420
STARTING AND DRI VING
BEFORE STARTI NG THE ENGINE
Outside the vehicle
Tires (spare incl uded). Chec k the pres-
sure wit h a gauge and look caref ully f or
cuts , damage, or exces siv e wear.
Wheel nuts. Make s ure no nuts are mi s-
sing or loos e.
Fluid leaks. Af ter the v ehicl e has been
parked f or a whil e, chec k under neath for
leaki ng fuel , oi l, water, or flui d. (Water
drippi ng from the air c onditi oning aft er use
is normal.)
Lights. Make s ure t he headlights , stop
lights , tai l light s, t urn signals and other
lights are all w orki ng. Check the headli ght
aim.
Inside the vehicle
Jack and wheel nut wr ench. Make sure
you have your jac k and wheel nut wr ench.
Seat belts. Chec k that the buckles loc k
secur ely. Mak e sure the bel ts ar e not
worn or fray ed.
Instrument s and cont rols. Especially
make sure the s ervic e r eminder i ndicator s,
inst rument li ghts, and defros ter are w ork-
ing.
Brakes. Make s ure t he pedal has enough
clear ance.
In the engine compartment
Spare fuses. Make sure you have spare
fuses . They shoul d cover all the amperage
rati ngs designat ed on t he fuse box lid.
Coolant level. Make sur e the coolant lev-
el is cor rect. ( See page 516 in Section
7−2 for inst ruct ions. )
Batter y and cabl es. Check t he batter y
condit ion by the i ndicat or c olor. Look for
corr oded or loose ter minals and a c rack ed
case. Check t he cables for good condit ion
and connecti ons.
Wiring. Look for damaged, loose, or dis-
connect ed wires.
Fuel lines. Check the l ines for leaks or
loose connec tions .
AFTER STARTI NG THE ENGINE
Exhaust syst em. Li sten for any leakage.
Have any leaks fixed immediat ely. (See
“Engine exhaus t cautions ” on page 392 in
Secti on 2.)
Engine oil level. Stop t he engine and
check t he dips tick wi th t he v ehicl e park ed
on a lev el spot. (See page 510 in Sec tion
7−2 for inst ruc tions. )
WHILE DRIVING
Instr uments. Make sure the speedometer
and gauges are working.
Brakes. In a safe place, c heck t hat the
brakes do not pul l t o one side when ap-
plied.
Anything unusual ? Look f or l oose part s
and leaks. Li sten for abnormal noi ses.
If ev eryt hing l ooks O.K., set your mind at
ease and enjoy your tr ip!
Finish
RAV4_EE
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