2001 TOYOTA RAV4 snow chains

'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1722001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 220 in Section 7±2 for recom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer oil in your vehicle during winter
months may cause harder starting. If you
are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Toyota dealer±he will be pleased to
help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de±icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer 's directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-
age your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
ªPº (automatic) or into first or reverse
(manual) and block the rear wheels. Do
not use the parking brake, or snow or
water accumulated in and around the
parking brake mechanism may freeze,
making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.
NOTICE
Do not use window scraper or deicer
when the plastic resin moon roof is
heavily coated with frost or ice. The
plastic resin moon roof is easily dam-
aged.
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle can be dinghy towed (with
four wheels on the ground) from the
front behind a motorhome.
CAUTION
Dinghy towing requires special equip-
ment and accessories. Please refer to
your service outlet of the motorhome
manufacture for the recommended
equipment.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2192001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
DO±IT±YOURSELF MAINTENANCE
Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level220 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the engine coolant level221 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking brake fluid222 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking power steering fluid223 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking and replacing the air conditioning filter224 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking tire pressure225 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking and replacing tires226 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rotating tires227 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing snow tires and chains228 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing wheels230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aluminum wheel precautions230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 7± 2
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2272001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
Using any other size or type of tire may
seriously affect handling, ride, speedome-
ter/odometer calibration, ground clearance,
and clearance between the body and tires
or snow chains.
CAUTION

Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
bias±ply tires on your vehicle. It
can cause dangerous handling char-
acteristics, resulting in loss of con-
trol.

Do not use tire or wheels other
than the manufacturer 's recom-
mended size.
NOTICE
Four±wheel drive models:
Do not use tires of different brands,
sizes and constructions. This may
damage the drive system.
Toyota recommends all four tires, or at
least both front or rear tires be re-
placed as a set.
See ªIf you have a flat tireº on page 187
in Section 4 for tire change procedure.When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Wheels can get out
of balance with regular use and should
therefore be balanced occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the air
valve should also be replaced with a
new one.
Rotating tires
With a spare tire of the same wheel type
as the installed tires
With a spare tire of different wheel type
from the installed tires
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2282001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
To equalize tire wear and help extend
tire life, Toyota recommends that you
rotate your tires according to the main-
tenance schedule. (For scheduled main-
tenance information, please refer to the
ªScheduled Maintenance Guideº or
ªOwner 's Manual Supplementº.) Howev-
er, the most appropriate timing for tire
rotation may vary according to your
driving habits and road surface condi-
tions.
See ªIf you have a flat tireº on page 187
in Section 4 for tire change procedure.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is usu-
ally caused by incorrect tire pressure, im-
proper wheel alignment, out±of±balance
wheels, or severe braking.WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recommended
when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires.
SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select the same
size, construction and load capacity as
the original tires on your Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
NOTICE
Four±wheel drive models:
Do not use tires of different brands,
sizes and constructions. This may
damage the drive system.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all
wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front wheels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires, which could cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure
to install them in the same direction when
replacing.
CAUTION

Do not drive with the snow tires
incorrectly inflated.

Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
Installing snow tires and
chains
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
2302001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
Replacing wheels
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion, the
wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or cause loss
of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re-
placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may
adversely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odom-
eter calibration, stopping ability, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clear-
ance, and tire or snow chain clearance to
the body and chassis.Replacement with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub-
jected to rough treatment or high mileage
and could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened may
have structural damage and therefore
should not be used. Never use an inner
tube in a leaking wheel which is designed
for a tubeless tire.
NOTICE
Four±wheel drive models:
Do not use wheels of different
brands, sizes and types. This may
damage the drive system.
Aluminum wheel precautions

When installing aluminum wheels,
check that the wheel nuts are tight
after driving your vehicle the first 1600
km (1000 miles).

If you have rotated, repaired, or
changed your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving
1600 km (1000 miles).

When using tire chains, be careful not
to damage the aluminum wheels.

Use only the Toyota wheel nuts and
wrench designed for your aluminum
wheels.

When balancing your wheels, use only
Toyota balance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber hammer.

As with any wheel, periodically check
your aluminum wheels for damage. If
damaged, replace immediately.
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