2015 TOYOTA RAV4 tow

RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
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. 669)
● 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
1
2

192
RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train components
(such as an engine, transmission, differ ential or wheel bearing), Toyota rec-
ommends that you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle has been driven for
over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km), you can start
towing. However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the vehicle at a speed
of less than 45 mph (72 km/h) when towing a trailer, and avoid full throttle
acceleration.
■ Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”.)
● Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■ If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradually to
reduce speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle
and trailer should stabilize.

RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
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.

194
RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
CAUTION
●Do not apply the brakes suddenly as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.
● Do not use cruise control when towing.
● Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
● Vehicle-trailer instability is more likely on steep long downhills. Before
descending steep or long downhill grades, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts when descending steep or long downhill
grades. Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the
brakes too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result
in reduced braking efficiency.
● Do not tow a trailer when the compact spare tire is installed on your vehi-
cle.
■ Hitch
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities established by the
hitch manufacturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of
towing a higher weight, the operator must determine the maximum weight
rating of the particular hitch assembly and never exceed the maximum
weight rating specified for the trailer-hitch. Exceeding the maximum weight
rating set by the trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause an accident resulting
in death or serious personal injuries.

RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
CAUTION
■When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable fed-
eral and state/provincial regulations.
● If the gross trailer weight exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer brakes are
required. Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to all appli-
cable federal and state/provincial regulations.
● Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehi-
cle’s braking effectiveness.
● Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both
the trailer and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch
ball, there is danger of the trailer wandering into another lane.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
Use only the position recommended by your Toyota dealer. Do not install
the trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
■ Do not directly splice trailer lights
Do not directly splice trailer lights. Directly splicing trailer lights may damage
your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.

196
RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels
on the ground) behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
■ To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and Dynamic
Torque Control AWD system (AWD models)
Do not tow your vehicle with 4 wheels on
the ground.
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from
the rear with the front wheels on the
ground. This may cause serious damage
to the transmission.
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.

RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
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 conditio ning 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. 304, 313). 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. 645

RAV4_OM_OM42A78U_(U)
2194-3. Operating the lights and wipers
4
Driving
With the headlights on, push
the lever away from you to turn
on the high beams.
Pull the lever toward you to the
center position to turn the high
beams off.
Pull the lever toward you and
release it to flash the high
beams once.
You can flash the high beams with
the headlights on or off.
■Daytime running light system
●To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers, the headlights turn on
automatically (at a reduced intensity) whenever the engine is started and
the parking brake is released. Daytime running lights are not designed for
use at night.
● Compared to turning on the headlights, the daytime running light system
offers greater durability and consumes less electricity, so it can help improve
fuel economy.
■ Headlight control sensor (if equipped)
Turning on the high beam headlights
1
2
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on the sensor, or anything
that blocks the sensor is affixed to the
windshield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor
detecting the level of ambient light and
may cause the automatic headlight sys-
tem to malfunction.