Toyota RAV4 1997 Owner Manual
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLS—
Chapter 1-1
Overview of instruments
and controls
Instrument panel overview
Instrument cluster overview
Indicator symbols on the
instrument panel
1
Instrument panel overview
1. Side vent
2. Instrument cluster
3. Center vents
4. Electronic moon roof switch and
personal lights
5. Glovebox
6. Power door lock switch
7. Power window switches
8. Parking brake lever
9. Automatic transmission selector
lever or manual transmission
gear shift lever
10. Ashtray
11. Hood lock release lever
2
1. Instrument panel light control knob
2. Headlight and turn signal switch
3. Wiper and washer switch
4. Clock
5. Center differential lock button or
driving pattern selector buton
6. Air conditioning controls
7. Emergency flasher switch
8. Rear window defogger switch
9. Car audio
10. Cigarette lighter
11. Ignition switch
12. Cruise control switch
13. Tilt steering lock release lever
14. Power rear view mirror control switch
3
Instrument cluster overview
1. Speedometer
2. Odometer
3. Fuel gauge
4
4. Service reminder indicators or
indicator lights
5. Engine coolant temperature gauge
6. Tachometer
7. Trip meter reset knob
8. Trip meter
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel
Brake system warning light *
Seat belt reminder light*
Discharge warning light*
1
1
1
Low oil pressure warning light*
Malfunction indicator light*
Low fuel level warning light *
1
1
Anti-lock brake system warning light *
Open door warning light*
SRS airbag warning light*
1
1
1
1
Automatic transmission fluid
temperature warning light*
1
Turn signal indicator lights
Headlight high beam indicator light
Over-drive indicator light
5
Driving pattern indicator light
Center differential lock indicator light
Cruise control indicator light *
*1: For details, see “Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers” in Chapter 1-5.
*2: If this light flashes, see “Cruise control” in Chapter 1-6.
2
6
Part 1
Keys
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS—
Chapter 1-2
Keys and Doors
Keys
Side doors
Power windows
Quarter window
Back door
Hood
Fuel tank cap
Electric moon roof
Detachable sun roof
Your vehicle is supplied with two
kinds of key.
1. Master key- This key works in every
lock.
2. Subkey- This key will not work in the
glovebox.
To protect things locked in the glovebox
when you have your vehicle parked, leave
the subkey with the attendant.
Since the side doors and back door can b e
locked without a key, you should always
carry a spare key in case you accidentally
lock your keys inside the vehicle.
KEY NUMBER PLATE
Your key number is shown on the
plate. Keep the plate in a safe place
such as your wallet, not in the vehicle.
If you should lose your keys of if you need
additional keys, duplicates can be made
by a Toyota dealer using the key number.
You should also put a copy of the key
number with your important papers.
7
Side doors
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH
KEY
Insert the key into the keyhole and turn
it.
To lock: Turn the key downward.
To unlock: Turn the keyupward.
Vehicles with power door lock sys-
tem—All side doors and back door lock
and unlock simultaneously with either
front door. In the driver’s door lock, turning
the key once will unlock the driver’s door
and twice in succession will unlock all the
side doors and back door simultaneously .
8
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH INSIDE LOCK BUTTON
Move the lock button.
To lock: Push the button downward.
To unlock: Pull the button upward.
Closing the door with the lock button
pushed in will also lock the door. Be careful not to lock your keys in the vehicle.
Driver’s side
Passenger’s side
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH
POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH
Push the switch.
To lock: Push the switch on the front side.
To unlock: Push the switch on the rear
side
Operating the switch simultaneously
locks or unlocks all the side doors and the
back door.
REAR DOOR CHILD-PROTECTORS
Move the lock lever to the “LOCK”
position as shown on the label.
This feature allows you to lock a rear door
so it can be opened from the outside only,
not from inside. We recommend using
this feat ure whenever small children are in
the vehicle.
CAUTION
!
Before driving, be sure that the
doors are closed and locked, especially when small children are in the
vehicle. Along with the proper use of
seat belts, locking the doors helps
prevent the driver and passengers
from being thrown out from the vehicle during an accident. It also
helps prevent the doors from being
opened unintentionally.
9
Power windows
The windows can be operated with the
switch on each door.
The power windows work when the ignition switch is in the “ON” position. However, if both doors are closed, they work for
45 seconds even after the ignition switch
is turned off. They stop working when either door is opened.
OPERATING THE DRIVER’S WINDOW
Use the switch on the driver’s door.
Normal operation: The window moves
as long as you hold the switch.
To open: Lightly push down the switch.
To close: Pull up the switch.
