2003 TOYOTA RAV4 Owners Manual

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
272003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
Never leave small children alone in
the vehicle, especially with the igni-
tion key still inserted. They could
use the moon roof switches and get
trapped in the roof opening. Unat-
tended children can be involved in
serious accidents.
Never sit on top of the vehicle
around the roof opening.

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
282003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
292003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS
Seats, Seat belts, Steering wheel and Mirrors
Seats30
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Front seats 30
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Rear seats 32
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Flattening seatbacks 40
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Head restraints 41
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Seat belts 42
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SRS driver airbag and front passenger airbag 52
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Child restraint 59
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Tilt steering wheel 76
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Outside rear view mirrors 76
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Antiglare inside rear view mirror 78
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Sun visors 78
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SECTION 1 3

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
302003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
While the vehicle is being driven, all ve-
hicle occupants should have the seatback
upright, sit well back in the seat and prop-
erly wear the seat belts provided.
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle unless the
occupants are properly seated. Do
not allow sitting on top of a
foldeddown seatback, or in the
luggage compartment or cargo area.
Persons not properly seated and/or
properly restrained by seat belts
can be severely injured in the event
of emergency braking or a collision.
During driving, do not allow pas-
sengers to stand up or move
around between seats. Severe inju-
ries can occur in the event of emer-
gency braking or a collision.
Adjust the driver’s seat so that the foot
pedals, steering wheel and instrument
panel controls are within easy reach of
the driver.
CAUTION
Adjustments should not be made
while the vehicle is moving, as the
seat may unexpectedly move and
cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.
When adjusting the seat, be careful
that the seat does not hit a passen-
ger or luggage.
After adjusting the seat position,
try sliding it forward and backward
to make sure it is locked in posi-
tion.
After adjusting the seatback, push
back your body to make sure it is
locked in position.
Do not put objects under the seats.
Otherwise, the objects may interfere
with the seatlock mechanism or
unexpectedly push up the seat posi-
tion adjusting lever and the seat
may suddenly move, causing the
driver to lose control of the vehicle.
While adjusting the seat, do not put
your hands under the seat or near
the moving parts. Otherwise you
may catch and injure your hands or
fingers.
SeatsFront seats—
—Seat adjustment precautions

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
312003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
1. SEAT POSITION ADJUSTING LEVER
Hold the center of the lever and pull it
up. Then slide the seat to the desired
position with slight body pressure and
release the lever.
2. SEAT CUSHION ANGLE ADJUSTING KNOB
Turn the knob either way.
3. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING LEVER
Lean forward and pull the lever up.
Then lean back to the desired angle
and release the lever.CAUTION
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision, avoid
reclining the seatback any more than
needed. The seat belts provide maxi-
mum protection in a frontal or rear
collision when the driver and the pas-
senger are sitting up straight and
well back in the seats. If you are
reclined, the lap belt may slide past
your hips and apply restraint forces
directly to the abdomen. In the event
of a frontal collision, the more the
seat is reclined, the greater the risk
of personal injury.
—Adjusting front seats

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
322003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
CAUTION
Adjustment should not be made
while the vehicle is moving.
When adjusting the seat, be careful
that the seat does not hit a passen-
ger or luggage.
Adjust both seat cushions to the
same position and align both seat-
backs at the same angle when a
person sits in the rear center posi-
tion. Otherwise, the person cannot
wear the seat belt properly and this
may cause serious injuries in a col-
lision.
After adjusting the seat position,
try sliding it forward and backward
to make sure it is lock in position.
After adjusting the seatback, push
back your body to make sure it is
locked in position.
When returning seats to their origi-
nal position, observe the following
precautions in order to prevent per-
sonal injury in a collision or sud-
den stop:
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 the seat belt from oper-
ating properly.
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.
Folding the seats up will enlarge the lug-
gage compartment. See “Luggage stowage
precautions” on page 164 in Section 2 for
precautions in loading luggage.
Rear seats—
—Rear seat precautions—Adjusting rear seats

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
332003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
1. SEAT POSITION ADJUSTING LEVER
Hold the center of the lever and pull it
up. Then slide the seat to the desired
position with slight body pressure and
release the lever.
When a person sits in the rear center
position, adjust both seat cushions to
the same position.
Do not place anything under the seats. It
might interfere with the seatlock mecha-
nism.
2. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING STRAP
Pull the strap up. Then lean back to the
desired angle and release the strap.
When a person sits in the rear center
position, align both seatbacks at the
same angle.
CAUTION
Adjustments should not be made
while the vehicle is moving.
Adjust both seat cushions to the
same position and align both seat-
backs at the same angle when a
person sits in the rear center posi-
tion. Otherwise, the person cannot
wear the seat belt properly and this
may cause serious injuries in a col-
lision.
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision,
avoid reclining the seatback any
more than needed. The seat belts
provide maximum protection in a
frontal or rear collision when the
passengers are sitting up straight
and well back in the seats. If you
are reclined, the lap belt may slide
past your hips and apply restraint
forces directly to the abdomen. In
the event of a frontal collision, the
more the seat is reclined, the great-
er the risk of personal injury.
After adjusting the seatback, push
back your body to make sure it is
locked in position.
NOTICE
Do not fold the seatback forward
while the luggage cover is set.

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
342003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
BEFORE FOLDING UP REAR SEAT
Stow the rear center seat belt, do the
following:1. Pull the seat belt out of its cover a little and insert the concave end tab
into the higher slot of the cover.2. Insert the round end tab into thecover. You will hear a click when the
tabs are locked in the seat belt cov-
er. Make sure the tabs are securely
locked in the cover.
NOTICE
The seat belt must be stowed before
you fold the seatback.
FOLDING UP REAR SEATS
1. Hold the center of the lever and pull it up. Then slide the front seat fully
forward.
Folding up the rear seats will enlarge the
luggage compartment. See “Luggage stow-
age precautions” on page 164 in Section
2 for precautions in loading luggage.
—Folding up rear seats