Page 301 of 500
301
Maintenance and care6
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)6-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 302
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 306
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 309
General maintenance........ 311
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs......................... 315
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ..................... 316
Hood ................................. 319
Positioning a floor jack ...... 320
Engine compartment ......... 322
Tires .................................. 334
Tire inflation pressure ....... 342
Wheels .............................. 345
Air conditioning filter.......... 348
Electronic key battery........ 350
Checking and replacing fuses ............................... 352
Light bulbs......................... 361
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3056-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)
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 wipers switch to off.
If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers may operate and the wiper blades
may be damaged.
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3086-1. Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)
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.
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3136-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)
Head restraints• Do the head restraints movesmoothly and lock securely?
Indicators/buzzers• Do the indicators and buzzersfunction properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake
• Moves smoothly?
• When parked on a slope and the parking brake is on, is the vehicle
securely stopped?
Seat belts
• Do the seat belts operatesmoothly?
• The seat belts should not be dam- aged.
Seats• Do the seat controls operate prop-erly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steering wheel rotatesmoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correct amount of free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds coming from the steering
wheel.
ItemsCheck points
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3176-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)
Fuses(P. 352)• Fuse with same amperage rating
as original
Light bulbs (P. 361)
• Bulb with same number and watt-
age rating as original
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wrench
Radiator and condenser ( P. 328)
Tire inflation pressure ( P. 342)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid(P. 333)
• Water or washer fluid containing
antifreeze (for winter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer fluid)
ItemsParts and tools
Page 319 of 500
3196-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)
Pull the hood lock release lever.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Pull up the auxiliary catch lever
and lift the hood.
Hood
Release the lock from the inside of the vehicle to open the hood.
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CAUTION
■Pre-driving check
Check that the hood is fully closed and locked.
If the hood is not locked properly, it may open while the vehicle is in motion
and cause an accident, which may result in death or serious injury.
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3296-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)■
Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN”
lines on the tank.
“MAX” line
“MIN” line
■Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid ty pe and prepare the necessary item.
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause a dangerous loss of braking effi-
ciency. Use only newly opened brake fluid.
Brake fluid
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Fluid type FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid
Items Clean funnel
CAUTION
■When filling the reservoir
Take care as brake fluid can harm your hands and eyes and damage
painted surfaces.
If fluid gets on your hands or in your eyes, flush the affected area with clean
water immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, see a doctor.
NOTICE
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads
wear out or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilling, there may be a serious problem.
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3316-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(OM41456U)■
After recharging/reconnecting the battery
The engine may not start. Follow the procedure below to initialize the system.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Open and close any of the doors.
Restart the engine.
● Unlocking the doors using the smart key system may not be possible imme-
diately after reconnecting the battery. If this happens, use the wireless
remote control or the mechanical key to lock/unlock the doors.
● Start the engine with the engine switch in ACCESSORY mode. The engine
may not start when the engine switch turned from off. However, the engine
will operate normally from the second attempt.
● The engine switch mode is recorded by the vehicle. If the battery is recon-
nected, the vehicle will return the engine switch mode to the status it was in
before the battery was disconnected. Make sure to turn off the engine
before disconnect the battery. Take extra care when connecting the battery
if the engine switch mode prior to discharge is unknown.
If the system will not start even after multiple attempts, contact your Toyota
dealer.
CAUTION
■ Chemicals in the battery
Batteries contain poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid and may produce
hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive. To reduce the risk of death
or serious injury, take the following precautions while working on or near the
battery:
● Do not cause sparks by touching the battery terminals with tools.
● Do not smoke or light a match near the battery.
● Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothes.
● Never inhale or swallow electrolyte.
● Wear protective safety glasses when working near the battery.
● Keep children away from the battery.
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