1998 TOYOTA RAV4 brake light

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Instrument panel overview
1. Side vents
2. Instrument cluster
3. Center vents
4. Electric moon roof switch and personallights
5. Glovebox
6. Power door lock switches
7. Power window switches
8. Parking brake lever
9. Automatic transmission selector lever or manual transmission gear shift lever
10. Ashtray 11. Hood lock release lever

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Indicator symbols on the instrument panel
Brake system warning light
*
1
Discharge warning light *
1
Low oil pressure warning light *
1
Malfunction indicator lamp *
1
Headlight high beam indicator light
SRS airbag warning light
*
1
Turn signal indicator lights
Seat belt reminder light *
1
Open door warning light*
1
Low fuel level warning light *
1 Automatic transmission fluid temperature
warning light
*
1
Anti-lock brake system warning light *
1
(type A)
(type B)
(type A)
(type B)
(type A) (type B)
Low windshield washer fluid level
warning light *
1

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Headlights and turn signals
HEADLIGHTS
To turn on the following lights: Twist
the headlight/turn signal lever knob.
Position 1ÐParking, tail, license plate,
side marker and instrument panel lights
Position 2ÐHeadlights and all of the
above
If you remove the key with the headlights
left on, a buzzer reminds you to turn the
lights off when you open the driver 's door.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being dis-
charged, do not leave the lights onfor a long period when the engine is not running.
Daytime running light system (Canada
only)
The headlights turn on when the parking
brake is released with the engine started,
even with the light switch in the ºOFFº
position. They will not go off until the
ignition switch is turned off.
To turn on the other exterior lights and
instrument panel lights, twist the knob to
the position 1.
Under the daytime running light system,
the headlights turn on at reduced intensity.
Twist the knob to the position 2 to turn
to full intensity for driving at night.
High- Low beams ÐFor high beams, turn
the headlights on and push the lever away
from you (position 1). Pull the lever to-
ward you (position 2) for low beams.
The headlight high beam indicator light
(blue light) on the instrument panel will
tell you that the high beams are on.
Flashing the high beam headlights
(position 3)ÐPull the lever all the way
back. The high beam headlights turn off
when you release the lever.
You can flash the high beam headlights
with the knob turned to ºOFFº.

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(g) Take vehicle to
Toyota dealer.
If the indicator or Do this.
buzzer comes on...
(type A)
(type B)
(f) Fill up tank.
(e) Take vehicle to
Toyota dealer.
(type A)
(type B)
(m) Remove key. (i) Stop and check.
(j) Take vehicle to
Toyota dealer
immediately.
(l) Turn off light. Light reminder
buzzer
Key reminder
buzzer
If the indicator or Do this.
buzzer comes on...
(h) Close all side doors, back door
(hardtop) and
tail gate (soft- top).
(k) Add washer fluid. (a) Brake System Warning Light
This light has the following functions:
Parking brake reminder
If this light is on, make sure the parking
brake is fully released. The light should
go off.
Low brake fluid level warning
If this light comes on and stays on while
you are driving, slowdown and pull off the
road. Then stop the vehicle carefully. Re-
member that stopping distance and pedal
effort may be increased. There maybe a
problem somewhere in the brake system.
Check the fluid level of the see- through
reservoir.
To make sure the parking brake has not
caused the warning light to come on,
check to see that the parking brake is
fully released.
If the brake fluid level is low...
At a safe place, test your brakes by start-
ing and stopping.
If you judge that the brakes still work
adequately, drive cautiously to your
nearest dealer or shop for repairs.
If the brakes are not working, have the
vehicle towed in for repairs. (For tow-
ing information, see Part 4.)

