Page 321 of 492
3216-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
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
Page 381 of 492
3817-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
Do not tow with a sling-type truck
to prevent body damage.
Towing with a sling-type truck
Towing with a wheel-lift type truck
From the frontFrom the rear
Release the parking brake. Use a towing dolly under the front wheels.
Page 386 of 492

3867-2. Steps to take in an emergency
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
If a warning light turns on or a warning
buzzer sounds
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights
comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but then
goes off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the
system. However, if this continues to occur, have the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Warning light and warning buzzer list
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)*1
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake booster system This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is
fully released the system is operating normally.
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer. Continuing to drive the vehi-
cle may be dangerous.
Charging system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
Low engine oil pressure warning light
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low.
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lamp Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The electronic automatic transmission control system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
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3897-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
*1: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer: The buzzer sounds to indicatethat the parking brake is still engaged (with the vehicle having reached a
speed of 3 mph [5 km/h]).
*2: Open door warning buzzer:
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle reaches a speed of 3 mph (5 km/h) or
more with any door open.
*3: Driver’s seat belt buzzer:The driver’s seat belt buzzer sounds to alert the driver that his or her seat
belt is not fastened. Once the engine switch is turned to IGNITION ON
mode, the buzzer sounds for 6 seconds. If the vehicle reaches a speed of
12 mph (20 km/h), the buzzer sounds once. If the seat belt is still unfas-
tened after 30 seconds, the buzzer will sound intermittently for 10 seconds.
Then, if the seat belt is still unfastened, the buzzer will sound in a different
tone for 20 more seconds.
Front passenger’s seat belt buzzer:
The front passenger’s seat belt buzzer sounds to alert the front passenger
that his or her seat belt is not fastened. The buzzer sounds once if the\
vehicle reaches a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h). If the seat belt is still unfas-
tened after 30 seconds, the buzzer will sound intermittently for 10 seconds.
Then, if the seat belt is still unfastened, the buzzer will sound in a different
tone for 20 more seconds.
Master warning light A buzzer sounds and the warning light comes on and
flashes to indicate that the master warning system has
detected a malfunction.
P. 394
Tire pressure warning light
When the light comes on:
Low tire inflation pressure such as
• Natural causes ( P. 390)
• Flat tire ( P. 395)
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified
level.
The light will turn off after a few minutes. In case
the light does not turn off even if the tire inflation
pressure is adjusted, have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer.
When the light comes on after blinking for 1 minute:
Malfunction in the tire pressure warning system
Have the system checked by your Toyota dealer.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
Page 395 of 492
3957-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
●Stop the vehicle on a hard, flat surface.
● Set the parking brake.
● Shift the shift lever to P.
● Stop the engine.
● Turn on the emergency flashers. ( P. 378)
If you have a flat tire
Your vehicle is equipped with a spare tire. The flat tire can be
replaced with the spare tire.
For details about tires: P. 3 4 0
WARNING
■If you have a flat tire
Do not continue driving with a flat tire.
Driving even a short distance with a fl at tire can damage the tire and the
wheel beyond repair, which could result in an accident.
Before jacking up the vehicle
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4087-2. Steps to take in an emergency
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
One of the following may be the cause of the problem:
●One or both of the battery terminals may be disconnected.
● The battery may be discharged. ( P. 413)
● There may be a malfunction in the steering lock system.
Contact your Toyota dealer if the problem cannot be repaired, or if repair
procedures are unknown.
When the engine does not start, the following steps can be used as an
interim measure to start the engine if the engine switch is functioning
normally:
Set the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Turn the engine switch to ACCESSORY mode.
Press and hold the engine switch for about 15 seconds while
depressing the brake pedal firmly.
Even if the engine can be started using the above steps, the system
may be malfunctioning. Have the v ehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
The starter motor does not turn ov er, the interior lights and head-
lights do not turn on, or the horn does not sound.
Emergency start function
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Page 409 of 492
4097-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
Set the parking brake.
Turn the engine switch to ACCESSORY mode.
Depress the brake pedal.
Pry the cover up with a flathead
screwdriver or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover,
cover the tip of the screwdriver with
a rag.
Press the shift lock override
button.
The shift lever can be shifted while
the button is pressed.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your foot on the brake
pedal, there may be a problem with the shift lock system (a sys-
tem to prevent accidental operation of the shift lever). Have the
vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
The following steps may be used as an emergency measure to
ensure that the shift lever can be shifted:
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Page 420 of 492

4207-2. Steps to take in an emergency
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to P.
Remove the mud, snow or sand from around the front wheels.
Place wood, stones or some other material under the front wheels
to help provide traction.
Restart the engine.
Shift the shift lever to D or R and release the parking brake. Then,
while exercising caution, depress the accelerator pedal.
■ When it is difficult to free the vehicle
If the vehicle becomes stuck
Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt or snow:
Press to turn off TRAC.
WARNING
■When attempting to free a stuck vehicle
If you choose to push the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure the
surrounding area is clear to avoid striking other vehicles, objects or people.
The vehicle may also lunge forward or lunge back suddenly as it becomes
free. Use extreme 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 resulting in death or serious injury.
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