2005 TOYOTA RAV4 suspension

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
54
2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the followingchanges without consulting yourToyota dealer. Such changes caninterfere with proper operation of the
seat belt pretensioners in somecases.

Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two- way radio,
cassette tape player or compactdisc player

Repairs on or near the front seat
belt retractor assemblies

Modification of the suspension sys-tem

Modification of the front end struc-ture

Attachment of a grille guard (bullbar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment tothe front end

Repairs made on or near the frontfenders, front end structure or con-
sole
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ONº position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the seat belt pretensioners are
operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors, driv-
er 's seat position sensor, driver 's seat belt
buckle switch, seat belt pretensioner as-
semblies, inflators, warning light, intercon-
necting wiring and power sources. (For
details, see Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzersº on page 109 in Sec-
tion 1- 6.) If any of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction of the airbags
or seat belt pretensioners. Contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.

The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ONº posi-
tion or remains on for more than 6
seconds.

The light comes on while driving.

If any seat belt does not retract or
cannot be pulled out due to a malfunc-
tion or activation of the relevant seat
belt pretensioner.

The seat belt pretensioner assembly or
surrounding area has been damaged.

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

Do not modify or remove any wir-
ing. Do not modify, remove, strike
or open any components such as
the steering wheel pad, steering
wheel, column cover, dashboard
near the front passenger airbag,
front passenger airbag cover, front
passenger airbag or airbag sensor
assembly. Doing so may prevent the
front airbag system from activating
correctly, cause sudden activation
of the system or disable the sys-
tem, which could result in death or
serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious injury.
Consult your Toyota dealer about any
repair and modification.NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without consulting yourToyota dealer. Such changes caninterfere with proper operation of the
SRS front airbag system in somecases.

Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two- way radio,cassette tape player or compactdisc player

Modification of the suspension sys-tem

Modification of the front end struc-ture

Attachment of a grille guard (bullbar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,winches or any other equipment to
the front end

Repairs made on or near the frontfenders, front end structure, con-sole, steering column, steeringwheel or dashboard near the front
passenger airbag
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ONº position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS front airbags are oper-
ating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors, driv-
er 's seat position sensor, driver 's seat belt
buckle switch, seat belt pretensioner as-
semblies, inflators, warning light, intercon-
necting wiring and power sources. (For
details, see Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzersº on page 109 in Sec-
tion 1- 6.)

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

Do not hook a hanger, heavy or
sharp pointed objects on the coat
hook. If the curtain shield airbag
inflates, those items will be thrown
away with great force or the curtain
shield airbag may not activate cor-
rectly, resulting in death or serious
injury. When you hang clothes,
hang them on the coat hook direct-
ly.

Do not use seat accessories which
cover the parts 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 with side
airbags. Such changes may prevent
the side airbag system from activat-
ing correctly, disable the system or
cause the side airbags to inflate ac-
cidentally, resulting in death or seri-
ous injury.

Do not disassemble or repair the
front pillar, and rear pillar and roof
side rails containing the curtain
shield airbags. Such changes may
disable the system or cause the
curtain shield airbags to inflate ac-
cidentally, resulting in death or seri-
ous injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious injury.
Consult your Toyota dealer about any
repair and modification.NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without consulting yourToyota dealer. Such changes caninterfere with proper operation of the
SRS side airbag and curtain shieldairbag system in some cases.

Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two- way radio,cassette tape player or compactdisc player

Modification of the suspension sys-tem

Modification of the side structure ofthe passenger compartment

Repairs made on or near the con-sole or front seat

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR
TOYOTA
Information before driving your Toyota
Off- road vehicle precautions198
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Break- in period 199
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Fuel 199
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Fuel pump shut off system 201
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Operation in foreign countries 201
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Three- way catalytic converters 202
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Engine exhaust cautions 203
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Facts about engine oil consumption 203
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Iridium- tipped spark plugs 204
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Brake system 205
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Brake pad wear limit indicators 209
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Limited- slip differential 209
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Your Toyota's identification 210
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Theft prevention labels 211
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Suspension and chassis 212
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Tire information 213
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Vehicle load limits 221
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Cargo and luggage 221
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Types of tires 225
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SECTION 2

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

Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. Because of its profile and
higher center of gravity, your ve-
hicle is more sensitive to side
winds than an ordinary passenger
car. Slowing down will allow you to
have better control.