10
Automatic operation (to open only):
Push the switch completely down and
then release it. The window will fully open.
To stop the window partway, lightly pull the
switch up and then release it.
OPERATING THE PASSENGERS’
WINDOWS
Use the switch on each passengers’
door or the switches on the dirver’s
door that control each passengers’
window.
The windows move as long as you hold
the switch.
To open: Push down the switch.
To close: Pull up the switch.
If you push in the window lock button on
the driver’s door, the passenger’s windows cannot be operated.
CAUTION
!
To avoid serious personal injury, you
must do the following.
Always make sure the head, hands
and other parts of the body of all occupants are kept completely inside
the vehicle before you close the
power windows. If someone’s
neck, head or hands gets caught in
a closing window, it could result in
a serious injury. When anyone
closes the power windows, be sure
that they operate the windows safely.
When small children are in the ve-
hicle, never let them use the power
window switches without supervision. Use the “WINDOW LOCK”
button to prevent them from making unexpected use of the
switches.
Never leave small children alone in
the vehicle, especially with the ignition key still inserted. They could
use the power window switches
and get trapped in a window. Unattended children can become involved in serious accidents.
Quarter window
(right side only—2-door
models)
To open the quarter window, pull the
latch handle toward you and swing it
fully out.
When closing the window, make sure it is
completely closed.
11
Back door Hood
CAUTION
!
Keep the back door closed while
driving. This not only keeps the
luggage from being thrown out but
also prevents exhaust gases from
entering the vehicle.
If the open back door hides the rear
stop and tail lights or rear turn signal lights while you are parked, other road users must be warned of the
presence of your vehicle by a warn-
ing triangle or other device.
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH
KEY
Insert the key into the keyhole and turn
it.
To lock: Turn the key counterclockwise.
To unlock: Turn the key clockwise.
When closing the backdoor, make sure it
is fully closed.
See “Luggage stowage precautions” in
Part 2 for precautions to observe in loading luggage.
To open the hood, do the following.
1. Pull the hood lock release lever.
The hood will spring up slightly.
Before driving, be sure that the hood
is securely locked. Otherwise, the
hood may open unexpectedly while
driving and an accident may occur.
CAUTION
!
12
2. In front of the vehicle, pull up on the
auxiliary catch lever and lift the
hood.
3. Hold the hood open by inserting
the support rod into the slot.
Before closing the hood, check that you
have not forgotten any tools, rags, etc.
and return the support rod to its clip-this
prevents rattles. Then lower the hood until
it is about 20 cm (8 in.) above the engine
compartment and release it. If the hood is
still not fully closed, lift and release the
hood again. After closing the hood, make
sure it is securely locked.
If you notice while driving that the hood is
not securely locked, stop the vehicle at
once and close the hood.
CAUTION
!
Right after driving the support rod
may be hot, so only touch the part
coated with nylon.
After inserting the rod into the slot,
make sure the rod supports the
hood securely from falling down on
to your head or body.
When closing the hood, be careful
not to get your hands caught between the hood and the vehicle
body.
NOTICE
Do not press on the hood, or you
may deform the hood.
13
Fuel tank cap
CAUTION
!
Make sure the cap is tightened se-
curely to prevent fuel spillage in
case of an accident.
Use only a genuine Toyota fuel tank
cap for replacement. It has a built in
check valve to reduce fuel tank vacuum.
1. To open the fuel filler door, pull the
lever up.
CAUTION
!
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames when refuelling.
The fumes are flammable.
When opening the cap, do not re-
move the cap quickly. In hot weather, fuel under pressure could cause
injury by spraying out of the filler
neck if the cap is suddenly removed.
14
2. To remove the fuel tank cap, turn
the cap slowly counterclockwise,
then pause slightly before removing it. After removing the cap, hang
it on the cap hanger.
It is not unusual to hear a slight swoosh
when the cap is opened. When installing,
turn the cap clockwise till you hear a click.
If the cap is not tightened securely, the
malfunction indicator lamp comes on.
Make sure the cap is tightened securely.
The indicator lamp goes off after driving
several times. If the indicator lamp does
not go off, contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Electric moon roof
Sliding operation
Tilting operation
To operate the moon roof, use the
switches beside the personal light.
The key must be in the “ON” position.
Sun shade operation—
The sun shade can be opened or closed
by hand.
Sliding operation—
To open: Push the switch on the “SLIDE”
side.
The sun shade will be opened together
with the roof.
To close: Push the switch on the opposite
side of the “SLIDE” side.
As a precaution when closing, the roof
stops at the three-quarters closed position before fully closing. Therefore, release the switch and then push it again to
close it completely.
