sensor TOYOTA RAV4 2003 XA20 / 2.G Owners Manual

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
502003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
The driver and front passenger ’s seat
belt pretensioners are designed to be
activated in response to a severe fron-
tal impact.
When the airbag sensor detects the shock
of a severe frontal impact, the front seat
belts are quickly drawn back in by the
retractors so that the belts snugly restrain
the front seat occupants.
The front seat belt pretensioners are acti-
vated even with no passenger in the front
seat.
Collisions occurring at certain speeds and
angles may cause the seat belt preten-
sioners and SRS airbags not to operate
all together.This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ON” position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the front seat belt pretensioners
are operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, front seat belt pretensioner assem-
blies, inflators, warning light, interconnect-
ing wiring and power sources. (For details,
see “Service reminder indicators and
warning buzzers” on page 93 in Section
15.)The front seat belt pretensioner system
mainly consists of the following compo-
nents and their locations are shown in the
illustration.
1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. Front seat belt pretensioner assemblies
4. Airbag sensor assembly
The front seat belt pretensioners are con-
trolled by the airbag sensor assembly. The
airbag sensor assembly consists of a saf-
ing sensor and airbag sensor.
—Front seat belt
pretensioners

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When the front seat belt pretensioners are
activated, an operating noise may be
heard and a small amount of smokelike
gas may be released. This gas is harm-
less and does not indicate that a fire is
occurring.
Once the front seat belt pretensioners
have been activated, the seat belt retrac-
tors remain locked.
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open
the front seat belt pretensioner as-
semblies, airbag sensor or surround-
ing area or wiring. Doing so may
cause sudden operation of the front
seat belt pretensioners or disable the
system, which could result in death
or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious inju-
ries. Consult your Toyota dealer
about any repairs and modifications.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
front 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
This front seat belt pretensioner system
has a service reminder indicator to inform
the driver of operating problems. If any of
the following conditions occurs, this
indicates a malfunction of the airbags or
pretensioners. 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 “ON” posi-
tion, or the light remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
If either front seat belt does not retract
or cannot be pulled out due to a mal-
function or activation of the relevant
front seat belt pretensioner.

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
532003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ON” position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS airbags are operating
properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, front seat belt pretensioner assem-
blies, inflators, warning light, interconnect-
ing wiring and power sources. (For details,
see “Service reminder indicators and
warning buzzers” on page 93 in Section
15.)The SRS airbag system is designed to
activate in response to a severe frontal
impact within the shaded area between
the arrows in the illustration.
The SRS airbags will deploy if the severi-
ty of the impact is above the designed
threshold level, comparable to an approxi-
mate 25 km/h (15 mph) collision when
impacting straight into a fixed barrier that
does not move or deform.
If the severity of the impact is below the
above threshold level, the SRS airbags
may not deploy.However, this threshold velocity will be
considerably higher if the vehicle strikes
an object, such as a parked vehicle or
sign pole, which can move or deform on
impact, or if it is involved in an underride
collision (e.g. a collision in which the nose
of the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under,
the bed of a truck, etc.).
It is possible that in some collisions at the
lower zone of airbag sensor detection and
activation the SRS airbags and front seat
belt pretensioners will not operate all toge-
ther.
For the safety of all occupants, always
wear your seat belts properly.

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Collision from the rear
Collision from the side Vehicle rollover
The SRS airbags are not designed to
inflate if the vehicle is involved in a
side or rear collision, if it rolls over, or
if it is involved in a lowspeed frontal
collision.
Hitting a curb, edge
of pavement or
hard materialFalling into or
jumping over
a deep hole
Landing hard or vehicle falling
The SRS airbags may deploy if a seri-
ous impact occurs to the underside of
your vehicle. Some examples are shown
in the illustration.The SRS airbag system consists mainly of
the following components, and their loca-
tions are shown in the illustration. 1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. Airbag module for front passenger (airbag and inflator)
4. Airbag sensor assembly
5. Airbag module for driver (airbag and inflator)
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor.

