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CAUTION
Before driving, be sure that the doors
are closed and locked, especially
when small children are in the ve-
hicle. Along with the proper use of
seat belts, locking the doors helps
prevent the driver and passengers
from being thrown out from the ve-
hicle during an accident. It also helps
prevent the doors from being opened
unintentionally.
ÐWireless remote control
Locking operation
Unlocking operation
Your vehicle has a wireless remote
control system that can lock or unlock
all the side doors and back door, or
activate the ªPANICº mode from a
distance within approximately 1 m (3
ft.) of the vehicle.
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE SIDE
DOORS AND BACK DOOR
To lock and unlock all the side doors
and back door, push the switches of
the transmitter slowly and securely.
To lock: Push the ªLOCKº switch. All the
side doors and back door are locked si-
multaneously. At this time, parking lights
and tail lights flash.
Check to see that all the side doors and
back door are securely locked.
If any of side doors or back door is not
securely closed, or if the key is in the
ignition switch, locking cannot be per-
formed by the ªLOCKº switch.
To unlock: Push the ªUNLOCKº switch
once to unlock the driver 's door alone.
Pushing the switch twice within 3 seconds
unlocks all the side doors and back door
simultaneously. At this time, parking lights
and tail lights flash twice.
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When all the side doors and back door
are unlocked simultaneously with a wire-
less remote control transmitter, the interior
light comes on for about 15 seconds and
then fades out, even if the door is not
opened. (For further information, see ªInte-
rior lightº on page 82 in Section 1±4.)
You have 30 seconds to open a door after
using the wireless remote unlock feature.
If a door is not opened by then, all the
side doors and back door will be automati-
cally locked again.
If the ªLOCKº or ªUNLOCKº switch is kept
pressed in, the locking or unlocking opera-
tion is not repeated. Release the button
and then push again.
ªPANICº SWITCH
Pushing the ªPANICº switch blows the
horn intermittently and flashes the
headlights and tail lights.
The ªPANICº switch is used to deter ve-
hicle theft when you witness anyone at-
tempting to break into or damage your
vehicle.
The alarm will last for one minute. To stop
alarm midway, do the following:
Push the ªPANICº switch once again.
Unlock any of side door or back door
with the key or wireless remote control
transmitter.
Turn the ignition key from the ªLOCKº
to ªONº position.The ªPANICº mode does not work when
the ignition key is in the ªONº position.
WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL
TRANSMITTER
The wireless remote control transmitter is
an electronic component. Observe the fol-
lowing instructions in order not to cause
damage to the transmitter.
Do not leave the transmitter on places
where the temperature becomes high
such as on the dashboard.
Do not disassemble it.
Avoid knocking it hard against other
objects or dropping it.
Avoid putting it in water.
You can use up to 4 wireless remote con-
trol transmitters for the same vehicle.
Contact your Toyota dealer for detailed
information.
If the wireless remote control transmitter
does not actuate the doors or alarm, or
operate from a normal distance:
Check for closeness to a radio trans-
mitter such as a radio station or an
airport which can interfere with normal
operation of the transmitter.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
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(g) 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.
(h) ªABSº Warning Light
The light comes on with the ignition key
turned to the ªONº position. If the anti±
lock brake system works properly, the
light turns off after a few seconds. There-
after, if the system malfunctions, the light
comes on again.
When the ªABSº 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 ªABSº 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 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 ªONº posi-
tion, or remains on.
The light comes on while you are driv-
ing.
A warning light turning on briefly during
operation does not indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If the ªABSº warning light remains on
together with the brake system warn-
ing light, immediately stop your ve-
hicle at a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
In this case, not only the anti±lock
brake system will fail but also the
vehicle will become extremely unsta-
ble during braking.
(i) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the side
doors and back door are completely
closed.
(j) 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 ªPº. 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 automatic
transmission.
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(b) Overdrive switch
You can select either third gear (with
overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-
drive on) by pushing this switch.
To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.
The ªO/D OFFº indicator light should come
on. To turn the overdrive on again, push
the switch again. The ªO/D OFFº indicator
light should go off.
Always drive your vehicle with the over-
drive on for better fuel economy and
quieter driving.
If the engine is turned off when the over-
drive is off and restarted, the overdrive
will automatically be on.Vehicles with cruise controlÐWhen the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by pushing and
releasing the overdrive switch, engine
braking will not be enabled because the
cruise control is not cancelled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see ªCruise controlº on page 103 in this
section.
(c) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in ªHow
to start the engineº on page 168 in
Section 3. The transmission must be in
ªPº or ªNº.
2. With your foot holding down the brake
pedal, shift the selector lever to ªDº.
When the lever is in the ªDº position, the
automatic transmission system will select
the most suitable gear for running condi-
tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-
ing, hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive on for better
fuel economy and quieter driving. If the
engine coolant temperature is low, the
transmission will not shift into the over-
drive gear even with the overdrive on.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake
pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Push the overdrive switch. The ªO/D
OFFº indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to third
gear.
Shift into the ª2º position. The trans-
mission will downshift to second gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
stronger engine braking will be en-
abled.
