check engine light TOYOTA AVALON 2000 User Guide

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Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting
procedure given in How to start the
engineº in Section 3 and that you have
sufficient fuel. If your vehicle is equipped
with the engine immobiliser system, also
check whether the other keys will start the
engine. If they work, your key may be
broken. Have the key checked at your
Toyota dealer. If none of your keys work,
the system is possibly broken. Call your
Toyota dealer. (See Keys (with engine
immobiliser system)º in Section 1- 2.)
If the engine is not turning over or is turn-
ing over too slowlyÐ1. Check that the battery terminals are tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery
is discharged. You may try jump start-
ing. See (c) Jump startingº for further
instructions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair
shop.NOTICE
Do not pull- or push- start the ve- hicle. It may damage the vehicle orcause a collision when the enginestarts. Also the three- way catalytic
converter may overheat and become afire hazard.
If the engine turns over at its normal
speed but will not startÐ
1. The engine may be flooded because of repeated cranking. See (b) Starting a
flooded engineº for further instructions.
2. If the engine still will not start, it needs adjustment or repair. Call a Toyota
dealer or qualified repair shop.
(b) Starting a flooded engine
If the engine will not start, your engine
may be flooded because of repeated
cranking.
If this happens, turn the key to STARTº
with the accelerator pedal held down.
Keep the key and accelerator pedal in
these positions for 15 seconds and re-
lease them. Then try starting the engine
with your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If the engine does not start after 15 se-
conds of cranking, release the key, wait
a few minutes and try again.
If the engine still will not start, it needs
adjustment or repair. Call a Toyota dealer
or qualified repair shop for assistance.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 se-
conds at a time. This may overheatthe starter and wiring systems.
If your vehicle will not startÐ
(a) Simple checks
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5. Start your engine in the normal way.After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm
for several minutes with the accelerator
pedal lightly depressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the exact reverse order: the negative cable
and then the positive cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover clothsÐthey may now contain sulfuric
acid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent (for example, lights left on),
you should have it checked. If your engine stalls while driving...
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try starting the engine again.
If the engine will not start, see If your
vehicle will not startº.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you ex-
perience a loss of power, or if you hear
a loud knocking or pinging noise, the
engine has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure...
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in Pº
and apply the parking brake. Turn off
the air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not,
turn the ignition off.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no
steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure.
If your engine stalls while
driving
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INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing periodic
services, cleaning the vehicle, etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights
are all working. Check headlight aim.
Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers
Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly.
Steering wheel
Check that it has the specified free play.
Be alert for changes in steering condition,
such as hard steering or strange noise.
Seats
Check that all front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op-
erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
head restraints move up and down
smoothly and that the locks hold securely
in any latched position.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-
aged.Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance.
Check the brake booster function.
Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do
not pull to one side when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the pedal has the proper travel
and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle
is held securely with only the parking
brake applied.
Automatic transmission Parkº mecha-
nism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your
vehicle is held securely with the selector
lever in Pº position and all brakes re-
leased.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be checked
from time to time, e.g. each time when
refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See Section 7- 3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULLº and LOWº lines on the see-
through reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Section 7- 2 for additional information.
Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower lev-
el lines on the case. Add only distilled
water when replenishing. See Section 7- 3
for additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See Section 7- 2 for additional information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See Section 7- 2 for addi-
tional information.
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Parts and tools
Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need on performing do- it- yourself mainte-
nance. Remember all Toyota parts are de-
signed in metric sizes, so your tools must
be metric.
Checking the engine oil level
Parts (if level is low):

Engine oil API grade SJ
Energy- Conservingº or ILSAC
multigrade having viscosity proper for
your climate
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding oil)
Checking the engine coolant level
Parts (if level is low):

TOYOTA Long Life Coolantº or equiva-
lent
See Section 7- 2 for details about cool-
ant type selection.

Demineralized or distilled water
Tools:

Funnel (only for adding coolant) Checking brake fluid
Parts (if level is low):

SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
brake fluid
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding fluid)
Checking power steering fluid
Parts (if level is low):

Automatic transmission fluid
DEXRON II or III
Tools:

Rag or paper towel

Funnel (only for adding fluid)
Checking battery condition
Tools:

Warm water

Baking soda

Grease

Conventional wrench (for terminal
clamp bolts)
Checking and replacing fuses
Parts (if replacement is necessary):

Fuse with same amperage rating as
original Adding washer fluid
Parts:

Water

Washer fluid containing antifreeze
(for winter use)
Tools:

Funnel
Replacing light bulbs
Parts:

Bulb with same number and wattage
rating as original (See charts in Re-
placing light bulbsº in Section 7- 3.)
Tools:

Screwdriver
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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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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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COOLING SYSTEM
Total capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):9.0 (9.5, 7.9)
Coolant type: TOYOTA Long Life Coolantº or equiva-
lent
With ethylene- glycol type coolant for a
proper corrosion protection of aluminum
components
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
BATTERY
Open voltage
* at 20
C (68
F):
12.6Ð12.8 V Fully charged
12.2Ð12.4 V Half charged
11.8Ð12.0 V Discharged
*: Voltage that is checked 20 minutes
after the key is removed with all the
lights turned off
Charging rates: 5 A max.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
Fluid capacity (drain and ref ill),
L (qt., Imp. qt.): Up to 4.75 (5.0, 4.2)
Fluid type: Automatic transmission fluid D- II or
DEXRON III (DEXRON II) BRAKES
Minimum pedal clearance when depressed
with the pressure of 490 N (50 kgf, 110
lbf) with the engine running, mm (in.)
75 (3.0)
Pedal free play, mm (in.): 1Ð6 (0.04Ð0.24)
Pad wear limit, in. (mm): 1.0 (0.04)
Lining wear limit, in. (mm): 1.0 (0.04)
Parking brake adjustment when depressed
with the pressure of 294 N (30 kgf, 66.1
lbf): 3Ð6 clicks
Fluid type: SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
STEERING
Wheel free play: Less than 30 mm (1.2 in.)
Power steering fluid type: Automatic transmission fluid DEXRON II
or III
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