1998 Toyota Avalon Owners Manual - Page 166

'98 AVALON (USA/CANADA) −U Part 4 IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY D If your vehicle will not start D If your engine stalls while driving D If your vehicle overheats D If you have a flat tire D If your vehicle needs to be towed D If you cannot shift automatic transmission selector lever D If you lose your keys D If you lose your wireless remote control transmitter If your vehicle will not start- (a) Simple checks Before making these checks, make sure you have followed the correct starting procedure given in "How to start the engine" in Part 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)" in chapter 1−2.) If the engine is not turning over or is turning over too slowly- 1. 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 starting. See "(c) Jump starting" 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 vehicle. It may damage the vehicle or cause a collision when the engine starts. Also the three−way catalytic converter may overheat and become a fire hazard. If the engine turns over at its normal speed but will not start- 1. Check that all the push−on connectors are tight. (For example, connectors at the spark plugs, ignition coil and/or distributor) 2. If the connectors are O.K., the engine may be flooded because of repeated cranking. See "(b) Starting a flooded engine" for further instructions. 166