oil TOYOTA RAV4 2003 XA20 / 2.G Owners Manual

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
52003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
Brake system warning light∗1
Discharge warning light∗1
Low engine oil pressure warning light∗1
Malfunction indicator lamp∗1
Headlight high beam indicator light Automatic transmission fluid temperature warning
light
∗1
Turn signal indicator lights
Driver ’s seat belt reminder light
∗
1Open door warning light∗1
Low fuel level warning light∗1
SRS warning light∗1
Antilock brake system warning light∗1or
Low windshield washer fluid level warning light∗1
or
Front passenger ’s seat belt reminder light∗1
or
Automatic transmission indicator lights
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
192003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
3. Put a new transmitter battery with posi-tive (+) side up.
Close the transmitter case securely.
NOTICE
 Make sure the positive side and
negative side of the transmitter bat-
tery should be faced correctly.
 Do not replace the battery with wet
hands. Water may cause unexpected
rust.
 Do not touch or move any compo-
nents inside of the transmitter, or
it may interfere with proper opera-
tion.
Be careful not to bend the electrode
of the transmitter battery insertion
and that dust or oils do not adhere
to the transmitter case.
 Close the transmitter case securely.
After replacing battery, check that the
transmitter operates properly. If the trans-
mitter still does not operate properly, con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
The windows can be operated with the
switch on each side door.
The power windows work when the ignition
switch is in the “ON” position.
Key off operation: If the either front door
is closed, they work for 43 seconds even
after the ignition switch is turned off. They
stop working when the either front door is
opened.
OPERATING THE DRIVER’S WINDOW
Use the switch on the driver’s door.
Normal operation: The window moves as
long as you hold the switch.
To open: Lightly push down the switch.
To close: Lightly pull up the switch.
Power windows

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
962003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
(d) 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.
(e) Low Engine Oil Pressure WarningLight
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 the
warning light on—even for one block.
It may ruin the engine.
(f) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on when the ignition
key is turned to the “ON” position and
goes off after the engine starts. This
means that the warning light system is
operating properly.
If the lamp remains on, or the lamp
comes on while driving, first check the
followings.
Empty fuel tank
If the fuel tank is empty, refuel immedi-
ately.
Loose fuel tank cap
If the fuel tank cap is loose, securely
tighten it.
These cases are temporary malfunctions.
The malfunction indicator lamp will go off
after taking several driving trips.
If the lamp will not go off even after the
several trips, contact your Toyota dealer
as soon as possible.
If the fuel tank is not empty or the fuel
tank cap is not loose...
There is a problem somewhere in the
engine, emission control system, auto-
matic transmission electrical system or
warning light system itself.
Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible to service the vehicle.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
(I/M) programs
Your vehicle may not pass a state
emission inspection if the malfunction
indicator lamp remains on. Contact your
Toyota dealer to check your vehicle’s
emission control system and OBD
(OnBoard Diagnostics) system before
taking your vehicle for the inspection.
For details, see “Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance (I/M) programs” on page 216
in Section 6.

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
1112003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
TONE AND BALANCE
For details about your system’s tone and
balance controls, see the description of
your own system.
Tone
How good an audio program sounds to
you is largely determined by the mix of
the treble, midrange and bass levels. In
fact, different kinds of music and vocal
programs usually sound better with differ-
ent mixes of treble, midrange and bass.
Balance
A good balance of the left and right stereo
channels and of the front and rear sound
levels is also important.
Keep in mind that if you are listening to
a stereo recording or broadcast, changing
the right/left balance will increase the vol-
ume of one group of sounds while de-
creasing the volume of another.YOUR RADIO ANTENNA
Your vehicle has a mast type antenna.
To remove the antenna, carefully turn it
counterclockwise.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the antenna,
make sure it is removed before driv-
ing your Toyota through an automatic
car wash.
YOUR CASSETTE PLAYER
When you insert a cassette, the exposed
tape should face to the right.
NOTICE
Do not oil any part of the player and
do not insert anything other than cas-
sette tapes into the slot, or the tape
player may be damaged.
YOUR COMPACT DISC PLAYER
When you insert a disc, gently push it in
with the label side up. (The player will
automatically eject a disc if the label side
is down.) The player will play from track
1 through the end of the disc. Then it will
play from track 1 again.
NOTICE
Never try to disassemble or oil any
part of the compact disc player. Do
not insert anything other than com-
pact discs into the slot.
The player is intended for use with 12 cm
(4.7 in.) discs only.

