2017 TOYOTA RAV4 steering

1543-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
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The Blind Spot Mirrors increase
the view of surrounding area to
assist the driver when checking
surrounding area before chang-
ing lanes.Blind Spot Mirror field of view
(range of the solid line)
Main mirror field of view
(range of the dotted line)
■Mirror angle can be adjusted when
Vehicles without smart key system
The engine switch is in the “ACC” or “ON” position.
Vehicles with smart key system
The engine switch is in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode.
■ When the mirrors are fogg ed up (vehicles with outside rear view mirror
defoggers)
The outside rear view mirrors can be cleared using the mirror defoggers. Turn
on the rear window defogger to turn on the outside rear view mirror defog-
gers. ( →P. 486, 493)
Blind Spot Mirrors (if equipped)
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1553-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
3
Operation of each component
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WARNING
■Important points while driving
Observe the following precautions while driving.
Failure to do so may result in loss of control of the vehicle and cause an
accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
● Do not adjust the mirrors while driving.
● Do not drive with the mirrors folded.
● Both the driver and passenger side mirrors must be extended and properly
adjusted before driving.
■ When a mirror is moving
To avoid personal injury and mirror malfunction, be careful not to get your
hand caught by the moving mirror.
■ When the mirror defoggers are oper ating (vehicles with outside rear
view mirror defoggers)
Do not touch the rear view mirror surfaces, as they can become very hot
and burn you.

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4Driving
4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle ............. 166
Cargo and luggage ........... 176
Vehicle load limits ............. 180
Trailer towing..................... 181
Dinghy towing ................... 195
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles without
smart key system) ........... 196
Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles with
smart key system) ........... 198
Automatic transmission ..... 203
Turn signal lever................ 211
Parking brake .................... 212
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ................ 213
Automatic High Beam ....... 217
Fog light switch ................. 221
Windshield wipers and washer ..................... 222
Rear window wiper and washer ..................... 226 4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap .................................. 229
4-5. Using the driving support systems
Toyota Safety Sense P ..... 232
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .... 239
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering
control) ............................ 253
Dynamic radar cruise control ............................. 261
Cruise control .................... 273
Intuitive parking assist....... 277
Rear view monitor system ............................ 286
All-wheel drive lock switch (AWD models) ..... 296
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) ........ 297
• The Blind Spot Monitor function ......................... 301
• The Rear Cross Traffic Alert function ................. 304
Driving assist systems ...... 307
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips ............. 314
Utility vehicle precautions ..................... 318

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1674-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. ( →P. 307)
■ Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
● Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
● Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road sur-
face, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■ Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
● When the accelerator pedal is released
● When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected
■ Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
● For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speed.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
Starting off on a steep uphill
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1694-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
● During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: →P. 605
● Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( →P. 204)
● Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.
● Do not drive the vehicle off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle designed for off-road driving. Proceed with all
due caution if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road.
● Do not drive across river crossings or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic components to short circuit, damage
the engine or cause other serious damage to the vehicle.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.

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4-1. Before driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
● Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle.
● Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
● After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected.
■ When shifting the shift lever
● Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
● Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is
selected.
● Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.

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4-1. Before driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
● Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain driving torque.
● Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■ When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so
may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if
the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
■ Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
● Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for
an extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
● When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■ If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehi-
cle.
● It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
● The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
● The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire ( →P. 641)

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1794-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
■Capacity and distribution
●Do not exceed the maximum axle weight rating or the total vehicle
weight rating.
●Even if the total load of occupant’s weight and the cargo load is less
than the total load capacity, do not apply the load unevenly. Improper
loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control which
may cause death or serious injury.
■When loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier (if equipped)
Observe the following precautions:
●Place the cargo so that its weight is distributed evenly between the
front and rear axles.
●If loading long or wide cargo, never exceed the vehicle overall length
or width. ( →P. 668)
●Before driving, make sure the cargo is securely fastened on the roof
luggage carrier.
●Loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier will make the center of grav-
ity of the vehicle higher. Avoid high speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneuvers, otherwise it may result in loss of
control or vehicle rollover due to failu re to operate this vehicle correctly
and result in death or serious injury.
●If driving for a long distance, on r ough roads, or at high speeds, stop
the vehicle now and then during the trip to make sure the cargo
remains in its place.
●Do not exceed 101.9 lb. (46.2 kg) cargo weight on the roof luggage
carrier.
NOTICE
■When loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier (if equipped)
Be careful not to scratch the surface of the moon roof (if equipped).