brake TOYOTA RAV4 1999 Owner's Manual

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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 in a panic stop. Pump-
ing the brake pedal makes the stopping
distance longer.
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.
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

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140
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. 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.

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Part 3
STARTING AND DRIV-
ING
Before starting the engine
How to start the engine
Tips for driving in various
conditions
Off- road driving precautions
Winter driving tips
Tr ailer towing
How to save fuel and make your
vehicle last longer, too
Before starting the engine
1. Check the area around the vehicle be- fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, head restraint height and steering
wheel angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock side doors, back door (hardtop) and tailgate (soft- top).
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Manual transmission: Press the clutch
pedal to the floor and shift the trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in ºPº. If you need to re-
start the engine while the vehicle is
moving, put the selector lever in ºNº.
A starter safety device will prevent the
starter from operating if the selector
lever is in any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to
the floor until driving off.
How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking

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146
(b) Starting the engine
Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in º(a) Before crank-
ingº.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system in your
engine automatically controls the proper
air- fuel mixture for starting. You can start
a cold or hot engine as follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator ped- al, crank the engine by turning the key
to ºSTARTº. Release it when the en-
gine starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10 se- conds, you are ready to drive.
If the weather is below freezing, let the
engine warm up for a few minutes before
driving.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce-
dure given in normal starting.
If the engine will not start...
See ºIf your vehicle will not startº in Part 4.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 se- conds at a time. This may overheatthe starter and wiring systems.
Do not race a cold engine.
If the engine becomes difficult tostart or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharp- edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage result-
ing in tire bursts.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and place the transmis-
sion in ºPº (automatic) or in first or
reverse (manual). If necessary, block
the wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you, and then
press the pedal lightly. If you do not
feel a normal braking force, the brakes
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake pulled. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

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CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking on
a slippery surface. Sudden accelera-
tion or engine braking, could cause
the vehicle to spin or skid.
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high- speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are high- speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a
longer stopping distance, and it
may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the park-
ing brake will not hold the vehicle
securely.
Off- road driving precautions
When driving your vehicle off- road, please
observe the following precautions to en-
sure your driving enjoyment and to help
prevent the closure of areas to off- road
vehicles.
a. Drive your vehicle only in areas where
off- road vehicles are permitted to trav-
el.
b. Respect private property. Get owner 's permission before entering private prop-
erty.
c. Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that
restrict travel.
d. Stay on established roads. When condi- tions are wet, driving techniques should
be changed or travel delayed to pre-
vent damage to roads.
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and
Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining
to driving your vehicle off- road, consult
the following organizations.
State and Local Parks and Recreation
Departments
State Motor Vehicle Bureau
Recreational Vehicle Clubs
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management

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148
CAUTION
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your ve-
hicle: Drive carefully when off the road.
Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous places.
Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off- road. A
bad bump could jerk the wheel and
injure your hands. Keep both hands
and especially your thumbs on the
outside of the rim.
Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.
After driving through tall grass,
mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check
that there is no grass, bush, paper,
rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or
trapped on the underbody. Clear off
any such matter from the under-
body. If the vehicle is used with
these materials trapped or adhering
to the underbody, a breakdown or
fire could occur.
The driver and all passengers
should fasten their seat belts when-
ever the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,first check the depth of the waterand the bottom of the river bed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoiddeep water.
Take all necessary safety measures
to ensure that water damage to theengine or other components doesnot occur.
Water entering the engine air intakewill cause severe engine damage.
Water can wash the grease fromwheel bearings, causing rusting and
premature failure, and may also en-ter the differentials, transmissionand transfer case, reducing the gear
oil's lubricating qualities.
Sand and mud that has accumulatedin brake drums and around brakediscs may affect braking efficiencyand may damage brake system com-
ponents.
Always perform a maintenance in-spection after each day of off- road
driving that has taken you throughrough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, refer to the separate ºSched-uled Maintenance Guideº or ºOwn- er 's Manual Supplementº.

