2000 TOYOTA RAV4 ECO mode

Rav4(U)
922000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
(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 the
warning light on—even 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
”Fuel gauge” in Section 1−5 for instruc-
tions.)b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See ”Fuel tank cap” in Section
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.
(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) ”ABS” Warning Light
The light comes on with the ignition key
turned to “ON”. If the anti−lock brake sys-
tem works properly, the light goes out
after a few seconds. Thereafter, if the
system malfunctions, the light comes on.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
anti−lock brake system does not operate,
but the brake system still operates con-
ventionally.When the “ABS” warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
anti−lock brake system does not operate
so that the wheels could lock up during
a sudden braking or braking on slippery
road surfaces.
If the following conditions occur, this
indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning
light system. Contact your Toyota deal-
er as soon as possible to service the
vehicle.
The light does not come on with the
ignition key turned to “ON”, or remains
on.
The light comes on while driving.
If the light lit during driving goes out and
does not come on again, it is a normal
operation.
(h) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the doors,
back door (hardtop) and tailgate (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.
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Rav4(U)
972000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Automatic transmission
Lock release button
To prevent misshifting
Parking, engine
starting and key
removal
Reverse
Neutral
Maximum engine braking
With the brake pedal depressed,
shift while holding the lock release
button in. (The ignition switch must
be in ”ON” position.)
Shift while holding the lock
release button in
Shift normallyDriving pattern selector button
For selecting a driving pattern
suited to existing driving conditions
”NORMAL” (Normal)
mode for general
driving conditions”POWER” (Power)
mode for powerful
acceleration”POWER” mode indicator
light on the instrument
panel shows the driving
pattern selector button is
in the ”POWER” mode
Overdrive switchFor selecting either a three−speed or
four−speed transmission
ON position
(Shifting into
overdrive possible)OFF position
(Shifting into
overdrive not
possible)”O/D OFF” indicator light
(Shows the overdrive
switch is in OFF
position)
Always turn the overdrive switch on for better fuel economy.
Stronger engine braking Normal driving
(with overdrive on)
Vehicles with cruise control⎯When the cruise control is being used, even if you downshift the transmission by turning off the overdrive
switch, engine braking will not be applied because the cruise control is not cancelled. For ways to decrease the vehicle speed, see
”Cruise control” in this section.
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Rav4(U)
982000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of ”P” position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ”ON” position and the lock re-
lease button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in ”How
to start the engine” in Section 3. The
transmission must be in ”P” or ”N”.
2. After starting the engine, always push
in the overdrive switch.
3. With your foot holding down the brake
pedal, shift the selector lever to ”D”.
With the selector lever in the “D” position
and the overdrive switch in the “ON” posi-
tion, the automatic transmission will shift
automatically from the first gear through
the fourth gear and select the most suit-
able gear meeting the driving condition.
Even during ordinary driving, keep the
overdrive switch turned on. (At this time,
the “O/D OFF” indicator light on the in-
strument cluster will be off.)Always keep the overdrive switch turned
on for better fuel economy and quieter
driving. If you have turned off the over-
drive switch, be sure to turn the overdrive
switch on again. If the engine coolant
temperature is low, the transmission will
not shift into the overdrive gear even with
the overdrive switch on.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
4. Release the parking brake and brake
pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Turn off the overdrive switch. The ”O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.
Shift into the ”2” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than the following
speed, and stronger engine braking will
be enabled.Tw o−wheel drive models
110 km/h (68 mph)
Four−wheel drive models
215/70R16 tires
100 km/h (62 mph)
235/60R16 tires
97 km/h (60 mph)
Shift into the ”L” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
maximum engine braking will be en-
abled.
Tw o−wheel drive models
50 km/h (31 mph)
Four−wheel drive models
215/70R16 tires
44 km/h (27 mph)
235/60R16 tires
42 km/h (26 mph)
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
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Rav4(U)
992000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
(c) Using the ”2” and ”L” positions
The ”2” and ”L” positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in ”2” or ”L”, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in ”D”.
With the selector lever in ”2”, the vehicle
will start in the first gear and automatical-
ly shift to second gear.
With the selector lever in ”L”, the trans-
mission is engaged in first gear.NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to keep
engine rpm from going into the red
zone. The approximate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position is
given below for your reference:
Two−wheel drive models
”2” 130 km/h (80 mph). . . . . . . . .
”L” 72 km/h (44 mph). . . . . . . . .
