2008 TOYOTA AVALON Owners Manual

When trouble arises5
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5-1. Essential information .... 362If your vehicle needs to be 
towed ............................. 362
If you think something is 
wrong ............................. 366
Fuel pump shut off  system ........................... 367
Event data recorder ......... 368
5-2. Steps to take in an 
emergency .................... 370
If a warning light turns on  or a warning buzzer 
sounds... ........................ 370
If you have a flat tire......... 382
If the engine will not  start ................................ 391
If the shift lever cannot be 
shifted from P ................. 393
If you lose your keys ........ 394
If the electronic key does 
not operate properly 
(with smart key 
system) .......................... 395
If the vehicle battery is 
discharged ..................... 397
If your vehicle overheats .. 401
If the vehicle becomes 
stuck .............................. 404

362
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5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Before towingThe following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Toyota dealer before towing.
● The engine is running, but the vehicle will not move.
● The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by
your Toyota dealer or a commerci al towing service, using a lift-type
truck or a flat bed truck. 
Use a safety chain system for all to wing, and abide by all state/pro-
vincial and local laws.
If towing from the front, the vehicle ’s rear wheel and axles must be in
good condition. ( P. 364)
If they are damaged, use a towing dolly or flat bed truck.

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Towing with a sling-type truck
NOTICE
■
To prevent body damage
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.

364 5-1. Essential information
AVALON_U_(L/O_0802)
Towing with a wheel lift-type truckFrom front Release the parking brake.
From rear Use a towing dolly under the
front wheel.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing damage to the transmission
Never tow this vehicle from the rear with the front wheel on the ground.
■ To prevent damaging the vehicle
When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed.

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5-1. Essential information
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Using a flat bed truck
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45°.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be
damaged.

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If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
■ Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle 
(Water dripping from the air cond itioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● Engine coolant temperature gauge needle continually points
higher than normal
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, s pongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor

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Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is
activated.
Switch to ACC mode or OFF.
Restart the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle. 
If you find that fuel has leaked on to the ground, the fuel system has been
damaged and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or an air-
bag inflates upon collision, the fuel pump shut off system stops sup-
plying fuel to the engine.
STEP1
STEP2

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Event data recorder
In a crash or a near car crash eventThe SRS airbag sensor assembly contains the EDR. In a crash or a
near car crash event, this device may record some or all of the follow-
ing information:
● Engine speed
● Whether the brake pedal was applied or not
● Vehicle speed
● To what extent the accelerator pedal was depressed
● Position of the transmission shift lever
● Whether the driver and front passenger wore seat belts or not
● Driver’s seat position
● Front passenger’s occupant classification
● SRS airbag deployment data
● SRS airbag system diagnostic data
If your vehicle is equipped with a vehicle stability control (VSC) sys-
tem, its Electronic C ontrol Unit (ECU) may contain another EDR.
There are a variety of driving sit uations which include activating the
vehicle stability control (VSC) under which the VSC EDR will record
certain information. The VSC EDR may record some or all of the fol-
lowing information:
Your vehicle has computers that monitor and control certain aspects
of your vehicle. These computers assi st in driving and maintaining
optimal vehicle performance.
Besides storing data useful for tr oubleshooting, there is a system to
record data in a crash or a near car crash event. This is called an
Event Data Recorder (EDR).