2013 TOYOTA RAV4 Condition

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4-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Trailer towing
Contact your Toyota dealer for further information about additional
requirements such as a towing kit, etc.
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger-and-load-car-
rying vehicle. Towing a trailer can have an adverse impact on
handling, performance, braking, durability, and fuel consump-
tion. For your safety and the safe ty of others, you must not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. You must also ensure that you are
using appropriate towing equipmen t, that the towing equipment
has been installed correctly a nd used properly, and that you
employ the requisite driving habits.
Vehicle-trailer stability and braking performance are affected by
trailer stability, brake performance and setting, trailer brakes,
the hitch and hitch systems (if equipped).
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in
accordance with your trailer’s characteristics and operating
conditions.
Toyota warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction
caused by towing a trailer for commercial purposes.

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4-1. Before driving
●Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may over-
heat on hot days (at temperatures over 85 F [30 C]) when driving
up a long or steep grade. If t he engine coolant temperature gauge
indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air conditioning (if in
use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
(  P. 546)
● Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s
wheels when parking. Apply the pa rking brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P. Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoidable, do
so only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and
trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in pl ace, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P and turn off the engine.
● When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the engine. Be sure to keep the
brake pedal pressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
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1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height
■ Before towing
Check that the following conditions are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. ( P. 561)
● Trailer tires are inflated according to the trailer manufacturer’s recommen-
dation.
● All trailer lights work as required by law.
● All lights work each time you connect them.
● The trailer ball is set at the proper height for the coupler on the trailer.
● The trailer is level when it is hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not level, and check for improper tongue weight,
overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.
● The trailer cargo is securely loaded.
● The rear view mirrors conform to all applicable federal, state/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors appropriate for tow-
ing purposes.
No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be the proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
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1934-1. Before driving
4
Driving
●After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying
occurred is beyond the limit of your pa rticular vehicle-trailer combination.
Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that swaying of the
towing vehicle-trailer increases as speed increases.
CAUTION
■ Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance
with the trailer’s characteristics and operating conditions. Failure to do so
could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury. Vehicle stability
and braking performance are affected by trailer stability, brake setting and
performance, and the hitch. Your vehi cle will handle differently when towing
a trailer.
■ To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
● Adjust the tongue weight within the appropriate range. Place heavier loads
as close to the trailer axle as possible.
● Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h), the posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner’s manual,
whichever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help avoid an accident. If you
experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep your vehicle speed under the speed of
which you experience the instability.
● Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp turns.

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2034-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode (the engine is not
running) for more than an hour with the shift lever in P, the engine switch will
automatically turn off. However, this function cannot entirely prevent battery
discharge. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine switch in ACCESSORY
or IGNITION ON mode for long periods of time when the engine is not run-
ning.
■ Electronic key battery depletion
P. 1 1 1
■ Conditions affecting operation
P. 107
■ Notes for the entry function
P. 108
■ If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. ( P. 77)
Contact your Toyota dealer.
● The steering lock may not have been canceled.
■ Steering lock
After turning the engine switch off and opening and closing the doors, the
steering wheel will be locked due to the steering lock function. Operating the
engine switch again automatically cancels the steering lock.

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4-2. Driving procedures
*1: Shifting the shift lever to D allows the system to select a gear suitable forthe driving conditions.
Setting the shift lever to D is recommended for normal driving.
*2: Selecting shift ranges using S mode restricts the upper limit of the possiblegear ranges, controls engine braking force, and prevents unnecessary
upshifting.
Shift position purpose
Shift positionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 (  P. 210)

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2094-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
The following modes can be selected to suit driving conditions.
■Eco drive mode
Use Eco drive mode to help achieve low fuel consumption during
trips that involve frequent accelerating.
Press the “ECO MODE” button
to select Eco drive mode.
The “ECO MODE” indicator
comes on.
Press the button again to cancel
Eco drive mode.
■
Sport mode
Use sport mode for powerful acceleration and driving in mountain-
ous regions.
Press the “SPORT” button to
select sport mode.
The “SPORT” indicator comes
on.
Press the button again to cancel
sport mode.
Selecting the driving mode

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2114-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■S mode
●When the shift range is 4 or lower, holding the shift lever toward “+” sets the
shift range to 6.
● To prevent the engine from over-revving, upshifting may automatically
occur.
● To protect the automatic transmission, a higher shift range may automati-
cally selected when the fluid temperature is high.
■ Downshifting restrictions warning buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving performance, downshifting operation may
sometimes be restricted. In some circumstances, downshifting may not be
possible even when the shift lever is operated. (A buzzer will sound twice.)
■ Operation of the air conditioning system in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cooling operations and fan speed
* of the
air conditioning system to enhance fuel efficiency ( P. 293, 302). To improve
air conditioning performance, adjust the fan speed
* or turn off Eco drive
mode.
*: Vehicles with an automatic air conditioning system only
■ Deactivation of the driving mode
●Eco drive mode will not be canceled until the “ECO MODE” button is
pressed, even if the engine is turned off after driving in Eco drive mode.
● Sport mode will be canceled if the engine is turned off after driving in sport
mode.
■ When driving with cruise control activated
Even when performing the following actions with the intent of enabling engine
braking, engine braking will not activate because cruise control will not be
canceled.
●While driving in S mode, downshifting to 5 or 4. ( P. 210)
● When switching the driving mode to sport mode while driving in D.
(P. 209)
■ If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
P. 538