warning TOYOTA RAV4 1998 User Guide

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CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
If the brake fluid level is correct...
Have the warning system checked by your
Toyota dealer.
(b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzz- er
The light and buzzer remind you to buckle
up the driver 's seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to ºONº or
ºSTARTº, the reminder light flashes and
buzzer sounds if the driver 's seat belt is
not pulled out. Unless the driver starts to
pull the shoulder belt out of the retractor,
the light keeps flashing and the buzzer
stops after about 4 to 8 seconds.
(c) Discharge Warning Light
This light warns that the battery is being
discharged.
If it comes on while you are driving, there
is a problem somewhere in the charging
system. The engine ignition will continue to oper-
ate, however, until the battery is dis-
charged. Turn off the air conditioning,
blower, radio,etc., and drive directly to the
nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the engine
drive belt is broken or loose.
(d) Low Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are
driving, pull off the road to a safe place
and stop the engine immediately. Call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on
briefly after a hard stop. There is no
cause for concern if it then goes out when
the engine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to
indicate low oil level, and the oil level
must be checked using the level dipstick.
NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with thewarning light onÐeven for one block.It may ruin the engine.
(e) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on in the following
cases.
a. The fuel tank is completely empty. (See
ºFuel gaugeº in Chapter 1- 5 for instruc-
tions.)
b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened se-
curely. (See ºFuel tank capº in Chapter
1- 2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in your
engine or automatic transmission electrical
system.
If it comes on while you are driving in
case c, have your vehicle checked/re-
paired by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.

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(f) Low Fuel Level Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel level
in the tank becomes nearly empty. Fill up
the tank as soon as possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than
usual.
(g) ºABSº Warning Light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in your anti- lock brake sys-
tem.
If the light comes on while you are driv-
ing, have your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to the ºONº position. After
a few seconds, the light will go off.
When the ºABSº warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
brake system operates conventionally but
anti- lock brake system is not assisting
brake performance so that the wheels can
lock- up during sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces.
(h) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the doors,
back door (hardtop) and tail gate (soft-
top) are completely closed.
(i) Automatic Transmission Fluid Tem-
perature Warning Light (four- wheel
drive models)
This light warns that the automatic trans-
mission fluid temperature is too high.
If this light comes on while you are driv-
ing, slow down and pull off the road. Stop
the vehicle at a safe place and put the
selector lever in ºPº. With the engine id-
ling, wait until the light goes off. If the
light goes off, you can start the vehicle
again. If the light does not go off, call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
NOTICE
Continued driving with the warning light on may damage the automatictransmission.
(j) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ºACCº or
ºONº position. After about 6 seconds,
the light will go off. This means the
system of the airbag and front seat belt
pretensioners are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, seat belt pretension-
er assembly, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring, power sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ºACCº or
ºONº position or remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
(k) Low Windshield Washer Fluid Level Warning Light (Canada)
The light warns that the windshield washer
fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instructions,
see ºAdding washer fluidº in Chapter 7- 3.)

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(l) Light Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the head light
switch is left on and the driver's door is
opened with the key removed from the
ignition switch.
(m) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver 's door with
the ignition key in the ºACCº or ºLOCKº
position.
CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDICA-
TORS (except the low fuel level warning
light and low windshield washer fluid
level warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open one of the doors or tail gate (soft- top).
The open door warning light should
come on.
3. Close the door or tail gate (soft- top). The open door warning light should go
off.
4. Turn the ignition key to ºACCº. The SRS airbag warning light should
come on. It goes off after about 6 se-
conds. 5. Turn the ignition key to ºONº, but do
not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light, SRS
airbag warning light and automatic
transmission fluid temperature warning
light should come on. The ºABSº warn-
ing light goes off after a few seconds.
6. Turn the ignition key to ºSTARTº. The automatic transmission fluid tempera-
ture warning light should come on.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, either the bulb is burned out or the
circuit is in need of repair. Have it
checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.

