2008 TOYOTA RAV4 Owners Manual

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
To release the belt, press the buckle
release button and allow the belt to
retract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull
it out and check for kinks or twists. Then
make sure it remains untwisted as it re-
tracts.REAR/SECOND CENTER SEAT BELT
The rear/second center seat belt is a
3−point type restraint with 2 buckles. Both
seat belt buckles must be correctly lo-
cated and securely latched for proper op-
eration.
Make sure that buckle 1 is securely
latched for ready use of the center seat
belt.Two buckles and tabs for rear/second
center seat belt
The two tabs have different shape for its
end so that the belt is not buckled in the
wrong place.
Buckle 1—Properly matches with hook
end tab
Buckle 2—Properly matches with round
end tab

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
CAUTION
Make sure the both buckles are cor-
rectly located and securely latched.
Failure to properly match the buckle
and tab may cause death or severe
injury in case of an accident or a
collision.
To release the hook end tab, insert the
key into the hole on the buckle and allow
the belt to retract.CAUTION
Do not use the rear/second center
seat belt with either buckle released.
Fastening only the shoulder belt or
lap belt may cause death or severe
personal injury in case of sudden
braking or a collision.

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Rear/second seat belt buckles
Third seat belt buckles
The rear seat belt buckles can be
stowed when not in use.
The seat belt buckles must be stowed
before you fold the seatback.
CAUTION
Before using the seat belt, pull out
the buckle and make sure the belt is
not twisted.
STOWING THE REAR/SECOND CENTER
SEAT BELT
Insert the tabs of the center seat belt
into the cover as shown above. Make
sure the tabs are securely locked in the
cover.
The seat belt must be stowed before you
fold the seatback.
NOTICE
Stow the rear/second center seat belt
when not in use.
—Stowing the rear seat belt
buckles—Stowing the rear/second
center seat belt

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
If your seat belts cannot be fastened se-
curely because they are not long enough,
a personalized seat belt extender is avail-
able from your Toyota dealer free of
charge.
Please contact your local Toyota dealer to
order the proper required length for the
extender. Bring the heaviest coat you ex-
pect to wear for proper measurement and
selection of length. Additional ordering in-
formation is available at your Toyota deal-
er.
CAUTION
When using the seat belt extender,
observe the following precautions.
Failure to follow these instructions
could reduce the effectiveness of the
seat belt restraint system in case of
an accident, increasing the chance of
death or serious injury.
Remember that the extender pro-
vided for you may not be safe when
used on a different vehicle, for
another person, or at a different
seating position than the one origi-
nally intended.
If the seat belt extender has been
connected to the driver ’s seat belt
buckle without wearing the seat belt
when using the extender in the
driver ’s seat, the SRS driver ’s air-
bag system will judge that the driv-
er wears the seat belt even if not
wearing it. In this case, the driver ’s
airbag may not activate correctly,
causing death or serious injury in
the event of collision. Be sure to
wear the seat belt with the seat belt
extender.
Make sure the “AIR BAG ON”
indicator light is illuminated when
using the seat belt extender for the
front passenger seat. If the “AIR
BAG OFF” indicator light is
illuminated, disconnect the extender
tongue from the seat belt buckle,
then reconnect the seat belt.
Reconnect the seat belt extender
after making sure the “AIR BAG
ON” indicator light is illuminated. If
you use the seat belt extender
while the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator
light is illuminated, the front
passenger airbag and side airbag
on the front passenger side may
not activate correctly, causing death
or serious injury in the event of
collision.
Be sure to wear the seat belt with-
out the seat belt extender if you
can fasten the seat belt without the
extender.
—Seat belt extender

