ESP TOYOTA AVALON 1997 User Guide

11 2RADIO RECEPTION
Usually, a problem with radio reception
does not mean there is a problem with
your radio-it is just the normal result of
conditions outside the vehicle.
For example, nearby buildings and terrain
can interfere with FM reception. Power
lines or telephone wires can interfere with
AM signals. And of course, radio signals
have a limited range, and the farther you
are from a station, the weaker its signal
will be. In addition, reception conditions
change
constantly as your vehicle moves.
Here are some common reception prob-
lems that probably do not indicate a prob-
lem with your radio:
FM
Fading and drifing stationsÐGenerally,
the effective range of FM is about 40 km
(25 miles). Once outside this range, you
may notice fading and drifting, which in-
crease with the distance from the radio
transmitter. They are often accompanied
by distortion.
Multi-pathÐFM signals are reflective,
making it possible for two signals to reach
your antenna at the same time. If this hap-
pens, the signals will cancel each other
out, causing a momentary flutter or loss of
reception. Static and flutteringÐThese occur when
signals are blocked by buildings, trees, or
other large objects. Increasing the bass
level may reduce static and fluttering.
Station swappingÐIf the FM signal you
are listening to is interrupted or weak-
ened, and there is another strong station
nearby on the FM band, your radio may
tune in the second station until the original
signal can be picked up again.
AM
FadingÐAM broadcasts are reflected by
the upper atmosphere-especially at
night. These reflected signals can inter-
fere with those received directly from the
radio station, causing the radio station to
sound alternately strong and weak.
Station interferenceÐWhen a reflected
signal and a signal received directly from
a radio station are very nearly the same
frequency, they can interfere with each
other,
making it difficult to hear the broad-
cast.
StaticÐAM is easily affected by external
sources of electrical noise, such as high
tension power lines, lightening, or electri-
cal motors. This results in static. CARING
FOR YOUR CASSETTE PLAY-
ER AND TAPES
For high performance from your cassette
player and tapes:
Clean the tape head and other parts regu-
larly.
 A dirty tape head or tape path can de-
crease sound quality and tangle your
cassette tapes. The easiest way to
clean them is by using a cleaning tape.
Use high-quality cassettes.
 Low-quality cassette tapes can cause
many problems, including poor sound,
inconsistent playing speed, and
constant auto-reversing. They can
also get stuck or tangled in the cas-
sette player.
 Do not use a cassette if it has been
damaged or tangled or if its label is
peeling off.
 Do not leave a cassette in the player if
you are not listening to it, especially if
it is hot outside.
 Store cassettes in their cases and out
of direct sunlight.ProCarManuals.com

11 3

Avoid using cassettes with a total play-
ing time longer than 100 minutes (50
minutes per side). The tape used in
these cassettes is thin and could get
stuck or tangled in the cassette player.
CARING FOR YOUR COMPACT DISC
PLAYER AND DISCS
 Use only compact discs labeled as
shown.
 Extremely high temperatures can
keep your compact disc player from
working. On hot days, use the air con-
ditioning to cool the vehicle interior be-
fore you listen to a disc.
 Bumpy roads or other vibrations may
make your compact disc player skip. 
If moisture gets into your compact disc
player, you may not hear any sound
even though your compact disc player
appears to be working. Remove the
disc from the player and wait until it
dries.
 Handle compact discs carefully, espe-
cially when you are inserting them.
Hold them on the edge and do not
bend them. Avoid getting fingerprints
on them, particularly on the shiny side.
 Dirt, scrapes, warping, pin holes, or
other disc damage could cause the
player to skip or to repeat a section of
a track. (To see a pin hole, hold the disc
up to the light.)
 Remove discs from the compact disc
player when you are not listening to
them. S tore them in their plastic cases
away from moisture, heat, and direct
sunlight.
To clean a compact disc: Wipe it with a
soft, lint-free cloth that has been damp-
ened with water. Wipe in a straight line
from the center to the edge of the disc (not
in circles). Dry it with another soft, lint-
free cloth. Do not use a conventional re-
cord cleaner or anti-static device.
ProCarManuals.com

126The cup holder is designed for holding
cups or drinkÐcans fit snugly in its
holes.
To use the cup holder, open the armrest
lid, p
ull out the cup holder. Then close the
armrest lid.

