Does a 1997 Rav4 "L" have ABS?

Are you interested in buying a Rav and need to find out if it has ABS?

I was thinking the easy way to find out would be to start the engine and watch to see if you have an ABS indicator light up during start-up. Our 00 has ABS and does this. Our 99 does not have ABS and no light shows up.

However, I'm not absolutely 100% sure there might be reasons why the light wouldn't be a good indicator.

I guess the best way to find out would be to drive over something slippery and mash the brakes. If you get the characteristic ABS chatter, you've got ABS.

We've got plenty of icy roads here, you're welcome to borrow them.

That is correct. The car is 20 miles away, and I don't want to bother looking at it if it doesn't have ABS.

Wish I could. The ski resorts are actually closing here because there is no snow, and it is too warm to make any.

Did you try the Yahoo Rav4 group? There's not a lot of daily message traffic there but many of the members have older Ravs and could tell you whether or not their L's have ABS; that would at least give you a clue whether the trip would be worth it. Even if it wasn't part of the L package, per se, but was commonly packaged with it that would probably work out for you. I suppose you could also try the Yahoo Toyotas_only group, too.

Good luck finding a nice car and getting some snow.

Just out of curiosity, how many miles on the Rav and how much is the owner asking? The prices on used Ravs around here appear to have risen dramatically in the last 9 months. In last March or April, I could choose from several 5 year-old Ravs with 60K to 80K miles for $8K to a little over $9K (and I got an exceptionally nice one from a Toyota dealer for $9200). Now, I don't seem to see any that meets those criteria for less than $11K.

It has 99,000 miles. He wants $4,400 for it. Claims all it needs is new brakes. It is 4wd, but ABS would be nice also. I know you can't have everything, unless you are willing to pay for it.

I will check out the yahoo site. Thanks.

Here's the test

Turn the key to ON, as if you were going to Start the car, but do not start it. Scan the instrument cluster for a symbol that says ABS.

If there is the symbol, you have ABS, if not then you don't.

Therej is no reason why the light, or the lack or it, would indicate if there is an ABS system or not.

The ABS system is designed to be transparent -- it works without the driver actively doing anything. If the ABS system goes offline for any reason, the ABS light comes on to alert the driver that the system is inactive -- the wheels can lock if the driver trys hard enough. ABS is designed to prevent wheel lock and maintain driver control over the vehicle. If ABS fails, the driver should be told so he won't do something that can result in the loss of control, ie; mash the brake pedal to the point that the wheels lock up.

ABS goes through a self test when the ignition is switched to ON, then the light should be on, and it should never come on again. If it does, then the system is inoperative. If there is no light, then there is no ABS system installed.