2005 TOYOTA RAV4 seats

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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
Important information about your Toyota
Occupant restraint systems
Toyota encourages you and your family to take the time to
read Section 1- 3 of this Owner 's Manual carefully. In
terms of helping you understand how you can receive the
maximum benefit of the occupant restraint systems this
vehicle provides, Section 1- 3 of this Owner 's Manual is
the most important Section for you and your family to
read.
Section 1- 3 describes the function and operation concern-
ing seats, seat belts, SRS airbags and child restraint sys-
tems of this vehicle and some potential hazards you
should be aware of. These systems work together along
with the overall structure of this vehicle in order to provide
occupant restraint in the event of a crash. The effect of
each system is enhanced when it is used properly and
together with other systems. No single occupant restraint
system can, by itself, provide you or your family with the
equal level of restraint which these systems can provide
when used together. That is why it is important for you and
your family to understand the purpose and proper use of
each of these systems and how they relate to each other.
The purpose of all occupant restraint systems is to help
reduce the possibility of death or serious injury in the
event of a collision. None of these systems, either individ-
ually or together, can ensure that there is no injury in the
event of collision. However, the more you know a bout
these systems and how to use them properly, the greater
your chances become of surviving an accident without
death or serious injury.
Seat belts provide the primary restraint to all occupants of
the vehicle, and every occupant of the vehicle should wear
seat belts properly at all times. Children should always be
secured in child restraint systems that are appropriate for
their age and size. SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
airbags are, as their names imply, designed to work with,
and be supplemental to, seat belts and are not substitutes
for them. SRS airbags can be very effective in reducing
the risk of head and chest injuries by preventing contact of
the head and chest with interior portions of the vehicle.

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OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS
Occupant restraint systems
Seats30
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Front seats 30
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Rear seats 33
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Flattening seatbacks 41
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Head restraints 43
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Seat heaters 43
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Seat belts 44
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SRS driver airbag and front passenger airbag 55
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SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags 61
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Child restraint 69
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SECTION 1- 3

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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 any passengers to sit on
top of a folded- down seatback, or
in the luggage compartment or car-
go area. Persons not properly
seated and/or not properly re-
strained by seat belts can be se-
verely injured in the event of emer-
gency braking or a collision.

During driving, do not allow any
passengers to stand up or move
around between seats. Otherwise,
severe injuries can occur in the
event of emergency braking or a
collision.
Driver seat
CAUTION
The SRS driver airbag deploys with
considerable force, and can cause
death or serious injury especially if
the driver is very close to the airbag.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSAº) advises:
Since the risk zone for driver airbag
is the first 50Ð75 mm (2Ð3 in.) of
inflation, placing yourself 250 mm (10
in.) from your driver airbag provides
you with a clear margin of safety.
This distance is measured from the
center of the steering wheel to your
breastbone. If you sit less than 250
mm (10 in.) away now, you can
change your driving position in sever-
al ways:

Move your seat to the rear as far
as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.

Slightly recline the back of the
seat. Although vehicle designs vary,
many drivers can achieve the 250
mm (10 in.) distance, even with the
driver seat all the way forward, sim-
ply by reclining the back of the
seat somewhat. If reclining the back
of your seat makes it hard to see
the road, raise yourself by using a
firm, non- slippery cushion, or raise
the seat if your vehicle has that
feature.

If your steering wheel is adjustable,
tilt it downward. This points the air-
bag toward your chest instead of
your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as rec-
ommended by NHTSA above, while
still maintaining control of the foot
pedals, steering wheel, and your view
of the instrument panel controls.
Seats Front seatsÐ
ÐFront seat precautions

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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
Front passenger seat
CAUTION
The SRS front passenger airbag also
deploys with considerable force, and
can cause death or serious injury es-
pecially if the front passenger is very
close to the airbag. The front passen-
ger seat should be as far from the
airbag as possible with the seatback
adjusted, so the front passenger sits
upright.
Front seats (with SRS side airbags)
CAUTION
The SRS side airbags are installed in
the driver and front passenger seats.
Observe the following precautions.

Do not lean against the front door
when the vehicle is in use, since
the side airbag inflates with consid-
erable speed and force. Otherwise,
you may be killed or seriously in-
jured.

Do not use seat accessories which
cover the area where the side air-
bags inflate. Such accessories may
prevent the side airbags from acti-
vating correctly, causing death or
serious injury.

Do not modify or replace the seats
or upholstery of the seats equipped
with side airbags. Such change may
prevent the side airbag system from
activating correctly, disable the sys-
tem or cause the side airbag sys-
tem to inflate accidentally, resulting
in death or serious injury.
CAUTION

Do not adjust the seat while the
vehicle is moving as the seat may
unexpectedly move and cause the
driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Be careful that the seat does not
hit a passenger 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
your body back against the seat to
make sure the seat is locked in
position.

Do not put objects under the seats.
Otherwise, the objects may interfere
with the seat- lock 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, your
hands or fingers may be caught and
injured.
ÐSeat adjustment precautions

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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
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
Avoid reclining the seatback any
more than needed. The seat belts pro-
vide maximum protection in a frontal
or rear collision when the driver and
the front passenger are sitting up
straight and well back in the seats. If
you are reclined, the lap belt may
slide past your hips and apply re-
straint forces directly to the abdomen
or your neck may contact the shoul-
der belt. In the event of a frontal
collision, the more the seat is re-
clined, the greater the risk of death
or personal injury.
ÐAdjusting front seats

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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
CAUTION

Do not adjust the seat while the
vehicle is moving.

Be careful that the seat does not
hit a passenger 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 locked in posi-
tion.

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 ÐStowage pre-
cautionsº on page 221 in Section 2 for
precautions when loading luggage.
Rear seatsÐ
ÐRear seat precautionsÐAdjusting rear seats

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

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 or
your neck may contact the shoulder
belt. In the event of a frontal colli-
sion, the more the seat is reclined,
the greater the risk of death or per-
sonal 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.

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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
BEFORE TUMBLING REAR SEAT1. Stow the rear seat belt buckles as shown in the illustration.
This prevents the buckles from falling out
when you tumble the rear seat.
CAUTION
Before using the seat belt, pull out
the buckle and make sure the belt is
not twisted.
NOTICE
The seat belt buckles must be stowed before you fold the seatback.
2. To stow the rear center seat belt, pull the belt out of its cover a little
and insert the concave end tab into
the higher slot of the cover.3. Insert the round end tab into theslot of the cover. You will hear a
click when the tabs are locked in the
seat belt cover. Make sure the tabs
are securely locked in the cover.
NOTICE
The seat belt must be stowed before
you fold the seatback.
ÐTumbling rear seats