Do not leave the armrest lid open
especailly when the cup holder
holds a scalding hot drink. If the lid
is forcibly pulled up, the drink may
spill over the seat occupants.

When the cup holder is in use, the
armrest lid must be securely
closed with the lock engaged.

Do not place anything else on the
cup holder, as such items may be
thrown about and possible injure
people in the vehicle during sud-
den braking or accident.

Keep the cup holder shut when not
in use.

Do not lift the armrest upright
when the cup holder is pulled out.
CAUTION!
Slip indicator light
TRAC OFFº indicator/warning light AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL
SYSTEM
The traction control system automati-
cally controls the spinning of
the front
wheels which may occur when accel-
erating on slippery road surfaces, thus
assisting driver to control the driving
power of the front wheels. When you
turn the ignition switch on, the trac-
tion control system always turns on
automatically, and the slip indicator
light and TRAC OFFº indicator/warn-
ing light will come on. The indicator
lights will go off after about 3 seconds.
Leave the system on during ordinary
driving so that it can operate when
needed. When traction control is ap-
plied, the slip indicator light blinks.
You may hear a slight clicking noise in the
engine compartment when the engine is
started. This means that the traction con-
trol system is in the self-check mode, and
does not indicate malfunction. When the
traction control system is operating, you
may feel vibration or noise of your vehicle,
caused by operation of brakes. This indi-
cates the system is functioning properly.
Traction control system
ProCarManuals.com

146HITCHES


Use only a hitch which is recom-
mended by the hitch manufacturer and
conforms to the total trailer weight re-
quirment.

Follow the directions supplied by the
hitch manufacturer, and bolt the hitch
securely to the rear bumper. Lubricate
the hitch ball with a light coat of grease.

Toyota recommends removing the
trailer hitch whenever you are not tow-
ing a trailer to reduce the possibility of
additional damage caused by the hitch
if your vehicle is struck from behind.
After removing the hitch, seal any
mounting holes in the vehicle body to
prevent entry of pollutants such as ex-
haust fumes, dirt, water, etc.
Do not use axle-mounting hitches
they can cause damage to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheels ortires. Also, never install a hitchwhich may interfere with the normalfunction of an Energy AbsorbingBumper.
NOTICE
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS

Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any applicable
federal and state/provincial regula-
tions.

A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross
under the trailer tongue to prevent the
tongue from dropping to the ground in
case it becomes damaged or seper-
ated. For correct safety chain proce-
dures, follow the hitch or trailer
manufacturer 's recommendations.
CAUTION

If the total trailer weight exceeds
453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer brakes are
required.

Never tap into your vehicle's hy-
draulic system as it would lower its
braking effectiveness.!

Never tow a trailer without using a
safety chain securely attached to
both the trailer and the vehicle. If
damage occurs to the coupling
unit or hitch ball, there is danger of
the trailer wandering over into
another lane.
TIRES

Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See Chapter 7-2 for
instructions.

The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the
trailer manufacturer in respect to the
total trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS

Trailer lights must comply with federal,
state/provincial and local regulations.
See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correct
type of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.
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147
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE


Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a ve-
hicle with any new power train compo-
nent (engine, transmission, differen-
tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving.
MAINTENANCE

If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will re-
quire more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the Own-
er 's Manual Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº.

Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
PRE-T OWING SAFETY CHECK

Check that your vehicle remains level
when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose-up or nose-down
condition, and check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspen-
sion or other possible causes.

Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
loaded so that it cannot shift.

Check that your rear view mirrors con-
form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or local regulation. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow-
ing. The three main causes of vehicle
trailer accidents are driver error, ex-
cessive speed and improper trailer
loading. Keep these in mind when tow-
ing:

Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle-trailer con-
nections. After driving a short dis-
tance, stop and recheck the lights and
connections. Before actually towing a
trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you learn the feel.