Tilting operation—
To tilt up: Push the switch on the “UP”
side.
To lower: Push the switch on the opposite
side of the “UP” side.
You may stop the moon roof at any de-
sired position. The roof will move while the
switch is being pushed and stop when released.
CAUTION
!
To avoid serious personal injury, you
must do the following.
While the vehicle is moving, always
keep the head, hands and other
parts of the body of all occupants
away from the roof opening. Otherwise, you could be seriously injured if the vehicle stops suddenly
or if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
Always make sure nobody places
his/her head, hands and other parts
of the body in the roof opening before you close the roof. If someone’s neck, head or hands gets
caught in the closing roof, it could
result in a se r i ous injury. When anyone close the roof, first make sure
it is safe to do so.
Never leave small children alone in
the vehicle, especially with the ignition key still inserted. They could
use the power window switches
and get trapped in a window. Unattended children can become involved in serious accidents.
15
Detachable sun roof—
—Tilting up and closing
Never sit on top of the vehicle
around the roof opening.
16
—Sun roof precautions
CAUTION
!
To avoid serious personal injury, you
must do the following.
While the vehicle is moving, always
keep the head, hands and other
parts of the body of all occupants
away from the roof opening. Otherwise, you could be seriously injured if the vehicle stops suddenly
or if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
Never sit on top of the vehicle
around the roof opening.
Never attempt to remove the sun
roof panels while driving. Otherwise, the panels may become a hazard by falling into or flying off the
vehicle.
After installing the sun roof panel,
make sure they are firmly secured
by pushing up on the underside of
each panel.
Never put your hands between the
sun roof panel and the surrounding
roof.
(front only)
To tilt up the sun roof, first pull down
on the handle while pushing in one of
the lock buttons. Then push up the
sun roof until it locks.
The rear sun roof can only be removed—it
is not designed for tilting up.
After tilting up the sun roof, make sure the
handle is securely in place.
When closing the sun roof, slowly pull
down the handle while supporting the roof
with your hand. Close and lock the sun
roof by pushing the handle until it clicks.
Be sure to use your palm to push the handle. After closing the sun roof, make sure
it is securely locked.
—Removing
1. Pull the handle down while pushing in one of the lock buttons.
2. Push in the retaining spring arms
as shown and push up the sun roof.
3. Push back the auxiliary catch to release it from the hook. Then lift the
sun roof panel and pull it out.
17
—Stowing
Install the removed sun roof panels on
the back door as follows.
NOTICE
If the rear seats are reclined, return
them to the upright position before
closing the back door. Otherwise,
they will interfere with the installed
sun roof panels, possibly damaging
them.
18
1. Remove the holder from the back
door by turning the bolts counterclockwise.
The upper holder is for the front sun roof
panel and the lower one is for the rear
panel.
2. Set the front edge of the sun roof
panel into the holders.
The fore part of holders is for the front sun
roof panel and the back part is for the rear
panel.
—Installing
3. Place the removed holder over the
sun roof handle.
4. Secure the holder by turning the
bolts clockwise.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle without
checking that the roof panels are
securely attached to the back door.
1. Insert the flat hinges of the sun roof
panel into the hinge cases on the
body. Then slowly lower it while
holding the roof with your hands.
Make sure both flat hinges are inserted
into the hinge cases.
19
2. Press in the retaining spring arms
and insert them into the holes.
Then lock the sun roof by pushing
the handle up with the palm of your
hand until the handle clicks.
20
Seat belts-
-Seat belt precautions
Toyota strongly urges that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly restrained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase
the chance of injury and/or the severity of
injury in accidents.
Child. Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child until the child becomes large enough to properly wear the
vehicle’s seat belts. See “Child restraint”
for details.
If a child is too large for a child restraint
system, the child should sit in the rear seat
and must be restrained using the vehicle’s
seat belt. According to accident statistics,
the child is safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat.
If a child must sit in the front seat, the seat
belts should be worn properly. If an accident occurs and seat belts are not worn
properly, the force of the rapid inflation of
the airbag may cause serious injury to the
child.
Do not allow the child to stand up or kneel
on either rear or front seats. An unrestrained child could suffer serious injury
during emergency braking or a collision.
Also, do not let the child sit on your lap. It
does not provide sufficient restraint.
If the shoulder belt falls across the child’s
neck or face:
2-door modelsHave the child sit slightly closer to the cen-
ter of the vehicle so that the belt lays
across the shoulder.
4-door modelsMove the child to the center position and
use the center lap belt.