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
552003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
In a severe frontal impact, the sensor de-
tects deceleration and the system triggers
the airbag inflators. At this time a chemi-
cal reaction in the inflators quickly fills the
airbags with nontoxic gas to help restrain
the forward motion of the occupants.
When the airbags inflate, they produce a
fairly loud noise and release some smoke
and residue along with nontoxic gas. This
does not indicate a fire. This gas is nor-
mally harmless; however, for those who
have delicate skin, it may cause a minor
skin irritation. Be sure to wash off any
residue as soon as possible to prevent
any potential skin irritation.
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, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swelling.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel
hub, dashboard) may be hot for several
minutes, but the airbags themselves will
not be hot. The airbags are designed to
inflate only once. A crash severe enough to inflate the air-
bags may break the windshield as the
vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a pas-
senger airbag the windshield may also be
damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.CAUTION
The SRS airbag system is designed
only as a supplement to the prima-
ry protection of the driver side and
front passenger side seat belt sys-
tems. The front seat occupants can
be killed or seriously injured by the
inflating airbags if they do not wear
the available seat belts properly.
During sudden braking just before
a collision, an unrestrained driver
or front passenger can move for-
ward into direct contact with or
close proximity to the airbag which
may then deploy during the colli-
sion. To ensure maximum protection
in an accident, the driver and all
passengers in the vehicle must
wear their seat belts properly. Wear-
ing a seat belt properly during an
accident reduces the chances of
death or serious injury or being
thrown out of the vehicle. For
instructions and precautions con-
cerning the seat belt system, see
“Seat belts” on page 42 in this sec-
tion.

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
582003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
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, front passen-
ger airbag cover, front passenger
airbag or airbag sensor assembly.
Doing so may cause sudden SRS
airbag inflation or disable the sys-
tem, 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
repairs and modifications.NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
SRS 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 SRS airbag system has a service
reminder indicator to inform the driver of
operating problems. If either of the follow-
ing conditions occurs, this indicates a
malfunction of the airbags. 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 “ON” posi-
tion, or the light remains on.
The light comes on while driving.

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952003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light comes on in the following cases
when the ignition key is in the “ON” posi-
tion.
When the parking brake is applied...
Vehicles with antilock brake system—
This light comes on for a few seconds
when the ignition key is turned to the
“ON” position even after the parking brake
is released.
When the brake fluid level is low...
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
Have your vehicle checked at your
Toyota dealer in the following cases:
The light does not come on even if the
parking brake is applied when the igni-
tion key is in the “ON” position.
Vehicles with antilock brake system—
The light does not come on even if the
ignition key is turned on with the park-
ing brake released. A warning light turning on briefly during
operation does not indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If either of the following conditions
occurs, immediately stop your vehicle
at a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
The light does not turn off even
after the parking brake is released
while the engine is running.
In this case, the brakes may not
work properly and your stopping
distance will become longer. De-
press the brake pedal firmly and
bring the vehicle to an immediate
stop.
Vehicles with antilock brake sys-
tem—
The brake system warning light re-
mains on together with the “ABS”
warning light.
In this case, not only the antilock
brake system will fail but also the
vehicle will become extremely un-
stable during braking.
(b) Driver’s Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzzer
This light and buzzer remind you to
buckle up the driver’s seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to “ON” or
“START”, the reminder light flashes and
buzzer sounds if the driver ’s seat belt is
not fastened. Unless the driver fastens the
belt, the light keeps flashing and the
buzzer stops after about 4 to 8 seconds.
(c) Front Passenger ’s Seat Belt Re- minder Light
This light reminds you to buckle up the
front passenger ’s seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to “ON” or
“START”, the reminder light flashes if a
passenger sits in the front passenger seat
and does not fasten the seat belt. Howev-
er, if a front passenger uses an additional
seat cushion, the light may not flash even
when the seat belt is not buckled up.
If luggage load is placed on the front
passenger seat, depending on its weight
and how it is placed on the seat, builtin
sensors in the seat cushion may detect
the pressure, causing the reminder light to
keep flashing.

