2005 TOYOTA RAV4 Owners Manual

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Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of Pº position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ONº position and the lock re-
lease button depressed).
(a) Selector lever
The shift position is also displayed on the
instrument cluster.
P:Parking, engine starting and
key removal
R: Reverse
N: Neutral
D: Normal driving (with overdrive on)
2: Stronger engine braking
L: Maximum engine braking
Automatic transmission
Lock release button
To prevent misshifting
With the brake pedal depressed,
shift while holding the lock release
button in. (The ignition switch must
be in ONº position.)
Shift while holding the lock release
button in.
Shift normally. Selector lever
Overdrive
switch

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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 O/D OFFº indicator light should come
on. To turn the overdrive on again, push
the switch again. The O/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 be on automatically.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 Cruise controlº on page 135 in this
Section.
(c) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in How to start the engineº on page 228 in
Section 3. The transmission must be in
Pº or Nº.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to Dº.
When the lever is in the Dº 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 O/D
OFFº indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to third
gear.

Shift into the 2º 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 models107 km/h (66 mph)
Four- wheel drive models 101 km/h (62 mph)

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Shift into the Lº 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 models53 km/h (33 mph)
Four- wheel drive models
50 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 will not be enabled because the
cruise control is not cancelled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see Cruise controlº on page 135 in this
Section.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to skid or
spin.
(e) Using 2º and Lº positions
The 2º and Lº positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in 2º or Lº, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in Dº.
With the selector lever in 2º, the vehicle
will start in first gear and automatically
shift to second gear.
With the selector lever in Lº, the trans-
mission is engaged in first gear.
NOTICE

Be careful not to over- rev the en- gine. Watch the tachometer to keepengine rpm from going into the redzone. The approximate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position isgiven below for your reference:
Two- wheel drive models2º 119 km/h (74 mph) . . . . . . . . .
Lº 66 km/h (41 mph) . . . . . . . . . .
Four- wheel drive models 2º 110 km/h (68 mph) . . . . . . . . .
Lº 61 km/h (38 mph) . . . . . . . . . .

Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the2º or Lº position. This may causesevere automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To preventsuch damage, Dº position shouldbe 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
Rº position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-hicle is moving.

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(g) Parking1. 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 Pº posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector
lever into Pº position under any cir-
cumstances while the vehicle is mov-
ing. Serious mechanical damage and
loss of vehicle control may result.
(h) Good driving practice

If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope, the
overdrive should be turned off. Be sure
to turn the switch on immediately after-
ward.

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
Always use the brake pedal or theparking brake to hold the vehicle onan upgrade. Do not attempt to holdthe vehicle using the accelerator ped-
al, as this can cause the transmissionto overheat.
(i) If you cannot shift the selector le- ver out of Pº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the Pº position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override button. For instructions, see If
you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector leverº on page 262 in Section 4.
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. Do
not use the clutch to hold the vehicle
when stopped on an uphill gradeÐuse the
parking brake.
Manual transmission

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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)
4 186 (115)
Four- wheel drive models
gear km/h (mph)1 43 (26)
2 85 (53)
3 131 (81)
4 170 (106)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowablespeed 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.

When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use fifth gear.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to skid or
spin.
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into reverse.

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The traction control system automatical-
ly helps prevent the spinning of front
wheels when the vehicle is started or
accelerated on slippery road surfaces.
When the ignition key is turned to ONº,
the system automatically turns on.
CAUTION
Under certain slippery road condi-
tions, full traction of the vehicle and
power against front wheels cannot be
maintained, even though the traction
control system is in operation. Do not
drive the vehicle under any speed or
maneuvering conditions which may
cause the vehicle to lose traction
control. In situations where the road
surface is covered with ice or snow,
your vehicle should be fitted with
snow tires or tire chains. Always
drive at an appropriate and cautious
speed for the present road condi-
tions.
NORMAL DRIVING MODE
Leave the system on during the ordi-
nary driving so that it can operate
when needed.
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds just after
the vehicle begins to move. This means
that the traction control system is in the
self- check mode, but does not indicate a
malfunction.When the traction control system is oper-
ating, the following conditions occur:

The system controls the spinning of the
front wheels. At this time, the slip indi-
cator light blinks.

You may feel vibration or noise in your
vehicle, caused by operation of the
brakes. This indicates the system is
functioning properly.
The slip indicator light comes on for a few
seconds when the ignition key is turned
to ONº. If the indicator light does not
come on when the ignition is turned on,
contact your Toyota dealer.
Traction control system
(two- wheel drive models)

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TRACTION CONTROL OFF MODE
If your wheels get stuck in a ditch
when you are driving on a severe off
road and sand, turn off the traction
control system. This system that con-
trols engine performance interferes with
the process of freeing your wheels.
To turn off: Push TRAC OFFº switch.
The TRAC OFFº indicator light will come
on.
The vehicle stability control system is al-
ways activated, even if the traction control
system is turned off.
To turn on: Push TRAC OFFº switch
once again.
The TRAC OFFº indicator light will go off.TRAC OFFº indicator light comes on for
a few seconds when the ignition key is
turned to ONº. It will come on again
when you push the TRAC OFFº switch to
turn off the system.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:

The indicator light does not come on
when the ignition key is turned ONº.

The indicator light remains on after the
ignition is turned on.

The indicator light comes on with the
normal driving mode while driving.
VSC TRACº warning light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in the traction control system
or the vehicle stability control system.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to ONº and will go off after
a few seconds.
If the light comes on while driving, the
system does not work. However, as con-
ventional braking operates when applied,
there is no problem to continue your driv-
ing.

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In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:

The warning light does not come on
after the ignition key is turned to ONº.

The warning light remains on after the
ignition key is turned to ONº.

The warning light comes on while driv-
ing.
The TRAC OFFº indicator light will come
on when the VSC TRACº warning light
comes on even if the TRAC OFFº switch
is not pushed. The traction control system automatical-
ly helps prevent the spinning of 4
wheels when the vehicle is started or
accelerated on slippery road surfaces.
When the ignition key is turned to ONº,
the system automatically turns on.CAUTION
Under certain slippery road condi-
tions, full traction of the vehicle and
power against 4 wheels cannot be
maintained, even though the traction
control system is in operation. Do not
drive the vehicle under any speed or
maneuvering conditions which may
cause the vehicle to lose traction
control. In situations where the road
surface is covered with ice or snow,
your vehicle should be fitted with
snow tires or tire chains. Always
drive at an appropriate and cautious
speed for the present road condi-
tions.
NORMAL DRIVING MODE
Leave the system on during the ordi-
nary driving so that it can operate
when needed.
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds just after
the vehicle begins to move. This means
that the traction control system is in the
self- check mode, but does not indicate a
malfunction.
Traction control system
(four- wheel drive models)