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If the preset speed automatically cancels
out other than for the above cases or, if
the indicator light flashes several times,
the cruise control may be malfunctioning.
In such cases, have your vehicle checked
by your Toyota dealer at the earliest op-
portunity.
RESETTING AT A FASTER SPEED
Push the lever up in the ºRES/ACCº direc-
tion and hold it. Release the lever when
the desired speed is attained. While the
lever is held up, the vehicle will gradually
gain speed.
However, a faster way to reset is to ac-
celerate the vehicle and then push the
lever down in the ºSET/COASTº direction.
RESETTING AT A SLOWER SPEED
Push the lever down in the ºSET/COASTº
direction and hold it. Release the lever
when the desired speed is attained. While
the lever is held down, the vehicle speed
will gradually decrease.
However, a faster way to reset is to de-
press the brake pedal and then push the
lever down in the ºSET/COASTº direction.
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
even if you turn off the overdrive switch
with the cruise control on, engine braking
will not be applied because the cruise
control is not cancelled. To decrease the
vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed
with the cruise control lever or depress
the brake pedal. If you use the brake
pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
RESUMING THE PRESET SPEED
If the preset speed is cancelled by pu
lling
the control lever or by depressing the
brake pedal or clutch pedal, pushing the
lever up in the ºRES/ACCº direction will
restore the speed set prior to cancellation.
However, once the vehicle speed falls be-
low about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset
speed will not be resumed.
CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE WARNING
If the ºCRUISEº indicator light in the
instrument cluster flashes when using the
cruise control, press the ºCRUISE ON-
OFFº button to turn the system off and
then press it again to turn it on. If any of the following conditions then oc-
curs, there is some trouble in the cruise
control system.
The indicator light does not come on.
The indicator light flashes again.
The indicator light goes out after it
comes on.
If this is the case, contact your Toyota
dealer and have your vehicle inspected.

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Brake system
TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE SYSTEM
The tandem master cylinder brake system
is a hydraulic system with two separate
sub- systems. If either sub- system s
hould
fail, the other will still work. However, the
pedal will be harder to press, and your
stopping distance will be longer. Also, the
brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a
single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
power- assist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserve
vacuum for one or two stopsÐbut no
more!
CAUTION
Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls. Each push on the
pedal uses up your vacuum reserve.
Even if the power assist is com-
pletely lost, the brakes will still
work. But you will have to push the
pedal hardÐmuch harder than nor-
mal. And your braking distance will
be longer.
ANTI- LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(with ºABSº warning light)
The anti- lock brake system is designed to
automatically help prevent lock- up of the
wheels during sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces. This assists in
providing directional stab ility and steering
performance of the vehicle under these
circumstances.
The anti- lock brake system becomes op-
erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the
vehicle decelerates to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph). You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
is started. This means that the anti- lock
brake system is in the self check mode,
and does not indicate a malfunction.
Effective way to press the ºABSº brake
pedal: When the anti- lock brake system
function is in action, you may feel the
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise.
In this situation, to let the anti- lock
brake system work for you, just hold the
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not
pump the brake. This will result in re-
duced braking performance.
The brake pedal pulsation caused by the
anti- lock brake system may indicate haz-
ardous road surface conditions. Although
the anti- lock brake system assists in pro-
viding vehicle control, it is still important
to drive with all due care, because the
anti- lock brake system cannot overcome
the laws of physics that act on your ve-
hicle: Braking capab ility is dependent on tire
friction with the road surface.

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Even though the anti- lock brake sys-
tem is operating, a driver cannot main-
tain full control on certain slippery road
surfaces, when cornering at high
speeds, or in violent maneuvers.
Avoid high speeds on wet roads. The
anti- lock brake system cannot elimi-
nate the risk of hydroplaning and loss
of tire friction.
Always maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you. Compared with
vehicles not fitted with an anti- lock brake
system, your vehicle may r equire a longer
stopping distance in the following cases:
Driving on rough, gravel or snow- cov-
ered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving on roads where the road sur-
face is pitted or has other differences
in surface height.
CAUTION
Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer 's designated tires, and
do not mix tires or wheels of differ-
ent sizes. You may prevent the anti-
lock brake system from operating at
full effectiveness.
Ty p e A
Ty p e B ºABSº warning light
This light comes on when the ignition key
is turned to the ºONº position. After a few
seconds, the light will go off.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.
The light does not come on as de-
scribed above, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
Even if the anti- lock brake system should
fail, the brake system will still operate
conventionally. However, when the ºABSº
warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), anti- lock brake sys-
tem is not assisting brake performance so
that the wheel can lock- up during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road sur-
faces. Have your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.

