2005 TOYOTA RAV4 Engine START

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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 thanstated above. It will cause fuel sys-tem damage or vehicle performanceproblems.

If driveab ility 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.) 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 ACCº or LOCKº 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.
If you plan to drive your Toyota in
another country...
First,
comply with the vehicle registration
laws.
Second, confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel (unleaded and minimum octane
number).
Fuel pump shut off system Operation in foreign countries

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The three- way catalytic converter is an
emission control device installed in the
exhaust system.
The purpose is to reduce pollutants in the
exhaust gas.
CAUTION

Keep people and combustible mate-
rials away from the exhaust pipe
while the engine is running. The
exhaust gas is very hot.

Do not idle or park your vehicle
over anything that might burn easi-
ly such as grass, leaves, paper or
rags.
NOTICE
A large amount of unburned gasesflowing into the three- way catalyticconverter may cause it to overheatand create a fire hazard. To prevent
this and other damage, observe thefollowing precautions:

Use only unleaded gasoline.

Do not drive with an extremely lowfuel level; running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, creat-ing an excessive load on the three-way catalytic converter.

Do not allow the engine to run atidle speed for more than 20 min-
utes.

Avoid racing the engine.

Do not push- start or pull- start yourvehicle.

Do not turn off the ignition while
the vehicle is moving.

Keep your engine in good runningorder. Malfunctions in the engineelectrical system, electronic ignitionsystem/distributor ignition system
or fuel systems could cause an ex-tremely high three- way catalyticconverter temperature.

If the engine becomes difficult tostart or stalls frequently, take yourvehicle in for a check- up as soon
as possible. Remember, your Toyotadealer knows your vehicle and itsthree- way catalytic converter sys-
tem best.

To ensure that the three- way cata-lytic converter and the entire emis-sion control system operate proper-ly, your vehicle must receive the
periodic inspections required by theToyota Maintenance Schedule. Forscheduled maintenance information,
refer to the Scheduled MaintenanceGuideº or Owner 's Manual Supple-mentº.
Three- way catalytic converters

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The tandem master cylinder brake system
is a hydraulic system with two separate
sub- systems. If either sub- system should
fail, the other will still work. However, the
pedal will be harder to press, and your
stopping distance will increase. Also, the
brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a
single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
power- assist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserved
vacuum for one or two stopsÐbut no
more!
CAUTION

Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls. Each push on the
pedal uses up your reserved vacu-
um.

Even if the power assist is com-
pletely lost, the brakes will still
work. But you will have to push the
pedal hard, much harder than nor-
mal. And your braking distance will
increase.
ANTI- LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(with ABSº warning light)
The anti- lock brake system is designed
to help prevent lock- up of the wheels
during a sudden braking or braking on
slippery road surfaces. This assists in
providing directional stability and steer-
ing performance of the vehicle under
these circumstances.
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 a manhole cov-
er, a steel plate at a construction site,
joints in a bridge, etc. on a rainy day
tends to activate the anti- lock brake sys-
tem.
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 begins to move. This means
that the anti- lock brake system is in the
self- check mode, and does not indicate a
malfunction.
Brake system

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For an explanation of this system's warn-
ing light, see Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzersº on page 109 in Sec-
tion 1- 6.
The brake pad wear limit indicators on
your disc brakes give a warning noise
when the brake pads are worn to where
replacement is required.
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise
while driving, have the brake pads
checked and replaced by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible. Expensive ro-
tor damage can result if the pads are not
replaced when necessary.Your Toyota is equipped with a limited- slip
center differential (transfer). If one wheel
begins to spin, the limited- slip center dif-
ferential (transfer) is designed to aid trac-
tion by automatically transmitting driving
force to the wheels on the other drive
axle. It transmits driving force to the front
wheels if a rear wheel spins, and to the
rear wheels if a front wheel spins.
Some models are also equipped with a
limited- slip rear differential. If one rear
wheel begins to spin, the limited- slip rear
differential is designed to aid traction by
automatically transmitting driving force to
the other rear wheel. If you are not sure
whether your vehicle is equipped with one,
you can ask your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Do not start or run the engine while
your vehicle is supported by a jack.
The vehicle could be driven off the
jack and could pose a danger or re-
sult in serious injury.
Brake pad wear limit
indicators
Limited- slip differential
(four- wheel drive models)

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STARTING AND DRIVING
Starting and driving
Before starting the engine228
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How to start the engine 228
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Tips for driving in various conditions 229
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Off- road driving precautions 230
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Winter driving tips 231
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Dinghy towing 233
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Trailer towing 234
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How to save fuel and make your vehicle last longer 239
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SECTION 3

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1. Check the area around the vehicle be-fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion angle, head restraint
height and steering wheel angle.
3. Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Manual transmission: Press the clutch
pedal to the floor and shift the trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in Pº. If you need to re-
start the engine while the vehicle is
moving, put the selector lever in Nº.
A starter safety device will prevent the
starter from operating if the selector
lever is in any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to
the floor until driving off. Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in (a) Before crank-
ingº.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system in your
engine automatically controls the proper
air- fuel mixture for starting. You can start
a cold or hot engine as follows:
With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
crank the engine by turning the key to
STARTº. Release it when the engine
starts.
Engine should be warmed up by driving,
not in idle. For warming up, drive with
smoothly turning engine until engine cool-
ant temperature is within normal range.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce-
dure given in normal starting.
If the engine will not start...
See If your vehicle will not startº on page
242 in Section 4.
Before starting the engine
How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking
(b) Starting the engine

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NOTICE

Do not crank for more than 30 se-conds at a time. This may overheatthe starter and wiring systems.

Do not race a cold engine.

If the engine becomes difficult tostart or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.

Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.

Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharp- edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage such
as a tire burst.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps
or travelling on a bumpy r oad. Other-
wise the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.

When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and place the transmis-
sion in Pº (automatic) or in first or
reverse (manual). If necessary, block
the wheels.

Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you, and then
press the pedal lightly. If you do not
feel a normal braking force, the brakes
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake applied. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
CAUTION

Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.

Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.

Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.

To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

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Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape to
provide enough power for winter starting.
Section 7- 3 tells you how to visually in-
spect the battery. Your Toyota dealer and
most service stations will be pleased to
check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 286 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±they 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
Pº (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.