TOYOTA AVALON 1998 Owners Manual

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(i) Rear Light Failure Warning Light
If this light comes on when the headlight
switch is turned on (at the position 1 or
position 2), it indicates that one or more
of the tail lights are burned out.
If it comes on when the brake pedal is
depressed, one or more stop lights are
burned out.
Have defective bulbs replaced as soon as
possible.
(j) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ”ACC” or
”ON” position. After about 6 seconds,
the light will go off. This means the
system of the airbag and front seat belt
pretensioners are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, seat belt pretension-
er assembly, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring, power sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ”ACC” or
”ON” position or remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
(k) ”TRAC OFF” Indicator/Warning light
This light comes on when the ignition key
is turned to ”ON”, and will go off after 3
seconds. This means that the system is
operating properly.
If one of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.
The light remains on more than 3 se-
conds after the ignition switch is turned
on.
The light comes on while driving even
if the ”TRAC OFF” switch is not
pushed.
The light flashes. (l) Low Windshield Washer and Head-
light Cleaner Fluid Level Warning
Light (on some models)
The light warns that the windshield washer
and headlight cleaner fluid level is too
low. Add washer fluid at your earliest op-
portunity. (For instructions, see ”Adding
washer fluid” in Chapter 7 −3.)
(m) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the key
when you open the driver’s door with the
ignition key in the ”ACC” or ”LOCK” position.
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CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDICA-
TORS (except the low fuel level warning
light and, low windshield washer and
headlight cleaner fluid level warning
light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open one of the doors. The open door warning light should
come on.
3. Close the door. The open door warning light should go
off.
4. Turn the ignition key to ”ACC”. The SRS airbag warning light should
come on. It goes off after about 6 se-
conds.
5. Turn the ignition key to ”ON”, but do not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light and
SRS airbag warning light should come
on. The ”ABS” warning light goes off
after about 3 seconds.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, either the bulb is burned out or the
circuit is in need of repair. Have it
checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
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Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLS—
Chapter 1 −6
Ignition switch,
Transmission
and Parking brake
 Ignition switch with steering lock
 Automatic transmission
 P ar k ing br ak e
 Cruise control”START”—Starter motor on. The key
will return to the ”ON” position when
released.
For starting tips, see Part 3.
”ON”—Engine on and all accessories
on.
This is the normal driving position.
”ACC”—Accessories such as the radio
operate, but the engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ”ACC” or
”LOCK” position and open the driver’s
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
”LOCK”—Engine is off and the steering
wheel is locked. The key can be re-
moved only at this position. You must push in the key to turn the key
from ”ACC” to the ”LOCK” position. The
selector lever must be in the ”P” position
before pushing the key.
Vehicles with engine immobiliser system—
Once you remove the key, the engine im-
mobiliser system is automatically set. (See
”Engine immobiliser system” in Chapter
1
−2.)
When starting the engine, the key may
seem stuck at the ”LOCK” position. To
free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering
wheel slightly while turning the key gently.
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ”ON”
position if the engine is not running.
The battery will discharge and the
ignition could be damaged.
Ignition switch with steering
lock
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Lock release button
To prevent misshifting
Parking, engine starting and
key removal position
Reverse position
Neutral position
Normal driving positionPosition for engine braking
Position for stronger engine
braking than in “2” position
With the brake pedal depressed, shift
while holding the lock release button in.
(The ignition switch must be in “ON”
position.)
Shift while holding the lock
rel eas e button in
Shift normally Driving pattern selector button
For selecting a driving pattern suited to existing
driving conditions
“NORM” (Normal)
mode for general
driving conditions “PWR”
(Power) mode for
powerful
acceleration“PWR” mode indicator
light on the instrument
panel shows the dri v i ng
pattern selector button is
in “PWR” mode
Overdrive switch
For sel ec ti ng ei ther a three −speed or four −speed
transmission
ON position
(Shifting into
overdrive possible) OFF position
(Shifting into
overdrive not
possible)“O/D OFF” indicator light
S hows the ov erdri v e swi tc h
is in OFF position
When the cruise control is being used, even if you downshift the transmission by turning off the overdrive switch, engine braki
ng will
not be applied because the cruise control is not cancelled. For ways to decrease the vehicle speed, see ”Cruise control” in thi s
chapter.
Automatic transmission
 Floor shift type
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Parking, engine starting and
key removal position
Reverse position
Neutral position
Normal driving position
Position for engine braking
Position for stronger engine
braking than in “2” position Driving pattern selector button
For selecting a driving pattern suited to existing
driving conditions
“NORM” (Normal)
mode for general
driving conditions “PWR”
(Power) mode for
powerful
acceleration“PWR” mode indicator
light on the instrument
panel shows the dri v i ng
pattern selector button is
in “PWR” mode
Overdrive switch
For sel ec ti ng ei ther a three −speed or four −speed
transmission
“ON” position
(Shifting into
overdrive possible) “OFF” position
(Shifting into
overdrive not
possible)“O/D OFF” indicator light
S hows the ov erdri v e swi tc h
is in OFF position
With the brake pedal depressed, shift
while pulling the selector lever toward
you (The ignition switch must be in
“ON” position.)
Shift while pulling the selector
lever toward you
Shift normally
When the cruise control is being used, even if you downshift the transmission by turning off the overdrive switch, engine braki ng will
not be applied because the cruise control is not cancelled. For ways to decrease the vehicle speed, see ”Cruise control” in thi s
chapter. 
