light TOYOTA AVALON 2000 Owners Manual

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Checking the engine oil level
Low level
Add oil O.K. Too full Full level
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick.
1. To get a true reading, the vehicle should be on a level spot. After turning
off the engine, wait a few minutes for
the oil to drain back into the bottom of
the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstickÐpush it in as far as it will go, or the reading will not be
correct.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil level on the end.
CAUTION
Be careful not to touch the hot ex-
haust manifold.
If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level, add engine oil of
the same type as already in the engine.
Remove the oil filler cap and add engine
oil in small quantities at a time, checking
the dipstick.
The approximate quantity of oil needed to
fill between the low level and the full level
on the dipstick is indicated below for ref-
erence.
When the level reaches within the correct
range, install the f iller cap hand- tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., Imp. qt.): 1.5 (1.6, 1.3)
NOTICE

Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.

Check the oil level on the dipstickonce again after adding the oil.
Engine oil selection
Use API grade SJ, Energy- Conservingº
or ILSAC multigrade engine oil.
Recommended viscosity (SAE):
SAE 5W- 30 is the best choice for your
vehicle, for good fuel economy and
good starting in cold weather.
If you use SAE 10W- 30 engine oil in
extremely low temperatures, the engine
may become difficult to start, so SAE
5W- 30 engine oil is recommended.
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CAUTION
To prevent burning yourself, do not
remove the radiator cap when the en-
gine is hot.
Coolant type selection
Use of improper coolants may damage
your engine cooling system. Your coolant
must contain ethylene- glycol type coolant
for a proper corrosion protection of your
engine that contains aluminum
components. Use TOYOTA Long Life
Coolantº or equivalent.
In addition to preventing freezing and
subsequent damage to the engine, this
type of coolant will also prevent corrosion.
Further supplemental inhibitors or additives
are neither needed nor recommended.
Read the coolant container for information
on freeze protection. Follow the manufac-
turer's directions for how much to mix
with plain water (preferably demineralized
water or distilled water). The total capacity
of the cooling system is given in Section
8. We recommend to use 50% solution for
your Toyota, to provide protection down to
about -35
C (- 31 F). When it is extreme-
ly cold, to provide protection down to
about -50 C (- 58 F), 60% solution is rec-
ommended. Do not use more than 70%
solution for better coolant performance.NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
Checking brake fluid
To check the fluid level, simply look at
the see- through reservoir. The level
should be between the MAXº and
MINº lines on the reservoir.
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go
down slightly as the brake pads wear. So
be sure to keep the reservoir filled.
If the reservoir needs frequent ref illing, it
may indicate a serious mechanical prob-
lem.
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CAUTION

Do not drive with the snow tires
incorrectly inflated.

Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
P205/65R15 92H tiresÐUse the tire
chains of correct size and type.
Use SAE Class Sº type radial tire chains
except radial cable chains or V- bar type
chains.
P205/60R16 91H tiresÐUse tire chains
of the correct size.
Use only genuine Toyota tire chains or equiv-
alent for use on the AVALON.
NOTICE
If the wrong combination of tire andchain is used, the chains could dam-age the vehicle body.

AVALON genuine tire chains
(Part No. 08329- 33801) Laws about using tire chains vary ac-
cording to locality and type of road, so
always check your local laws before
you install tire chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the front tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the rear tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5Ð1.0 km
(1/4Ð1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care-
fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove
the covers before putting on the chains.
CAUTION

Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer 's recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.

Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may
cause the vehicle to bounce.

Avoid sharp turns or locked- wheel
braking, as use of chains may ad-
versely affect vehicle handling.
Replacing wheels
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion, the
wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or cause loss
of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re-
placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may
adversely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odom-
eter calibration, stopping ab
ility, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clear-
ance, and tire or snow chain clearance to
the body and chassis.
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DO- IT- YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
Electrical components
Checking battery condition323
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Battery recharging precautions 324
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking and replacing fuses 325
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adding washer fluid 326
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . .
Replacing light bulbs 326
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .
SECTION 7- 3
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CAUTION
BATTERY PRECAUTIONS
The battery produces flammable and
explosive hydrogen gas.

Do not cause a spark from the bat-
tery with tools.

Do not smoke or light a match near
the battery.
The electrolyte contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid.

Avoid contact with eyes, skin or
clothes.

Never ingest electrolyte.

Wear protective safety glasses when
working near the battery.

Keep children away from the bat-
tery.
EMERGENCY MEASURES

If electrolyte gets in your eyes,
flush your eyes with clean water
immediately and get immediate
medical attention. If possible, con-
tinue to apply water with a sponge
or cloth while en route to the medi-
cal office.

If electrolyte gets on your skin,
thoroughly wash the contact area. If
you feel pain or burning, get medi-
cal attention immediately.

If electrolyte gets on your clothes,
there is a possibility of its soaking
through to your skin, so immediate-
ly take off the exposed clothing and
follow the procedure above, if nec-
essary.

If you accidentally swallow electro-
lyte, drink a large quantity of water
or milk. Follow with milk of magne-
sia, beaten raw egg or vegetable
oil. Then go immediately for emer-
gency help.
ÐChecking battery exterior
TerminalsGround cable
Hold- down
clamp
Check the battery for corroded or loose
terminal connections, cracks, or loose
hold- down clamp. a. If the battery is corroded, wash it off with a solution of warm water and bak-
ing soda. Coat the outside of the termi-
nals with grease to prevent further cor-
rosion.
b. If the terminal connections are loose, tighten their clamp nutsÐbut do not
overtighten.
c. Tighten the hold- down clamp only enough to keep the battery firmly in
place. Overtightening may damage the
battery case.
Checking battery c onditionÐ
ÐPrecautions
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NOTICE

Be sure the engine and all accesso-ries are off before performing main-tenance.

