Page 43 of 250
Rav4(U)
352000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
1. Remove the head restraint. Unlock
the seatback and fold it down.
Folding up the rear seats will enlarge the
luggage compartment. See ”Luggage stow-
age precautions” in Section 2 for precau-
tions in loading luggage.2. Unlock the seat cushion. Swing the
whole seat up and forward.3. Lock the raised bottom cushion in
place by attaching the support rod
onto the hook. Then store the head
restraint in the head restraint retain-
ing holes in the bottom cushion.
—Folding up rear seats
(2−door hardtop and soft−top)
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Page 44 of 250
Rav4(U)
362000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
When returning the rear seat to its
original position, first remove the head
restraint. Unlock the seat and return it.
Be certain to replace the head restraint.
CAUTION
When returning seats to their original
position:
Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught under the seat
and are arranged in their proper
position and are ready to use.
Make sure the seat is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback or
by trying to pull up the edge of the
bottom cushion. Failure to do so
will prevent seat belt from operat-
ing properly.
BEFORE FOLDING REAR SEAT
Stow the rear seat belt and buckles as
shown in the illustration.
This prevents the belt and buckles from
falling out when you fold the seatback.
NOTICE
The seat belt and buckles must be
stowed before you fold the seatback.
—Folding up rear seats
(4−door hardtop)
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Page 45 of 250
Rav4(U)
372000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
FOLDING REAR SEAT
1. Remove the head restraint. Unlock
the seatback and fold it down.
Folding up the rear seats will enlarge the
luggage compartment. See ”Luggage stow-
age precautions” in Section 2 for precau-
tions in loading luggage.2. Unlock the seat cushion. Swing the
whole seat up and forward.3. Lock the raised bottom cushion in
place by clipping the strap to the
hook. Then store the head restraint
in the head restraint retaining holes
in the bottom cushion.
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Page 46 of 250
Rav4(U)
382000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
When returning the rear seat to its
original position, first remove the head
restraint. Unlock the seat and return it.
Be certain to replace head restraint.
CAUTION
When returning seats to their original
position:
Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught under the seat
and are arranged in their proper
position and are ready to use.
Make sure the seat is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback or
by trying to pull up the edge of the
bottom cushion. Failure to do so
will prevent seat belt from operat-
ing properly.
Rear seats
Front seats
Flattening seatbacks
(2−door hardtop and soft−top)
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Page 47 of 250

Rav4(U)
392000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Rear seats: Remove the head restraint.
Then pull out the strap to unlock the
seatback, and push down the seatback.
Front seats: Remove the head restraint
and slide the seat to the front−most
position. Push the seat further forward
to release the slide−lock, and unlock
and push down the seatback.
When returning the seatback upright, be
careful not to make yourself hit by the
seatback which will bound with consid-
erable spring force.
After returning the seat to its original
position, be certain to replace the head
restraint.
CAUTION
Do not allow passengers to ride on
the flattened seat while driving; use
the seat in the normal position.
After putting back the seat, try
pushing the seat and seatback for-
ward and rearward to make sure it
is secured in place. Be certain to
replace head restraint.
NOTICE
Before closing the back door, make
sure the rear headrests are removed
from the flattened seats.
Rear seats
Front seats
Flattening seatbacks
(4−door hardtop)
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Page 48 of 250

Rav4(U)
402000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Rear seats: Pull out the strap to unlock
the seatback, and push down the seat-
back.
Front seats: Remove the head restraint
and slide the seat to the front−most
position. Push the seat further forward
to release the slide−lock, and unlock
and push down the seatback.
When returning the seatback upright, be
careful not to make yourself hit by the
seatback which will bound with consid-
erable spring force.
After returning the seat to its original
position, be certain to replace the head
restraint.
CAUTION
Do not allow passengers to ride on
the flattened seat while driving; use
the seat in the normal position.
After putting back the seat, try
pushing the seat and seatback for-
ward and rearward to make sure it
is secured in place. Be certain to
replace head restraint.
Head restraints
For your safety and comfort, adjust the
head restraint before driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the
lock release button.
The head restraint is most effective when
it is close to your head. Therefore, using
a cushion on the seatback is not recom-
mended.
CAUTION
Adjust the center of the head re-
straint so that it is closest to the
top of your ears.
After adjusting the head restraint,
make sure it is locked in position.
Do not drive with the head re-
straints removed.
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Page 50 of 250

Rav4(U)
422000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Inspect the belt system periodically.
Check for cuts, fraying, and loose
parts. Damaged parts should be re-
placed. Do not disassemble or
modify the system.
Keep the belts clean and dry. If
they need cleaning, use a mild soap
solution or lukewarm water. Never
use bleach, dye, or abrasive clean-
ers—they may severely weaken the
belts. (See ”Cleaning the interior”
in Section 5.)
Replace the belt assembly (includ-
ing bolts) if it has been used in a
severe impact. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if damage
is not obvious.Adjust the seat as needed and sit up
straight and well back in the seat. To
fasten your belt, pull it out of the re-
tractor and insert the tab into the
buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
The seat belt length automatically adjusts
to your size and the seat position.
The retractor will lock the belt during a
sudden stop or on impact. It also may
lock if you lean forward too quickly. A
slow, easy motion will allow the belt to
extend, and you can move around freely.If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the
retractor, firmly pull the belt and release
it. You will then be able to smoothly pull
the belt out of the retractor.
When a passenger ’s shoulder belt is com-
pletely extended and is then retracted
even slightly, the belt is locked in that
position and cannot be extended. This fea-
ture is used to hold the child restraint
system securely. (For details, see ”Child
restraint” in this section.) To free the belt
again, fully retract the belt and then pull
the belt out once more.CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the belt is not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in
the buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, immediately contact your
Toyota dealer. Do not use the seat
until the seat belt is fixed. It cannot
protect an adult occupant or your
child from injury.
—Front seat belts and rear
outside seat belts
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Page 51 of 250
Rav4(U)
432000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Seat belts with an adjustable shoulder
anchor—
Adjust the shoulder anchor position to
your size.
To adjust the anchor position, pull the
knob out and slide it up or down. Release
the knob and make sure the anchor is
locked in position.
CAUTION
Always make sure the shoulder belt
is positioned across the center of
your shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from your neck, but not
falling off your shoulder. Failure to
do so could reduce the amount of
protection in an accident and cause
serious injuries in a collision.Ta k e u p
slack
To o h i g h
Keep as low on hips as possible
Adjust the position of the lap and
shoulder belts.
Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips—not on your waist, then ad-
just it to a snug fit by pulling the shoulder
portion upward through the latch plate.
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