2013 TOYOTA RAV4 Owners Manual

4977-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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7
When trouble arises
Do not tow with a sling-type truck
to prevent body damage.
Towing with a sling-type truck
Towing with a wheel-lift type truck
From the front (2WD models)From the front (AWD models)
Release the parking brake. Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the front
wheels.

4987-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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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 dam-
aged.
Using a flat bed truck

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.
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5007-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and Dynamic
Torque Control AWD system (AWD models) when towing using a
wheel-lift type truck
■ To prevent damage to the vehicle when 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.
■ 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.
■ Recreational towing (beh ind motor home, etc.)
Never dinghy tow your vehicle to prevent causing serious damage to the
Dynamic Torque Control AWD system (AWD models) and transmission.
( P. 196)
■ To prevent causing serious damage to the transfer (AWD models) and
transmission in emergency towing
Never tow a vehicle from the rear with four wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to the transfer (AWD models) and transmission.
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, use a towing dolly.
AWD models: Never tow this vehicle with
any of the wheels on the ground. This
may cause serious damage to the trans-
mission and Dynamic Torque Control
AWD system. Use a towing dolly.

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7
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.
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When trouble arises
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on or a warning
buzzer sounds
The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
*: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer:
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven at a speed of approximately 3
mph (5 km/h) or more.
Calmly perform the following acti ons if any of the warning lights
comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but then
goes off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the
system. However, if this continues to occur, have the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle
may be dangerous.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)*
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is
fully released the system is operating normally.

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