1997 TOYOTA RAV4 Owners Manual

145
Front
RearIf towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to either emergency towing eye-
let under the vehicle. Use extreme
caution when towing vehicle. A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION!
Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. Avoid sudden starts or er- ratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress on the
emergency towing eyelet and tow-ing cable or chain. The eyelet and
towing cable or chain may break
and cause serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifical- ly intended for use in towing ve-
hicles. Securely fasten the cable orchain to the towing eyelet provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Nº (automatic). The key must
be in ACCº (engine off) or ONº (engine running).
CAUTION!
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual.
ÐEmergency towing

146
Before emergency towing, check that the eyelet is not broken or damaged
and that the installation bolts are notloose.
Fasten the towing cable and chain se-curely to the eyelet.
Do not jerk the eyelet. Apply steady
and even force.
To avoid damaging the eyelet, do not
pull from the side or at a vertical angle.
Always pull straight ahead.
CAUTION!
If the emergency towing eyelet is
used to get out when your vehicle
becomes struck in mud, sand or
other condition from which the
vehicle cannot be driven out under
its own power, make sure to observe
the precautions mentioned below.
Otherwise, excessive stress will be
put on the eyelet and the towing
cable or chain may break, causing
serious injury or damage. If the towing vehicle can hardly
move, do not forcibly continue the
towing. Contact you T oyota dealer
or a commercial tow truck service for assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight ahead
as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle during
towing. The following methods are ef
fective to get
out when your vehicle is struck in mud,
sand or other condition from which the ve-
hicle cannot be driven out under its own
power. Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. In addition, keep away from the
vehicles and towing cable or chain when towing. Remove the soil and sand in the front and the back of the tires.
Place a stone or wood under the tires.
ÐEmergency towing eyelet precautions
ÐTips for towing a stuck vehicle

147
If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of Pº position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-pressed, use the shift lock override
button as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCKºposition. Make sure the parking brake is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flat-bladed screwdriver or equivalent.3. Insert the screwdriver or equivalent
into the hole to push down the shift
lock override button. You can shift
out of Pº position only while push-
ing the button.
4. Shift into Nº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety, keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible. Many Toyota dealers can make a new
key if you can give them the key num-
ber. See the suggestion given in Keysº in Chapter 1-2.
If your keys are locked in the vehicle and
you cannot get a duplicate, many Toyota
dealers
can still open the door for you, us-
ing their special tools. If you must break a
window to get in, we suggest breaking the
smallest side window because it is the least expensive to replace. Be extremely cautious to avoid cuts from the glass.
If you cannot shift automatic transmission selector lever
If you lose your keys

Part 5Protecting your Toyota from corrosion
149
CORROSION
PREVENTION ANDAPPEARANCECARE
Protecting your Toyota from corrosion
Washing and waxing your
Toyota
Cleaning the interior
Toyota, through its diligent research, de-
sign and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part to
help prevent corrosion and has provided you with the finest quality vehicle
construction. Now, it is up to you. Proper
care of
your Toyota can help ensure long-
term corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corro-
sion to your vehicle are: The accumulation of road salt, dirt and
moisture in hard-to-reach areas un- der the vehicle.
Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
Care is especially important if you live
in particular areas or operate your ve-
hicle under certain environmentalconditions: Road salt or dust control chemicals will
accelerate corrosion, as will the pres-
ence of salt in the air near the sea-
coast or in areas of industrial pollution.
High humidity accelerates corrosion
especially when temperatures rangejust above the freezing point.
Wetness or dampness to certain parts
of your vehicle for an extended period
of time, may cause corrosion even
though other parts of the vehicle may
be dry.
High temperatures will cause corro-
sion to those components of the ve-
hicle which are prevented from quick-
drying due to lack of proper ventilation.
The above signifies the necessity to keep
your vehicle, particularly the underside,
as clean as possible and to repair any
damage to paint or protective coatings as
soon as possible.
To help prevent corrosion on your To-
yota, follow these guidelines:
Wash your vehicle frequently: It is, of
course, necessary to keep your vehicle
clean by regular washing, but to prevent corrosion, the following points should beobserved: If you drive on salted roads in the win-
ter or if you live near the ocean, you
should hose off the undercarriage atleast once a month to minimize corro- sion.