Pregnant woman. Toyota recommends
the use of a seat belt. Ask your doctor for
specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips and not on the
waist.
Injured person. Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Depending on the injury ,
first check with your doctor for specific
recommendations.
CAUTION
!
Persons should ride in their seats
properly wearing in their seat belts
whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more likely
to suffer serious bodily injury in the
event of sudden braking or a collision.
When using the seat belts, observe
the following:
Use the belt for only one person at
a time. Do not use a single belt for
two or more people-even children.
Avoid reclining the seatbacks too
much. The seat belts provide maximum protection when the seatbacks are in the upright position.
(Refer to the seat adjustment instructions.)
Be careful not to damage the belt
webbing or hardware. Take care
that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or side doors.
30
Inspect the belt system periodical-
ly. Check for cuts, fraying and
loose parts. Damaged parts
should be replaced. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Keep the belts clean and dry. If
they need cleaning, use a mild
soap solution or lukewarm water.
Never use bleach, dye, or abrasive
cleaners-they may severely weaken the belts.
Replace the belt assembly (includ-
ing bolts) if it has been used in a
severe impact. The entire assembly should be replaced even if
damage is not obvious.
—Front seat belts and rear
outside seat belts
If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the
retractor, firmly pull the belt and release it.
You will then be able to smoothly pull the
belt out of the retractor.
When a passenger’s shoulder belt is completely extended and is then retracted
even slightly, the belt is locked in that position and cannot be extended. This feature
is used to hold the child restraint system
securely . (F o r d e t a i l s , see “Child restraint”
in this chapter.) To free the belt again, fully
retract the belt and then pull the belt out
once more.
Adjust the seat as needed (front seats
only) and sit up straight and well back
in the seat. To fasten your belt, pull it
out of the retractor and insert the tab
into the buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
The seat belt length automatically adjusts
to your size and the seat position.
The retractor will lock the belt during a
sudden stop or on impact. It also may lock
if you lean forward too quiclky. A slow,
easy motion will allow the belt to extend,
and you can move around freely.
31
CAUTION
!
CAUTION
!
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the belt is not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in
the buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, immediately contact
your Toyota dealer. Do not use th e
seat until the seat belt is fixed. It
cannot protect an adult occupant
or your child from injury.
Always make sure the shoulder belt
is positioned across the center of
your shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from the neck, but not
falling off your shoulder. Failure to
do so could reduce the amount of
protection in an accident and cause
severe injuries in a collision.
Seat belts with an adjustable shoulder
anchor—
Adjust the shoulder anchor position
to your size.
To adjust the anchor position, pull the
knob out and slide it up or down. Release
the knob and make sure the anchor is
locked in position.
32
CAUTION
!
High-positioned lap belts and
loose-fitting belts both could
cause severe injuries due to sliding
under the lap belt during a collision. Keep the lap belt positioned
as low on hips as possible.
For your safety, do not place the
shoulder belt under your arm.
Adjust the position of the lap and
shoulder belts.
Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips-not on your waist, then adjust it
to a snug fit by pulling the shoulder portion
upward through the latch plate.
To release the belt, press the bucklerelease button and allow the belt to retract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull
it out and check for knicks or twists. Then
make sure it remains untwisted as it retracts.
33
—Rear center seat belt
(4-door models)
Sit up straight and well back in the
seat. To fasten your belt, insert the tab
into the buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
If the belt is not long enough for you, hold
the tab at a right angle to the belt and pull
on the tab.
CAUTION
!
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the belt is not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the
buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, immediately contact your
Toyota dealer. Do not use the seat
until the seat belt is fixed. It cannot
protect an adult occupant or your
child from injury.
Remove excess length of the belt and
adjust the belt position.
To shorten the belt, pull the free end of the
belt.
Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips-not on your waist, then adjust it
to a snug fit.
CAUTION
!
High-positioned and loose-fitting
lap belts could cause severe injuries
due to sliding under the lap belt during a collision. Keep the lap belt
positioned as low on hips as possible.
34
—Stowing the rear seat belts
(4-door models)
—Seat belt extender
If your seat belt cannot be fastened securely because it is not long enough, a
personalized seat belt extender is available from your Toyota dealer free of
charge.
Please contact your local Toyota dealer
so that the dealer can order the proper required length for the extender. Bring the
heaviest coat you expect to wear for proper measurement and selection of length.
Additional ordering information is available at your Toyota dealer.
To release the belt, press the bucklerelease button.
The rear seat belts can be stowed
when not in use.
Seat belts must be stowed before you fold
the seatback. (See “Rear seats-Folding
up rear seats” in this chapter.)
