1998 Toyota RAV4 Owners Manual - Page 134

'98 Rav4U Fuel FUEL TYPE Your new vehicle must use only unleaded gasoline. To help prevent gas station mixups, your Toyota has a new smaller fuel tank opening. The special nozzle on pumps with unleaded fuel will fit it, but the larger standard nozzle on pumps with leaded gas will not. At a minimum, the gasoline you use should meet the specifications of ASTM D4814 in the U.S.A. and CGSB 3.5- M93 in Canada. Use of unleaded gasoline with an octane rating or research octane number lower than stated above will cause persistent heavy knocking. If it is severe, this will lead to engine damage. If your engine knocks...If you detect heavy knocking even when using the recommended fuel, or if you hear steady knocking while holding a steady speed on level roads, consult your Toyota dealer. However, now and then, you may notice light knocking for a short time while accelerating or driving up hills. This is no need of concern. GASOLINES ADDITIVES CONTAINING DETERGENT IMPROVED GASOLINES The American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has developed a specification of improved gasolines. The AAMA specification offers optimal fuel information for better vehicle performance and better protection of your engine. Toyota recommends the use of gasolines that meet the AAMA specification, if available, for improved driveability and emission control system. GASOLINES CONTAINING MTBE Gasolines that contain MTBE (Methyl Tertiary- Butyl Ether) are available in the market. If you use a gasoline mixed with MTBE, make certain that it does not contain more than 15 % of MTBE. If the use of gasolines containing MTBE causes poor driveability and/or poor fuel economy, you should discontinue the use of fuels containing MTBE. NOTICE Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of leaded gasoline will cause the threeway catalytic converter to lose its effectiveness and the emission control system to function improperly. Also, this can increase maintenance costs. OCTANE RATING Select Octane Rating 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. Toyota recommends use of gasolines that contain detergent additives to avoid build- up of engine deposits. For further details, ask your Toyota dealer or a local gasoline retailer. 134