2008 TOYOTA RAV4 steering wheel

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
∗1: For details, see “Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers” on page 129 in Section 1 −6.
∗
2: If this light flashes, see “Cruise control” on page 168 in
Section 1 −7.Cruise control indicator light
∗
2
Four −wheel drive lock indicator light
Headlight high beam indicator light
Turn signal indicator lights
Automatic transmission indicator lights
(4 −speed)
Engine oil replacement reminder light
∗ 1
Slip indicator light
Front fog light indicator light Headlight indicator light
Tail light indicator light
“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indicator
lights
Downhill assist control system indicator light “AUTO LSD” indicator light
Low windshield washer fluid level warning
light∗1
Electric power steering system warning light∗1
Automatic transmission indicator lights
(5 −speed)

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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

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Deployment of the airbags happens in a
fraction of a second, so the airbags must
inflate with considerable force. While the
system is designed to reduce serious inju-
ries, primarily to the head and chest, it
may also cause other, less severe injuries
to the face, chest, arms and hands. These
are usually in the nature of minor burns
or abrasions and swelling, but the force of
a deploying airbag can cause more seri-
ous injuries, especially if an occupant’s
hands, arms, chest or head is in close
proximity to the airbag module at the time
of deployment. This is why it is important
for the occupant to: avoid placing any
object or part of the body between the
occupant and the airbag module; sit
straight and well back into the seat; wear
the available seat belt properly; and sit as
far as possible from the airbag module,
while still maintaining control of the ve-
hicle.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel
hub, airbag cover and inflator) may be hot
for several minutes after deployment, so
do not touch! The airbags inflate only
once. The windshield may be damaged by
absorbing some of the force of the inflat-
ing airbag.CAUTION
The driver or front passenger who is
too close to the steering wheel or
dashboard during airbag deployment
can be killed or seriously injured.
Toyota strongly recommends that:
The driver sit as far back as pos-
sible from the steering wheel while
still maintaining control of the ve-
hicle.
The front passenger sit as far back
as possible from the dashboard.
All vehicle occupants be properly
restrained using the available seat
belts.
For instructions and precautions con-
cerning the seating position, see
“—Front seat precautions” on page
34 in this Section.Do not sit on the edge of the seat
or lean against the dashboard when
the vehicle is in use, since the
front passenger airbag could inflate
with considerable speed and force.
Anyone who is up against, or very
close to, an airbag when it inflates,
can be killed or seriously injured.
Sit up straight and well back in the
seat, and always use your seat belt
properly.

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
Toyota strongly recommends that all
infants and children be placed in
the rear seat of the vehicle and be
properly restrained.
Do not hold a child on your lap or
in your arms. Use a child restraint
system in the rear seat. For instruc-
tions concerning the installation of
a child restraint system, see “Child
restraint” on page 85 in this Sec-
tion.
Do not put anything or any part of
your body on or in front of the
dashboard or steering wheel pad
that houses the front airbag sys-
tem. They might restrict inflation or
cause death or serious injury as
they are projected rearward by the
force of the deploying airbags. Like-
wise, the driver and front passenger
should not hold objects in their
arms or on their knees.
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 or airbag
sensor assembly. Doing so may pre-
vent the front airbag system from
activating correctly, cause sudden
activation of the system or disable
the system, 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.
If you wish to modify your vehicle for
a person with physical disability, con-
sult your Toyota dealer. It may dan-
gerously interfere with the SRS front
airbags operation.

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
SRS front airbag system in some
cases.
Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile twoway radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
 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, con-
sole, steering column, steering
wheel or dashboard near the front
passenger airbag
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 SRS front airbags 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.
The SRS warning light and “AIR BAG
OFF” indicator light will come on if there
is a malfunction in the front passenger
occupant classification system.

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The SRS front airbags have been in-
flated.
The front of the vehicle (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause
the SRS front airbags to inflate.
The pad section of the steering wheel
or dashboard (shaded in the illustra-
tion) is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables
before contacting your Toyota dealer.
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem) side airbags and curtain shield air-
bags are designed to provide further
protection for the driver, front passen-
ger and rear/second passengers in addi-
tion to the primary safety protection
provided by the seat belts. In response to a severe side impact, the
SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbags
in the impacted side work with the seat
belts to help reduce injury by inflating.
The SRS side airbags help reduce injuries
mainly to the driver’s or front passenger’s
chest. The SRS curtain shield airbags
help reduce injuries mainly to the driver ’s,
front passenger ’s or rear/second passen-
ger ’s head and help prevent them from
being thrown out of the vehicle.
The SRS side airbag on the passenger
seat will not activate if there is no pas-
senger sitting in the front passenger seat.
However, the side airbag on the passen-
ger seat may deploy if luggage is put in
the seat, or the seat belt is buckled up
regardless of the presence of the occu-
pant in the seat. (As for the front passen-
ger occupant classification system, see
“—Front passenger occupant classification
system” on page 81 in this Section.)
The SRS curtain shield airbag on the pas-
senger side are activated even with no
passenger in the front seat or rear/second
outside seat.
—SRS side airbags and
curtain shield airbags

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS
Steering wheel and Mirrors
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel108
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Outside rear view mirrors 108
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Anti −glare inside rear view mirror 11 0
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Sun visors 111
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. . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 1 4

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2008 RAV4 from Feb. ’08 Prod. (OM42726U)
To adjust the steering wheel position,
push down the lock release lever. Then
tilt the steering wheel to the desired
angle, push or pull it to the desired
steering column length and return the
lever to its original position.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving. Doing
so may cause the driver to mishan-
dle the vehicle and an accident may
occur resulting in death or serious
injuries.
After adjusting the steering wheel,
try moving it up and down or for-
ward and rearward to make sure it
is locked in position.
Adjust the mirror so that you can just
see the side of your vehicle in the mir-
ror.
Be careful when judging the size or dis-
tance of any object seen in the outside
rear view mirror on the passenger ’s side
because it is a convex mirror. Any object
seen in a convex mirror will look smaller
and farther away than when seen in a flat
mirror.
On some models, when you push the rear
window defogger switch, the heater panels
in the outside rear view mirrors will quick-
ly clear the mirror surface. (See “Rear
window and outside rear view mirror de-
foggers” on page 122 in Section 1−5.)
Tilt and telescopic steering
wheel Outside rear view mirrors—