TOYOTA AVALON 2011 XX30 / 3.G Owners Manual

371 3-7. Other interior features
3
Interior features
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
■Conditions unfavorable to correct operation
The compass may not show the correct direction in the following conditions:
●The vehicle is stopped immediately after turning.
●The vehicle is on an inclined surface.
●The vehicle is in a place where the earth’s magnetic field is subject to
interference by artificial magnetic fields (underground car park/parking
lot, under a steel tower, between buildings, roof car park/parking lot, near
an intersection, near a large vehicle, etc.).
●The vehicle has become magnetized.
(There is a magnet or metal object near the inside rear view mirror.)
●The battery has been disconnected.
●A door is open.
CAUTION
■While driving
Do not adjust the display.
Be sure to adjust the display only when the vehicle is stopped.
■When doing the circling calibration
Be sure to secure a wide space, and watch out for people and vehicles in the
neighborhood. Do not violate any local traffic rules while performing circling
calibration.

372 3-7. Other interior features
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
NOTICE
■To avoid the compass malfunctions
Do not place magnets or any metal objects near the inside rear view mirror.
Doing this may cause a malfunction of the compass sensor.
■To ensure normal operation of the compass
●Do not perform circling calibration of the compass in a place where the
earth’s magnetic field is subject to interference by artificial magnetic fields.
●During calibration, do not operate electric systems (moon roof, power win-
dows, etc.) as they may interfere with the calibration.

Maintenance and care4
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AVALON_U (OM41428U)
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior ......... 374
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior .......... 377
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements .................. 380
General maintenance....... 383
Emission inspection and
maintenance (I/M)
programs ........................ 386
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions .................... 387
Hood ................................ 391
Positioning a floor jack ..... 392
Engine compartment ........ 394
Tires ................................. 409
Tire inflation pressure ...... 418
Wheels ............................. 422
Air conditioning filter......... 425
Key battery ....................... 428
Checking and replacing
fuses .............................. 432
Headlight aim (with
discharge headlights) ..... 441
Light bulbs........................ 443

374
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime
condition.
●Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any
dirt and dust.
Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a cham-
ois.
●For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thor-
oughly with water.
●Wipe away any water.
●Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle
body is cool.

375 4-1. Maintenance and care
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Maintenance and care
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
■Automatic car washes
●Fold the mirrors back before washing the vehicle.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface
and harm your vehicle’s paint.
■High pressure car washes
Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of
the windows. Before car wash, check that the fuel filler door is closed.
■Aluminum wheels
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use
hard brushes or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical
cleaners. Use the same mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.
●Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, for example after
driving for long distance in the hot weather.
●Wash detergent from the wheels immediately after use.
■Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
CAUTION
■Caution about the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe until it has cooled
sufficiently, as touching a hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.

376 4-1. Maintenance and care
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (aluminum wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust,
iron powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled in dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzine and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the wheels.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
●Do not apply wax on the surface of the lights. Wax may cause damage to
the lenses.
■When using an automatic car wash
(vehicles equipped with the raindrop detection windshield wipers)
Turn off the wiper switch.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wip-
ers may operate and the wiper blades
may be damaged.
AUTO

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4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
The following procedures will help protect your vehicle’s interior and
keep it in top condition:
■Protecting the vehicle interior
Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty sur-
faces with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
■Cleaning the leather areas
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
●Wipe any excess dirt and dust with a soft cloth dampened with
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool deter-
gent.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off all remaining traces of detergent.
●Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remain-
ing moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded and venti-
lated area.
■Synthetic leather areas
●Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
●Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather using a
sponge or soft cloth.
●Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the
dirt and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.

378 4-1. Maintenance and care
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
■Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year
to maintain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a
sponge or brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not apply
water. The excellent results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible.
■Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also
check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
CAUTION
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle. Doing so may cause electrical
components to malfunction or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(P. 102)
Electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect off
the windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading to an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.

379 4-1. Maintenance and care
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Maintenance and care
AVALON_U (OM41428U)
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discolor the vehi-
cle interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces.
• Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzine or gasoline,
alkaline or acidic solutions, dye, or bleach.
• Seats: Acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzine, or alcohol.
●Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel’s or other
interior part’s painted surface may be damaged.
■Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces.
●Remove any dust or dirt on leather surfaces immediately.
●Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
Park the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
●Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or that contain wax on the uphol-
stery, as they may stick to the leather surface if the vehicle interior heats
up significantly.
■Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.
Vehicle systems such as the audio system may be damaged if water comes
into contact with electrical components under the floor of the vehicle, and
may also cause the body to rust.
■Cleaning the inside of the rear window
●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause
damage to the rear window defogger heater wires. Use a cloth dampened
with lukewarm water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe the window in
strokes running parallel to the heater wires.
●Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.

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AVALON_U (OM41428U)
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and regular
maintenance is essential. It is the owner’s responsibility to perform
regular checks. Toyota recommends the following maintenance.
■General maintenance
Should be performed on a daily basis. This can be done by your-
self or by a Toyota dealer.
■Scheduled maintenance
Should be performed at specified intervals according to the
maintenance schedule.
For details about maintenance items and schedules, refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
■Do-it-yourself maintenance
You can perform some maintenance procedures yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect war-
ranty coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals are recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, see the separate “Owner’s War-
ranty Information Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.