Backing w ith a trailer is difficult and re-
quires practice. Grip the bottom of the
steering wheel and move your hand to
the left to move the trailer to the left.
Move your hand to the right to move
the trailer to the right. (This procedure
is generally opposite to that when
backing without a trailer). Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at a time,
avoiding sharp or prolonged turning.
Have someone guide you when back-
ing to reduce the risk of an accident.

Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle-to-vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.

Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
tion.ProCarManuals.com

Part 5Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion
169
CORROSION
PREVENTION AND
APPEARANCE
CARE

Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion

Washing and waxing your
Toyota

Cleaning the interior
Toyota, through its diligent research, de-
sign and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part to
help prevent corrosion and has provided
you with the finest quality vehicle
construction. Now, it is up to you. Proper
care of your T oyota can help ensure long-
term corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corro-
sion to your vehicle are:

The accumulation of road salt, dirt and
moisture in hard-to-reach areas un-
der the vehicle.

Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
Care is especially important if you live
in particular areas or operate your ve-
hicle under certain environmental
conditions:

Road salt or dust control chemicals will
accelerate corrosion, as will the pres-
ence of salt in the air near the sea-
coast or in areas of industrial pollution.

High humidity accelerates corrosion
especially when temperatures range
just above the freezing point.

Wetness or dampness to certain parts
of your vehicle for an extended period
of time, may cause corrosion even
though other parts of the vehicle may
be dry.

High temperatures will cause corro-
sion to those components of the ve-
hicle which are prevented from quick-
drying due to lack of proper ventilation.
The above signifies the necessity to keep
your vehicle, particularly the underside,
as clean as possible and to repair any
damage to paint or protective coatings as
soon as possible.
To help prevent corrosion on your
Toyota, follow these guidelines:
Wash your vehicle frequently: It is, of
course, necessary to keep your vehicle
clean by regular washing, but to prevent
corrosion, the following points should be
observed:

If you drive on salted roads in the win-
ter or if you live near the ocean, you
should hose off the undercarriage at
least once a month to minimize corro-
sion.
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171
Do not use gasoline or strongsolvents, which may be toxic or
cause damage.
NOTICE
3. Rinse thoroughly Ð dried soap can cause streaking. In hot weather you
may need to rinse each section right
after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle using a cl ean soft cotton towel. Do not
rub or press hard Ð you might scratch
the paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching re-
duces paint durability and gloss, especial-
ly on darker colors. The manager of the
car wash should be able to advise you
whether the process is safe for the paint
on your vehicle. Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommend-
ed to maintain the original beauty of
your Toyota's finish.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-
fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely
weathered, use a car-cleaning polish,
followed by a separate wax. Carefully
follow the manufacturer's instructions
and precautions. Be sure to polish and
wax the chrome trim as well as the
paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
Always remove the plastic bumpers
if your vehicle is re-painted and
placed in a high heat paint waxingbooth. High temperatures coulddamage the bumpers.
NOTICE
CAUTION
Do not wash the vehicle floor with
water, or allow water to get into the
floor when cleaning the vehicle in-
terior or exterior. Water may get into
audio components or other electri-
cal components above or under the
floor carpet (or mat) and cause a
malfunction; and it may cause body
corrosion.!
Vinyl interior
The vinyl upholstery may be easily
cleaned with a mild soap or detergent
and water.
First vacuum over the upholstery to re-
move loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or
soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the vi-
nyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few
minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt
and wipe off the soap with a clean damp
cloth. If all the dirt does not come off, re-
peat the procedure. Commercial foam-
ing-type vinyl cleaners are also available
which work well. Follow the manufactur-
er's instructions.
Cleaning the interior
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173
After
cleaning or whenever any part of the
leather gets wet, dry with a soft clean
cloth. Allow the leather to dry in a vente-
lated shaded area.

