2001 TOYOTA RAV4 stop start

'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1532001 RAV4 (OM42483U)

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.

When driving off±road or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns,
strike objects, etc. This may cause
loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You
are also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle's suspension and
chassis.

Do not drive horizontally across
steep slopes. Driving straight up or
straight down is preferred. Your ve-
hicle (or any similar off±road ve-
hicle) can tip over sideways much
more easily than forward or back-
ward.
Break±in period
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break±in. But following a few simple tips
for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can add
to the future economy and long life of
your vehicle:

Do not drive over 88 km/h (55 mph).

Run the engine at moderate speed be-
tween 2000 and 4000 rpm.

Avoid full±throttle starts.

Try to avoid hard stops during the first
300 km (200 miles).

Do not drive slowly with the manual
transmission in a high gear.

Do not drive for a long time at any
single speed, either fast or slow.

Do not tow a trailer during the first 800
km (500 miles).
Fuel
FUEL TYPE
Your new vehicle must use only un-
leaded gasoline.
To help prevent gas station mix±ups, your
Toyota has a smaller fuel tank opening.
The special nozzle on pumps with un-
leaded fuel will fit it, but the larger stan-
dard nozzle on pumps with leaded gas will
not.
At a minimum, the gasoline you use
should meet the specifications of ASTM
D4814 in the U.S.A. and CGSB 3.5±M93
in Canada.
NOTICE
Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of
leaded gasoline will cause the three±
way catalytic converter to lose its ef-
fectiveness and the emission control
system to function improperly. Also,
this can increase maintenance costs.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1552001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
GASOLINE CONTAINING MMT
Some gasoline contain an octane en-
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl).
Toyota does not recommend the use of
gasoline that contains MMT. If fuel con-
taining MMT is used, your emission con-
trol system may be adversely affected.
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp on the in-
strument cluster may come on. If this hap-
pens, contact your Toyota dealer for ser-
vice.
GASOLINE QUALITY
In a very few cases, you may experience
driveability problems caused by the partic-
ular gasoline that you are using. If you
continue to have unacceptable driveability,
try changing gasoline brands. If this does
not rectify your problem, then consult your
Toyota dealer.NOTICE
Do not use gasohol other than
stated above. It will cause fuel sys-
tem damage or vehicle performance
problems.
If driveability problems occur (poor
hot starting, vaporizing, engine
knock, etc.), discontinue the use.
Take care not to spill gasohol dur-
ing refueling. Gasohol may cause
paint damage.
FUEL TANK CAPACITY
56 L (14.8 gal., 12.3 Imp. gal.)
Fuel pump shut off system
The fuel pump shut off system stops sup-
plying fuel to the engine to minimize the
risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls
or an airbag inflates upon collision. To
restart the engine after the fuel pump shut
off system activates, turn the ignition
switch to ªACCº or ªLOCKº once and start
it.
CAUTION
Inspect the ground under the vehicle
before restarting the engine. If you
find that liquid has leaked onto the
ground, it is the fuel system has
been damaged and it is in need of
repair. In this case, do not restart the
engine.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1602001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
Effective way to press the ABS brake
pedal: When the anti±lock brake system
function is in action, you may feel the
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise.
In this situation, to let the anti±lock
brake system work for you, just hold the
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not
pump the brake in a panic stop. This
will result in reduced braking performan-
ce.
The anti±lock brake system becomes op-
erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the
vehicle decelerates to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).
Depressing the brake pedal on slippery
road surfaces such as on the manhole
cover, the steel plate under the construc-
tion, joints in the bridge, etc. on a rainy
day tends to activate the anti±lock brake
system.
You may hear a click or motor sound in
the engine compartment for a few seconds
when the engine is started or just after
the vehicle is started. This means that the
anti±lock brake system is in the self±
check mode, and does not indicate a mal-
function.When the anti±lock brake system is ac-
tivated, the following conditions may
occur. They do not indicate a malfunc-
tion of the system:

You may hear the anti±lock brake sys-
tem operating and feel the brake pedal
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-
hicle body and steering wheel. You
may also hear the motor sound in the
engine compartment even after the ve-
hicle is stopped.

At the end of the anti±lock brake sys-
tem activation, the brake pedal may
move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the anti±lock
brake system: Although the anti±lock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti±
lock brake system on.
If tires grip performance exceeds its
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs
during high speed driving in the rain,
the anti±lock brake system does not
provide vehicle control.
Anti±lock brake system is not de-
signed to shorten the stopping dis-
tance: Always drive at the moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles without an
anti±lock brake system, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping dis-
tance in the following cases:

Driving on rough, gravel or snow±
covered roads.
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'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)
1772001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
BREAK±IN SCHEDULE

Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a
vehicle with any new power train com-
ponent (engine, transmission, differen-
tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving.
MAINTENANCE

If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the ªSched-
uled Maintenance Guideº or ªOwner 's
Manual Supplementº.

Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
PRE±TOWING SAFETY CHECK

Check that your vehicle remains level
when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose±up or nose±down
condition, and check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspension
or other possible causes.

Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
loaded so that it cannot shift.

Check that your rear view mirrors con-
form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or local regulations. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow-
ing. The three main causes of vehicle±
trailer accidents are driver error, exces-
sive speed and improper trailer loading.
Keep these in mind when towing:

Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle±trailer connec-
tions. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and con-
nections. Before actually towing a trail-
er, practice turning, stopping and back-
ing with a trailer in an area away from
traffic until you learn the feel.

Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle±to±vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.

Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
tion. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, prevent excessive clutch
slippage by keeping engine rpm low
and not racing the engine. Always start
out in first gear.

Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns.
The trailer could hit your vehicle in a
tight turn. Slow down before making a
turn to avoid the necessity of sudden
braking.

Backing with a trailer is difficult and
requires practice. Grip the bottom of
the steering wheel and move your hand
to the left to move the trailer to the
left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to the right. (This pro-
cedure is generally opposite to that
when backing without a trailer). Also,
just turn the steering wheel a little at
a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged
turning. Have someone guide you when
backing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.

Remember that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Therefore, compensate for this by
making a larger than normal turning
radius with your vehicle.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1782001 RAV4 (OM42483U)

Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention
to the rear from time to time to pre-
pare yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your
vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering wheel
and reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed. Steer
straight ahead. If you make no extreme
correction with the steering or brakes,
the vehicle and trailer will stabilize.

Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer and
be sure you have plenty of room be-
fore changing lanes.

In order to maintain engine braking effi-
ciency, do not use fifth gear (manual
transmission) or overdrive (automatic
transmission).

Because of the added load of the trail-
er, your vehicle's engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
30C [85F]) when going up a long or
steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air
conditioning (if in use), pull off the road
and stop in a safe spot. Refer to ªIf
your vehicle overheatsº on page 186 in
Section 4.

Always place wheel blocks under both
the vehicle and trailer wheels when
parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
Put the transmission in ªPº (automatic)
or in first or reverse (manual). Avoid
parking on a slope with a trailer, but
if it cannot be avoided, do so only
after performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un-
der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place,
release your brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or
ªPº (automatic) and turn off the engine.When restarting out after parking on a
slope:
1. With the transmission in ªPº position
(automatic) or the clutch pedal de-
pressed (manual), start the engine.
(With an automatic transmission, be
sure to keep the brake pedal de-
pressed.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also foot
brake on automatic transmission ve-
hicles) and slowly pull or back away
from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply
your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION

Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing vehicle±
trailer combination usually in-
creases as the speed increases, ex-
ceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may
cause loss of control.
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1792001 RAV4 (OM42483U)

Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts.

Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or too frequently. This
could cause the brakes to overheat
and result in reduced braking effi-
ciency.
Getting more kilometers/mileage from a
liter/gallon of fuel is easyÐjust take it
easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:

Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See page
225 in Section 7±2 for instructions.

Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.

Avoid lengthy warm±up idling. Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
drivingÐbut gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.

Keep the automatic transmission
overdrive turned on when engine
braking is not required. Driving with
the overdrive off will reduce the fuel
economy. (For details, see ªAutomatic
transmissionº on page 97 in Section
1±6.)

Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.

Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.

Avoid engine lugging or over±rev-
ving. Use a gear position suitable for
the road on which you are travelling.

Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop±and±go driving
wastes fuel.

Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.

Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.

Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes premature
wear, overheating and poor fuel econo-
my.

Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too
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'01 Rav4_U (L/O 0008)
1862001 RAV4 (OM42483U)
If your engine stalls while driving...
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping
a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Turn the ignition key to ªACCº or
ªLOCKº, and try starting the engine
again.
If the engine will not start, see ªIf your
vehicle will not startº on page 182.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you ex-
perience a loss of power, or if you hear
a loud knocking or pinging noise, the
engine has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure...
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve-
hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in ªPº
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and ap-
ply the parking brake. Turn off the air
conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the
radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not,
turn the ignition off.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no
steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure.
3. Look for obvious coolant leaks from the
radiator, hoses, and under the vehicle.
However, note that water draining from
the air conditioning is normal if it has
been used.
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts.
4. If the coolant is leaking, stop the en-
gine immediately. Call a Toyota dealer
for assistance.
5. If there are no obvious leaks, check
the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add
coolant to the reservoir while the en-
gine is running. Fill it about half full.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to remove the radiator
cap when the engine and radiator are
hot. Serious injury could result from
scalding hot fluid and steam blown
out under pressure.
If your engine stalls while
driving
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