Column shift type
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Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of ”P” position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ”ON” position, and the lock re-
lease button on the floor shift type trans-
mission depressed or the selector lever on
the column shift type transmission pulled
toward you).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in ”How to start the engine” in Part 3. The
transmission must be in ”P” or ”N”.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to ”D”.
In ”D” position, the automatic transmission
system will select the most suitable gear
for running conditions such as normal
cruising, hill climbing, hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive switch on for
better fuel economy and quieter driving. If
the engine coolant temperature is low, the
transmission will not shift into the over-
drive gear even with the overdrive switch
on.CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Turn off the overdrive switch. The ”O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.
Shift into the ”2” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than 133 km/h (82
mph), and more powerful engine brak-
ing will be obtained.
Shift into the ”L” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
When the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than 59 km/h (36 mph), and
maximum engine braking will be ap-
plied.
Vehicles with cruise control ⎯When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by turning off
the overdrive switch, engine braking is not
applied because the cruise control is not
cancelled. For ways to decrease the ve-
hicle speed, see ”Cruise control” in this
chapter.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
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(c) Using ”2” and ”L” positions
The ”2” and ”L” positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in ”2” or ”L”, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in ”D”.
With the selector lever in ”2”, the vehicle
will start in the first gear and automatical-
ly shift to the second gear.
With the selector lever in ”L”, the trans-
mission is engaged in the first gear.
NOTICE
 Be careful not to overrev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to keep
engine rpm from going into the red
zone. The approxmate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position is
given below for your reference:
”2”.......... 126 km/h (77 mph)
”L”.......... 68 km/h (41 mph)
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the
”2” or ”L” position. This may cause
severe automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To prevent
such damage, ”D” position should
be used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(d) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the selector lever to the
”R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(e) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal pressed down, fully depress the parking brake pedal
to apply the parking brake securely.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down, shift the selector lever to the ”P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, never at-
tempt to move the selector lever into
”P” position under any circum-
stances. Serious mechanical damage
and loss of vehicle control may re-
sult.
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between third
gear and overdrive when climbing a
gentle slope, the overdrive switch
should be turned off. Be sure to turn
the switch on immediately afterward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
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CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an up-
grade with the accelerator pedal. It
can cause the transmission to over-
heat. Always use the brake pedal or
parking brake.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
To rock your vehicle if it becomes
stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., first
check that there are no objects or
people around the vehicle. During the
rocking operation the vehicle may
suddenly move forward or backward
as it becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or ob-
jects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the
following precautions to prevent dam-
age to the transmission and other
parts.
 Do not depress the accelerator ped-
al while shifting the selector lever
or before the transmission is com-
pletely shifted to forward or reverse
gear.
 Do not race the engine and avoid
spinning the wheels.
 If your vehicle remains stuck after
rocking the vehicle several times,
consider other ways such as tow-
ing.
(h) If you cannot shift the selector le-
ver out of ”P” position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the ”P” position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override button. For instructions, see ”If
you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector lever” in Part 4. (i) Driving in ”PWR” (Power) mode
In the ”PWR” mode, the transmission is
shifted up and down at a higher vehicle
speed than in the ”NORM” (Normal) mode
and a more powerful acceleration is
achieved. To set the ”PWR” mode, push
in the driving pattern selector button. The
”PWR” mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends
using the ”NORM” mode to improve fuel
economy.
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Parking brake
Ty p e A
Ty p e B
When parking, firmly apply the parking
brake to avoid inadvertent creeping.
To set: Fully depress the pedal. For better
holding power, first depress the brake
pedal and hold it while setting the brake.
To release: Pull the lever.
To remind you that the parking brake is
set, the parking brake reminder light in
the instrument panel remains on until you
release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the park-
ing brake reminder light is off.
Cruise control
The cruise control allows you to cruise
the vehicle at a desired speed over 40
km/h (25 mph) even with your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained up
or down grades within the limits of engine
performance, although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or
down the grades. On steeper hills, a
greater speed change will occur so it is
better to drive without the cruise control.
CAUTION
To help maintain maximum control
of your vehicle, do not use the
cruise control when driving in
heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snow −covered) or
winding roads.
Avoid vehicle speed increases when
driving downhill. If the vehicle
speed is too fast in relation to the
cruise control set speed, cancel the
cruise control then downshift the
transmission to use engine braking
to slow down.
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TURNING ON THE SYSTEM
To operate the cruise control, press the
”CRUISE ON −OFF” button. This turns the
system on. The indicator light in the
instrument panel shows that you can now
set the vehicle at a desired cruising
speed. Another press will turn the system
completely off.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control en-
gagement, keep the ”CRUISE ON −
OFF” switch off when not using the
cruise control.
SETTING AT A DESIRED SPEED
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in ”D” before
you set the cruise control speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,
push the lever down in the ”SET/COAST”
direction and release it. This sets the ve-
hicle at that speed. If the speed is not
satisfactory, tap the lever up for a faster
speed, or tap it down for a slower speed.
Each tap changes the set speed by 1.6
km/h (1.0 mph). You can now take your
foot off the accelerator pedal. If you need acceleration—for example,
when passing—depress the accelerator
pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the set speed. When you release it, the
vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by:
a. Pulling the lever in the ”CANCEL”
direction and releasing it.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40
km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will auto-
matically cancel out.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10
mph) below the preset speed, the preset
speed will also automatically cancel out.
If the preset speed automatically cancels
out other than for the above cases, have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er at the earliest opportunity.
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