2021 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID Start stop

2064-1. Before driving
Please consult your dealer
when installing trailer lights, as
incorrect installation may cause
damage to the vehicle’s lights.
Please take care to comply with
your state’s laws when installing
trailer lights.
Your vehicle will handle differ-
ently when towing a trailer. Help
to avoid an accident, death or
serious injury, keep the follow-
ing in mind when towing:
Speed limits for towing a
trailer vary by state or prov-
ince. Do not exceed the
posted towing speed limit.
 Toyota recommends that the
vehicle-trailer speed limit is 65
mph (104 km/h) on a flat,
straight, dry road. Do not
exceed this limit, the posted
towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as
set forth in your trailer owner’s
manual, whichever is lowest.
Instability of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer combination (trailer
sway) increases as speed increases. Exceeding speed
limits may cause loss of con-
trol.
 Before starting out, check the
trailer lights, tires and the
vehicle-trailer connections.
Recheck after driving a short
distance.
 Practice turning, stopping and
reversing with the trailer
attached in an area away
from traffic until you become
accustomed to the feel of the
vehicle-trailer combination.
 Reversing with a trailer
attached is difficult and
requires practice. Grip the
bottom of the steering wheel
and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the
left. Move your hand to the
right to move the trailer to
right. (This is generally oppo-
site to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp
or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when
reversing to reduce the risk of
an accident.
 As stopping distance is
increased when towing a
trailer, vehicle-to vehicle dis-
tance should be increased.
For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one
vehicle and trailer length.
 Avoid sudden braking as you
may skid, resulting in the
trailer jackknifing and a loss of
Connecting trailer lights
NOTICE
■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.
Trailer towing tips

2074-1. Before driving
4
Driving
vehicle control. This is espe-
cially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
 Avoid jerky starts or sudden
acceleration.
 Avoid jerky steering and
sharp turns, and slow down
before making turn.
 Note that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels
to the inside of the turn. Com-
pensate by making a wider
than normal turning radius.
 Slow down before making a
turn, in cross winds, on wet or
slippery surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can
destabilize the trailer.
Take care when passing other
vehicles. Passing requires
considerable distance. After
passing a vehicle, do not for-
get the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty
of room before changing
lanes.
 To maintain engine braking
efficiency, when using engine
braking, do not use the trans-
mission in D.
 Instability happens more fre-
quently when descending
steep or long downhill grades.
Before descending, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts
while 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.
 Due to the added load of the
trailer, your vehicle’s hybrid
system may overheat on hot
days (at temperatures over
85°F [30°C]) when driving up
a long or steep grade. If the
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.677)
 Always place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle’s and
the trailer’s wheels when
parking. Apply the parking
brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P. Avoid park-
ing on a slope, but if unavoid-
able, do so only after
performing the following:
1 Apply the brakes and keep
them applied.
2 Have someone place wheel
blocks under both the vehi-
cle’s and trailer’s wheels.
3 When the wheel blocks are in
place, release the brakes
slowly until the blocks absorb
the load.

2084-1. Before driving
4Apply the parking brake
firmly.
5 Shift into P and turn off the
hybrid system.
 When restarting after parking
on a slope:
1 With the transmission in P,
start the hybrid system. Be
sure to keep the brake pedal
depressed.
2 Shift into a forward gear. If
reversing, shift into R.
3 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, release the park-
ing brake. ( P.224)
4 Release the brake pedal, and
slowly pull or back away from
the wheel blocks. Stop and
apply the brakes.
5 Have someone retrieve the
blocks.
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped
with any new power train compo-
nents (such as an engine, transmis-
sion, differential or wheel bearing),
Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer unt il 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 vehi-
cle 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 traile r, your vehicle
will require more f requent mainte-
nance due to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner
’s Manual Sup-
plement”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the
towing ball and bracket after
approximately 600 miles (1000
km) of tra iler towing.
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds,
passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.)
can adversely affect handling of
your vehicle and t railer, causing
instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to contr ol trailer sway-
ing by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradu-
ally 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 (if
enabled, Trailer Sway Control can
also help to stabilize the vehicle and
trailer.).
●After the trailer swaying has
stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occu- pants 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 over-
loaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the
speed at which trailer swaying
occurred is beyond the limit of your
particular vehicle-trailer combina-
tion. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Remember that

