TOYOTA RAV4 1999 Owner's Guide

'99 Rav4.U31
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1- 3
Seats, Seat belts, Steering
wheel and Mirrors
Seats
Front seats
Rear seats
Flattening seatbacks
Head restraints
Seat belts
SRS driver and front passenger
airbags
Child restraint
Tilt steering wheel
Outside rear view mirrors
Anti- glare inside rear view
mirror
Seats
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 sitting on top of a
folded- down seatback, or in the
luggage compartment. Persons not
properly seated and not properly re-
strained by seat belts can be se-
verely injured in the event of emer-
gency braking or a collision.
During driving, do not allow pas-
sengers to stand up or move
around between seats. Severe inju-
ries can occur in the event of emer-
gency braking or a collision.

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32
Adjust the driver's seat so that the foot
pedals, steering wheel and instrument
panel controls are within easy reach of
the driver.
CAUTION

Adjustments should not be made
while the vehicle is moving, as the
seat may unexpectedly move and
cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.
When adjusting the seat, be careful
not to hit the seat against a pas-
senger 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, exert
body pressure to make sure it is
locked in position.
Do not put objects under the seats.
The objects may interfere with the
seat- lock mechanism or unexpect-
edly push up the seat position ad-
justing lever; 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. You may catch
and injure your hands or fingers.
ÐAdjusting front seats
Front seatsÐ
ÐSeat adjustment precautions

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1. SEAT POSITION ADJUSTING LEVER
Pull the lever up. Then slide the seat
to the desired position with slight body
pressure and release the lever. 2. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING LEVER
Lean forward and pull the lever up.
Then lean back to the desired angle
and release the lever.
CAUTION
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision, avoid
reclining the seatback any more than
needed. The seat belts provide maxi-
mum protection in a frontal or rear
collision when the driver and the pas-
senger are sitting up straight and
well back in the seats. If you are
reclined, the lap belt may slide past
your hips and apply restraint forces
directly to the abdomen. Therefore, in
the event of a frontal collision, the
risk of personal injury may increase
with increasing recline of the seat- back.
For easy access to the rear seat, do
this.
1. Lift the seatback angle adjusting lever or press the pedal behind the seat-
back.
The seat will slide forward.
2. Move the seat to the front- most posi- tion.
After passengers are in, lift up the seat-
back and return the seat until it locks.
CAUTION
After putting back the seat, try
pushing the seat forward and rear-
ward to make sure it is secured in
place.
Never allow anyone to rest their
foot on the release pedal while the
vehicle is moving.
ÐMoving passenger 's seat for
rear seat entry
(2- door hardtop and soft- top)

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34
Lean forward and pull the lock release
lever. Then lean back to the desired
angle and release the lever.
CAUTION
Adjustments should not be made
while the vehicle is moving.
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision,
avoid reclining the seatback any
more than needed. The seat belts
provide maximum protection in a
frontal or rear collision when the
passengers are sitting up straight
and well back in the seats. If you
are reclined, the lap belt may slide
past your hips and apply restraint
forces directly to the abdomen.
Therefore, in the event of a frontal
collision, the risk of personal injury
may increase with increasing recline
of the seatback.
After adjusting the seatback, exert
body pressure to make sure it is
locked in position.
1. Remove the head restraint. Unlock
the seatback and fold it down.
Folding up the rear seats will enlarge the
luggage compartment. See ºLuggage stow-
age precautionsº in Part 2 for precautions
to observe for loading luggage.
Rear seatsÐ
ÐAdjusting seatback angle
ÐFolding up rear seats
(2- door hardtop and soft- top)

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2. Unlock the seat cushion. Swing thewhole seat up and forward.3. Lock the raised bottom cushion inplace by attaching the support rod
onto the hook. Then store the head
restraint in the head restraint retain-
ing holes in the bottom cushion.When returning the rear seat to its
original position, first remove the head
restraint. Unlock the seat and return it.
Be certain to replace the head restraint.

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36
CAUTION
When returning seats to their original
position: 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.
Make sure the seat is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback or
by trying to pull up the edge of the
bottom cushion. Failure to do so
will prevent seat belt from proper
operation.
BEFORE FOLDING REAR SEAT
Stow the rear seat belt and buckles as
shown in the illustration.
This prevents the belt and buckles from
falling out when you fold the seatback.
NOTICE
The seat belt and buckles must be
stowed before you fold the seatback.
FOLDING REAR SEAT
1. Remove the head restraint. Unlock the seatback and fold it down.
Folding up the rear seats will enlarge the
luggage compartment. See ºLuggage stow-
age precautionsº in Part 2 for precautions
to observe for loading luggage.
ÐFolding up rear seats
(4- door hardtop)

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2. Unlock the seat cushion. Swing thewhole seat up and forward.3. Lock the raised bottom cushion inplace by clipping the strap to the
hook. Then store the head restraint
in the head restraint retaining holes
in the bottom cushion.When returning the rear seat to its
original position, first remove the head
restraint. Unlock the seat and return it.
Be certain to replace head restraint.

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38
CAUTION
When returning seats to their original
position: 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.
Make sure the seat is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback or
by trying to pull up the edge of the
bottom cushion. Failure to do so
will prevent seat belt from proper
operation.
Rear seats
Front seats Rear seats: Remove the head restraint.
Then pull out the strap to unlock the
seatback, and push down the seatback.
Front seats: Remove the head restraint
and slide the seat to the front- most
position. Push the seat further forward
to release the slide- lock, and unlock
and push down the seatback.
When returning the seatback upright, be
careful not to make yourself hit by the
seatback which will bound with consid-
erable 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 putting back the seat, try
pushing the seat and seatback for-
ward and rearward to make sure it
is secured in place. Be certain to
replace head restraint.
Flattening seatbacks
(2- door hardtop and soft- top)

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NOTICE
Before closing the back door, makesure the rear headrests are removedfrom the flattened seats.
Rear seats
Front seats Rear seats: Pull out the strap to unlock
the seatback, and push down the seat-back.
Front seats: Remove the head restraint
and slide the seat to the front- most
position. Push the seat further forward
to release the slide- lock, and unlock
and push down the seatback.
When returning the seatback upright, be
careful not to make yourself hit by the
seatback which will bound with consid-
erable 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 putting back the seat, try
pushing the seat and seatback for-
ward and rearward to make sure it
is secured in place. Be certain to
replace head restraint.
Flattening seatbacks
(4- door hardtop)

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40
Head restraints
For your safety and comfort, adjust the
head restraint before driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the
lock release button.
The head restraint is most effective when
it is close to your head. Therefore, using
a cushion on the seatback is not recom-
mended.
CAUTION

Adjust the center of the head re-
straint so that it is closest to the
top of your ears.
After adjusting the head restraint,
make sure it is locked in position.
Do not drive with the head re-
straints removed.
Toyota strongly urges that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly re-
strained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase
the chance of injury and/or the severity of
injury in accidents.
Child. Use a child restraint system ap-
propriate for the child until the child be-
comes large enough to properly wear the
vehicle's seat belts. See ºChild restraintº
for details.
If a child is too large for a child restraint
system, the child s hould sit in the rear
seat and must be restrained using the
vehicle's seat belt. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the
front seat.
If a child must sit in the front seat, the
seat belts should be worn properly. If an
accident occurs and seat belts are not
worn properly, the force of the rapid infla-
tion of the airbag may cause death or
serious injury to the child. Seat beltsÐ
ÐSeat belt precautions