2005 TOYOTA AVALON automatic transmission

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Shift range positions
“5” (Fifth range):
The most suitable gear is selected au-
tomatically between first and overdrive
(fifth) gears according to the vehicle
speed or driving conditions.
“4” (Fourth range):
The most suitable gear is selected au-
tomatically between first and fourth
gears according to the vehicle speed
or driving conditions. Slight engine
braking will be obtained on a downhill
road. Smooth running with less shifting
will be obtained on an uphill road.
“3” (Third range):
The most suitable gear is selected au-
tomatically between first and third
gears according to the vehicle speed
or driving conditions. This range is to
be used when stronger engine braking
is necessary.
“2” (Second range):
First or second gear will be selected
automatically according to the vehicle
speed or driving conditions. This range
is to be used when engine braking
stronger than that of the “3” range
position is necessary.
“1” (First range):
The gear is fixed in first regardless of
vehicle speed or driving conditions.
This range is to be used when maxi-
mum engine braking is necessary.
If you attempt to downshift the transmis-
sion when it is not possible to downshift
due to high vehicle speed, a warning tone
sounds twice.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower
traffic, maximum acceleration may be nec-
essary. Make sure you observe the follow-
ing maximum allowable speeds in each
range: range km/h (mph)1 59 (37)
2 106 (66)
3 165 (103)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower range.
When the “S” mode indicator light does
not come on even with the selector lever
moved to the sequential position, there
may be a problem somewhere in the
system. Have your vehicle checked/re-
paired by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. In this case, you can drive in
the same condition as in the “D” position.
(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
When driving in the “D” position—Shift the selector lever to sequential
position.
When driving in the “5” range within
the sequential position— Move the selector lever down to the
“− ” side to select the “4” range.
The transmission will downshift to
fourth range and engine braking will be
enabled.
Vehicles with cruise control or dynamic
laser cruise control—When the cruise
control is being used, engine braking
can not be enabled because the cruise
control is not cancelled.

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(g) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope,
shift the selector lever into sequential
position.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Always use the brake pedal or the
parking brake to hold the vehicle on
an upgrade. Do not attempt to hold
the vehicle using the accelerator ped-
al, as this can cause the transmission
to overheat.
(h) If you cannot shift the selector le-ver out of “P” position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the “P” position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override button. For instructions, see “If
you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector lever” on page 322 in Section 4. The traction control system automatical-
ly helps prevent the spinning of front
wheels when the vehicle is started or
accelerated on slippery road surfaces.
When the ignition switch is set at ON, the
system automatically turns on.
CAUTION
Under certain slippery road condi-
tions, full traction of the vehicle and
power against front wheels cannot be
maintained, even though the traction
control system is in operation. Do not
drive the vehicle under any speed or
maneuvering conditions which may
cause the vehicle to lose traction
control. In situations where the road
surface is covered with ice or snow,
your vehicle should be fitted with
snow tires or tire chains. Always
drive at an appropriate and cautious
speed for the present road condi-
tions.
Traction control system

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Ty p e A
Ty p e B
When parking, firmly apply the parking
brake to avoid inadvertent creeping.
To set: Fully depress the parking brake
pedal. For better holding power, first de-
press the brake pedal and hold it while
setting the parking brake.
To release: Depress the parking brake
pedal while depressing the brake pedal.
To remind you that the parking brake is
set, the parking brake reminder light in
the instrument panel remains on until you
release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the park-
ing brake reminder light is off.
The cruise control allows you to cruise
the vehicle at a desired speed over 40
km/h (25 mph) with your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained
although a slight speed change may occur
when driving up or down gradient, within
the limits of engine performance. On
steeper hills, a greater speed change will
occur so it is better to drive without the
cruise control.
When the cruise control is on, the driving
pattern of the automatic transmission is
fixed in the normal position, regardless of
the position of the selector switch.
Parking brakeCruise control

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CAUTION
To help maintain maximum control
of your vehicle, do not use the
cruise control when driving in
heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snowcovered) or
winding roads.
Avoid vehicle speed increases when
driving downhill. If the vehicle
speed is too fast in relation to the
cruise control set speed, cancel the
cruise control then downshift the
transmission to use engine braking
to slow down.
TURNING THE SYSTEM ON
To operate the cruise control, push
“ON−OFF” button. This turns the system
on. The indicator light in the instrument
cluster shows that you can now set your
desired cruising speed. Another push will
turn the system completely off.
When the ignition key is turned off, the
system automatically turned off. To use
the cruise control again, push “ON −OFF”
button again to turn it on.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control en-
gagement, keep the cruise control
system off when not using the cruise
control.