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Do not use the seat belt extender
when installing a child restraint
system on the front or rear passen-
ger seat. If installing a child re-
straint system with the seat belt
extender connected to the seat belt,
the seat belt will not securely hold
the child restraint system, which
could cause death or serious injury
to the child or other passengers in
the event of collision.
To connect the extender to the seat
belt, insert the tab into the seat belt
buckle so that the “PRESS” signs on
the buckle release buttons of the ex-
tender and the seat belt are both facing
outward as shown.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
When releasing the seat belt, press on
the buckle release button on the extender,
not on the seat belt. This helps prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extend-
er itself.As far as the seat belt extender on the
front passenger side is concerned, do not
fail to disconnect the extender from the
seat belt after the above operation in or-
der to activate the front passenger airbag
correctly when getting into the vehicle
next time.
When not in use, remove the extender
and store in the vehicle for future use.
CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the lap and shoulder portions
of the belt and the seat belt extend-
er are not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in
the buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, immediately contact your
Toyota dealer. Do not use the seat
until the seat belt is fixed, because
it cannot protect an adult occupant
or your child from death or serious
injury.

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Vehicles without curtain shield air-
bags—The driver and front passenger
seat belt pretensioners are designed to
be activated in response to a severe
frontal impact.
Vehicles with curtain shield airbags—
The driver and front passenger seat
belt pretensioners are designed to be
activated in response to a severe fron-
tal impact or a vehicle roll over.
Vehicles without curtain shield airbags—
When the sensor detects a severe frontal
impact, the front seat belts are quickly
drawn back by the retractors so that the
belts snugly restrain the occupants.Vehicles with curtain shield airbags—When
the sensor detects a severe frontal impact
or a vehicle roll over, the front seat belts
are quickly drawn back by the retractors
so that the belts snugly restrain the occu-
pants.
The front passenger ’s seat belt pretension-
er will not activate if no passenger is
detected in the front passenger seat by
the front passenger occupant classification
system. However, the front passenger’s
seat belt pretensioner may activate if lug-
gage is put on the seat, or the seat belt
is buckled up regardless of the presence
of an occupant in the seat. (As for the
front passenger occupant classification
system, see “—Front pass
enger occupant
classification system” on page 81 in this
Section.)
The seat belt pretensioners and SRS air-
bags may not operate together in all colli-
sions.The seat belt pretensioner system con-
sists mainly of the following components
and their locations are shown in the il-
lustration.
1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. “AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indicator lights
4. Front passenger occupant classification system (ECU and sensors)
5. Seat belt pretensioner assemblies
6. Front passenger ’s seat belt buckle switch
7. Airbag sensor assembly
—Seat belt pretensioners

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
The seat belt pretensioners are controlled
by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag
sensor assembly consists of a safing sen-
sor and airbag sensor.
When the seat belt pretensioners are acti-
vated, an operating noise may be heard
and a small amount of non−toxic gas may
be released. This does not indicate that
a fire is occurring. This gas is normally
harmless.
Once the seat belt pretensioners have
been activated, the seat belt retractors
remain locked.
If the vehicle is involved in multiple colli-
sions, the pretensioner will activate for the
first collision, but will not activate for the
second or subsequent co llisions.CAUTION
Observe the following precautions to
reduce the risk of injury in the event
of sudden braking or an accident.
Failure to do so may cause death or
severe injury.
If the pretensioner has activated,
the seat belt becomes locked: it
cannot be further extended, nor will
it return to the stowed position.
The seat belt cannot be used again
and must be replaced at your
Toyota dealer.
Do not modify, remove, strike or
open the seat belt pretensioner as-
semblies, airbag sensor or sur-
rounding area or wiring. Consult
your Toyota dealer about any repair
and modification.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
seat belt pretensioners in some
cases.
Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile twoway radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc 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 (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end
 Repairs made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure or con-
sole

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
This indicator comes on when the en-
gine switch is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion. 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, “AIR BAG ON” indicator
light, “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light, front
passenger ’s seat belt buckle switch, seat
belt pretensioner assemblies, inflators, in-
terconnecting wiring and power sources.
(For details, see “Service reminder indica-
tors and warning buzzers” on page 129 in
Section 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
engine switch is turned to the “ON”
position 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.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The front of the vehicle (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause
the seat belt pretensioners to operate.
Either seat belt pretensioner assembly
or surrounding area is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.