Four−wheel drive models
215/70R16 tires
”2” 121 km/h (75 mph). . . . . . .
”L” 67 km/h (41 mph). . . . . . .
235/60R16 tires
”2” 118 km/h (73 mph). . . . . . .
”L” 65 km/h (40 mph). . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the
”2” or ”L” position. This may cause
severe automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To prevent
such damage, ”D” position should
be used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(d) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with
your foot, shift the selector lever to the
”R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(e) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the parking brake lever up fully to
securely apply the parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down,
shift the selector lever to the ”P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector
lever into ”P” position under any cir-
cumstances while the vehicle is mov-
ing. Serious mechanical damage and
loss of vehicle control may result.
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Rav4(U)
1002000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope, the
overdrive switch should be turned off.
Be sure to turn the switch on immedi-
ately afterward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an up-
grade with the accelerator pedal. It
can cause the transmission to over-
heat. Always use the brake pedal or
parking brake.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may
attempt to rock the vehicle free by
moving it forward and backward. Do
not attempt this procedure if people
or objects are anywhere near the ve-
hicle. During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move for-
ward or backward as it becomes un-
stuck, causing injury or damage to
nearby people or objects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the
following precautions to prevent dam-
age to the transmission and other
parts.
Do not depress the accelerator ped-
al while shifting the selector lever
or before the transmission is com-
pletely shifted to forward or reverse
gear.
Do not race the engine and avoid
spinning the wheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck after
rocking the vehicle several times,
consider other ways such as tow-
ing.
(h) Driving in ”POWER” mode
In the ”POWER” mode, the transmission
is shifted up and down at a higher vehicle
speed than in the ”NORMAL” mode and a
more powerful acceleration is achieved. To
set the ”POWER” mode, push in the driv-
ing pattern selector button. The ”POWER”
mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends
using the ”NORMAL” mode to improve fuel
economy.
(i) If you cannot shift the selector le-
ver out of ”P” position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the ”P” position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override button. For instructions, see ”If
you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector lever” in Section 4.
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Rav4(U)
1012000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Manual transmission
The shift pattern is as shown above.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, and then release it slowly. Do not
rest your foot on the pedal while driving,
because it will cause clutch trouble. And
do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle
when stopped on an uphill grade–use the
parking brake.
Recommended shifting speeds
The transmission is fully synchronized and
upshifting or downshifting is easy.
For the best compromise between fuel
economy and vehicle performance, you
should upshift or downshift at the following
speeds:gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 40 (25)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64 (40)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72 (45)
Downshift to the appropriate gear if accel-
eration is needed when you are cruising
below the above downshifting speeds.
Upshifting too soon or downshifting too
late will cause lugging and, possibly, ping-
ing. Regularly revving the engine to maxi-
mum speed in each gear will cause ex-
cessive engine wear and high fuel
consumption.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower
traffic, maximum acceleration may be nec-
essary. Make sure you observe the follow-
ing maximum allowable speeds in each
gear:
Tw o−wheel drive models
gear km/h (mph)
1 47 ( 29)
2 95 ( 59)
3 144 ( 89)
4 198 (114)Four−wheel drive models
215/60R16 tires
gear km/h (mph)
1 44 ( 27)
2 88 ( 53)
3 133 ( 83)
4 183 (114)
235/60R16 tires
gear km/h (mph)
1 43 ( 26)
2 86 ( 53)
3 121 ( 75)
4 165 (102)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower gear.
Good driving practice
If it is difficult to shift into reverse, put
the transmission in neutral, release the
clutch pedal momentarily, and then try
again.
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Rav4(U)
11 22000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Sound balance adjustment function—
This knob is also used to adjust the
sound balance between the front and rear,
and the right and left speakers.
For front/rear adjustment, push ”AUDIO
CONTROL / MODE” repeatedly until ”FAd”
appears on the display. Then turn the
knob to adjust the front/rear balance.
The display will show the range from ”FAd
F7” to ”FAd R7”.
For left/right adjustment, push ”AUDIO
CONTROL / MODE” repeatedly until ”BAL”
appears on the display. Then turn the
knob to adjust the left/right balance.
The display will show the range from ”BAL
L7” to ”BAL R7”.
CD (Compact Disc)
Push ”CD” to switch from radio or cas-
sette operation to compact disc operation.
If the audio system is off, you can turn
on the compact disc player by pushing
”CD”. In both cases, a disc must already
be loaded in the player.