35
CAUTION
!
When using the seat belt extender,
observe the following. Failure to follow these instructions could result
in less effectiveness of the seat belt
restraint system in case of vehicle
accident, increasing the chance of
personal injury.
Never use the seat belt extender if
you can fasten the seat belt without
it.
Remember that the extender pro-
vided for you may not be safe
when used on a different vehicle,
or for another person or at a different seating position than the one
originally intended for.
36
To connect the extender to the seat
belt, insert the tab into the seat belt
buckle so that the “PRESS” signs on
the buckle-release buttons of the extender and the seat belt are both facing
outward as shown.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
When releasing the seat belt, press on the
buckle-release button on the extender,
not on the seat belt. This helps prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extender itself.
When not in use, remove the extender
and store in the vehicle for future use.
CAUTION
!
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the belt is not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the
buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, immediately contact your
Toyota dealer. Do not use the seat
until the seat belt is fixed. It cannot
protect an adult occupant or your
child from injury.
SRS airbags
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags are designed to provide
further protection to the driver and
front passenger when added to the primary protection provided by the seat
belts.
In response to a severe frontal impact, the
SRS airbags work together with the seat
belts to help preventing or reduce injury by
inflating, in order to decrease the likelihood of the driver’s or front passenger’s
head or chest directly hitting the steering
wheel or dashboard. The passenger airbag is activated even with no passenger
in the front seat.
This indicator comes on when the
ignition key is turned to the “ACC” or
“ON” position. It goes off after about 6
seconds. This means the SRS airbags
are operating properly.
The SRS airbag warning light system
monitors the airbag sensor assembly, inflators, warning light, interconnecting wiring and power sources.
The SRS airbag system is designeed
to activate in response to a severe
frontal impact within the shaded area
between the arrows in the illustration.
The SRS airbags will deploy if the severity
of the impact is above the designed
threshold level, comparable to an approximate 20 km/h (14 mph) collision when impacting straight into a fixed barrier that
does not move or deform.
If the severity of the impact is below the
above threshold level, the SRS airbags
may not deploy.
37
However, this threshold velocity will be
considerably higher if the vehicle strikes
an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign
pole, which can move or deform on impact, or if i t i s involved in an underride collision (e.g. a collision in which the noise of
the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under,
the bed of a truck.
It is possible with collision severity at the
marginal level of airbag sensor detection
and activation that only one of your vehicle’s two airbags will deploy.
For the safety of all occupants, be sure to
always wear seat belts.
The SRS airbags are not designed to
inflate if the vehicle is subjected to a
side or rear impact, if it rolls over, or if
it is involved in a low-speed frontal
collision.
The SRS airbag system mainly consists
of the following components and their
locations are shown in the illustration.
1 SRS airbag warning light.
2 Passenger airbag module (airbag and
inflator)
3 Airbag sensor assembly.
4 Steering wheel pad (airbag and inflat-
or)
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor.
38
In a severe frontal impact, sensors detect
deceleration and the system triggers the
airbag inflators. Then a chemical reaction
in the inflators momentairly fills the
airbags with non-toxic nitrogen gas to
help restrain the forward motion of the
occupants.
When the airbags inflate, they produce a
fairly loud noise and release some smoke
along with the nitrogen gas. This is not
harmful and does not indicate a fire. Be
sure to wash off any residue as soon as
possible to prevent minor skin irritation.
Deployment of the airbags happen in a
fraction of a second, so the airbags must
inflate with considerable force. While the
system is designed to reduce serious injuries, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swellings.
Parts of the airbag module (steering
wheel hub, dashboard) may be hot for
several minutes, but the airbags themselves will not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate only once.
A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may break the windshield as the vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a passenger airbag the windshield may also be
damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.
CAUTION
!
The SRS airbag system is de-
signed only as a supplement to
the primary protection of the driver side and front passenger side
seat belt systems. The front seat
occupants are particularly susceptable to death or serious injury
if they do not wear their seat belts;
when sudden braking or a collision occurs, they may be thrown
forward into deployed SRS airbags. T o ob tai n maximum protection in an accident, the driver and
all passengers in the vehicle
should always wear their seat
belts when driving because death
or serious injuries can result to
unrestrainted occupants. For instructions and precautions concering the seat belt systems, see
“Seat belts” in this chapter.
A baby or small child who is too
small to use a seat belt should be
properly secured in a rear seat
using a child restraint system.
Never put a rear-facing child re-
straint system in the front seat be cause the force of the rapid inflation of the passenger airbag can
cause death or serious injury to
the child.
39
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