1997 TOYOTA RAV4 low oil pressure

Indicator symbols on the instrument panel5
Anti-lock brake system warning light * 1Brake system warning light * 1
Seat belt reminder light* 1
Discharge warning light* 1
Low oil pressure warning light* 1
Malfunction indicator light* 1
Low fuel level warning light * 1 Open door warning light*
1
SRS airbag warning light* 1
Automatic transmission fluid
temperature warning light* 1
Turn signal indicator lights
Headlight high beam indicator light
Over-drive indicator light

73
NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the engine drive belt is broken or loose.
(d) Low Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are driv-
ing, pull off the road to a safe place and
stop the engine immediately. Call a Toyo-
ta dealer or qualified repair shop for assis-tance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on brief-
ly after a hard stop. There is no cause for concern if it then goes out when the en-
gine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to indi- cate low oil level, and the oil level must bechecked using the level dipstick.
Do not drive the vehicle with the
warning light onÐeven for one
block. It may ruin the engine. CAUTION
! (e) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on in the following cases.
a. The fuel tank is completely empty. (See Fuel gaugeº in Chapter 1-5 for in- structions.)
b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See Fuel tank capº in Chapter
1-2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in your
engine or automatic transmission electri- cal system.
If it comes on while you are driving in case
c, have your vehicle checked/repaired by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
(f) Low Fuel Level Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel level in
the tank becomes nearly empty. Fill up the tank as soon as possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than usual.
(g) ABSº Warning Light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in your anti-lock brake sys- tem. If the light comes on while you are driving,
have your vehicle checked by your T
oyota
dealer as soon as possible.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to the ONº position. After
about 3 seconds, the light will go off. When the ABSº warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the brake system operates conventionally but
anti-lock brake system is not assisting brake performance so that the wheels can
lock-up during sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces.
(h) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the doors
and back door are completely closed.
(i) Automatic Transmission Fluid Tem-
perature Warning Light (four-
wheel drive models)
This light warns that the automatic trans- mission fluid temperature is too high.

11 2FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of lu-
bricating and cooling the inside of the en-
gine,
and plays a major role in maintaining
the engine in proper working order. ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are
as follows. Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil is left on the cylinder wall when a piston
moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated
when the vehicle is decelerating sucks
some of this oil into the combustion
chamber. This oil as well as some part
of the oil film left on the cylinder wall is
burned by the high temperature com-
bustion gases during the combustionprocess.
Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil is
sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve stems.
The amount of engine oil consumed
depends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions
the vehicle is driven under. More oil is consumed by high-speed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel- eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may be-come diluted and make it difficult to
judge the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for re-
peated short trips, and consumes a nor- mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted
with fuel or moisture, making it ap-
pear that the oil level has not changed.
The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making itappear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving as high speeds.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL CHECK
One of the most important points in proper vehicle maintenance is to keep the engine
oil at the optimum level so that oil function
will not be impaired. Therefore, it is essen-
tial that the oil level be checked regularly.
Toyota recommends that the oil level bechecked every time you refuel the vehicle.
Failure to check the oil level regular-
ly could lead to serious engine
trouble due to insufficient oil.
NOTICE
For detailed information on the oil level
check, see Checking the engine oil levelº
in Chapter 7-2.
Facts about engine oil consumption

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

Part 7Checking the engine oil level
169
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7-2 Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level
Checking the engine coolant level
Checking brake fluid
Checking power steering fluid
Checking tire pressure
Checking and replacing tires
Rotating tires

Installing snow tires and chains
Replacing wheels
Aluminum wheel precautions
With the engine at operating tempera- ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick.
1. To get a true reading, the vehicle
should be on a level spot. After turning
off the engine, wait a few minutes for
the oil to drain back into the bottom ofthe engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstick 'push it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not becorrect.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil level on the end.
CAUTION!
Be careful not to touch the hot ex-
haust manifold.
If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level line, add engine oil
of the same type as already in the en- gine. Remove the oil filter cap and add engine oil in small quantities at a time, checking the dipstick.
The approximate quantity of oil needed to
fill between the low level line and the full
level line on the dipstick is indicated below
for reference.
When the level reaches within the correct range, install the filler cap hand-tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., Imp. qt.): 1.0 (1.1, 0.9)

Avoid overfilling, or the engine could be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.
NOTICE

197
TRANSFER
(four-wheel drive models with an au-
tomatic transaxle)
Oil capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
0.7 (0.7, 0.6)
Oil type:
Multipurpose gear oil API GL-5
Recommended oil viscosity: SAE 75W-90
REAR DIFFERENTIAL (four-wheel drive models)
Oil capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.): 0.9 (1.0, 0.8)
Oil type: Hypoid gear oil API GL-5
Recommended oil viscosity:
Above -18 C (0 F)
SAE 90
Below -18 C (0 F)
SAE 80W or 80W-90 BRAKES Minimum pedal clearance when de- pressed with the pressure of 490 N (50
kgf, 110 lbf) with the engine running, mm (in.):
75 (3.0)
Pedal freeplay, mm (in.): 1' 6 (0.04 '0.24)
Pad wear limit, in. (mm): 1.0 (0.04)
Lining wear limit, in. (mm):
1.0 (0.04)
Parking brake adjustment when pulledwith the force of 196 N (20 kgf, 44 lbf): 5' 8 clicks
Fluid type: SAE J1703 or FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3
STEERING Wheel freeplay: Less than 30 mm (1.2 in.)
Power steering fluid type: Automatic transmission fluid DEXRON [
II or III