive on) by pushing this switch.
To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.
The “O/D OFF” indicator light should come
on. To turn the overdrive on again, push
the switch again. The “O/D OFF” indicator
light should go off.
Always drive your vehicle with the over-
drive on for better fuel economy and
quieter driving.
If the engine is turned off when the over-
drive is off and restarted, the overdrive
will automatically be on.When the cruise control is being used,
even if you downshift the transmission by
pushing and releasing the overdrive
switch, engine braking will not be enabled
because the cruise control is not can-
celled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see “Cruise control” in this Section.
(c) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in “How to start the engine” in Section 3. The
transmission must be in “P” or “N”.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.
When the lever is in the “D” position, the
automatic transmission system will select
the most suitable gear for running condi-
tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-
ing, hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive on for better
fuel economy and quieter driving. If the
engine coolant temperature is low, the
transmission will not shift into the over-
drive gear even with the overdrive on.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
If the automatic locking operation linked
with the shift position is set, all doors are
automatically locked when the selector le-
ver is moved out of the “P” position after
the ignition switch is turned to the “ON”
position and all the doors are closed. For
details, see “—Automatic door locking and
unlocking functions” in Section 12.
(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to third
gear.
Shift into the “2” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to second gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than 132 km/h (82 mph), and
stronger engine braking will be en-
abled.
Shift into the “L” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than 59 km/h (36 mph), and
maximum engine braking will be en-
abled.

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2004 AVALON from Aug. ’04 Prod. (OM41412U)
(b) Overdrive switch
You can select either third gear (with
overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-
drive on) by pushing this switch.
To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.
The “O/D OFF” indicator light should come
on. To turn the overdrive on again, push
the switch again. The “O/D OFF” indicator
light should go off.
Always drive your vehicle with the over-
drive on for better fuel economy and
quieter driving.
If the engine is turned off when the over-
drive is off and restarted, the overdrive
will automatically be on.When the cruise control is being used,
even if you downshift the transmission by
pushing and releasing the overdrive
switch, engine braking will not be enabled
because the cruise control is not can-
celled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see “Cruise control” in this Section.
(c) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in “How to start the engine” in Section 3. The
transmission must be in “P” or “N”.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.
When the lever is in the “D” position, the
automatic transmission system will select
the most suitable gear for running condi-
tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-
ing, hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive on for better
fuel economy and quieter driving. If the
engine coolant temperature is low, the
transmission will not shift into the over-
drive gear even with the overdrive on.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
If the automatic locking operation linked
with the shift position is set, all doors are
automatically locked when the selector le-
ver is moved out of the “P” position after
the ignition switch is turned to the “ON”
position and all the doors are closed. For
details, see “—Automatic door locking and
unlocking functions” in Section 12.
(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to third
gear.
Shift into the “2” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to second gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than 132 km/h (82 mph), and
stronger engine braking will be en-
abled.
Shift into the “L” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to first gear
When the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than 59 km/h (36 mph), and
maximum engine braking will be en-
abled.