2008 TOYOTA RAV4 seats

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
33
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS
Occupant restraint systems
Seats34
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Front seats 34
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Flattening front seatbacks 38
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Rear seats 41
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Armrest 51
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Head restraints 51
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Seat heaters 52
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Seat belts 53
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SRS airbags 65
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Child restraint 85
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SECTION 1 3

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
34
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
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 foldeddown 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 killed
or severely injured in the event of
emergency braking or a collision.
During driving, do not allow any
passengers to stand up or move
around between seats. Otherwise,
death or 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 (“NHTSA”) advises:
Since the risk zone for driver airbag
is the first 50—75 mm (2—3 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, nonslippery 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 seats—
—Front seat precautions

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
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 with side
airbags. Such change 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.
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 seatlock 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.
—Seat adjustment precautions

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Driver’s seatPassenger’s seat
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 HEIGHT ADJUSTING LEVER
Pull up or push down the lever.
3. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING LEVER
Lean forward and pull the lever up.
Then lean back to the desired angle
and release the lever.
—Adjusting front seats
(manual seat)

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
37
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
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 serious injury.
1. SEAT POSITION, SEAT CUSHIONANGLE AND SEAT HEIGHT
ADJUSTING SWITCH
Move the control switch in the desired
direction.
Releasing the switch will stop the seat at
that position.
Do not place anything under the front
seats, as this might interfere with the seat
movement. 2. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING SWITCH
Move the control switch in the desired
direction.
Releasing the switch will stop the seat-
back at that position.
—Adjusting front seats (power
seat)

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
38
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
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 serious injury.
3. SEAT LUMBAR SUPPORTADJUSTING SWITCH
Push the control switch on either side.
The amount of lumbar support will change
while the switch is pushed.
1. Hold the center of the lever and pull it up. Then slide the rear/second
seats fully backward and pull it for-
ward slightly until it locks.2. Remove the front head restraint.Hold the center of the lever and pull
it up. Then slide the front seat fur-
ther forward than the frontmost
lock position.
Flattening front seatbacks
(manual seat)

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
3. Pull the seatback angle adjusting le-ver up to unlock and push down the
seatback.
When returning the seatback to the up-
right position, be careful not to make
yourself hit by the seatback which will
bound with considerable spring force.
After returning the seat to its original
position, be certain to replace the head
restraint.
CAUTION
Do not allow passengers to ride on
the flattened seat while driving; use
the seat in the normal position.
After returning the seat to its origi-
nal position, try pushing the seat
and seatback forward and rearward
to make sure it is secured in place.
Be certain to replace head restraint.
1. Hold the center of the lever and pull it up. Then slide the rear/second
seats fully backward and pull it for-
ward slightly until it locks.
—Flattening front seatbacks
(power seat)

’08 Rav4_U (L/O 0802)
41
2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
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 all 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 death or serious injuries
in a collision.
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 the
seat is locked in position.
When returning seats to their origi-
nal position, observe the following
precautions in order to prevent
death or serious injury in a colli-
sion or sudden stop:
Make sure the seat is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback.
Failure to do so will prevent the
seat belt from operating 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 down the seats will enlarge the
luggage compartment. See “—Stowage
precautions” on page 336 in Section 2 for
precautions when loading luggage.
Without third seat
Rear seats—
—Rear seat precautions—Adjusting rear/second seats