1997 TOYOTA RAV4 ignition

Part 4If your vehicle will not startÐ
(a) Simple checks
131
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
If your vehicle will not start
If your engine stalls while driving
If your vehicle overheats
If you have a flat tire
If your vehicle needs to be towed
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
If you lose your keys
Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting pro-
cedure given in How to start the engineº
in Part 3 and that you have sufficient fuel.
If the engine is not turning over or is
turning over too slowlyÐ
1. Check that the battery terminals are
tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery is
discharged. You may try jump starting.
See (c) Jump startingº for further in- structions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not pullÐ or push-start the vehicle. It may damage the vehicle
or cause a collision when the enginestarts. Also the three-way catalytic converter may overheat and be-come a fire hazard.
If the engine turns over at its normal
speed but will not startÐ
1. Check that all the push-on connectors are tight. (For example, connections at the spark plugs, ignition coil and/or dis-
tributor)
2. If the connectors are O.K., the engine may be flooded because of repeated
cranking. See (b) Starting a flooded
engineº for further instructions.

135
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a
loud knocking or pinging noise,
the engine has probably overheated.
You should follow this procedure 0
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in Pº
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and
apply the parking brake. Turn off the
air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not, turn
the ignition off.
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure. CAUTION
! 3. Look for obvious coolant leaks from
the radiator, hoses, and under the ve-
hicle. However, note that water drain- ing from the air conditioning is normal if it has been used.
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts. CAUTION
!
4. If the coolant is leaking, stop the en- gine immediately. Call a Toyota dealer
for assistance.
5. If there are no obvious leaks, check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add
coolant to the reservoir while the en-
gine is running. Fill it about half full.
Do not attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap when the engine and radiator
are hot. Serious injury could result
from scalding hot fluid and steam
blown out under pressure. CAUTION
! 6. After the engine coolant temperature
has cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If
necessary, bring it up to half full again.
Serious coolant loss indicates a leak in
the system. You should have it
checked as soon as possible at your
Toyota dealer.
If your vehicle overheats

144TOWING PRECAUTIONS: Use a safety chain system for all towing,
and abide by the state/provincial and local
laws. The wheels and axle on the ground
must be in good condition. If they are
damaged, use a towing dolly.
Two-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck
From front
ÐRelease the parking brake.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care to ensure adequate ground clearance
for towing at the opposite end of theraised vehicle. Otherwise, the bumper and/or underbody of thetowed vehicle will be damaged during towing.
From rearÐ Manual transmission:
We recommend using a towing dolly
under the front wheels. If you do not
use a towing dolly, place the ignition key in the ACCº position and put thetransmission in neutral.
NOTICE
Do not tow with the key removed or in the LOCKº position when
towing from the rear without atowing dolly. The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough tohold the front wheels straight.
Automatic transmission: Use a towing dolly under the front wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the
rear with the front wheels on theground, as this may cause serious damage to the transmission.
(b) Using a flat bed truck Four-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with a wheel lift type truck
Using a towing dolly under the wheels not
lifted by the truck. (b) Using flat bed truck
All modelsÐ
(c) Towing with sling type truck
Do not tow with sling type truck,
either from the front or rear. This
may cause body damage.
NOTICE

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

165
Be sure that the ignition is off if
you work near the electric cooling
fans or radiator grille. With the
ignition on, the electric cooling
fans will automatically start to run
if the engine coolant temperature
is high and/or the air conditioning
is on.
Use eye protection whenever you
work on or under you vehicle
where you may be exposed to fly-
ing or falling material, fluid spray,etc.
Used engine oil contains poten-
tially harmful contaminants which
may cause skin disorders such as
inflammation or skin cancer, so
care should be taken to avoid pro-
longed and repeated contact with
it. To remove used engine oil from
your skin, wash thoroughly with
soap and water.
Do not leave used oil within the reach of children.Dispose of used oil and filter only
in a safe and acceptable manner.
Do not dispose of used oil and fil-
ter in household trash, in sewers
or onto the ground. Call your deal- er or a service station for informa-
tion concerning recycling or dis- posal.

Remember that battery and igni- tion cable carry high currents or
voltages. Be careful of accidental-
ly causing a short circuit.
Add only demineralized or dis- tilled water to fill the radiator. And
if you spill some of the coolant, be sure to wash it off with water to
prevent it from damaging theparts or paint.
Do not allow dirt or anything elseto fall through the spark plug
holes.
Do not pry the outer electrode of aspark plug against the center elec-
trode.
Use only spark plugs of the speci- fied type. Using other types will
cause engine damage, loss of per-
formance or radio noise.
NOTICE
Do not overfill automatic trans-
mission fluid and transfer oil or
the transmission and transfercould be damaged.
Do not drive with the air cleaner fil-
ter removed, or excessive enginewear could result. Also backfiringcould cause a fire in the engine
compartment.
Be careful not to scratch the glasssurface with the wiper frame.
When closing the engine hood,
check to see that you have not for-
gotten any tools, rags, etc.

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

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