2011 TOYOTA AVALON Owners Manual

When driving2
137
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle............ 138
Engine (ignition) switch
(with smart key
system) .......................... 149
Engine (ignition) switch
(without smart key
system) .......................... 153
Automatic
transmission................... 156
Turn signal lever .............. 161
Parking brake ................... 162
Horn ................................. 1632-2. Instrument cluster
Gauges and meters ......... 164
Indicators and warning
lights .............................. 167
Multi-information
display............................ 170
2-3. Operating the lights and
windshield wipers
Headlight switch ............... 173
Fog light switch ................ 176
Windshield wipers and
washer ........................... 177
2-4. Using other driving systems
Cruise control ................... 182
Rear view monitor
system ........................... 186
Driving assist systems ..... 195
2-5. Driving information
Cargo and luggage .......... 200
Vehicle load limits ............ 205
Winter driving tips ............ 207
Trailer towing ................... 212
Dinghy towing .................. 213

138
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driv-
ing.
■Starting the engine
P. 149, 153
■Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to “D”.
(P. 156)
Release the parking brake. (P. 162)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently push the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■Stopping
With the shift lever in “D”, push the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle is stopped for an extended period of time, shift
the shift lever to “P”. (
P. 156)
■Parking the vehicle
With the shift lever in “D”, push the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (P. 162)
Shift the shift lever to “P”. (P. 156)
Stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your
person.

139 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
Starting on a steep incline
Firmly set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to “D”.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the
windows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be
especially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road
surface, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended
to observe:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. (P. 510)

140 2-1. Driving procedures
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine run-
ning. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident
that could result in death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the
vehicle only slightly, allowing you to depress the brake and accelerator
pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. This may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
●Do not let the vehicle roll backwards while the shift lever is in a driving
position, or roll forward while the shift lever is in “R”.
Doing so may cause the engine not to operate or lead to poor brake and
steering performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.

141 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and
check that the trunk is closed.
Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause driver drowsiness and
an accident, resulting in death or a serious health hazard. Have the cause
of the problem inspected immediately.
●Do not under any circumstances shift the shift lever to “P”, “R” or “N” while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can cause significant damage to the transmission and may result
in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to “N” while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so may cause the engine brake not to operate properly and lead to
an accident.
●Do not turn the engine off while driving.
The power steering and brake booster will not operate properly if the
engine is not running.
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (P. 158)
●Be careful when driving on slippery surfaces, as the vehicle may spin or
skid when downshifting, rapidly accelerating, braking or turning.

142 2-1. Driving procedures
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents
that may result in death or serious injury.
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their bod-
ies are not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
●Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-
shifting or down-shifting, may cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an
accident.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in
an accident.

143 2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
CAUTION
■When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than “P” or “N” the vehicle may acceler-
ate suddenly and unexpectedly, and may cause an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the engine on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the engine is running, and apply the
parking brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.

144 2-1. Driving procedures
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
CAUTION
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Failure to do so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and
plastic material of eye glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehi-
cle’s electrical components.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to “P”, stop the engine
and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipe while the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
●Do not leave the engine running in an area with snow build up, or where it
is snowing, or snow is expected to fall.
Exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a
serious health hazard.