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Winter driving tips
Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection of engine coolant.
Your coolant must contain ethylene- glycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components. Use
ºToyota Long Life Coolantº or equivalent.
See Chapter 7- 2 for details about coolant
type selection.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
When it is extremely cold, we recommend
to use 60% solution for your Toyota, to
provide protection down to about -50 5C
(- 58 5F). Do not use more than 70% solu-
tion for better coolant performance.
Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape
to provide enough power for winter start-
ing. Chapter 7- 3 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge. Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Chapter 7- 2 for recommended viscos-
ity. Leaving a heavy summer oil in your
vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota dealer±
he will be pleased to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de- icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before
inserting it.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer 's directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-age your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
ºPº (automatic) or into first or reverse
(manual) and block the rear wheels. Do
not use the parking brake, or snow or
water accumulated in and around the
parking brake mechanism may freeze,
making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.

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152
HITCHES
Use only a weight carrying hitch
designed for the total trailer weight.
Toyota does not recommend using a
weight distribution (load equalizing)
hitch.
The hitch must be bolted securely to
the vehicle frame and installed accord-
ing to the hitch manufacturer 's instruc-
tions.
The hitch ball should have a light coat
of grease.
Toyota recommends that the trailer
hitch be removed when not towing to
prevent injury and/or damage by the
hitch in event of a rear end collision.
After removing the hitch, the installa-
tion area should be sealed to prevent
entry of exhaust fumes and mud.
NOTICE
Do not use an axle- mounting hitch as
it may cause damage to the axlehousing, wheel bearings, wheels and/or tires.
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS
Toyota recommends trailers with brakes
that conform to any applicable federal
and state/provincial regulations.
A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross
under the trailer tongue to prevent the
tongue from dropping to the ground in
case it becomes damaged or sepa-
rated. For correct safety chain proce-
dures, follow the hitch or trailer
manufacturer 's recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight exceeds
272 kg (600 lb.), trailer brakes are
required.
Never tap into your vehicle's hy-
draulic system as it would lower its
braking effectiveness.
Never tow a trailer without using a
safety chain securely attached to
both the trailer and the vehicle. If
damage occurs to the coupling unit
or hitch ball, there is danger of the
trailer wandering over into another
lane.
TIRES
Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See Chapter 7- 2 for
instructions.
The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the trail-
er manufacturer in respect to the total
trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS Trailer lights must comply with federal,
state/provincial and local regulations.
See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correct
type of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.

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Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention
to the rear from time to time to pre-
pare yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your
vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering wheel
and reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed. Steer
straight ahead. If you make no extreme
correction with the steering or brakes,
the vehicle and trailer will stabilize.
Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer and
be sure you have plenty of room be-
fore changing lanes.
In order to maintain engine braking effi-
ciency, do not use fifth gear (manual
transmission) or overdrive (automatic
transmission).
Because of the added load of the trail-
er, your vehicle's engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over 30C [85 F]) when going up a long or
steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air
conditioning (if in use), pull off the road
and stop in a safe spot. Refer to ºIf
your vehicle overheatsº in Part 4 of
this manual.
Always place wheel blocks under both
the vehicle and trailer wheels when
parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
Put the transmission in ºPº (automatic)
or in first or reverse (manual). Avoid
parking on a slope with a trailer, but
if it cannot be avoided, do so only
after performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un- der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or ºPº (automatic) and turn off the engine. When restarting out after parking on a
slope:
1. With the transmission in ºPº position (automatic) or the clutch pedal de-
pressed (manual), start the engine.
(With an automatic transmission, be
sure to keep the brake pedal de-
pressed.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also foot brake on automatic transmission ve-
hicles) and slowly pull or back away
from the wheel blo cks. Stop and apply
your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blo cks.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing vehicle-
trailer combination usually in-
creases as the speed increases, ex-
ceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may
cause loss of control.

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Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or too frequently. This
could cause the brakes to overheat
and result in reduced braking effi-
ciency.Getting more kilometers/mileage from a
liter/gallon of fuel is easyÐjust take it
easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See Chapter
7- 2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warm- up idling. Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
drivingÐbut gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.
Avoid engine lug or overrevving. Use
a gear position suitable for the road on
which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop- and- go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel econo-
my.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too