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CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
If the brake fluid level is correct...
Have the warning system checked by your
Toyota dealer.
(b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzz- er
The light and buzzer remind you to buckle
up the driver 's seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to ºONº or
ºSTARTº, the reminder light flashes and
buzzer sounds if the driver 's seat belt is
not pulled out. Unless the driver starts to
pull the shoulder belt out of the retractor,
the light keeps flashing and the buzzer
stops after about 4 to 8 seconds.
(c) Discharge Warning Light
This light warns that the battery is being
discharged.
If it comes on while you are driving, there
is a problem somewhere in the charging
system. The engine ignition will continue to oper-
ate, however, until the battery is dis-
charged. Turn off the air conditioning,
blower, radio,etc., and drive directly to the
nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
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
driving, pull off the road to a safe place
and stop the engine immediately. Call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on
briefly after a hard stop. There is no
cause for concern if it then goes out when
the engine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to
indicate low oil level, and the oil level
must be checked using the level dipstick.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with thewarning light onÐeven for one block.It may ruin the engine.
(e) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on in the following
cases.
a. The fuel tank is completely empty. (See
ºFuel gaugeº in Chapter 1- 5 for instruc-
tions.)
b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See ºFuel tank capº in Chapter
1- 2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in your
engine or automatic transmission electrical
system.
If it comes on while you are driving in
case c, have your vehicle checked/re-
paired by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.

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(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) ºABSº 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 driv-
ing, have your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to the ºONº position. After
a few seconds, the light will go off.
When the ºABSº 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,
back door (hardtop) and tail gate (soft-
top) 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.
If this light comes on while you are driv-
ing, slow down and pull off the road. Stop
the vehicle at a safe place and put the
selector lever in ºPº. With the engine id-
ling, wait until the light goes off. If the
light goes off, you can start the vehicle
again. If the light does not go off, call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
NOTICE
Continued driving with the warning light on may damage the automatictransmission.
(j) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ºACCº or
ºONº position. After about 6 seconds,
the light will go off. This means the
system of the airbag and front seat belt
pretensioners are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, seat belt pretension-
er assembly, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring, power sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the 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 when the
ignition key is turned to the ºACCº or
ºONº position or remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
(k) Low Windshield Washer Fluid Level Warning Light (Canada)
The light warns that the windshield washer
fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instructions,
see ºAdding washer fluidº in Chapter 7- 3.)

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(l) Light Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the head light
switch is left on and the driver's door is
opened with the key removed from the
ignition switch.
(m) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver 's door with
the ignition key in the ºACCº or ºLOCKº
position.
CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDICA-
TORS (except the low fuel level warning
light and low windshield washer fluid
level warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open one of the doors or tail gate (soft- top).
The open door warning light should
come on.
3. Close the door or tail gate (soft- top). The open door warning light should go
off.
4. Turn the ignition key to ºACCº. The SRS airbag warning light should
come on. It goes off after about 6 se-
conds. 5. Turn the ignition key to ºONº, but do
not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light, SRS
airbag warning light and automatic
transmission fluid temperature warning
light should come on. The ºABSº warn-
ing light goes off after a few seconds.
6. Turn the ignition key to ºSTARTº. The automatic transmission fluid tempera-
ture warning light should come on.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, either the bulb is burned out or the
circuit is in need of repair. Have it
checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.

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Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS±
Chapter 1- 6
Ignition switch,
Transmission
and Parking brake
Ignition switch with steering lock
Automatic transmission
Manual transmission
Center differential lock system
P ar k ing br ak e
Cruise control
ºSTARTºÐStarter motor on. The key
will return to the ºONº position when
released.
For starting tips, see Part 3.
ºONºÐEngine on and all accessories on.
This is the normal driving position.
ºACCºÐAccessories such as the radio
operate, but the engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ºACCº or
ºLOCKº position and open the driver's
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
ºLOCKºÐEngine is off and the steering
wheel is locked. The key can be re-
moved only at this position.
You must push in the key to turn the key
from ºACCº to the ºLOCKº position. On
vehicles with an automatic transmission,
the selector lever must be in the ºPº posi-
tion before pushing the key.
When starting the engine, the key may
seem stuck at the ºLOCKº position. To
free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering
wheel slightly while turning the key gently.
CAUTIONFor manual transmission:
Never remove the key when the ve-
hicle is moving, as this will lock the
steering wheel and result in loss of
steering control.
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ºONºposition if the engine is not running.The battery will discharge and the ignition could be damaged.
Ignition switch with steering
lock