2005 TOYOTA RAV4 tires

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
221
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
Vehicle load limits include total load
capacity, seating capacity, towing ca-
pacity and cargo capacity. Follow the
load limits shown below.
Total load capacity:Four- wheel drive modelsWith automatic transmission
345 kg (761 lb.)
With manual transmission 375 kg (826 lb.)
Two- wheel drive models With automatic transmission 417 kg (919 lb.)
With manual transmission 447 kg (985 lb.)
Total load capacity means com-
bined weight of occupants, cargo
and luggage. Tongue load is in-
cluded when trailer towing.
Seating capacity: Total 5 (Front 2, Rear 3)
Seating capacity means the maxi-
mum number of occupants whose
estimated average weight is 68 kg
(150 lb.) per person. Depending on
the weight of each person, the seat-
ing capacity given may exceed the
total load capacity.NOTICE
Even if the number of occupantsare within the seating capacity,
do not exceed the total load ca-pacity.
Towing capacity: 680 kg (1500 lb.)
Towing capacity means the maxi-
mum gross trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo weight) that
your vehicle is able to tow.
Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or de-
crease depending on the size (weight)
and the number of occupants. For de-
tails, see Capacity and distributionº
that follows.
CAUTION
Do not apply the load more than
each load limit. That may cause
not only damage to the tires, but
also deterioration to the steering
ability and braking ability, which
may cause an accident.
When stowing cargo and luggage in
the vehicle, observe the following:
Put cargo and luggage in the lug-
gage compartment when at all
possible. Be sure all items are se-
cured in place.

Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far
forward as possible helps maintain
balance.

For better fuel economy, do not
carry unneeded weight.
Veh icle lo ad limit s Cargo and luggageÐ
ÐStowage precautions

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
225
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
Determine what kind of tires your
vehicle is originally equipped with.1. Summer tires
Summer tires are high- speed capabil-
ity tires best suited to highway driving
under dry conditions.
Since summer tires do not have the
same traction performance as snow
tires, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow- covered or icy roads.
For driving on snow- covered or icy
roads, we recommend using snow
tires. If installing snow tires, be sure
to replace all four tires. 2. All season tires
All season tires are designed to pro-
vide better traction in snow and to be
adequate for driving in most winter
conditions, as well as for use all year
round. All season tires, however, do not have
adequate traction performance
compared with snow tires in heavy or
loose snow. Also, all season tires fall
short in acceleration and handling
performance compared with summer
tires in highway driving.
The details about how to distinguish
summer tires from all season tires are
described on page 213.
CAUTION


Do not mix summer and all sea-
son tires on your vehicle as
this can cause dangerous han-
dling characteristics, resulting
in loss of control.

Do not use tire other than the
manufacturer's designated
tires, and never mix tires or
wheels of the sizes different
from the originals.
Types of tires

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
229
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
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

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
230
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)

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

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
236
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
Total trailer weightTotal trailer weight Tongue load
Tongue load
100 = 9 to 11%

The trailer cargo load should be
distributed so that the tongue load
is 9 to 11% of the total trailer
weight, not exceeding 68 kg (150
lb.).
Never load the trailer with more
weight in the back than in the
front. About 60% of the trailer load
should be in the front half of the
trailer and the remaining 40% in the
rear.
HITCHES

Use only a weight carrying hitch
designed for the total trailer weight.
Toyota does not recommend using a
weight distribution (load equalizing)
hitch.

The hitch must be bolted securely to
the vehicle frame and installed accord-
ing to the hitch manufacturer 's instruc-
tions.

The hitch ball should have a light coat
of grease.

Toyota recommends that the trailer
hitch be removed when not towing to
prevent injury and/or damage by the
hitch in event of a rear end collision.
After removing the hitch, the installa-
tion area should be sealed to prevent
entry of exhaust fumes and mud.
NOTICE
Do not use an axle- mounting hitch as
it may cause damage to the axlehousing, wheel bearings, wheels and/or tires.
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS

Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any applica-
ble federal and state/provincial regu-
lations.

A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should
cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping to
the ground in case it becomes dam-
aged or separated. For correct safety
chain procedures, follow the hitch or
trailer manufacturer 's recommenda-
tions.
CAUTION

If the total trailer weight exceeds
272 kg (600 lb.), trailer brakes are
required.

Never tap into your vehicle's hy-
draulic system as it would lower its
braking effectiveness.

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
237
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)

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.

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
239
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
When restarting out after parking on a
slope:1. With the transmission in Pº 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 blo cks.
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.

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.
Improving fuel economy 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
291 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 Automatic
transmissionº on page 121 in Section
1- 7.)

Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
253
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
CAUTION
Never get under the vehicle when
the vehicle is supported by the
jack alone.
6. Remove the wheel nuts andchange tires.
Lift the flat tire straight off and put it
aside.
Roll the spare wheel into position and
align the holes in the wheel with the
bolts. Then lift up the wheel and get
at least the top bolt started through
its hole. Wiggle the tire and press it
back over the other bolts.Before putting on wheels, remove any
corrosion on the mounting surfaces
with a wire brush or such. Installation
of wheels without good metal- to- met-
al contact at the mounting surface can
cause wheel nuts to loosen and
eventually cause a wheel to come off
while driving.
ÐChanging wheels