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Brake pad wear limit indicators
The brake pad wear limit indicators on
your disc brakes give a warning noise
when the brake pads are worn to where
replacement is required.
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise
while driving, have the brake pads
checked and replaced by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible. Expensive ro-
tor damage can result if the pads are not
replaced when necessary.
Luggage stowage pr
ecautions
When stowing luggage or cargo in the
vehicle, observe the following: Put luggage or cargo in the luggage
compartment when at all possible. Be
sure all items are secured in place.
Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far for-
ward as possible helps maintain bal-
ance.
For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded weight.CAUTION
To prevent luggage or packages
from sliding forward during braking,
do not stack anything in the lug-
gage compartment higher than the
seatbacks. Keep luggage or pack-
ages low, as close to the floor as
possible.
Never allow anyone to ride in the
luggage compartment. It is not de-
signed for passengers. They should
ride in their seats with their seat
belts properly fastened. Otherwise,
they are much more likely suffer se-
rious bodily injury, in the event of
sudden braking or a co llision.
Do not place anything on the flat-
tened seat, or it may slide forward
during braking.
Do not drive with objects left on
top of the instrument panel. They
may interfere with the driver's field
of view. Or they may move during
sharp vehicle acceleration or turn-
ing, and impair the driver's control
of the vehicle. In an accident they
may injure the vehicle occupants.
NOTICE
Do not load the vehicle beyond the
vehicle capacity weight specified inPart 8.

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Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7- 2 for
additional information. When checking the
tires, make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7- 2 for additional in-
formation.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has
been parked for a while. If you smell fuel
fumes or notice any leak, have the cause
found and corrected immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors and back door oper-
ate smoothly and all latches lock securely.
Make sure the engine hood secondary
latch secures the hood from opening when
the primary latch is released.
INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing periodic
services, cleaning the vehicle, etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights
are all working. Check headlight aim.
Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers
Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly.
Steering wheel
Check that it has the specified freeplay.
Be alert for changes in steering condition,
such as hard steering or strange noise.
Seats
Check that all seat controls such as seat
adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. operate
smoothly and that all latches lock securely
in any position. For folding- up rear seat-
backs, check that the latches lock secure-
ly.Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-aged.
Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching.
Clutch pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance.
Check the brake booster function.
Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do
not pull to one side when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the lever has the proper travel
and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle
is held securely with only the parking
brake applied.

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Replacement with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub-
jected to rough treatment or high mileage
and could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened may
have structural damage and therefore
should not be used. Never use an inner
tube in a leaking wheel which is designed
for a tubeless tire.
NOTICE
Do not use wheels of different
brands, sizes and types. This maydamage the drive system.
Aluminum wheel precautions
After driving your vehicle the first 1600
km (1000 miles), check that the wheel
nuts are tight.
If you have rotated, repaired, or
changed your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving
1600 km (1000 miles).
When using tire chains, be careful not
to damage the aluminum wheels.
Use only the Toyota wheel nuts and
wrench designed for your aluminum
wheels.
When balancing your wheels, use only
Toyota balance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber hammer.
As with any wheel, periodically check
your aluminum wheels for damage. If
damaged, replace immediately.

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Fuses
Engine compartment (U.S.A.)
Fuses (type A) 1. H- LP (RH) 15 A: Right- hand headlight
2. H- LP (LH) 15 A: Left- hand headlight
3. SPARE 10 A: Spare fuse
4. SPARE 15 A: Spare fuse
5. AM2 5 A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system, SRS airbag system, seat belt
pretensioners, starting system, dis-
charge warning light
6. ALT- S 5 A: Charging system
7. HAZ 10 A: Emergency flashersEngine compartment (Canada)
8. EFI 20 A (U.S.A.) or 15 A (Canada): Multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system
9. DOME 15 A: Interior light, personal
lights, clock, daytime running light sys-
tem, gauge and meters, car audio sys-
tem
10. IGN 20 A: Charging system
11. H- LP RH- H 10 A: Right- hand head-
light (high beam)
12. H- LP LH- H 10 A: Left- hand headlight
(high beam)
13. H- LP RH- L 10 A: Right- hand head-
light (low beam)Engine compartment
14. H- LP LH- L 10 A: Left- hand headlight
(low beam)
15. SEAT- HTR 10 A: No circuit
16. PWR OUTLET 15 A: Power outlet
17. CIG 15 A: Cigarette lighter, clock, car
audio system, power rear view mirrors,
electronically controlled automatic
transmission system
18. SRS- ACC 10 A: SRS airbag system,
seat belt pretensioners
19. WIPER 20 A: Windshield wipers and
washer, rear window wiper and washer