1997 TOYOTA RAV4 lock

158Automatic transmission Parkº
mech-
anism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your ve-
hicle is held securely with the selector lever in ºPº 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 Chapter 7-3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level Make sure the coolant level is between
the ºFULLº and ºLOWº lines on the see-
through reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-tion.
Battery electrolyte level Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower level
lines on the case. Add only distilled water
when replenishing. See Chapter 7-3 for
additional information. Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct. See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-tion.
Engine oil level
Check the l
evel on the dipstick with the en-
gine turned off and the vehicle parked on
a level spot. See Chapter 7-2 for addition-
al information. Power steering fluid level Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the HOTº or COLDº
range depending on the fluid t emperature.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa- tion.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See engine exhaust cautions in
Part 2.) Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip-offs
that in-
dicate service is needed. Some important
clues are as follows: Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monox-
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhaust system checked
immediately.)
Flat-looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when drivingstraight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspensionmovement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking
Engine coolant temperature continual-
ly higher than normal
Does your vehicle need repairing?

1621. Windshield washer, rear window
washer fluid tank
2. Battery
3. Fuse blocks
4. Engine oil filler cap
5. Brake fluid reservoir
6. Engine coolant reservoir
7. Electric cooling fans
8. Engine oil level dipstick
9. Power steering fluid reservoir
10. Windshield washer fluid level dipstick
Engine compartment overview

172line. This brings the fluid to the correct
level when you put the cover back on.
Use only newly opened brake fluid. Once
opened, brake fluid absorbs moisture
from the air, and excess moisture can cause a dangerous loss of braking.
CAUTION!
Take care when filling the reservoir
because brake fluid can harm your
eyes and damage painted surfaces.
If fluid gets in your eyes, flush your
eyes with clean water.
If you spill the fluid, be sure to wash it off with water to prevent it from
damaging the parts or paint.
NOTICE
Check the fluid level through the reser-
voir. If necessary, add automatic trans-
mission fluid DEXRON [
-II or III.
If the vehicle has been driven around
80 km/h (50 mph) for 20 minutes (a little more in frigid temperatures), the fluid is
hot (60 C ' 80 C or 140 F ' 175 F). You
may also check the level when the fluid is cold (about room temperature, 10 C
' 30 C or 50 F ' 85 F) if the engine has
not been run for about five hours. Clean all dirt from outside of the reservoirtank and look at the fluid level. If the fluid is cold, the level should be in the COLDº
range. Similarly, if it is hot, the fluid level
should be in the HOTº range. If the level
is at the low side of either range, add auto-
matic transmission fluid DEXRON
[
-II or
III to bring the level within range.
To remove the filler cap, turn it counter-
clockwise and lift up. To reinstall it, turn it
clockwise. After replacing the filler cap,
visually check the steering box case, vane
pump and hose connections for leaks or damage.
CAUTION!
The reservoir tank may be hot so be
careful not to burn yourself.
Avoid overfilling, or the power steering could be damaged.
NOTICE
Checking power steering fluid

177
NOTICE
If the wrong combination of tire and chain is used, the chains could
damage the vehicle body.
* RAV4 genuine tire chains (Part No. 08329-42801)
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 Four-wheel drive models:
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the front tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5 '1.0 km
(1/4 '1/2 mile).
Two-wheel drive models: Install the chains on the front tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the rear tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5 '1.0 km
(1/4 '1/2 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 adversely affect vehicle han- dling. 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 they may cause loss of handling control. WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that the wheels are
replaced by ones with the same load
capacity, diameter, rim width, and off-set.
Correct
replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may ad-
versely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/
odometer calibration, stopping ability,
headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or snow chain clearance to the body and chassis.
Replacing wheels

187
1. Open the hood. Unplug the con-nector. Turn the plastic cover coun-
terclockwise and remove it.
If the connector is tight, wiggle it.2. Remove the rubber cover.3. Release the bulb retaining spring and remove the bulb. Install a new
bulb and the bulb retaining spring.
To install a bulb, align the tabs of the bulb with the cutout of the mounting hole.
ÐHeadlights

188
4. Install the rubber cover andsnuggle on the boss.
Make sure the rubber cover fits snugly on
the connector and the headlight body.5. Install the plastic cover with the TOPº mark upward and turn it
clockwise. Insert the connector.
Aiming is not necessary after replacing
the bulb. When aiming adjustment is nec-
essary, contact your Toyota dealer.Use a Philips-head screwdriver.
ÐParking and front turn signal lights

199
Engine compartment (U.S.A.) Fuses (type A) 1 AM2 20A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system, charging system
2 DOME 15A: Personal lights, open door
warning light, clock 3 EFI 15A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection system 4 HAZ-HORN 15A: Emergency flashers,
horns
5 ALT-S 5A: Charging system
6 SPARE 15A: Spare fuse
7 SPARE 7.5A: Spare fuseEngine compartment (Canada) 8 H-LP LH 15A: Left-hand headlight
9 H-LP RH 15A: Right-hand headlight
10 DRL 7.5A: Daytime running light sys-
tem
11 H-LP LH-L 10A: Left-hand headlight
(low beam)
12 H-LP RH-L 10A: Right hand head-
light (low beam)
13 H-LP LH-H 10A: Left-hand headlight
(high beam)
14 H-LP RH-H 10A: Right-hand healight
(high beam)Engine compartment
15 TAIL 10A: Tail lights, parking lights, li-
cense plate lights, interior lights
16 GAUGE 10A: Gauges and meters,
service reminder indicators (except dis-
charge and open door warning lights),
back-up lights, air conditioning system,
power windows, rear window defogger,
center differential lock system, electroni-
cally controlled automatic transmission system
17 TURN 7.5A: Turn signal lights
18 CIG & RAD 15A: Cigarette lighter,
clock, car audio system, power rear view mirrors
Fuses

200
Instrument panel
19 DEF-I/UP 7.5A: Multiport fuel injec-
tion system/sequential multiport fuel in-
jection system
20 IGN 7.5A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system, discharge warning light
21 ECU-IG, 7.5A: Anti-lock brake sys-
tem, electronically controlled automatic transmission system
22 WIPER 20A: Windshield wipers and
washer, rear wiper and washer23 SRS 7.5A: SRS airbag system
24 OBD 7.5A: On-board diagnosis sys-
tem
25 STOP 10A: Stop lightsInstrument panel
26 A/C 7.5A: Air conditioning system
Fuses (type B)
27 MAIN No. 1 30A: Starting system,
headlights
28 RDI FAN 30A: Electric cooling fan
29 CDS FAN 30A: Electric cooling fan
30 POWER 30A: Power windows, power
door lock system 31 DEF 30A: Rear window defogger
32 AM1 40A: CIG & RADº, WIPERº,
GAUGEº, ECU-IGº, TURNº and TAILº fusesPassenger 's side kick panel Fuses (type C)
33 Main 80A: AM2º, HAZ-HORNº,
EFIº, DOMEº, RADIOº and ALT-Sº fuses
34 ALT 100A: Tail lights, ABSº, RADIOº,
HTRº, AM1º, POWERº, STOPº and
DEFº fuses 35 HTR 50A: Air conditioning system
36 ABS 60A: Anti-lock brake system