2021 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID Owners Manual (in English)

1854-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the “READY”
indicator is illuminated. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the
vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelera-
tor pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
●The driver should pay extra attention to pedestrians when the vehicle is
powered only by the electric motor (traction motor). As there is no engine
noise, the pedestrians may misjudge the vehicle’s movement.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid
system off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control,
however, power assist to the steering will be lost. This will make it more
difficult to steer smoothly, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way: P. 449
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (P. 206)
●Do not adjust the display, the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or
the inside or outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.

1864-1. Before driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■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 result 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.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
hybrid system. 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 any position other than P or N may lead to unex-
pected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and
result in death or serious injury.

1874-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Toyota dealer as soon
as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the shift lever is in any position other than P or N, the vehicle may accel-
erate suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while stopped with the “READY” indicator is
illuminated, and apply the parking brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and
plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s
electrical components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehi-
cle.

1884-1. Before driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid
system and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “READY” indicator is illuminated
or immediately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the
shift lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or
fire due to hybrid system overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in
a poorly ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle,
leading to death or a serious health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the electronically controlled brake system does not operate, do not fol-
low other vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require brak-
ing.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2 or more individual hydraulic systems; if
one of the systems fails, the other(s) will still operate. In this case, the
brake pedal should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking
distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.

1894-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
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●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so
may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if
the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for
an extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehi-
cle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (P. 471)
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may
cause the following serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be
sure to have your Toyota dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid
transmission, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the bearings and suspension joints (where possi-
ble), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.

1904-1. Before driving
Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capacity) — (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit —
(1) Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s
placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400  750 (5150) =
650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.
(P. 193)
Toyota does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your
vehicle is not designed for trailer towing.
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load:
Capacity and distribution

1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) (P. 502)
When 2 people with the combined weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in
your vehicle, which has a total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight)
of B lb. (kg), the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity
will be C lb. (kg) as follows:
B
*2 lb. (kg) - A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb. (kg)
*1: A =Weight of people
*2: B =Total load capacity
*3: C =Available cargo and luggage load
In this condition, if 3 more passengers with the combined weight of D
lb. (kg) get on, the available cargo and luggage load will be reduced E
lb. (kg) as follows:
C lb. (kg) - D*4 lb. (kg) = E*5 lb. (kg)
*4: D =Additional weight of people
*5: E =Available cargo and luggage load
As shown in the example above, if the number of occupants
increases, the cargo and luggage load will be reduced by an amount
that equals the increased weight due to the additional occupants. In
other words, if an increase in the number of occupants causes an
excess of the total load capacity (combined weight of occupants plus
cargo and luggage load), you must reduce the cargo and luggage on
your vehicle.
Calculation formula for your vehicle
1
2

1924-1. Before driving
WARNING
■Things that must not be carried in the trunk
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the trunk:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed properly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may result in items hitting the driver or
passengers, possibly causing an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the trunk whenever possible.
●To prevent cargo and luggage from sliding forward during braking, do
not stack anything in the enlarged trunk. Keep cargo and luggage low,
as close to the floor as possible.
●Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the package tray
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
• Tray that has no lid
●Secure all items in the occupant compartment.
●When you fold down the rear seats, long items should not be placed
directly behind the front seats.
●Never allow anyone to ride in the enlarged trunk. It is not designed for
passengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts prop-
erly fastened.
■Capacity and distribution
●Do not exceed the maximum axle weight rating or the total vehicle
weight rating.
●Even if the total load of occupant's weight and the cargo load is less
than the total load capacity, do not apply the load unevenly. Improper
loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control which
may cause death or serious injury.