1997 TOYOTA RAV4 Owners Manual

181
CHECKING BY THE FLUID LEVEL
LINES (MAINTENANCE TYPE BAT-
TERY ONLY)
The fluid (electrolyte) level must be be-
tween the upper and lower lines.
When checking the fluid level, look at all six cells, not just one or two.
If the level is lower than the lower line, add
distilled water. (See ADDING DIS-
TILLED WATERº.)CHECKING BY THE HYDROMETER Check the battery condition by the
hydrometer color. Maintenance type batteryHydrometer color
ConditionType AType BCondition
GREENBLUEGood
DARKWHITECharging necessary. Have battery checked by
your Toyota dealer.
CLEAR or LIGHT YELLOWREDAdd distilled water*
*: See ADDING DISTILLED WATERº. Non-maintenance battery
Hydrometer color
ConditionType AType BCondition
GREENBLUEGood
DARKWHITECharging necessary. Have battery checked by
your Toyota dealer.
CLEAR or LIGHT YELLOWREDHave battery checked by
your Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
Do not refill the battery with water.

182
ADDING DISTILLED WATER (MAINTE-
NANCE TYPE BATTERY ONLY)
1. Remove the vent plugs.
2. Add distilled water to cells needingfluid.
If the side of your battery is covered,
check the water level by looking down di-
rectly above the cell as illustrated above.
3. Retighten the vent plugs securely.
NOTICE
Do not overfill the cells. Excess electrolyte could squirt out of the
battery during heavy charging,causing corrosion or damage.During recharging, the battery is pro-
ducing hydrogen gas. Therefore, before recharging:
1. Maintenance type batteriesÐRemove the vent plugs.
2. If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect the ground cable.
3. Be sure the power switch on the re- charger is off when connecting the
charger cables to the battery and
when disconnecting them.
Always charge the battery in an
unconfined area. Do not charge
the battery in a garage or closed
room where there is not sufficient ventilation.
Non-maintenance batteries: Only
do a slow charge (5A or less).
Charging at a quicker rate is dan-
gerous. The battery may explode,
causing personal injuries.
Maintenance type batteries: Be sure to remove the vent plugs be-fore recharging. CAUTION
!
Battery recharging precautions

183
NOTICE
Never recharge the battery while the
engine is running. Also, be sure all
accessories are turned off.
If the headlights or other electrical
components do not work, check the
fuses. If any of the fuses are blown,
they must be replaced.
See Fuse locationsº in Chapter 7-1 for
locations of the fuses.
Turn the ignition switch and inopera-
tive component off. Pull a suspected
fuse straight out and check it.
Determine wh ich fuse may be causing the
problem. The lid of the fuse box shows the name of the circuit for each fuse. See Part8 of this manual for the functions con-
trolled by each circuit.
Checking and replacing fuses

184Type A fuses can be pulled out by using the pull-out tool. The location of the pull- out tool is shown in the illustration.
If you are not sure whether the fuse has
blown, try replacing the suspected fuse with one that you know is good.
If the fuse has blown, push a new fuse
into the clip.
Only install a fuse with the amperage rat-
ing designated on the fuse box lid.
If you do not have a spare fuse, in an emergency you can pull out the CIG &
RADº, DOMEº or A/Cº fuse, which may
be dispensable for normal driving, and use it if its amperage rating is the same.
If you cannot use one of the same amper-
age, use one that is lower, but as close as
possible to the rating. If the amperage is
lower than that specified, the fuse might
blow out again but this does not indicate
anything
wrong. Be sure to get the correct
fuse as soon as possible and return the
substitute to its original clip.
It is a good idea to purchase a set of spare
fuses and keep them in your vehicle for emergencies. If the new fuse immediately blows out,there is a problem with the electrical sys-
tem. Have your Toyota dealer correct it as
soon as possible.
Never use a fuse with a higher
amperage rating, or any other
object, in place of a fuse. This maycause extensive damage and
possibly a fire.
CAUTION
!
Check
the washer fluid level in the res-
ervoir with the dipstick. If the washer
fluid level is low, reinsert the dipsticksecurely and add washer fluid through
the opening for added fluid.
You may use plain water as washer fluid.
However, in cold areas where tempera-
tures range below freezing point, use
washer fluid containing antifreeze. This
product is available at your Toyota dealer
and most auto parts stores. Follow the
manufacturer 's directions for how much
to mix with water. Adding washer fluid

185
To prevent burning yourself, do not check the washer fluid level when
the engine is hot.CAUTION
!
NOTICE
After checking the washer fluid
level, make sure the dipstick is se-
curely reinserted. If it is loose, fluid may leak from the reservoir.
Do not check the washer fluid lev-el or add washer fluid when the en-gine is running or when it is hot.If the fluid is spilled over the hot
engine, a fire could result.
If you have added washer fluid un-til it is close to the top of the open-
ing for adding fluid, do not pullout the dipstick. Otherwise, thefluid will overflow.
Do not use engine antifreeze or
any other substitute because itmay damage your vehicle's paint.
The headlights have the beam angle
gauges to check:
1. Vertical movement
2. Horizontal movement
To obtain correct gauge readings, do
these before you check the headlightaims. Make sure the body around the head- light is not deformed.
Park the vehicle on a level spot.
Fill up the fuel tank.
Bounce the vehicle several times.
A passenger should sit on the driver's
seat while checking the headlight aims.Vertical movement gauges: The bubble
on the gauge should be within six marks
from center on both sides.
Checking headlight aims

186
Horizontal movement gauges: The red
mark on the gauge should be within two
marks from the center on both sides.
If a gauge reading is not within the accept-
able range, have the aiming adjusted by
your Toyota dealer.The following illustrations show how to
gain access to the bulbs. When replacing
a bulb, make sure the ignition switch and
light switch are off. Use bulbs with the wattage ratings given in the table.
Halogen bulbs have pressurized
gas inside and require special
handling. They can burst or shatter
if scratched or dropped. Hold a bulb
only by its plastic or metal case. Do
not touch the glass part of a bulb
with bare hands.
CAUTION
!
NOTICE
Only use a bulb of the listed type.
Light bulbsBulb
No.WType
HeadlightHB260/55A
Parking and front turn signal lights115727/8B
Front side marker lights1943.8C
Rear side marker lights1943.8C
Rear turn signal lights115627B
Stop and tail lights115727/8B
Back-up lights115627B
Licenses plate lightÐ5C
High mounted stop light92118C
Interior lightÐ10D
Personal lightÐ8B
A: HB1 halogen bulbs B: Single end bulbs
C: Wedge base bulbsD: Double end bulbs
Replacing light bulbsÐ

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