2005 TOYOTA RAV4 ESP

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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
Even if the abnormality of the electronic
throttle control system is corrected during
low speed driving, the system may not be
recovered until the engine is stopped and
the ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
LOCKº position.
CAUTION
Be especially careful to prevent erro-
neous pedal operation.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
(I/M) programs
Your vehicle may not pass a state
emission inspection if the malfunction
indicator lamp remains on. Contact your
Toyota dealer to check your vehicle's
emission control system and OBD
(On- Board Diagnostics) system before
taking your vehicle for the inspection.
For details, see Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance (I/M) programsº on page 276
in Section 6.(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) ABSº Warning Light
Vehicles without vehicle stability control
systemÐ
The light comes on when the ignition key
is turned to the ONº 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 ABSº 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 ABSº 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 components moni-
tored by the warning light system. Con-
tact 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 ONº 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 ABSº 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.

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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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Here are some common reception prob-
lems that probably do not indicate a prob-
lem with your radio:
FM
Fading and drifting stationsÐGenerally, the
effective range of FM is about 40 km (25
miles). Once outside this range, you may
notice fading and drifting, which increase
with the distance from the radio transmit-
ter. They are often accompanied by distor-
tion.
Multi- pathÐFM signals are reflective,
making it possible for two signals to reach
your antenna at the same time. If this
happens, the signals will cancel each oth-
er out, causing a momentary flutter or
loss of reception.
Static and flutteringÐThese occur when
signals are blocked by buildings, trees, or
other large objects. Increasing the bass
level may reduce static and fluttering.
Station swappingÐIf the FM signal you
are listening to is interrupted or weak-
ened, and there is another strong station
nearby on the FM band, your radio may
tune in the second station until the origi-
nal signal can be picked up again.AM
FadingÐAM broadcasts are reflected by
the upper atmosphere±especially at night.
These reflected signals can interfere with
those received directly from the radio sta-
tion, causing the radio station to sound
alternately strong and weak.
Station interferenceÐWhen a reflected sig-
nal and a signal received directly from a
radio station are very nearly the same
frequency, they can interfere with each
other, making it difficult to hear the broad-
cast.
StaticÐAM is easily affected by external
sources of electrical noise, such as high
tension power lines, lightening, or electri-
cal motors. This results in static.
CARING FOR YOUR CASSETTE PLAYER
AND TAPES
For the best performance for your cas-
sette player and tapes:
Clean the tape head and other parts regu-
larly.
A dirty tape head or tape path can
decrease sound quality and tangle your
cassette tapes. The easiest way to
clean them is by using a cleaning tape.
(A wet type is recommended.)Use high- quality cassettes.
Low- quality cassette tapes can cause
many problems, including poor sound,
inconsistent playing speed, and
constant auto- reversing. They can also
get stuck or tangled in the cassette
player.
Do not use a cassette if it has been
damaged or tangled or if its label is
peeling off.
Do not leave a cassette in the player
if you are not listening to it, especially
if it is hot outside.
Store cassettes in their cases and out
of direct sunlight.
Avoid using cassettes with a total play-
ing time longer than 100 minutes (50
minutes per side). The tape used in
these cassettes is thin and could get
stuck or tangled in the cassette player.

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Low quality discs
Labeled discs
NOTICE
Do not use special shaped, transpar-ent/translucent, low quality or labeleddiscs such as those shown in the il-lustrations. The use of such discs
may damage the player or changer, orit may be impossible to eject thedisc.
Correct Wrong
Handle compact discs carefully, espe-
cially when you are inserting them.
Hold them on the edge and do not
bend them. Avoid getting fingerprints
on them, particularly on the shiny side.
Dirt, scratches, warping, pin holes, or
other disc damage could cause the
player to skip or to repeat a section of
a track. (To see a pin hole, hold the
disc up to the light.)
Remove discs from the compact disc
player when you are not listening to
them. Store them in their plastic cases
away from moisture, heat, and direct
sunlight.

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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
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 tire 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 a 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.

Driving with tire chains installed.

Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.

Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The anti- lock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels' turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.

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Temperature A, B, CÐT he tem per a-
ture grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resis-
tance to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature
can cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C cor-
responds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No.109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of per-
formance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grades for
this tire are established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading, either sep-
arately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.

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Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking on
a slippery surface. Sudden accelera-
tion or engine braking, could cause
the vehicle to skid or spin.

Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high- speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are high- speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.

Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a
longer stopping distance, and it
may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the park-
ing brake will not hold the vehicle
securely.
When driving your vehicle off- road, please
observe the following precautions to en-
sure your driving enjoyment and to help
prevent the closure of areas to off- road
vehicles.a. Drive your vehicle only in areas where off- road vehicles are permitted to trav-
el.
b. Respect private property. Get owner 's permission before entering private prop-
erty.
c. Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that re-
strict travel.
d. Stay on established roads. When condi- tions are wet, driving techniques should
be changed or travel delayed to pre-
vent damage to roads.
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and
Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining
to driving your vehicle off- road, consult
the following organizations.

State and Local Parks and Recreation
Departments

State Motor Vehicle Bureau

Recreational Vehicle Clubs

U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management
CAUTION
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your ve-
hicle:

Drive carefully when off the road.
Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous places.

Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off- road. A
bad bump could jerk the wheel and
injure your hands. Keep both hands
and especially your thumbs on the
outside of the rim.

Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.

After driving through tall grass,
mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check
that there is no grass, bush, paper,
rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or
trapped on the underbody. Clear off
any such matter from the under-
body. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering
to the underbody, a breakdown or
fire could occur.
Off- road driving precautions

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Never tow a trailer without using a
safety chain securely attached to
both the trailer and the vehicle. If
damage occurs to the coupling unit
or hitch ball, there is danger of the
trailer wandering over into another
lane.
TIRES

Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See page 291 Section
7- 2 and page 316 in Section 8 for
instructions.

The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the trail-
er manufacturer in respect to the total
trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS

Trailer lights must comply with federal,
state/provincial and local regulations.
See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correct
type of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights. 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 Sched-
uled Maintenance Guideº or Owner '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.