2003 Toyota RAV4 Owners Manual - Page 147

Winter driving tips NOTICE z Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the battery and motor or other components does not occur. Water entering the motor will cause severe motor damage. Water entering the battery pack may cause short-circuit. Water can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and premature failure, and may also enter the differentials and transmission case, reducing the gear oil's lubricating qualities. z Sand and mud that has accumulated in brake drums and around brake discs may affect braking efficiency and may damage brake system components. z For scheduled maintenance information, refer to the "Owner's Manual Supplement". Tips for Cold Weather Driving: When the traction battery temperature is extremely low (such as when the ambient temperature is extremely low), the power of the vehicle is limited. So the acceleration becomes uneven, or the maximum vehicle speed decreases. Cold weather system such as heating and ventilation will become less effective. At very low traction battery temperature, this SOC meter's and traction battery voltmeter's needles tend to go down faster than usual. So drive your vehicle taking care of the change in the SOC meter and traction battery voltmeter. Strictly observe all warning lights on the instrument panel and stop the vehicle in a safe place when warned to do so. Failure to do so could result in a sudden loss of vehicle power rendering the vehicle undriveable. Make sure you have a proper freeze protection of coolant. Your coolant must contain ethylene-glycol type coolant for a proper corrosion protection of aluminum components. Use "Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant" or equivalent. See "Checking the coolant level of the traction motor" on page 180 in Section 8-2. 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% solution for better coolant performance. Check the condition of the auxiliary battery and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of any auxiliary battery, so it must be in top shape to provide enough power for winter starting. Section 8-3 tells you how to visually inspect the auxiliary battery. Your EV service station and most service stations will be pleased to check the level of charge. 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. 138