2005 TOYOTA AVALON Owners Manual

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Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of “P” position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch is set at ON).
(a) Selector lever
The shift position is also displayed on the
instrument cluster.
P:Parking, engine starting and
key removal
R: Reverse
N: Neutral
D: Normal driving (shifting into overdrive)
Sequential position: “S” mode driving
+: Upshift range
: Downshift range
Automatic transmission
Shift with the brake pedal
depressed.
(The ignition switch must be
set at ON.)
Shift normally.
To select sequential position or
“D”, lean the selector lever
leftward or rightward. “D” position
Sequential
position
Selector lever

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(b) Normal driving1. Start the engine as instructed in “How to start the engine” on page 288 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 use the “D” position for better fuel
economy and quieter driving. In this posi-
tion, shifting into the overdrive gear is
possible. If the engine coolant temperature
is low, the transmission will not shift into
the overdrive gear even in the “D” posi-
tion.
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. (c) Driving in sequential mode (“S”
mode)
To select the sequential mode (“S”
mode), put the selector lever in the se-
quential position.
In the “S” mode, you can change the
shift range position. The shift range
position can be switched between 5
(fifth range) and 1 (first range) by
pushing the selector lever forward to-
wards “+” or pulling back towards “”.
When the selector lever is moved into
the “S” mode, the initial shift range
position is 4 (fourth range).
The “S” mode indicator light and the cur-
rent shift range position are shown on the
instrument cluster.
1: Upshift range
2: Downshift range

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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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For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see “Cruise control” on page 169 or “Dy-
namic laser cruise control” on page 172
in this Section.
Move the selector lever down to the
“− ” side to select the “3” range. The
transmission will downshift to third
range when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than 147 km/h (91
mph), and stronger engine braking will
be enabled.
Move the selector lever down to the
“ − ” side to select the “2” range. The
transmission will downshift to second
range when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than 91 km/h (56
mph), and more powerful engine brak-
ing than that of the “3” range position
will be enabled.
Move the selector lever down to the
“ − ” side to select the “1” range. The
transmission will downshift to first
range when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than 39 km/h (24
mph), and maximum engine braking will
be enabled.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to skid or
spin.
(e) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the selector lever to the
“R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(f) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal pressed down, fully depress the parking brake pedal
to apply the parking brake securely.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down, shift the selector lever to the “P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector
lever into “P” position under any cir-
cumstances while the vehicle is mov-
ing. Serious mechanical damage and
loss of vehicle control may result.

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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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NORMAL DRIVING MODE
Leave the system on during the ordi-
nary driving so that it can operate
when needed.
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the trac-
tion control system is in the self−check
mode, but does not indicate a malfunction. When the traction control system is oper-
ating, the following conditions occur:
The system controls the spinning of the
front wheels. At this time, the slip indi-
cator light blinks.
You may feel vibration or noise in your
vehicle, caused by operation of the
brakes. This indicates the system is
functioning properly.
The slip indicator light comes on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is set at
ON. If the indicator light does not come
on when the ignition is turned on, contact
your Toyota dealer.
“VSC” warning light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in the traction control system
or the vehicle stability control system.
The light will come on when the ignition
switch is set at ON and will go off after
a few seconds.
If the light comes on while driving, the
system does not work. However, as con-
ventional braking operates when applied,
there is no problem to continue your driv-
ing.

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In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The warning light does not come on
after the ignition switch is set at ON.
The warning light remains on after the
ignition switch is set at ON.
The warning light comes on while driv-
ing.The vehicle stability control system
helps provide integrated control of the
systems such as antilock brake sys-
tem, traction control, engine control,
etc. This system automatically controls
the brakes and engine to help prevent
the vehicle from skidding when corner-
ing on a slippery road surface or oper-
ating steering wheel abruptly.
This system will activate when your ve-
hicle speed reaches or exceeds 15 km/h
(9 mph), and will deactivate when the ve-
hicle speed reduces to below 15 km/h (9
mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the sys-
tem is in the self
−check mode but does
not indicate a malfunction.
CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the ve-
hicle stability control system. Even
if the vehicle stability control sys-
tem is operating, you must always
drive carefully and attentively to
avoid serious injury. Reckless driv-
ing will result in an unexpected ac-
cident. If the slip indicator light
flashes and an alarm sounds, spe-
cial care should be taken while
driving.
Only use tires of specified size. The
size, manufacture, brand and tread
pattern for all 4 tires should be the
same. If you use the tires other
than specified, different type or
size, the vehicle stability control
system may not function correctly.
When replacing the tires or wheels,
contact your Toyota dealer. (See
“Checking and replacing tires” on
page 356 in Section 72.)
In situations where the road surface
is covered with ice or snow, your
vehicle should be fitted with snow
tires or tire chains.
Vehicle stability control
system

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If the vehicle is going to skid during driv-
ing, the slip indicator light blinks and an
alarm sounds intermittently. Special care
should be taken while driving.
The slip indicator light comes on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is set at
ON. If the indicator light does not come
on when the ignition is turned on, contact
your Toyota dealer.“VSC” warning light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in the vehicle stability control
system or the traction control system.
The light will come on when the ignition
switch is set at ON and will go off after
a few seconds.
If the light comes on while driving, the
system does not work. However, as con-
ventional braking operates when applied,
there is no problem to continue your driv-
ing.In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The warning light does not come on
after the ignition switch is set at ON.
The warning light remains on after the
ignition switch is set at ON.
The warning light comes on while driv-
ing.