2114-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
for starting the vehicle, contact your
Toyota dealer immediately.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
 P.243
■If the hybrid system is malfunc-
tioning
 P.80
OFF (“LOCK” position)
The steering wheel is locked and
the key can be re moved. (The key
can be removed only when the shift
lever is in P.)
ACC (“ACC” position)
Some electrical components such
as the audio sys tem can be used.
ON (“ON” position)
All electrical components can be
used.
START (“START” position)
For starting the hybrid system.
■Turning the key from ACC to
OFF
1 Shift the shift lever to P.
2 Push in the key and turn it to
OFF.
■Key reminder function
A buzzer sounds if the driver’s door
is opened while the power switch is
in OFF or ACC to remind you to
remove the key.
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
Always start the hybrid system
while sitting in the driver’s seat.
Do not depress the accelerator
pedal while starting the hybrid
system under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
If the hybrid system becomes diffi-
cult to start, have your vehicle
checked by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
Changing power switch
modes
A
:$51,1*
■Caution when driving
Do not turn the power switch to
OFF while driving. If, in an emer-
gency and you must turn the
hybrid system off while the vehicle
is moving, turn the power switch
only to ACC to stop the hybrid
system. An accident may result if
the hybrid system is stopped
while driving. ( P.635)
B
C
D

2144-2. Driving procedures
■If there is a malfunction in the
smart key system
If “Smart Key Syst em Malfunction”
is displayed on the multi-information
display, the syst em may be mal-
functioning. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
■If the “READY” indicator does
not come on
In the event that the “READY” indi-
cator does not come on even after
performing the proper procedures
for starting the vehicle, contact your
Toyota dealer immediately.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
 P.243
■If the hybrid system is malfunc-
tioning
 P.80
■Electronic key battery
 P.618
■Operation of the power switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly
and firmly, the power switch mode
may not change or the hybrid sys-
tem may not start.
●If attempting to re start the hybrid
system immediately after turning
the power switch to OFF, the
hybrid system ma y not start in
some cases. After turning the
power switch to OFF, please wait
a few seconds before restarting
the hybrid system.
■Customization
If the smart key system has been
deactivated in a customized setting,
refer to P.671.
1 Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, set the parking
brake. ( P.224)
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
Always start the hybrid system
while sitting in the driver’s seat.
Do not depress t he accelerator
pedal while starting the hybrid
system under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
■Caution while driving
If hybrid system failure occurs
while the vehicle is moving, do not
lock or open the doors until the
vehicle reaches a safe and com-
plete stop. Activation of the steer-
ing lock in this c ircumstance may
lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
If the hybrid system becomes diffi-
cult to start, have your vehicle
checked by your T oyota dealer
immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a mal-
function with the power
switch
If the power switch seems to be
operating somewhat differently
than usual, such as the switch
sticking slightly, there may be a
malfunction. Contact your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Stopping the hybrid sys-
tem

