2010 TOYOTA RAV4 towing

5
When trouble arises
409
5-1. Essential information
Installing towing eyelet
Remove the eyelet cover using a
flathead screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a
rag between the screwdriver and
the vehicle body, as shown in the
illustration.
Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by
hand.
Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut
wrench.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

410 5-1. Essential information
Towing with a sling-type truckDo not tow with a sling-type truck
to prevent body damage.
Towing with a wheel-lift type truckFrom the front (2WD models) Release the parking brake.
From the front (4WD models) Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.

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When trouble arises
411
5-1. Essential information
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the
front wheels.
Using a flat bed truck
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be
damaged.
■ Emergency towin g procedure
Release the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Vehicles without smart key system: Turn the engine switch to “ACC”
(engine off) or “ON” (engine running) position.
Vehicles with smart key system: Turn the “ENGINE START STOP”
switch to ACCESSORY (engine off) or IGNITION ON (engine run-
ning) mode.
■ Location of the emer gency towing eyelet
The emergency towing eyelet is in the tool bag. ( P. 430)
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

412 5-1. Essential information
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelet and the cables or chains. Always
use caution for the surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
● If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
■ Installing towing eyelet to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelet is installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelet may come loose during towing. This
may lead to accidents that cause serious injury or even death.

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When trouble arises
413
5-1. Essential information
NOTICE
■
To prevent body damage when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.
■ To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and active
torque control 4WD system (4WD m odels) when towing using a wheel-
lift type truck
■ To prevent damaging the vehicle wh en towing using a wheel-lift type
truck
When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed.
■ Recreational towing (b ehind motor home, etc.)
Never dinghy tow your vehicle to prevent causing serious damage to the
active torque control 4WD system (4WD models) and transmission.
( P. 218)
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from
the rear with the front wheels on the
ground. This may cause serious damage
to the transmission. If towing from the
rear, used towing dolly.
4WD models: Never tow this vehicle with
any of the wheels on the ground. This
may cause serious damage to the trans-
mission and active torque control 4WD
system. Use a towing dolly.
CTN51AN026
CTN51AN027

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When trouble arises
441
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Stowing the flat tire
Remove any dirt or foreign matter from the disc wheel seat
and the wheel contact surface. Vehicles with aluminum wheels
and a steel wheel for the spare:
Remove the plastic rings from
the wheel nuts of the spare tire
carrier.
Close the back door.
Stow the flat tire on the back door and tighten all wheel nuts
by hand. Using the wheel nut wrench,
tighten the hold-down nuts by
turning them clockwise. Follow
the order shown in the illustra-
tion.
Tightening torque:
66.4 ft•lbf (90 N•m, 9.1 kgf•m)
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5

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When trouble arises
443
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Stow the jack and all tools securely, and replace all the cov-
ers.
■When reinstalling the wheel or
nament (vehicles with 16-inch
wheels)
■After completing the tire change (vehicles with a tire pressure
warning system)
The tire pressure warning system must be reset. (P. 367)
■After repairing the flat tire (veh icles with aluminum wheels and a
steel wheel for the spare)
Be sure to reinstall the plastic rings to the wheel nuts before stowing the
spare tire. If the steel wheel is st owed without reinstalling the plastic
rings to the wheel nuts, the spare tire carrier may produce abnormal
noise when the vehicle is moving.
STEP 10
Align the cutout of the wheel ornament
with the valve stem as shown.

458
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the vehicle becomes stuck
CAUTION
■When attempting to free a stuck vehicle
If you choose to rock the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure the sur-
rounding area is clear, to avoid striki ng other vehicles, objects or persons.
The vehicle may also lunge forward or lunge back suddenly as it becomes
free. Use extreme caution.
■ When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■To avoid damaging the transmission and other components
●Avoid spinning the wheels and do not rev the engine.
● If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may
require towing to be freed.
Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow.
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and put the shift
lever in P.
Remove the mud, snow, or sand from around the stuck tire.
Place wood, stones or some other material to help provide
traction under the tires.
Restart the engine.
4WD models: Activate four-wheel drive lock mode. ( P. 192)
Shift the shift lever to the D or R position and carefully
depress the accelerator pedal to free the vehicle.
Turn off TRAC and/or Enhanced VSC if these functions are ham-
pering your attempts to free the vehicle. ( P. 182)
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6