
Rav4(U)
822000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Instrument panel light control
To adjust the brightness of the instru-
ment panel lights, turn the knob.
Interior light
To turn on the interior light, slide the
switch.
The interior light switch has the following
positions:
”ON”—Keeps the light on all the time.
”OFF”—Turns the light off.
”DOOR”—
2−door hardtop and soft−top: Turns the
light on when the back door (hardtop) or
tailgate (soft−top) is opened. The light
goes off when the back door is closed.
4−door hardtop: Turns the light on when
either rear door or back door is opened.
The light goes off when both rear doors
and back door are closed.To turn on the personal light, push the
switch. To turn the light off, slightly
push the switch on the opposite side.
The personal light switch has the following
positions:
”ON”—Keeps the light on all the time.
”DOOR”—Turns the light on when either
front door is opened. The light goes off
when both front doors are closed.
Personal lights
(with moon roof)
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Rav4(U)
832000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
The personal lights operate separately
with each outer switch.
To turn on the light, push the switch on
your side. To turn the light off, push the
switch once again.
The center switch has the following posi-
tions:
”DOOR”—Turns both lights on when either
front door is opened. The light goes off
when both front doors are closed.
”OFF”—The lights are off unless you oper-
ate either outer switch.
Windshield wipers and washer
To turn on the windshield wipers, move
the lever to the desired setting.
The key must be in the ”ON” position.
Lever position
Speed setting
Position 1Intermittent
Position 2Slow
Position 3Fast
To squirt washer fluid, pull the lever
toward you and release it.
If the windshield wipers are off, they will
operate a couple of times after the washer
squirts.For instructions on adding washer fluid,
see ”Adding washer fluid” in Section 7−3.
In freezing weather, warm the windshield
with the defroster before using the washer.
This will help prevent the washer fluid
from freezing on your windshield, which
can block your vision.
NOTICE
Do not operate the wipers if the wind-
shield is dry. It may scratch the
glass.
Personal lights
(without moon roof)
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Rav4(U)
1382000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Off−road vehicle precautions
This vehicle belongs to the utility ve-
hicle class, which has higher ground
clearance and narrower tread in relation
to the height of its center of gravity to
make it capable of performing in a wide
variety of off−road applications. Specific
design characteristics give it a higher
center of gravity than ordinary passen-
ger cars. This vehicle design feature
causes this type of vehicle to be more
likely to rollover. And, utility vehicles
have a significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. An advan-
tage of the higher ground clearance is
a better view of the road allowing you
to anticipate problems. It is not de-
signed for cornering at the same
speeds as ordinary passenger cars any
more than low−slung sports cars de-
signed to perform satisfactorily under
off−road conditions. Therefore, sharp
turns at excessive speeds may cause
rollover.CAUTION
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your ve-
hicle:
In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. Therefore, the driver and all
passengers should fasten their seat
belts whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible. Failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover causing death or serious
injury.
Avoid loading any items on the roof
that will raise the vehicle’s center
of gravity.
Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. Because of its profile and
higher center of gravity, your ve-
hicle is more sensitive to side
winds than an ordinary passenger
car. Slowing down will allow you to
have better control.
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Rav4(U)
1872000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Check the interior of your vehicle. Wa-
ter and dirt can accumulate under the
floor mats and could cause corrosion. Oc-
casionally check under the mats to make
sure the area is dry. Be particularly care-
ful when transporting chemicals, cleans-
ers, fertilizers, salt, etc; these should be
transported in proper containers. If a spill
or leak should occur, immediately clean
and dry the area.
Use mud shields on your wheels. If you
drive on salted or gravel roads, mud
shields help protect your vehicle. Full−size
shields, which come as near to the ground
as possible, are the best. We recommend
that the fittings and the area where the
shields are installed be treated to resist
corrosion. Your Toyota dealer will be
happy to assist in supplying and installing
the shields if they are recommended for
your area.
Keep your vehicle in a well ventilated
garage or a roofed place. Do not park
your vehicle in a damp, poorly venti-
lated garage. If you wash your vehicle in
the garage, or if you drive it in covered
with water or snow, your garage may be
so damp it will cause corrosion. Even if
your garage is heated, a wet vehicle can
corrode if the ventilation is poor.Washing your Toyota
Keep your vehicle clean by regular
washing.
The following cases may cause weakness
to the paint or corrosion to the body and
parts. Wash your vehicle as soon as pos-
sible.
When driving in a coastal area
When driving on a road sprinkled with
antifreeze
When having stuck of coal tar, tree
sap, bird droppings and carcass of an
insect
When driving in the areas where there
is a lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron dust
and chemical substance
When the vehicle becomes remarkably
dirty with dust and mud
Hand−washing your Toyota
Work in the shade and wait until the
vehicle body is not hot to the touch.
