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5
4
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AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ............. 144
Cargo and luggage............ 154
Vehicle load limits ............. 157
Trailer towing..................... 158
Dinghy towing.................... 159
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch ..... 160
Automatic transmission ..... 165
Turn signal lever................ 169
Parking brake .................... 170
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ................ 171
Automatic High Beam ....... 174
Windshield wipers and washer ............................ 178
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap .......................... 184 4-5. Using the driving
support systems
Toyota Safety Sense P ...... 188
PCS (Pre-Collision System)..... 196
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) ....... 209
Dynamic radar cruise control.............................. 220
Cruise control .................... 233
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)......... 237
• The Blind Spot Monitor
function.......................... 239
• The Rear Cross Traffic Alert function ................. 243
Driving mode select switches........................... 246
Driving assist systems ....... 248
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips .............. 253
4Driving
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143
Driving4
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ............. 144
Cargo and luggage ........... 154
Vehicle load limits ............. 157
Trailer towing..................... 158
Dinghy towing ................... 159
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch ..... 160
Automatic transmission ..... 165
Turn signal lever................ 169
Parking brake .................... 170 4-3. Operating the lights
and wipers
Headlight switch ................ 171
Automatic High Beam ....... 174
Windshield wipers and washer ............................ 178
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap .................................. 184
4-5. Using the driving support systems
Toyota Safety Sense P ..... 188
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .... 196
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering
control) ............................ 209
Dynamic radar cruise control ............................. 220
Cruise control .................... 233
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) ........ 237
• The Blind Spot Monitor function ......................... 239
• The Rear Cross Traffic Alert function ................. 243
Driving mode select switches .......................... 246
Driving assist systems ...... 248
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips ............. 253
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1484-1. Before driving
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle.
● Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
● 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.
■ When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
● Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is
selected.
● Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.
Page 165 of 492
1654-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
While the engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode, move the
shift lever with the brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the
vehicle is completely stopped.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noises, set the shift lever in the Dposition for normal driving.
*2: Selecting shift ranges using S mode restricts the upper limit of the possiblegear ranges, controls engine braking force, and prevents upshifting above
the selected range.
Automatic transmission
Shifting the shift lever
Shift position purpose
Shift positionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 ( P. 166)
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1684-2. Driving procedures
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
■S mode
●When the shift range is “4” or lower, holding the shift lever toward “+” sets
the shift range to “6”.
● To prevent the engine from over-revving, upshifting may automatically
occur.
● To protect the automatic transmission, a function is adopted that automati-
cally shifts to the top range when the temperature is too hot.
■ AI-SHIFT
AI-SHIFT automatically selects the suitable gear according to driver input and
the driving situation.
AI-SHIFT automatically operates when the shift lever is in the D position.
(Shifting the shift lever to the S position or paddle shifting cancels the func-
tion.)
■ When driving with cruise control or radar cruise control activated
When downshifting to 5 or 4 by shifting the shift lever to the S position or pad-
dle shifting, cruise control or radar cruise control will not be canceled.
( P. 220, 233)
■ If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
P. 409
■ If the “S” indicator does not come on or the “D” indicator is displayed
even after shifting the shift lever to S
This may indicate a malfunction in the automatic transmission system. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
(In this situation, the transmission will operate in the same manner as when
the shift lever is in D.)
■ Downshift restriction warning buzze r (S mode or paddle shifting)
To help ensure safety and driving performance, downshifting operation may
sometimes be restricted. In some circumstances, downshifting may not be
possible even when the shift lever or paddle shift switches are operated. (A
buzzer will sound twice.)
WARNING
■ When driving on slippery road surfaces
Do not accelerate or shift gears suddenly.
Sudden changes in engine braking may cause the vehicle to spin or skid,
resulting in an accident.
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3206-2. Maintenance
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal
• The accelerator pedal shouldmove smoothly (without uneven
pedal effort or catching).
Automatic transmission “Park”
mechanism• When parked on a slope and the
shift lever is in P, is the vehicle
securely stopped?
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal movesmoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appro-
priate clearance from the floor? (P. 430)
• Does the brake pedal have the
correct amount of free play? (P. 430)
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to one
side when the brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effec-
tively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get too close to the floor when the
brakes are applied.
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380
AVALON (U)_(01999-07001)
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
The following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Toyota dealer or commercial towing service before towing.
●The engine is running but the vehicle does not move.
● The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
If your vehicle needs to be towed
If towing is necessary, we re commend having your vehicle
towed by your Toyota dealer or commercial towing service,
using a wheel-lift type truck or flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by all state/
provincial and local laws.
Situations when it is necessary to contact dealers before towing
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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.