2008 TOYOTA RAV4 ECO mode

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
332
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Ti r e relat ed ter mMeaning
Innerliner separationthe parting of the innerliner from cord material in the carcass
Intended outboard sidewall
(A) the sidewall that contains a whitewall, bears white lettering or bearsmanufacturer, brand, and/or model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same molding on th e other sidewall of the tire, or
(B) the outward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that must always face outward when mounted on a vehicle
Light truck (LT) tirea tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily intended for use on lightweight
trucks or multipurpose passenger vehicles
Load ratingthe maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given inf lat ion pr es s ur e
Maximum load ratingthe load rating for a tire at the maximu m permissible inflation pressure for that
tire
Maximum permissible inflation
pressurethe maximum cold inflat ion pressure to which a tire may be inflated
Measuring rimthe rim on which a tire is fitted for physical dimension requirements
Open spliceany parting at any junction of tread, sidewall, or innerliner that extends to cord
material
Outer diameterthe overall diameter of an inflated new tire
Overall widththe linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire,
including elevations due to labeling, decorations, or protective bands or ribs

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
348
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a
passenger−carrying vehicle. Towing a
trailer will have an adverse effect on
handling, performance, braking, durability
and driving economy (fuel consumption,
etc.). Your safety and satisfaction depend
on the proper use of correct equipment
and cautious driving habits. For your
safety and the safety of others, you must
not overload your vehicle or trailer. Toyota
warranties do not apply to damage or
malfunction caused by towing a trailer for
commercial purposes. Ask your local
Toyota dealer for further details before
towing.
NOTICE
When towing a trailer, be sure to con-
sult your Toyota dealer for further in-
formation on additional requirements
such as a towing kit, etc.
WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total trail-
er weight, gross combination weight,
gross vehicle weight, gross axle weight
and trailer tongue load are all within
the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue load
can be measured with platform scales
found at a highway weighing station, build-
ing supply company, trucking company,
junk yard, etc.
CAUTION
The total trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo load) must
not exceed the following. Exceeding
this weight is dangerous.
2.4 L 4cylinder (2AZFE) engine 680 kg (1500 lb.)
3.5 L V6 (2GRFE) engine
Without towing package 907 kg (2000 lb.)
With towing package 1588 kg (3500 lb.)
If towing a trailer and cargo weigh-
ing over 907 kg (2000 lb.), it is
necessary to use a sway control
device with sufficient capacity.
The gross combination weight (sum
of your vehicle weight plus its load
and the total trailer weight) must
not exceed the following.
2.4 L 4cylinder (2AZFE) engineTwowheel drive models Without third seat
2689 kg (5930 lb.)
With third seat 2825 kg (6230 lb.)
Fourwheel drive models Without third seat 2737 kg (6035 lb.)
With third seat 2887 kg (6365 lb.)
3.5 L V6 (2GRFE) engine Twowheel drive models Without third seat
Without towing package 3048 kg (6720 lb.)
With towing package
3729 kg (8220 lb.)
With third seat Without towing package
3182 kg (7015 lb.)
With towing package 3862 kg (8515 lb.)
Trailer towing

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
354
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.
Avoid engine lugging or overrev-
ving. Use a gear position suitable for
the road on which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop−and− go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal. This causes premature wear,
overheating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease,brakes not adjusted, etc. all
lower engine performance and contrib-
ute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle
receives more frequent maintenance.
(For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, please refer to the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide” or “Owner ’s Manu-
al Supplement”.)
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and
brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, the
emission control system operates
properly only when the engine is run-
ning.

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
373
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow,
mud, sand, etc., then you may attempt
to rock the vehicle free by moving it
forward and backward.
You can use the “AUTO LSD” switch
(twowheel drive models) or fourwheel
drive lock switch (fourwheel drive
models) in this situation. (For details,
see ““AUTO LSD” system” on page 153
or “Active torque control 4WD system”
on page 150 in Section 17.)
CAUTION
Do not attempt to rock the vehicle
free by moving it forward and back-
ward if people or objects are any-
where near the vehicle. During the
rocking operation the vehicle may
suddenly move forward or backward
as it becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or ob-
jects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the
following precautions to prevent dam-
age to the transmission and other
parts.
Do not depress the accelerator ped-
al while shifting the selector lever
or before the transmission is com-
pletely shifted to forward or reverse
gear.
 Do not race the engine and avoid
spinning the wheels.
 If your vehicle remains stuck after
rocking the vehicle several times,
consider other ways such as tow-
ing.
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck—
—From front
—From rear
(b) Using flat bed truck
Twowheel drive models
If your vehicle becomes stuck If your vehicle needs to be
towed—