When the audio is set into compact disc
operation, the display shows the track or,
track and disc number currently being
played. Each time you push ”CD”, the
system changes between single disc play-
er and automatic changer.If the player malfunctions, your audio sys-
tem will display one of the six following
error messages.
If ”WAIT” appears on the display, it indi-
cates that the inside of the player unit
may be too hot due to the very high ambi-
ent temperature. Remove the disc or mag-
azine from the player and allow the player
to cool down.
If ”Err 1” appears on the display, it
indicates the disc is dirty, damaged, or it
was inserted up−side down. Clean the
disc or insert it correctly.
If ”Err 2” appears on the display, it
indicates no disc is loaded inside the
magazine, insert a disc.
If ”Err 3” or ”Err 4” on the display, it
indicates there is a trouble inside the sys-
tem. Eject the disc or magazine. Set the
disc or magazine again.
If ”OPEn” appears on the display, it
indicates the compact disc auto changer
lid is open. Close the compact disc auto
changer lid.
If the malfunction is not rectified, take
your vehicle to your Toyota dealer.
DISC 
Compact disc auto changer only—By using this button, you can select a
disc you wish to listen to.
Push either side of the button until the
number of the disc you want to listen to
appears on the display.
Dolby
B NR∗
If you are listening to a tape that was
recorded with Dolby B Noise Reduction,
push the button marked with the double−D
symbol. The double−D symbol will appear
on the display. Push the button again to
turn off Dolby B NR.
The Dolby NR mode reduces tape noise
by about 10 dB. For best sound reproduc-
tion, play your tapes with this button on
or off according to the mode used for
recording the tape.
∗: Dolby noise reduction manufactured under license from
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. “DOLBY” and the
double D symbol
are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories
Licensing Corporation.
FM
Push ”FM” to switch the FM band. ”FM1”
or ”FM2” will appear on the display. This
system allows you to set twelve FM sta-
tions, two for each button.
If the audio system is off, you can turn
on the radio by pushing ”FM”. Also, push
”FM” to switch from cassette or compact
disc operation to radio operation.
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Rav4(U)
11 42000 RAV4 (OM42479U)
Compact disc player
There are two scan features—you can ei-
ther scan the tracks on a specific disc or
scan the first tracks of all the discs in the
magazine.
Scanning for the tracks on a disc:
Quickly push and release ”SCAN”. ”SCAN”
will appear on the display and the player
will scan all the tracks on the disc you
are listening to. If you hear a beep, you
held the button too long, and the player
will scan the first tracks of all the discs
in the magazine. To select a track, push
the ”SCAN” a second time. If the player
scanned all the tracks on the disc, it will
stop scanning.
Compact disc auto changer only—
Scanning for the first tracks of all the
discs in the magazine:
Push and hold ”SCAN” until you hear a
beep. ”D·SCAN” will appear on the display
and the player will perform the first track
of the next disc. To select a disc, push
the ”SCAN” a second time. If the player
has scanned all the discs, it will stop
scanning.ST (Stereo reception) display
Your radio automatically changes to stereo
reception when a stereo broadcast is re-
ceived. ”ST” appears on the display. If the
signal becomes weak, the radio reduces
the amount of channel separation to prev-
ent the weak signal from creating noise.
If the signal becomes extremely weak, the
radio switches from stereo to mono recep-
tion.
TA P E
Push ”TAPE” to switch from radio or com-
pact disc operation to cassette operation.
If the audio system is off, you can turn
on the cassette player by pushing ”TAPE”.
In both cases, a cassette must already be
loaded in the player.
TRACK (Track up/down button):
Compact disc player
By using this button, you can skip up or
down to a different track.
Push either side of the track button until
the number of the track you want to listen
to appears on the display. If you want to
return to the beginning of the current
track, push the down side of the button
one time, quickly.TUNE
Tuning
Your Toyota has an electronic tuning radio
(ETR). Push and release the ”” (up) or
”” (down) side of ”TUNE” to step up or
down the station band. (If you hear a
beep, you held the button too long and
the radio will go into the seek mode.)
Seeking
In the seek mode, the radio finds and
plays the next station up or down the
station band.
To seek a station, push and hold the ””
or ”” side of ”TUNE” until you hear a
beep. Do this again to find another sta-
tion.
VOL/PWR (Volume/Power)
Push ”VOL/PWR” to turn the audio system
on and off. Turn ”VOL/PWR” to adjust the
volume.
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