1997 TOYOTA RAV4 All wheel drive

81

When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use the fifth gear.
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin orskid. CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped before shifting into
reverse.
The center differential lock system is pro-
vided for use only when the vehicle does not have enough traction to move itself out of the following situations. All front wheels or rear wheels are off the ground or on a slippery surface.
One of the four wheels is off the ground or on a slippery surface.
Operating precautions If the front wheels and rear wheels are
worn unevenly, the center differential
may not lock or unlock smoothly.
Before locking the center differential,
make sure the wheels have stopped spinning.
Unlock the center differential immedi-
ately after you finish using the center
differential lock system. An indicatorbuzzer will sound while the center dif-ferential is being unlocked.
After you have pushed the center dif-ferential lock switch to lock and moved
the vehicle a short distance, the indi-
cator light in the instrument panel
stays on. If the light either fails to come
on or goes out, ask your Toyota dealer
to check the electrical system and the
locking mechanism.
The center differential must be un- locked in normal driving. Locking the center differential will result in
difficult cornering control. CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Do not drive on a dry paved surface with the center differential locked.
This may damage the lockingmechanism and the drive system.
Center differential lock system (four-wheel drive models with manual transmission)

Part 2Off-road vehicle precautions
107
INFORMATION
BEFORE DRIVING
YOUR TOYOTA
Off-road vehicle precautions
Break-in period
Fuel
Operation in foreign countries
Three-way catalytic converter
Engine exhaust cautions
Facts about engine oil consumption
Brake system
Brake pad wear limit indicators
Luggage stowage precautions
Limited-slip differential
Your Toyota's idenitification
Theft prevention labels
Suspension and chassis
Types of tires
This vehicle is one of the class of ve-
hicles which have higher ground
clearances and narrower tread in rela-
tion to the height of their center of
gravity to make them capable of per-forming in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design charac-
teristics
give it a higher center of gravi-
ty than ordinary cars. An advantage of
the higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road allowing you to antici-
pate problems. It is not designed for
cornering at the same speeds as con-
ventional two-wheel drive vehicles
any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road condtions.
CAUTION!
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of se-
rious personal injury or damage toyour vehicle: Avoid loading any items on the
roof that will make the center of
gravity even higher.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt ma-
neuvers, if at all possible. As with
other vehicles of this type, failure
to operate this vehicle correctly
may result in loss of control or ve-
hicle rollover.
Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. Because of its high center
of gravity, your vehicle is more
sensitive to side winds than an or-
dinary passsenger car. Slowing
down will allow you to have much
better control.

11 3
TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE SYSTEM
The tandem master cylinder brake sys-
tem is a hydraulic system with two sepa-
rate sub-systems. If either sub-system
should fa
il, the other will still work. Howev-
er, the pedal will be harder to press, and
your stopping distance will be longer.
Also, the brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION!
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
power-assist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserve vacuum for one or two stopsÐbut nomore!
CAUTION!
Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls. Each push on the
pedal uses up your vacuum re- serve.
Even if the power assist is com-
pletely lost, the brakes will still
work. But you will have to push
the pedal hardÐmuch harder
than normal. And your braking
distance will be longer.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (with ABSº warning light)
The anti-lock brake system is designed to
automatically help prevent lock-up of the
wheels during sudden braking or braking on slippery road surfaces. This assists in
providing directional stability and steeringperformance of the vehicle under these circumstances.
The anti-lock brake system becomes op- erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the
vehicle decelerates to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph). You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a
few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle is started. This means that the anti-lock
brake system is in the self check mode,
and does not indicate a malfunction.
Effective way to press the ABSº brake
pedal: When the anti-lock brake system
function is in action, you may feel the brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise.
In this situation, to let the anti-lock brake
system work for you, just hold the brake
pedal down more firmly. Do not pumpthe brake. This will result in reduced
braking performance.
The brake pedal pulsation caused by the
anti-lock brake system may indicate haz- ardous road surface conditions. Althoughthe anti-lock brake system assists in pro-
viding vehicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care, because the anti-
lock brake system cannot overcome the
laws of physics that act on your vehicle: Braking capab ility is dependent on tire
friction with the road surface.
Brake system

11 4
Even though the anti-lock brake sys-
tem is operating, a driver cannot main- tain full control on certain slippery road
surfaces, when cornering at high speeds, or in violent maneuvers.
Avoid high speeds on wet roads. The
anti-lock brake system cannot elimi-
nate the risk of hydroplaning and loss of tire friction.
Always maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you. Compared with ve-
hicles not fitted with an anti-lock brake
system, your vehicle may require a longer
stopping distance in the following cases: Driving on rough, gravel or snow-cov-
ered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving on roads where the road sur-
face is pitted or has other differences in surface height.
CAUTION!
Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer 's designated tires,
and do not mix tires or wheels of
different si zes. You may prevent the
anti-lock brake system from oper-
ating at full effectiveness.
Type A
Type B ABSº warning light
This light comes on when the ignition key is turned to the ONº position. After about
3 seconds, the light will go off.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a malfunction somewhere inthe parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.
The light does not come on as de-
scribed above, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
Even if the anti-lock brake system should
fail, the brake system will still operate con-
ventionally. However, when the ABSº
warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), anti-lock brake sys-
tem is not assisting brake performance so that the wheel can lock-up during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road sur-
faces. Have your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.

