1997 TOYOTA RAV4 service

99
Air Intake selector Move the lever to select the air source.
1. RecirculateÐRecirculates the air in-
side the vehicle.
2. FreshÐ Draws outside air into the sys-
tem. A/Cº button
To turn on the air conditioning, press the
A/Cº button. The A/Cº button indicator
will come on. To turn the air conditioning
off, press the button again.
If the A/Cº button indicator flashes, there
is a problem in the air conditioning system
and the air conditioning automatically
shuts off. If this happens, take your ve-
hicle to a Toyota dealer for service.

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.

122
The driver and all passengers
should fasten their seat belts when-
ever the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the river bed forfirmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
Take all necessary safety measuresto ensure that water damage to the
engine or other components does
not occur.Water entering the engine air in-
take will cause severe engine dam-age.Water can wash the grease from
wheel bearings, causing rusting and premature failure, and mayalso enter the differentials, trans-
mission and transfer case, reduc-ing the gear oil's lubricating quali-ties.
Sand and mud that has accumu-lated in brake drums and around
brake discs may affect braking ef-
ficiency and may damage brakesystem components.
Always perform a maintenance in-
spection after each day of off- road driving that has taken you
through rough terrain, sand, mud,
or water. For scheduled mainte-nance information, refer to the
separate Owner's Manual Sup- plement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
Make sure you have ethylene-glycol
antifreeze in the radiator.
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
NOTICE
Check the condition of the battery and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape to provide enough power for winter starting. Chapter 7-3 tells you how to visually in-
spect the battery. Your Toyota dealer and
most service stations will be pleased to check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Chapter 7-2 for recommended vis-
cosity. Leaving a heavy summer oil in your
vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota dealer- he will be pleased to help. Keep the door locks from freezing. Squirt lock de-icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before in-serting it.
Winter driving tips

132If the engine will not start, your engine
may be flooded because of repeated cranking.
If this happens, turn the key to STARTº with the accelerator pedal held down.
Keep
the key and accelerator pedal so for
15 seconds and release them. Then try
starting the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If the engine does not start after 15 sec-
onds of cranking, release the key, wait a few minutes and try again.
If the engine still will not start, it needs ad-
justment or repair. Call a Toyota dealer or
qualified repair shop for assistance.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 seconds at a time. This may
overheat the starter and wiringsystems.
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might
result from battery explosion, acid
burns, electrical burns, or damaged
electronic components, these instruc-
tions must be followed precisely.
If you are unsure about how to follow this procedure, we strongly recommend that you seek the help of a competent me-
chanic or towing service.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid
which is poisonous and corrosive.
Wear protective safety glasses
when jump starting, and avoid
spilling acid on your skin, cloth-
ing, or vehicle.
If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in you eyes, remove
any contaminated clothing and
flush the affected area with water
immediately. Then get immediate
medical attention. If possible, con-
tinue to apply water with a sponge
or cloth while en route to the medi- cal office. CAUTION
!

The gas normally produced by a battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and
do not smoke or light a match
while jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must be 12 V. Do not jump start unless
you are sure that the booster batteryis correct.
(b) Starting a flooded engine (c) Jump starting

142
When lowering the vehicle, make sure all portions of your body and
all other persons around will not be
injured as the vehicle is lowered tothe ground.CAUTION
!
10. Reinstall the wheel ornament.
Align the cutout of the wheel ornament with the valve stem as shown. Then tap it
firmly
with the side or heel of your hand to
snap it into place.
Take due care in handling the
ornament to avoid unexpected
personal injure. CAUTION
! 11. Check the air pressure of the re-
placed tire.
Adjust the air pressure to the specification
designated in Part 8. If the pressure is
lower, drive slowly to the nearest service station and fill to the correct pressure.
Do not forget to reinstall the tire inflation valve cap as dirt and moisture could get into the valve core and possibly cause air
leakage. If the cap is missing, have a new
one put on as soon as possible.
12. Restow all the tools, jack and flat
tire securely.
As soon as possible after changing
wheels, tighten the wheel nuts to the torque specified in Part 8 with a torque wrench, have a technician repair the flat tire and replace the spare tire with it.
Before driving, make sure all the
tools, jack and flat tire are securely in place in their storage location to
reduce the possibility of personal
injury during a collision or suddenbraking. CAUTION
!
ÐReinstalling wheel ornament ÐAfter changing wheels

143
Two-wheel drive modelsFour-wheel drive modelsIf towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice. In consultation with them, have
your vehicle towed using either (a) or(b).
Only when you cannot receive a tow-
ing service from a Toyota dealer or
commercial tow truck service, tow
your vehicle carefully in accordance
with the instructions given in
ÐEmergency towingº in this part. Proper equipment will help ensure that your vehicle is not damaged while being
towed. Commercial operators are gener-
ally
aware of the state/provincial and local
laws pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is towed
incorrectly. Although most operators know the correct procedure, it is possible
to make a mistake. To avoid damage to your vehicle, make sure the following few
precautions are observed. If necessary,
show this page to the tow truck driver.
If your vehicle needs to be towedÐ

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