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SETTING AT A DESIRED SPEED
The transmission must be in “D” before
you set the cruise control speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,
push the lever down in the “− SET” direc-
tion and release it. This sets the vehicle
at that speed. If the speed is not satisfac-
tory, tap the lever up for a faster speed,
or tap it down for a slower speed. Each
tap changes the set speed by 1.6 km/h
(1.0 mph). You can now take your foot off
the accelerator pedal. If you need acceleration—for example,
when passing—depress the accelerator
pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the set speed. When you release it, the
vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by:
a. Depressing the brake pedal.
b. Pulling the lever in the “CANCEL” direction.
c. Pressing the “ON −OFF” button.
In the following cases, the preset speed
automatically cancels out: a. The vehicle speed falls below about 40km/h (25 mph).
b. If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10 mph) below the preset speed, the pre-
set speed will also automatically be
cancelled.
If the preset speed automatically cancels
out for other than the above reasons, do
not operate the cruise control. Although it
is no problem to continue driving, have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er at the earliest opportunity. RESETTING TO A FASTER SPEED
Push the lever up in the “+ RES” direction
and hold it. Release the lever when the
desired speed is attained. While the lever
is held up, the vehicle will gradually gain
speed.
When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 5 km/h (3 mph), the set speed can
be increased 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time
by pushing the lever up in the “+ RES”
direction quickly within 0.5 seconds.
However, a faster way to reset is to ac-
celerate the vehicle and then push the
lever down in the “− SET” direction.
RESETTING TO A SLOWER SPEED
Push the lever down in the “
− SET” direc-
tion and hold it. Release the lever when
the desired speed is attained. While the
lever is held down, the vehicle speed will
gradually decrease.
When the difference is 5 km/h (3 mph) or
more, the vehicle will cruise with its
actual speed. When the difference be-
tween the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the set speed can be lowered 1.6 km/h (1
mph) each time by pushing the lever down
in the “ − SET” direction quickly within 0.5
seconds.

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SETTING THE DESIRED SPEED
The transmission must be in “D” before
you set the cruise control speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,
push the lever down in the “− SET” direc-
tion and release it. This sets the vehicle
at that speed. At this time, the display
indicates settings such as the preset ve-
hicle speed, whether a vehicle is present
ahead and selected vehicle −to −vehicle dis-
tance. If there is no vehicle detected
ahead, the display does not indicate the
vehicle ahead. You can now take your foot
off the accelerator pedal. If you need to accelerate—for example,
when passing—depress the accelerator
pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the preset speed. When you release the
accelerator pedal, the vehicle will return to
the control prior to acceleration.
You cannot set a desired speed if the
master warning light comes on, the alarm
sounds and the display indicates one of
the warning codes “C1”, “C2” or “E3”. If
any of the above codes appears on the
display, see “VEHICLE
−TO −VEHICLE
DISTANCE CONTROL MODE FAILURE
WARNING” on page 183.
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by doing
any of the following:
a. Pulling the lever in the “CANCEL” direction.
b. Depressing the brake pedal. c. Pressing the “ON −OFF” button.
If cancelled by a. or b., the “READY”
indicator comes on and the dynamic laser
cruise control enters the ready mode.
If cancelled by c., the “CRUISE” indicator
light goes off in the instrument panel. In
this case, the preset speed data is
cleared, and you must set the speed from
the beginning. In the following cases, the preset speed
automatically cancels out:
a. The vehicle speed falls below about 40 km/h (25 mph). (40 km/h [25 mph] is
designated as a cancel speed.)
b. The slip indicator light blinks and an alarm sounds. (This occurs when the
vehicle is about to skid.)
If cancelled by a. or b., the “READY”
indicator comes on and the dynamic laser
cruise control enters the ready mode.
If one of the warning codes “C1”, “C2” or
“E3” appears on the display, the preset
speed automatically cancels out. See
“VEHICLE −TO −VEHICLE DISTANCE
CONTROL MODE FAILURE WARNING” on
page 183.
If the preset speed automatically cancels
out for other than the above reasons, do
not operate the dynamic laser cruise con-
trol. Although there is no problem to con-
tinue driving, please contact your Toyota
dealer.

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Ti r e relat ed ter mMeaning
Accessory weight
the combined weight (in excess of those standard items which may be
replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that these items
are available as factory−installed equipment (whether installed or not)
Cold tire inflation pressure
tire inflation pressure when the vehicle has been parked for at least 3
hours or more, or it has not been driven more than 1.5 km or 1 mile
under that condition
Curb weight
the weight of a motor vehicle wi th standard equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight optional engine
Intended outboard sidewall
(A) the sidewall that contains a whitewall, bears white lettering or bears manufacturer, brand, and/or model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same molding on th e other sidewall of the tire, or
(B) the outward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that must always face outward when mounted on a vehicle
Maximum inflation pressurethe maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire may be inflated and it
is shown on the sidewall of the tire
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
t he sum of —
(a) curb weight;
(b) accessory weight;
(c) vehicle capacity weight; and
(d) production options weight
—Glossary of tire terminology

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CAUTION
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing vehicle
trailer combination usually in-
creases as the speed increases, ex-
ceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may
cause loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or too frequently. This
could cause the brakes to overheat
and result in reduced braking effi-
ciency.
Improving fuel economy 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 page
353 in Section 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 lengthy warmup idling. Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
driving—but gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.
Put the selector lever into the “D”
when engine braking is not required.
Driving without the “D” position will re-
duce the fuel economy. (For details,
see “Automatic transmission” on page
161 in Section 1 −7.)
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 lugging or overrev-
ving. 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 dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal. This causes premature wear,
overheating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer