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3256-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)■
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.
WARNING
■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
Page 328 of 492

3286-1. Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)
■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.
WARNING
■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.
Page 331 of 492

3316-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Toyota parts be used for repairs to ensure
performance of each system. If non-Toyota parts are used in replacement or if
a repair shop other than a Toyota dealer performs repairs, confirm the war-
ranty coverage.
■ Resetting the message indicating maintenance is required
After the required maintenance is performed according to the maintenance
schedule, please reset the message.
To reset the message, follow the procedure described below:
Turn the power switch off with the trip meter A reading shown. ( P. 91)
While pressing the trip meter reset knob ( P. 91), turn the power switch to
ON mode
Continue to press and hold the knob until the trip meter displays “000000”.
■ Allow inspection and repairs to be performed by a Toyota dealer
●Toyota technicians are well-trained specialists and are kept up to date with
the latest service information. They are well informed about the operations
of all systems on your vehicle.
● Keep a copy of the repair order. It proves that the maintenance that has
been performed is under warranty cove rage. If any problem should arise
while your vehicle is under warranty, your Toyota dealer will promptly take
care of it.
WARNING
■ If your vehicle is not properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in serious damage to the vehicle and
possible death or serious injury.
■ Handling of the 12-volt battery
●Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and a wide variety of automobile
components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm. Work in a
well ventilated area.
● Oils, fuels and fluids contained in vehicles as well as waste produced by
component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State of Califor-
nia to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Avoid
exposure and wash any affected area immediately.
● 12-volt battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and
lead compounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your
hands after handling. ( P. 350)
1
2
3
Page 335 of 492
3356-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors/trunk• Do the doors/trunk operatesmoothly?
Engine hood• Does the engine hood lock systemwork properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs offluid leakage after the vehicle has
been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire inflation pressure cor-rect?
• The tires should not be dam- aged or excessively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated
according to the maintenance
schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be
loose.
Windshield wipers
• The wiper blades should not show
any signs of cracking, splitting,
wear, contamination or deforma-
tion.
• The wiper blades should clear the windshield without streaking or
skipping.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system is operating
Turn the hybrid system off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation
before performing maintenance checks.
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3386-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many mechanisms and fluids that may
move suddenly, become hot, or become electrically energized. To avoid death
or serious injury, observe the following precautions.
■When working on the engine compartment
●Make sure that the “READY” indicator is off.
● Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan and engine
drive belt.
● Be careful not to touch the engine, power control unit, radiator, exhaust
manifold, etc. right after driving as they may be hot. Oil and other fluids
may also be hot.
● Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and rags, in the
engine compartment.
● Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel. Fuel fumes
are flammable.
■ When working near the electric cooling fans or radiator grille
Be sure the power switch is off.
With the power switch in ON mode, t he electric cooling fans may automati-
cally start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature
is high. ( P. 347)
■ Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc.
from getting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive engine wear
due to dirt in the air.
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3396-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)
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.
1
2
WARNING
■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.
Page 344 of 492

3446-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)
WARNING
■Used engine oil
●Used engine oil contains potentially harmful contaminants which may
cause skin disorders such as inflammation and skin cancer, so care
should be taken to avoid prolonged and repeated contact. To remove used
engine oil from your skin, wash thoroughly with soap and water.
● Dispose of used oil and filters only in a safe and acceptable manner. Do
not dispose of used oil and filters in household trash, in sewers or onto the
ground.
Call your Toyota dealer, service station or auto parts store for information
concerning recycling or disposal.
● Do not leave used engine oil within the reach of children.
NOTICE
■To prevent serious engine damage
Check the oil level on a regular basis.
■ When replacing the engine oil
●Be careful not to spill engine oil on the vehicle components.
● Avoid overfilling, or the engine could be damaged.
● Check the oil level on the dipstick every time you refill the vehicle.
● Be sure the engine oil filler cap is properly tightened.
Page 346 of 492

3466-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
AVALON_HV_U (01999-07002)
■Coolant selection
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” or a similar high quality ethylene
glycol based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite, and non-borate coolant with
long-life hybrid organic acid technology.
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mixture of 50% coolant and 50% deion-
ized water. (Minimum temperature: -31 F [-35 C])
For more details about coolant, contact your Toyota dealer.
■ If the coolant level drops within a short time of replenishing
Visually check the radiator, hoses, engine/power control unit coolant reservoir
caps, drain cock and water pump.
If you cannot find a leak, have your Toyota dealer test the cap and check for
leaks in the cooling system.
WARNING
■When the hybrid system is hot
Do not remove the engine/power control unit coolant reservoir caps or the
radiator cap.( P. 431)
The cooling system may be under pressure and may spray hot coolant if the
cap is removed, causing serious injuries, such as burns.
NOTICE
■ When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor straight antifreeze. The correct mixture of
water and antifreeze must be used to provide proper lubrication, corrosion
protection and cooling. Be sure to read the antifreeze or coolant label.
■ If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to prevent it from damaging parts or paint.