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982003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
(k) SRS Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ON” position.
After about 6 seconds, the light will go
off. This means the systems of the air-
bag and front seat belt pretensioners
are operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, front seat belt pretensioner assem-
blies, inflators, warning light, interconnect-
ing wiring and 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 “ON” posi-
tion or remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
(l) Low Windshield Washer Fluid Level Warning Light
The light warns that the windshield washer
fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instructions,
see “Adding washer fluid” on page 243 in
Section 73.) (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 “ACC” or “LOCK”
position.
(n) Light Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the headlight
switch is left on and the driver’s door is
opened with the key removed from the
ignition switch.
CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER
INDICATORS (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 side doors or back door.
The open door warning light should
come on.
3. Close the door. The open door warning light should go
off.
4. Turn the ignition key to “ON”, but do not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light should
come on. The “ABS” warning light goes
off after a few seconds. The SRS
warning light goes off after about 6
seconds.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, have it checked by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible.

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1622003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
When the antilock brake system is ac-
tivated, the following conditions may
occur. They do not indicate a malfunc-
tion of the system:
You may hear the antilock brake sys-
tem operating and feel the brake pedal
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-
hicle body and steering wheel. You
may also hear the motor sound in the
engine compartment even after the ve-
hicle is stopped.
At the end of the antilock brake sys-
tem activation, the brake pedal may
move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the antilock
brake system: Although the antilock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti
lock brake system on.
If tires grip performance exceeds its
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs
during high speed driving in the rain,
the antilock brake system does not
provide vehicle control.
Antilock brake system is not de-
signed to shorten the stopping dis-
tance: Always drive at the moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles without an
antilock brake system, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping dis-
tance in the following cases:
Driving on rough, gravel or snow
covered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.
Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The antilock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels’ turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.

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2592003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
7. ALTS 5 A: Charging system
8. IGN 15 A: Starting system, multiport
fuel injection system/sequential multi-
port fuel injection system
9. EFI3 10 A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system, emission control system
10. EFI2 5 A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system
11. A/F 20 A: A/F sensor
12. ABS2 30 A: Antilock brake system
13. EFI1 20 A: Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel injection
system, “EFI2” and “EFI3” fuses
14. HLP RH 10 A: Righthand headlight
15. HLP LH 10 A: Lefthand headlight
16. ST 5 A: Starting system
17. STOP 10 A: Stop lights, highmounted
stoplight, antilock brake system, shift
lock control system, multiport fuel in-
jection system/sequential multiport fuel
injection system, cruise control system
18. CIG 15 A: Cigarette lighter
19. POWER OUTLET 15 A: Power outlets
20. SHTR 10 A: No circuit 21. PANEL 7.5 A:
Instrument panel lights,
gauges and meters, front fog lights,
instrument panel light control, outside
rear view mirror defoggers, air condi-
tioning system
22. FR FOG 15 A: Front fog lights
23. HORN 10 A: Horn
24. TAIL 7.5 A: Tail lights, license plate
lights, instrument cluster lights
25. TAIL&PANEL 15 A: “PANEL” and
“TAIL” fuses
26. ACC 7.5 A: Car audio system, shift
lock control system, clock, power rear
view mirrors
27. DEF 20 A: Rear window defogger
28. GAUGE 10 A: Backup lights, electric
cooling fans, air conditioning system,
automatic transmission indicator lights,
charging system
29. OBD 7.5 A: Onboard diagnosis sys-
tem
30. IG2 10 A: Discharge warning light,
multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system,
starting system, SRS airbag system
31. DOOR 20 A: Power door lock system 32. MIR HTR 10 A:
Outside rear view mir-
ror defoggers
33. RR WIP 15 A: Rear window wiper and
washer
34. WIP 25 A: Windshield wipers and
washer
35. ECU IG 10 A: Emergency flashers,
gauges and meters, antilock brake
system, SRS airbag system, shift lock
control system, cruise control system
Fuses (type B)
36. RDI 30 A: Electric cooling fan
37. CDS 30 A: Electric cooling fan
38. AM2 30 A: Discharge warning light,
multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system,
starting system, SRS airbag system,
“IG2” fuse
39. ABS 1 40 A: Antilock brake system
40. HTR 40 A: Air conditioning system
4

1. PWR 30 A: Electric moon roof, power
windows
42. AM1 40 A: Power outlets, rear window
defogger, “ACC”, “CIG”, “ECU IG”,
“GAUGE”, “RR WIP”, “SHTR” and
“WIP” fuses