CAUTION
When cleaning under floor or chassis,
be careful not to injure your hands.
Soft−top models—For washing instruction
for the soft−top, see ”Soft−top”.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re-
move any mud or road salt from the
underside of the vehicle or in the
wheel wells.
Washing and waxing your
To y o t a
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Rav4(U)
1942000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Maintenance requirements
Your Toyota vehicle has been designed to
for fewer maintenance requirements with
longer service intervals to save both your
time and money. However, each regular
maintenance, as well as day−to−day care,
is more important than ever before to en-
sure smooth, and trouble−free, safe, and
economical drivings.
It is the owner ’s responsibility to make
sure the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is performed.
Note that both the new vehicle and emis-
sion control system warranties specify that
proper maintenance and care must be per-
formed. See ”Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or ”Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment” for complete warranty information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those day−
to−day care practices that are important to
your vehicle for proper operation. It is the
owner ’s responsibility to ensure that the
general maintenance items are performed
regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost.Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed in
the ”Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
”Owner ’s Manual Supplement” are those
required to be serviced at regular inter-
vals.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the ”Scheduled Maintenance Guide”
or ”Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.
It is recommended that any replacement
parts used for maintenance or for the
repair of the emission control system
be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use non−To y o t a
supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emission
control system warranty. However, use
of replacement parts which are not of
equivalent quality may impair the effec-
tiveness of the emission control sys-
tems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system
performed by any automotive repair es-
tablishment or individual without invali-
dating this warranty. See ”Owner’s War-
ranty Information Booklet” or ”Owner’s
Manual Supplement” for complete war-
ranty information.Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well−trained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and in−dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer ’s service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehicle—reliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be
sure to keep a copy of the repair order
for any service performed on your Toyota.
What about do−it−yourself maintenance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Section 7.
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Rav4(U)
2222000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Replacing light bulbs—
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.
CAUTION
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.
NOTICE
Only use a bulb of the listed type.
Light bulbsBulb
No.WTy p e
Headlight
Inner
Outer
HB3
HB460
51B
A
Parking and front
turn signal lights1157NA27/8C
Front side marker
lights2175D
Rear side marker
lights1943.8D
Rear turn signal
lights744021D
Stop and tail lights744321/5D
Back−up lights744021D
License plate light1685D
High mounted
stop light
Hardtop
Soft−top
921
744018
21D
D
Interior light—8E
Light bulbsBulb
No.WTy p e
Personal light
(with moon roof)—10C
Personal lights
(without moon
roof)
—8C
A: HB4 halogen bulbs
B: HB3 halogen bulbs
C: Single end bulbs
D: Wedge base bulbs
E: Double end bulbs
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Rav4(U)
2362000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Instrument panel
19. ECU−IG 10 A: Electronically controlled
automatic transmission system, rear
window defogger, center differential
lock system, electric moon roof, multi-
port fuel injection system/sequential
multiport fuel injection system, electric
cooling fan, anti−lock brake system,
cruise control system
20. TURN & GAUGE 10 A: Turn signal
lights, gauges and meters, back−up
lights, service reminder indicators, air
conditioning system, daytime running
light system
Passenger’s side kick panel
21. STOP 10 A: stoplights, high mounted
stoplight, electronically controlled auto-
matic transmission system, anti−lock
brake system
22. TAIL 15 A: Gauges and meters, emer-
gency flashers, cigarette lighter, center
differential lock system, clock, rear win-
dow defogger, air conditioning system,
electronically controlled automatic
transmission system, car audio system,
tail lights, license plate lights, parking
lights, instrument panel light control,
side marker lights
23. OBD 10 A: On−board diagnosis system
24. SRS−B 10 A: SRS warning light25. HORN 10 A: Horn
26. DEFOG 20 A: Rear window defogger
27. AM1 10 A: ”CIG”, ”PWR OUTLET”,
”SRS−ACC”, ”WIPER”, ”ECU−IG” and
”TURN & GAUGE” fuses
28. A/C 10 A: Air conditioning system
Fuses (type B)
29. MAIN No.1 40 A: Starting system, ”H−
LP (RH)”, ”H−LP (LH)”, ”H−LP RH−H”,
”H−LP LH−H”, ”H−LP RH−L” and ”H−LP
LH−L” fuses
30. CDS FAN 30 A: Electric cooling fans
31. RDI FAN 30 A: Electric cooling fans
32. PWR 30 A: Power door lock system,
electric moon roof, power windows
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