When driving off- road or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns,
strike objects, etc. This may cause
loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You
are also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle's suspension and
chassis.

Do not drive horizontally across
steep slopes. Driving straight up or
straight down is preferred. Your ve-
hicle (or any similar off- road ve-
hicle) can tip over sideways much
more easily than forward or back-
ward.
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break- in. But following a few simple tips
for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can add
to the future economy and long life of
your vehicle:

Avoid full throttle acceleration when
starting and driving.

Avoid racing the engine.

Try to avoid hard stops during the first
300 km (200 miles).

Do not drive slowly with the manual
transmission in a high gear.

Do not drive for a long time at any
single speed, either fast or slow.

Do not tow a trailer during the first 800
km (500 miles).FUEL TYPE
Your new vehicle must use only un-
leaded gasoline.
To help prevent gas station mix- ups, your
Toyota has a smaller fuel tank opening.
The special nozzle on pumps with un-
leaded fuel will fit it, but the larger stan-
dard nozzle on pumps with leaded gas will
not.
At a minimum, the gasoline you use
should meet the specifications of ASTM
D4814 in the U.S.A. and CGSB 3.5- M93
in Canada.
NOTICE
Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of
leaded gasoline will cause the three-way catalytic converter to lose its ef-fectiveness and the emission control
system to function improperly. Also,this can increase maintenance costs.
Break- in period Fuel

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
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2005 RAV4 from Sep. '04 Prod. (OM42570U)
CAUTION
Do not modify the suspension/chassis
with lift kits, spacers, springs, etc. It
can cause dangerous handling charac-
teristics, resulting in loss of control.
Suspension and chassis

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

In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. Therefore, the driver and all
passengers should fasten their seat
belts whenever the vehicle is mo-
ving.

When driving off- road or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns,
strike objects, etc. This may cause
loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You
are also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle's suspension and
chassis.
NOTICE

If driving through water, such aswhen crossing shallow streams,first check the depth of the waterand the bottom of the river bed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoiddeep water.

Take all necessary safety measures
to ensure that water damage to theengine or other components doesnot occur.
Water entering the engine air intakewill cause severe engine damage.
Water can wash the grease fromwheel bearings, causing rusting andpremature failure, and may also en-
ter the differentials, transmissionand transfer case, reducing the gearoil's lubricating qualities.

Sand and mud that has accumulatedin brake drums and around brake
discs may affect braking efficiencyand may damage brake system com-ponents.

Always perform a maintenance in-spection after each day of off- roaddriving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water.For scheduled maintenance informa-tion, refer to the Scheduled Main-
tenance Guideº or Owner's ManualSupplementº.
Make sure your coolant is properly pro-
tected against freezing.
Only use Toyota Super Long Life Coolantº
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non- silicate, non- amine, non- nitrite,
and non- borate coolant with long- life
hybrid organic acid technology. (Coolant
with long- life hybrid organic acid
technology is a combination of low
phosphates and organic acids.)
See Checking the engine coolant levelº
on page 288 in Section 7- 2 for details of
coolant type selection.
For the U.S.A.ÐToyota Super Long Life
Coolantº is a mixture of 50% coolant and
50% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about -35 C
(- 31 F).
For CanadaÐToyota Super Long Life
Coolantº is a mixture of 55% coolant and
45% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about -42 C
(- 44 F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Winter driving tips

'05 Rav4_U (L/O 0409)
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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.