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
1532003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR
TOYOTA
Information before driving your Toyota
Offroad vehicle precautions154
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Breakin period 155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . .
Fuel 155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel pump shut off system 157
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operation in foreign countries 157
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Threeway catalytic converters 158
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine exhaust cautions 159
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
Facts about engine oil consumption 159
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Iridiumtipped spark plugs 160
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake system 161
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . .
Brake pad wear limit indicators 164
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Luggage stowage precautions 164
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Limitedslip differential 165
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Your Toyota’s identification 165
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Theft prevention labels 167
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Suspension and chassis 167
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
Types of tires 167
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 2

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
1592003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
CAUTION
Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.
It contains carbon monoxide, which
is a colorless and odorless gas. It
can cause unconsciousness or even
death.
Make sure the exhaust system has
no holes or loose connections. The
system should be checked from
time to time. If you hit something,
or notice a change in the sound of
the exhaust, have the system
checked immediately.
Do not run the engine in a garage
or enclosed area except for the
time needed to drive the vehicle in
or out. The exhaust gases cannot
escape, making this a particularly
dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the engine run-
ning. If it is unavoidable, however,
do so only in an unconfined area
and adjust the heating or cooling
system to force outside air into the
vehicle.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
Keep the back door closed while
driving. An open or unsealed back
door may cause exhaust gases to
be drawn into the vehicle.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open and the back door closed.
Have the cause immediately located
and corrected.
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.
Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated when
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some
of this oil into the combustion chamber.
This oil as well as some part of the oil
film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion
gases during the combustion process.
Engine exhaust cautionsFacts about engine oil
consumption

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
1602003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil
is sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-
perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve
stems.
The amount of engine oil consumed de-
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions the
vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed by highspeed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may become
diluted and make it difficult to judge
the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This
is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed. The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving at high speeds.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in prop-
er vehicle maintenance is to keep the en-
gine oil at the optimum level so that oil
function will not be impaired. Therefore, it
is essential that the oil level be checked
regularly. Toyota recommends that the oil
level be checked every time you refuel
the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level regularly
could lead to serious engine trouble
due to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see “Checking the engine oil level” on
page 226 in Section 72.
Your engine is fitted with iridiumtipped
spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only iridiumtipped spark plugs
and do not adjust gaps for your en-
gine performance and smooth drive-
ability.
Iridiumtipped spark plugs

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
1732003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. Therefore, the driver and all
passengers should fasten their seat
belts whenever the vehicle is mo-
ving.
When driving offroad or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns,
strike objects, etc. This may cause
loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You
are also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle’s suspension and
chassis.
NOTICE
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the river bed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
Take all necessary safety measures
to ensure that water damage to the
engine or other components does
not occur.
Water entering the engine air intake
will cause severe engine damage.
Water can wash the grease from
wheel bearings, causing rusting and
premature failure, and may also en-
ter the differentials, transmission
and transfer case, reducing the gear
oil’s lubricating qualities.
 Sand and mud that has accumulated
in brake drums and around brake
discs may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system com-
ponents.
 Always perform a maintenance in-
spection after each day of offroad
driving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water.
For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, refer to the “Scheduled Main-
tenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual
Supplement”.Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection of engine coolant.
Your coolant must contain ethyleneglycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components. Use
“Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant” or
equivalent.
See page 228 in Section 72 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 C
(58 F). 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. Section 73 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge.
Winter driving tips

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
1742003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 226 in Section 72 for recom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer 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 deicer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
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
“P” (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.
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to your vehicle.
Dinghy towing
(with automatic transmission)

’03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
1822003 RAV4 from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM42517U)
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.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease,brakes not adjusted, etc. all
lower engine performance and contrib-
ute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle
receives more frequent maintenance.
(For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, please refer to the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide” or “Owner ’s Manu-
al Supplement”.)
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and
brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, the
emission control system operates
properly only when the engine is run-
ning.