11 6Some Toyotas are equipped with a limit-
ed-slip differential. If one rear wheel be-
gins to spin, the limited-slip differential is
designed to aid traction by automatically
transmitting driving force to the other rear
wheel. If you are not sure whether your
vehicle is equipped
with one, you can ask
your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION!
Do not start or run the engine while
your vehicle is supported by a jack.
The vehicle could be driven off the jack and could pose a danger or re-
sult in serious injury.
Use only a spare tire of the same
size, construction and load capacity
as the original tires on your Toyota because damage to the limited-slip differential could possibly occurwith another tire type.
NOTICE
The vehicle identification number
(VIN) is the legal identifier for your ve- hicle. This number is on the left top of
the instrument panel, and can be seen
through the windshield from outside.
This is the primary identification number
for your T oyota. It is used in registering the
ownership of your vehicle.2-door models
4-door models
Limited-slip differential
(four-wheel drive models only)
Your Toyota's identificationÐ
ÐVehicle identification number

Part 3How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking
Before starting the engine
11 9
STARTING AND DRIVING
Before starting the engine
How to start the engine
Tips for driving in various conditions
Off-road driving precautions
Winter driving tips
Trailer towing
How to save fuel and make your
vehicle last longer, too
1. Check
the area around the vehicle be-
fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, head restraint height and steering
wheel angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Manual transmission: Press the
clutch pedal to the floor and shift the
transmission into neutral. Hold theclutch pedal to the floor until the engine
is started. A starter safety device willprevent the starter from operating if
the clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in Pº. If you need to restart
the engine while the vehicle is moving, put the selector lever in Nº. A starter
safety device will prevent the starter
from operating if the selector lever is in
any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to the
floor until driving off.

120
Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in (a) Before crank- ingº.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/se-
quential multiport fuel injection system in
your engine automatically controls the
proper air-fuel mixture for starting. You can start a cold or hot engine as follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator ped-
al, crank the engine by turning the key
to STARTº. Release it when the en-
gine starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10 sec-
onds, you are ready to drive.
If the weather is below freezing, let the en-
gine warm up for a few minutes before driving.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce- dure given in normal starting. If the engine will not startÐ
See If your vehicle will not startº in Part 4.
NOTICE
Avoid driving with the tailgate open.
Do not crank for more than 30 sec-
onds at a time. This may overheatthe starter and wiring systems.
Do not race a cold engine.
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have theengine checked immediately.
Always slow down in gusty cross- winds. This will allow you much better control
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving onto high, sharp-edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to server tire damage result- ing in tire bursts.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so that
the vehicle will not roll. Apply the park-
ing brake, and place the transmission in Pº (automatic) or in first or reverse
(manual). If necessary, block thewheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving
through deep water may get the
brakes wet. To see whether they are
wet, check that there is no traffic near
you, and then press the pedal lightly. If
you do not feel a normal braking force,
the brakes are probably wet. To dry
them, drive the vehicle cautiously
while lightly pressing the brake pedal
with the parking brake pulled. If they
still do not work safely, pull to the side
of the road and call a T oyota dealer for
assistance.
(b) Starting the engine
Tips for driving in various conditions

121
CAUTION!
Before driving off, make sure that the parking brake if fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, down shifting or braking
on a slippery surface. Sudden ac-
celeration or engine braking, could cause the vehicle to spin or skid.Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high-speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are high-speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes are
applied. Also, the parking brake
will not hold the vehicle securely.CAUTION!
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of seri-
ous personal injury or damage to
your vehicle: Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous places.
Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off-road. A
bad bump could jerk the wheel and
injure your hands. Keep both
hands and especially your thumbs
on the outside of the rim.
Always cehck your brakes for ef-fectiveness immediately after driv-
ing in sand, mud, water or snow.
After driving through tall grass,
mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check
that there is no grass, bush, paper,
rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or
trapped on the underbody. Clear
off any such matter from the un-
derbody. If the vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adher-
ing to the underbody, a breakdown
or fire could occur.
Off-road driving precautions