2013 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID Owners Manual

329
6Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)6-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 330
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 333
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 336
General maintenance ........ 338
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ......................... 342 6-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ..................... 343
Hood ................................. 346
Positioning a floor jack ...... 347
Engine compartment ......... 349
12-volt battery ................... 358
Tires .................................. 362
Tire inflation pressure ....... 369
Wheels .............................. 372
Air conditioning filter.......... 375
Electronic key battery........ 377
Checking and replacing fuses ............................... 379
Light bulbs......................... 390

330
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)
6-1. Maintenance and care
●Working from top to bottom, liber ally apply water to the vehicle
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any dirt
and dust.
● Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a
chamois.
● For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thoroughly
with water.
● Wipe away any water.
● Wax the vehicle when the wate rproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle
body is cool.
■Automatic car washes
●Fold the mirrors before washing the vehi cle. Start washing from the front of
the vehicle. Make sure to extend the mirrors before driving.
● Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
■ High pressure car washes
●Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of
the windows.
● Before using the car wash, check that the fuel filler door on your vehicle is
closed properly.
■ When using a car wash
If the door handle becomes wet while the electronic key is within the ef\
fective
range, the door may lock and unlock repeatedly. In that case, follow the fol-
lowing correction procedures to wash the vehicle:
●Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2 m) or more separate from the vehicle
while the vehicle is being washed. (Take care to ensure that the key is not
stolen.)
● Set the electronic key to battery-saving mode to disable the smart key sys-
tem. ( P. 125)
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle
exterior
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in
prime condition:

3316-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)■
Aluminum wheels
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use hard
brushes or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical clean-
ers.
Use the same mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.
● Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, for example after
driving for long distance in the hot weather.
● Wash detergent from the wheels immediately after use.
■ Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
CAUTION
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the engine compartment. Doing so may
cause the electrical components etc. to catch fire.
■ When cleaning the windshield (veh icles with rain-sensing windshield
wipers)
● When the upper part of the windshi eld where the raindrop sensor is
located is touched by hand
● When a wet rag or similar is held close to the raindrop sensor
● If something bumps against the windshield
● If you directly touch the raindrop sensor body or if something bumps into
the raindrop sensor
■ Precautions regarding the exhaust pipes
Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipes to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipes until they have
cooled sufficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipes can cause burns.
■ Precaution regarding the Blind Spot Monitor (if equipped)
If the paint of the rear bumper is chipped or scratched, the system may mal-
function. If this occurs, consult your Toyota dealer.
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wip-
ers may operate unexpectedly in the fol-
lowing situations, and may result in
hands being caught or other serious inju-
ries and cause damage to the wiper
blades.
off

3326-1. Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (aluminum wheels etc.)
● Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on the
paint surface
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
● If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
● To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the wheels.
■ Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
● Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■ To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away from the windshield, pull the driver side
wiper arm upward first, and repeat for the passenger side. When returning
the wipers to their original position, do so from the passenger side first.
■ When using an automatic car wash (vehicles with rain-sensing wind-
shield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to off.
If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers may operate and the wiper blades
may be damaged.

3336-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)
Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surfaces
with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe off any excess dirt and dust with a soft cloth dampened with
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool detergent.
● Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe off
all remaining traces of detergent.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining
moisture. Allow the leather to dr y in a shaded and ventilated area.
● Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
● Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather using a sponge
or soft cloth.
● Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the dirt and
wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.
Cleaning and prot ecting the vehicle
interior
The following procedures will help protect your vehicle’s interior
and keep it in top condition:
Protecting the vehicle interior
Cleaning the leather areas
Cleaning the synthetic leather areas

3346-1. Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)
■Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year to
maintain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■ Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a sponge
or brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not use water.
Wipe dirty surfaces and let them dry. Excellent results are obtained by keep-
ing the carpet as dry as possible.
■ Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also
check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
■ When cleaning the carpeted portions of the glove box, console box, etc.
If a strong adhesive tape is used, there is a possibility that the surface of the
carpet could be damaged.
CAUTION
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle, such as on the floor, in the
hybrid battery (traction battery) air vents, and in the trunk.
Doing so may cause the hybrid battery, electrical components, etc. to mal-
function or catch fire.
● Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
( P. 38)
An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect
off the windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading to an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.

3356-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discolor the vehi-
cle interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzene or gasoline,
alkaline or acidic solutions, dye, and bleach
• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, and alco- hol
● Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel’s or other
interior part’s painted surface may be damaged.
■ Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces:
●Remove any dust or dirt from leather surfaces immediately.
● Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
Park the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
● Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or containing wax on the uphol-
stery, as they may stick to the leather surface if the vehicle interior heats
up significantly.
■ Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.
Vehicle systems such as the audio system may be damaged if water comes
into contact with electrical components such as the audio system above or
under the floor of the vehicle. Water may also cause the body to rust.
■ Cleaning the inside of the rear window
● Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause
damage to the rear window defogger heater wires or antenna. Use a cloth
dampened with lukewarm water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe the
window in strokes running parall el to the heater wires or antenna.
● Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.

336
AVALON_HV_U (OM41451U)
6-2. Maintenance
General maintenance should be performed on a daily basis. This can
be done by yourself or by a Toyota dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should be performed at specified intervals
according to the maintenance schedule.
For details about maintenance items and schedules, refer to the “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
You can perform some maintenance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect warranty
coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, refer to the separate “Owner’s War-
ranty Information Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driv ing, day-to-day care and reg-
ular maintenance are essential. It is the owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks. Toyota recommends performing the fol-
lowing maintenance:
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance
Do-it-yourself maintenance