150
High pressure water or steam is effec-
tive for cleaning the vehicle's under-
side and wheel housings. Pay particu-
lar attention to these areas as it is
difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to simply
wet the mud and debris without remov-
ing them. The lower edge of doors,
rocker panels and frame members
have drain holes which should not be
allowed to clog with dirt as trapped wa-
ter in these areas can cause corrosion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle
thoroughly when winter is over.
See Washing and waxing your Toyotaº
for more tips.
Check the condition of your vehicle's
paint and trim. If you find any chips or
scratches in the paint, touch them up im- mediately to prevent corrosion from start- ing. If the chips or scratches have gone
through the bare metal, have a qualified
bodyshop make the repair. Check the interior of your vehicle.
Wa-
ter and dirt can accumulate under the floor
mats and could cause corrosion. Occa-
sionally check under the mats to make sure the area is dry. Be particularly careful
when transporting chemicals, cleansers,
fertilizers, salt, etc; these should be trans-
ported in proper containers. If a spill or
leak should occur, immediately clean and dry the area.
Use mud shields on your wheels. If you
drive on salted or gravel roads, mud
shields help protect your vehicle. Full- size shields, which come as near to the
ground as possible, are the best. We rec-
ommend that the fittings and the area
where the shields are installed be treated
to resist corrosion. Your Toyota dealer will
be happy to assist in supplying and instal-
ling the shields if they are recommended for your area. Keep your vehicle in a well ventilated garage or a roofed place. Do not park
your vehicle in a damp, poorly venti-
lated garage. If you wash your vehicle in
the garage, or if you drive it in covered with
water or snow, your garage may be so damp it will cause corrosion. Even if your
garage is heated, a wet vehicle can cor-
rode if the ventilation is poor. Washing your Toyota Keep your vehicle clean by regular washing.
The following cases may cause weak- ness to the paint or corrosion to the body
and parts. Wash your vehicle as soon as possible.
When driving in a coastal area
When driving on a road sprinkled with antifreeze
When having stuck of coal tar, tree
sap, bird droppings and carcasses of
an insect
When driving in the areas where there
are a lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron dust
and chemical substance
When the vehicle becomes remark-
ably dirty with dust and mud
Hand-washing your Toyota
Work in the shade and wait until the ve-
hicle body is not hot to the touch.
CAUTION!
When cleaning under floor or chas-
sis, be careful not to injure your hands.
Washing and waxing your
Toyota

151
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re-
move any mud or road salt from the
underside of the vehicle or in the wheel
wells.
2. Wash with a mild car-wash soap, mixed according to the manufacturer's
instructions. Use a soft cotton mit and
keep it wet by dipping it frequently into
the wash water. Do not rub hardÐlet the soap and water remove the dirt.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap or
neutral detergent.
Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not scrub w ith abrasive cleaners. The bumper
faces are soft.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted surfaces.
Do not use gasoline or strong sol-
vents, which may be toxic or cause
damage.
NOTICE
3. Rinse thoroughlyÐdried soap can cause streaking. In hot weather you
may need to rinse each section right
after you wash it. 4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle
using a cl ean soft cotton towel. Do not
rub or press hardÐyou might scratchthe paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching re- duces paint durability and gloss, especial-
ly on darker colors. The manager of the car wash should be able to advise you whether the process is safe for the paint
on your vehicle.
To prevent damage to the antenna,
make sure it is retracted before driv-
ing your Toyota through an auto-matic car wash.
NOTICE
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommend-
ed to maintain the original beauty of
your Toyota's finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle does not re-
pel water well, apply wax. 1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-
fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely
weathered, use a car-cleaning polish,
followed by a separate wax. Carefully
follow the manufacturer's instructions
and precautions. Be sure to polish and
wax the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
Always remove the plastic bumpers
if your vehicle is re-painted and
placed in a high heat paint waxingbooth. High temperatures could damage the bumpers.
NOTICE

152
CAUTION!
Do not wash the vehicle floor with
water, or allow water to get into the
floor when cleaning the vehicle in-
terior or exterior. Water may get into
audio components or other electri-
cal components above or under the
floor carpet (or mat) and cause a
malfunction; and it may cause body
corrosion.
Vinyl interior
The vinyl upholstery may be easily
cleaned with a mild soap or detergent
and water.
First vacuum over the upholstery to re-
move loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or
soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the vi-
nyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few
minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt
and wipe off the soap with a clean damp
cloth. If all the dirt does not come off, re-
peat the procedure. Commercial foam-
ing-type vinyl cleaners are also available
which work well. Follow the manufactur-
er's instructions.
Do not use solvent, thinner, gas-
oline or window cleaner on the
interior.
NOTICE
Carpets
Use a good foam-type shampoo to
clean the carpets.
Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to re-
move as much dirt as possible. Several
types of foam cleaners are available' some are in aerosol cans and others are
powders or liquids which you mix with wa-
ter to produce a foam. To shampoo the
carpets, use a sponge or brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not apply waterÐthe best results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as possible. Read the shampoo instructions
and follow them closely. Seat belts
The seat belts may be cleaned with
mild soap and water or with lukewarm
water.
Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-
ing, check the belts for excessive wear,
fraying, or cuts.
Do not use dye or bleach on the
belts-it may weaken them.
NOTICE
Windows
The windows may be cleaned with any
household window cleaner.
When cleaning the inside of the
windows, be careful not to scratch
or damage the heater wires on therear window.
NOTICE
Air conditioning control panel, car au-
dio, instrument panel, console panel,
and switches Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-
warm water then lightly wipe off any dirt.
Cleaning the interior

153

Do not use organic substances
(solvents, karosene, alcohol, gas-
oline, etc.) or alkaline or acidic
solutions. These chemicals cancause discoloring, staining or
peeling of the surface.
If you use cleaners or polishingagents, make sure their ingredi-
ents do not include the sub-
stances mentioned above.
If you use a liquid car freshener,do not apply the liquid onto the ve-
hicle's interior surfaces. It may contain the ingredients men-
tioned above. Immediately clean
any spill using the method men-tioned above.
NOTICE
If you have any questions about the
cleaning of your Toyota, your local To-
yota dealer will be pleased to answer them.