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
374
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck——From front
—From rear
(b) Using flat bed truck
Fourwheel drive modelsIf towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice. In consultation with them, have
your vehicle towed using either (a) or
(b).
Only when you cannot receive a towing
service from a Toyota dealer or com-
mercial tow truck service, tow your ve-
hicle carefully in accordance with the
instructions given in “—Emergency tow-
ing” on page 375 in this Section.
Proper equipment will help ensure that
your vehicle is not damaged while being
towed. Commercial operators are generally
aware of the state/provincial and local
laws pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is
towed incorrectly. Although most operators
know the correct procedure, it is possible
to make a mistake. To avoid damage to
your vehicle, make sure the following pre-
cautions are observed. If necessary, show
this page to the tow truck driver. TOWING PRECAUTIONS:
Use a safety chain system for all towing,
and abide by the state/provincial and local
laws. The wheels and axle on the ground
must be in good condition. If they are
damaged, use a towing dolly.
Twowheel drive models—
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck
From front—
Release the parking brake.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care to en-
sure adequate ground clearance for
towing at the opposite end of the
raised vehicle. Otherwise, the bumper
and/or underbody of the towed vehicle
will be damaged during towing.
From rear—
Use a towing dolly under the front wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic
transmission from the rear with the
front wheels on the ground, as this
may cause serious damage to the
transmission.

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
375
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
(b) Using flat bed truck
Fourwheel drive models—
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck
Use a towing dolly under the wheels not
lifted by the truck.
(b) Using flat bed truck(c) Towing with slingtype truck
All models—
(c) Towing with sling type truck
NOTICE
Do not tow with sling type truck, ei-
ther from the front or rear. This may
cause body damage.
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tempo-
rarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to the emergency towing eyelets
on the front of the vehicle. Use extreme
caution when towing vehicle.
To install the front towing eyelet, see
“—Installing front towing eyelet” described
below.
—Emergency towing

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
412
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
For details about the side wall of the
tire and the Certification Label, see
pages 321 and 324.
CAUTION
Observe the following instruc-
tions. Otherwise, an accident
may occur resulting in death or
serious injuries.
Do not mix radial, bias belted,
or biasply tires on your ve-
hicle, as this may cause dan-
gerous handling characteris-
tics resulting in loss of control.
 Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer’s recommended
size, as this may cause danger-
ous handling characteristics
resulting in loss of control.
Fourwheel drive models:
Do not use tires of different
brands, sizes, construction or
tread patterns, as this may
cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Toyota recommends all four tires,
or at least both of the front or rear
tires be replaced at a time as a set.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page
361 in Section 4 for tire change proce-
dure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect ve-
hicle handling and tire life. Wheels
can get out of balance with regular
use and should therefore be balanced
occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the
air valve should also be repl aced
w i t h a new on e.
With a spare tire of the same
wheel type as the installed tires
Rotating tires

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
413
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
With a spare tire of different
wheel type from the installed
tiresTo equalize tire wear and help ex-
tend tire life, Toyota recommends
that you rotate your tires accord-
ing to the maintenance schedule.
(For scheduled maintenance infor-
mation, please refer to the “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Own-
er’s Manual Supplement”.)
However, the most appropriate tim-
ing for tire rotation may vary ac-
cording to your driving habits and
road surface conditions.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page
361 in Section 4 for tire change proce-
dure.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out
−
of −balance wheels, or severe braking.
WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recommended
when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires.
SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select tires of
the same size, construction and load
capacity as the originally installed tires.
Also, on fourwheel drive models, all
the tires must be the same brand and
have the same tread patterns.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
CAUTION
Observe the following instructions.
Otherwise, an accident may occur re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
Do not use snow tires other than
the manufacturer ’s recommended si-
ze, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Installing snow tires and
chains