When checking the battery, remove
the ground cable from the negativeterminal (- º mark) first and rein-stall it last.

Be careful not to cause a short cir-cuit with tools.

Take care no solution gets into thebattery when washing it.
ÐChecking battery fluid
Ty p e A
Green Dark Clear or
light yellow
Ty p e B Blue White Red
CHECKING BY HYDROMETER
Check the battery condition by the
hydrometer color.
Hydrometer color
ConditionTy p e ATy p e BCondition
GREENBLUEGood
DARKWHITE
Charging necessary.
Have battery
checked by your
Toyota dealer.
CLEAR orLIGHT
YELLOW
RED
Have battery
checked by your
Toyota dealer.
Battery recharging precautions
During recharging, the battery is pro-
ducing hydrogen gas.
Therefore, before recharging:
1. If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect
the ground cable.
2. Be sure the power switch on the re- charger is off when connecting the
charger cables to the battery and when
disconnecting them.
CAUTION

Always charge the battery in an un-
confined area. Do not charge the
battery in a garage or closed room
where there is not sufficient ventila-
tion.

Only do a slow charge (5 A or
less). Charging at a quicker rate is
dangerous. The battery may ex-
plode, causing personal injuries.
NOTICE
Never recharge the battery while the
engine is running. Also, be sure allaccessories are turned off.
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Checking and replacing fuses
Ty p e AGood Blown
Ty p e B
Good
Good Blown
Blown
Ty p e C
If the headlights or other electrical
components do not work, check the
fuses. If any of the fuses are blown,
they must be replaced.
See Fuse locationsº in Section 7- 1 for
locations of the fuses.
Turn the ignition switch and inoperative
component off. Pull a suspected fuse
straight out and check it.
Determine which fuse may be causing the
problem. The lid of the fuse box shows
the name of the circuit for each fuse. See
Section 8 of this manual for the functions
controlled by each circuit. Type A fuses can be pulled out by the
pull- out tool. The location of the pull- out
tool is shown in the illustration.
If you are not sure whether the fuse has
blown, try replacing the suspected fuse
with one that you know is good.
If the fuse has blown, push a new fuse
into the clip.
Only install a fuse with the amperage rat-
ing designated on the fuse box lid.
If you do not have a spare fuse, in an
emergency you can pull out the RADIOº,
HTRº or A/Cº fuse, which may be
dispensable for normal driving, and use it
if its amperage rating is the same.
If you cannot use one of the same amper-
age, use one that is lower, but as close
as possible to the rating. If the amperage
is lower than that specified, the fuse
might blow out again but this does not
indicate anything wrong. Be sure to get
the correct fuse as soon as possible and
return the substitute to its original clip.
It is a good idea to purchase a set of
spare fuses and keep them in your ve-
hicle for emergencies.
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If the new fuse immediately blows out,
there is a problem with the electrical sys-
tem. Have your Toyota dealer correct it as
soon as possible.
CAUTION
Never use a fuse with a higher am-
perage rating, or any other object, in
place of a fuse. This may cause ex-
tensive damage and possibly a fire.
Adding washer fluid
If any washer does not work or low
windshield washer fluid level warning
light comes on, the washer tank may be
empty. Add washer fluid.
You may use plain water as washer fluid.
However, in cold areas where tempera-
tures range below freezing point, use
washer fluid containing antifreeze. This
product is available at your Toyota dealer
and most auto parts stores. Follow the
manufacturer 's directions for how much to
mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or anyother substitute because it may dam-age your vehicle's paint.
Replacing light bulbsÐ
The following illustrations show how to
gain access to the bulbs. When replacing
a bulb, make sure the ignition switch and
light switch are off. Use bulbs with the
wattage ratings given in the table.
CAUTION
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas
inside and require special handling.
They can burst or shatter if scratched
or dropped. Hold a bulb only by its
plastic or metal case. Do not touch
the glass part of a bulb with bare
hands.
NOTICE
Only use a bulb of the listed type.
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Light bulbsBulbNo.WTy p e
Headlights
(low beam)900651A
Headlights
(high beam)900560B
Front fog lights900651A
Front turn signal/
parking lights1157 NA27/8C
Rear turn signal
lights744021D
Stop/tail lights744321/5D
Rear side marker
lights1684.9D
Back- up lights92118D
License plate lightsW5W5D
High mounted
stoplight92118D
Interior lightÐ7E
Front personal
lightsÐ7E
Rear personal
lightsÐ5E
Vanity lightsÐ2E
Light bulbsBulbNo.WTy p e
Glove box lightÐ1.2D
Door courtesy
lightsÐ6E
Trunk lightÐ3E
A: HB4 halogen bulbs
B: HB3 halogen bulbs
C: Single end bulbs
D: Wedge base bulbs
E: Double end bulbs
ÐHeadlights
1. Unplug the connector while depress-
ing the lock release.
If the connector is tight, wiggle it.
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2. Turn the bulb and remove it.3. Install a new bulb and the connectorinto the mounting hole.
Aiming is not necessary after replacing
the bulb. When aiming adjustment is nec-
essary, contact your Toyota dealer. If either the left or right front fog or
front turn signal/parking lights burns
out, contact your Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
Do not try to replace the front fog or
front turn signal/parking light bulbsby yourself. You may damage the ve-hicle.
ÐFront fog and front turn
signal/parking lights
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