If a stain should fail to come outwith a neutral detergent, apply a
cleaner that does not contain anorganic solvent.
Never use organic substancessuch as benzine, alcohol or gaso-line, or alkaline or acid solutionsfor cleaning the leather as these
could cause discoloring.
Use of a nylon brush or syntheticfiber cloth, etc. may scratch the
fine grained surface of the leather.
Mildew may develop on soiled
leather upholstery. Be especially
careful to avoid oil spots. Try tokeep your upholstery alwaysclean.
Long exposure to direct sunlight
may cause the leather surface toharden and shrink. Keep your ve-
hicle in a shaded area, especiallyin the summer.
NOTICE
The interior of your vehicle is aptto heat up on hot summer days, so
avoid placing on the upholsteryitems made of vinyl or plastic orcontaining wax as these tend to
stick to leather when warm.
Improper cleaning of the leatherupholstery could result in discol-
oration or staining.
If you have any questions about the
cleaning of your Toyota, your local
Toyota dealer will be pleased to
answer them.
ProCarManuals.com

Part 6Maintenance requirements
175
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE AND
CARE

Maintenance requirements

General maintenance

Does your vehicle need
repairing?
For scheduled maintenance
information, please refer to the
separate Owner's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº.
Your Toyota vehicle has been designed to
for fewer maintenance requirements with
longer service intervals to save both your
time and money. However, each regular
maintenance, as well as day-to-day
care, is more important than ever before
to ensure smooth, and trouble-free, safe,
and economical drivings.
It is the owner's responsibility to make
sure the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is per-
formed. Note that both the new vehicle
and emission control system warranties
specify that proper maintenance and care
must be performed. See Owner's Guide,
Owner 's Manual Supplement or W arranty
Booklet for complete warranty informa-
tion.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those
day-to-day care practices that are impor-
tant to your vehicle for proper operation.
It is the owner's responsibility to insure
that the general maintenance items are
performed regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost. Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed
in the Owner's Manual Supplementº are
those
required to be serviced at regular in-
tervals.
For details of your maintenance Sched-
ule, read the separate ºOwner's Manual
Supplementº.
It is recommended that any replace-
ment parts used for maintenance or
for the repair of the emission control
system be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use non-Toyo-
ta supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emis-
sion control system warranty.
However, use of replacement parts
which are not of equivalent quality
may impair the effectiveness of the
emission control systems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system
performed by any automotive repair
establishment or individual without
invalidating this warranty. See Own-
er's Guide, Owner's Manual Supple-
ment or Warranty Booklet for complete
warranty information.
ProCarManuals.com

182
If you perform maintenance by your-
self, be sure to follow the correct pro-
cedure given in this part.
You should be aware that improper or in-
complete servicing may result in operat-
ing problems.
Performing do-it-yourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect
your warranty coverage. Read the sepa-
rate Toyota Warranty statement for details
and suggestions.
This part gives instructions only for those
items that are relatively easy for an owner
to perform. As explained in Part 6, there
are still a number of items that must be
done by a qualified technician with special
tools.
For information on tools and parts for do-
it-yourself maintenance, see Parts and
toolsº.
Utmost care should be taken when work-
ing on your vehicle to prevent accidental
injury. Here are a few precautions that
you should be especially careful to ob-
serve:

When the engine is running, keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from the moving fan and engine
drive belts. (Removing rings,
watches, and ties is advisable.)

Right after driving, the engine
compartmentÐthe engine, radia-
tor, exhaust manifold, power
steering fluid reservoir and spark
plug boots, etc.Ðwill be hot. So
be careful not to touch them. Oil,
fluids and spark plugs may also be
hot.

If the engine is hot, do not remove
the radiator cap or loosen the
drain plugs to prevent burning
yourself.

Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames around fuel or the
battery. Their fumes are flam-
mable.

Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric
acid.

Do not get under your vehicle with
just the body jack supporting it.
Always use automotive jack
stands or other solid supports. CAUTION
!
Do-it-yourself service
precautions
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