Two±wheel drive models
108 km/h (67 mph)
Four±wheel drive models
103 km/h (64 mph)
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
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Shift into the ªLº position. The trans-
mission will downshift to first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
maximum engine braking will be en-
abled.
Two±wheel drive models
52 km/h (32 mph)
Four±wheel drive models
51 km/h (31 mph)
Vehicles with cruise controlÐWhen the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by pushing and
releasing the overdrive switch, engine
braking is not enabled because the cruise
control is not cancelled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see ªCruise controlº on page 103 in this
section.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(e) Using ª2º and ªLº positions
The ª2º and ªLº positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in ª2º or ªLº, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in ªDº.
With the selector lever in ª2º, the vehicle
will start in first gear and automatically
shift to second gear.
With the selector lever in ªLº, the trans-
mission is engaged in first gear.
NOTICE
Be careful not to over±rev 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
ª2º 119 km/h (74 mph). . . . . . . . . .
ªLº 66 km/h (41 mph). . . . . . . . . . .
Four±wheel drive models
ª2º 110 km/h (68 mph). . . . . . . . . .
ªLº 61 km/h (38 mph). . . . . . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the
ª2º or ªLº position. This may cause
severe automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To prevent
such damage, ªDº position should
be used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(f) 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
ªRº position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
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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.
(j) If you cannot shift the selector le-
ver out of ªPº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the ªPº position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override button. For instructions, see ªIf
you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector leverº on page 199 in Section 4.
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:
Two±wheel drive models
gear km/h (mph)
1 50 (31)
2 94 (58)
3 144 (89)
4 187 (116)
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For high±pitch tone adjustment, push
ªCTRL / MODEº repeatedly until ªTREº
appears on the display. Then turn the
knob to suit your preference.
The display will show the range from
ªTRE ±5º to ªTRE 5º.
Sound balance adjustment functionÐ
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 ªCTRL /
MODEº repeatedly until ªFAdº appears on
the display. Then turn the knob to adjust
the front/rear balance.
The display will show the range from
ªFAd±F7º to ªFAd±R7º.
For left/right adjustment, push ªCTRL /
MODEº repeatedly until ªBALº appears on
the display. Then turn the knob to adjust
the left/right balance.
The display will show the range from
ªBAL±L7º to ªBAL±R7º.CD (Compact Disc)
Push ªCDº 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
ªCDº. 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 ªCDº, the
system changes to the automatic changer.
If the player malfunctions, your audio sys-
tem will display one of the six following
error messages.
If ªWAITº 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 ªErr 1º 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 ªErr 2º appears on the display, it
indicates no disc is loaded inside the
magazine. Insert a disc.If ªErr 3º or ªErr 4º appears on the
display, it indicates there is a trouble in-
side the system. Eject the disc or maga-
zine. Set the disc or magazine again.
If ªOPEnº 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 onlyÐ
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.
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SCAN
Radio
You can either scan all the frequencies on
a band or scan only the preset stations
for that band.
To scan the preset stations:
Push and hold ªSCANº until you hear a
beep. The radio will tune in the next pres-
et station up the band, stay there for 5
seconds, and then move to the next pre-
set station. To select a station, push
ªSCANº again.
To scan all the frequencies:
Quickly push and release ªSCANº. If you
hear a beep, you held the button too long,
and the radio will scan the preset sta-
tions. The radio will find the next station
up the station band, stay there for 5 se-
conds, and then scan again. To select a
station, push ªSCANº again.
Compact disc player
There are two scan featuresÐyou can ei-
ther scan the tracks on a specific disc or
scan the first tracks of all the discs in the
magazine.Scanning the tracks on a disc:
Quickly push and release ªSCANº. ªSCANº
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 track of all the discs in
the magazine. To select a track, push
ªSCANº again. If the player scanned all
the tracks on the disc, it will stop scan-
ning.
Compact disc auto changer onlyÐ
Scanning the first track of all the discs in
the magazine:
Push ªSCANº until you hear a beep.
ª
´SCANº will appear on the display
and the player will perform the first track
of the next disc. To select a disc, push
the ªSCANº again. If the player has
scanned all the discs, it will stop scan-
ning.
SEEK (Seeking)
Radio
In the seek mode, the radio finds and
plays the next station up or down the
station band.
To seek a station, quickly push and re-
lease the ªº or ªº under the ªSEEKº.
Do this again to find another station.Cassette Player
By using this button, you can skip up or
down to a different track.
You can skip up to nine tracks at a time.
Push the up or down side of the button.
ªFF 1º or ªREW 1º will appear on the
display.
Next, push either side of the track button
until the number on the display reaches
the number of tracks you want to skip. If
you push the button ten times, the skip
feature will be turned off.
When counting the number of tracks you
want to rewind, remember to count the
current track as well. For example, if you
want to rewind to a song that is two be-
fore the song you are listening to, push
on the down side of the button until ªREW
3º appears on the display.
If you have pushed the track button more
than you wanted to, push the other side
of the button. The track number will be
reduced.
The track number you select is not valid
if it is higher than the number of tracks
remaining on the current cassette side.
After the beginning of the tape is
reached, the player will automatically
start playing the same side.
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