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When trouble arises
7-1. Essential information
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an
emergency
Steadily step on the brake pedal wi th both feet and firmly depress it.
Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort
required to slow the vehicle.
Shift the shift lever to N.
If the shift lever is shifted to N
After slowing down, stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Stop the engine.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted to N
Keep depressing the brake pedal with both feet to reduce vehicle
speed as much as possible.
Vehicles without a smart key
system:
Stop the engine by turning the
engine switch to the “ACC”
position.
Vehicles with a smart key sys-
tem:
To stop the engine, press and
hold the engine switch for 2
consecutive seconds or more,
or press it briefly 3 times or
more in succession.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Only in an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop
the vehicle in the normal way, st op the vehicle using the follow-
ing procedure:
1
2
3
4
3
4
Press and hold for 2 seconds or more,
or press briefly 3 times or more
4
5
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4947-1. Essential information
RAV4_OM_OM42809U_(U)
CAUTION
■If the engine has to be turned off while driving
●Power assist for the brakes and steering wheel will be lost, making the
brake pedal harder to depress and the steering wheel heavier to turn.
Decelerate as much as possible before turning off the engine.
● Vehicles without a smart key system: Never attempt to remove the key, as
doing so will lock the steering wheel.
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When trouble arises
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be towed
The following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Toyota dealer before towing.
●The engine is operating but the vehicle will not move.
● The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
If a tow truck is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or
chain secured to the emergency
towing eyelet(s). This should only
be attempted on hard surfaced
roads for short distances at low
speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to
steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drive train,
axles, steering and brakes must
be in good condition.
If towing is necessary, we re commend having your vehicle
towed by your Toyota dealer or a commercial towing service,
using a lift-type truc k or flat bed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by all state/
provincial and local laws.
2WD models: If towing your vehicle with a wheel-lift type truck
from the front, the vehicle’s rear wheels and axles must be in
good conditions. ( P. 497, 500)
If they are damaged, use a to wing dolly or flat bed truck.
AWD models: If towing your vehicl e with a wheel-lift type truck,
use a towing dolly. ( P. 497, 500)
Before towing
Emergency towing
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4997-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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When trouble arises
■Before emergency towing
Release the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Vehicles without a smart key system: Turn the engine switch to the “ACC”
(engine off) or the “ON” (engine running) position.
Vehicles with a smart key system: Turn the engine switch to ACCESSORY
(engine off) or IGNITION ON (engine running) mode.
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■ 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 eyelets and the cables or chains. Always
be cautious of 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 eyelets to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelets are installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelets may come loose during towing.
1
2
3
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When trouble arises
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you think something is wrong
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air co nditioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● High engine coolant temperature warning light comes on
● Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
● Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, spon gy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor
If you notice any of the follow ing symptoms, your vehicle proba-
bly needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms
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7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is
activated.
Vehicles without a smart key system
Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Restart the engine.
Vehicles with a smart key system
Turn the engine switch to ACCESSORY mode or off.
Restart the engine.
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or
when an airbag inflates upon collision, the fuel pump shut off
system stops the supply of fuel to the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked onto the ground, the fuel system has been
damaged and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
1
2
1
2
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5047-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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The following warning indicates the possibility of damage to the vehi-
cle that may lead to an accident. Im mediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and contact your Toyota dealer.
Failure to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle ins pected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Stop the vehicle immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
Charging system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lamp Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The electronic automatic transmission control system
Low engine oil pressure warning lightIndicates that the engine oil pressure is too low.
SRS warning lightIndicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
ABS warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS; or
• The brake assist system
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5057-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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When trouble arises
Electric power steering system warning light (warning
buzzer)Indicates a malfunction in the EPS (Electric Power Steer-
ing) system
(Yellow)
LDA warning lights (if equipped)Indicates a malfunction in the lane departure alert
Stop the vehicle in a safe place. Turn the engine switch off
and then turn it to the “ON” position (vehicles without a
smart key system) or IGNITION ON mode (vehicles with a
smart key system) again to reset the LDA system.
Slip indicatorIndicates a malfunction in:
• The VSC system;
• The TRAC system; or
• The AUTO LSD function
The light will flash when the VSC or the TRAC system is
operating.
Automatic transmission flui d temperature warning light
(if equipped) • Indicates that the automatic transmission fluid tempera- ture is too high if the light comes on
• Indicates a malfunction in the automatic transmission system if the light flashes
BSM warning light (if equipped)Indicates a malfunction in the Blind Spot Monitor
(Yellow)
Cruise control warning lightIndicates a malfunction in the cruise control
(Yellow)
Automatic High Beam warning light (if equipped)Indicates a malfunction in the Automatic High Beam
Warning lightWarning light/Details