2154-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Check the parking brake indicator
is illuminated.
3Shift the shift lever to P.
4 Press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
The hybrid system will stop, and the
meter display will be extinguished.
5Release the brake pedal and
check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown
on the multi-information dis-
play.
■Automatic hybrid system shut
off feature
●The vehicle is equipped with a
feature that automatically shuts off
the hybrid system when the shift
lever is in P with the hybrid system
operating for an extended period.
●The hybrid system will automati-
cally shut off after approximately 1
hour if it has been left running
while the shift lever is in P.
●The timer for the automatic hybrid
system shut off feature will reset if
the brake pedal is depressed or if
the shift lever is in a position other
than P.
●After the vehicle is parked, if the
door is locked with the door lock
switch ( P.131) from the inside
or the mechanical key ( P.670)
from the outside, the automatic
hybrid system shut off fe ature will
be disabled. The timer for the
automatic hybrid system shut off
feature will be re- enabled if the
driver’s door is opened.
WARNING
■Stopping the hybrid system
in an emergency
●If you want to stop the hybrid
system in an emergency while
driving the vehicle, press and
hold the power s witch for more
than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in suc-
cession. ( P.635)
However, do not touch the
power switch while driving
except in an emergency. Turn-
ing the hybrid s ystem off while
driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, how-
ever, power assist to the steer-
ing will be lost. This will make it
more difficult to steer smoothly,
so you should pull over and stop
the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.
●If the power switch is operated
while the vehicle is running, a
warning message will be shown
on the multi-information display
and a buzzer sounds.
●When restarting the hybrid sys-
tem after an emergency shut-
down, shift the shift lever to N
and press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
■When parking
Exhaust gases include harmful
carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless and odorless. Observe
the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause
exhaust gases to enter the vehicle
and may lead to an accident
caused by light-headedness, or
may lead to death or a serious
health hazard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly venti-
lated area or a closed area,
such as a garage, stop the
hybrid system.

2204-2. Driving procedures
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-
Start Control)
 P.190
While the power switch
is in ON and the brake pedal
depressed
*, shift the shift lever
while pushing the shift release
button on the shift knob.
Shift the shift lever while
pushing the shift release button
on the shift knob.
Shift the shift lever nor-
mally.
When shifting the shift lever
between P and D, make sure that
the vehicle is completely stopped
and the brake pe dal is depressed.
*: For the vehicle to be able to be
shifted from P, the brake pedal
must be depressed before the
shift release button is pushed. If
WARNING
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
Be careful of downshifting and
sudden acceleration, as this could
result in the vehicle skidding to
the side or spinning.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid
battery (traction battery) will not
be charging, even when the
engine is running. Therefore, if
the vehicle is left with the shift
lever in N for a long period of
time, the hybrid battery (traction
battery) will discharge, and this
may result in the vehicle not being
able to start.
Shifting the shift lever

2274-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Press the brake hold switch to
turn the brake hold system on
The brake hold standby indicator
(green) comes on. While the
system is holding the brake, the
brake hold operated indicator (yel-
low) comes on.
■Brake hold system operating
conditions
The brake hold system cannot be
turned on in the following condi-
tions:
●The driver’s doo r is not closed.
●The driver is not wearing the seat
belt.
If any of the cond itions above are
detected when the brake hold sys-
tem is enabled, the system will turn
off and the brake hold standby indi-
cator light will go off. In addition, if
any of the conditions are detected
while the system is holding the
brake, a warning buzzer will sound
and a message will be shown on the
multi-information display. The park-
ing brake will then be set automati-
cally.
■Brake hold function
●If the brake pedal is left released
for a period of about 3 minutes
after the system has started hold-
ing the brake, the parking brake
will be set automatically. In this
case, a warning buzzer sounds
and a message is shown on the
multi-information display.
●To turn the syste m off while the
system is holding the brake, firmly
depress the brake pedal and
press the button again.
●The brake hold function may not
hold the vehicle when the vehicle
is on a steep incline. In this situa-
tion, it may be ne cessary for the
driver to apply the brakes. A warn-
ing buzzer will sound and the
multi-information display will
inform the driver of this situation. If
a warning message is shown on
the multi-information display, read
the message and follow the
instructions.
■When the parking brake is set
automatically while the system
is holding the brakes
Perform any of the following opera-
tions to release the parking brake:
●Depress the accelerator pedal.
(The parking brake will not be
released automatically if the seat
belt is not fastened.)
●Operate the parkin g brake switch
with the brake pedal depressed.
Brake Hold
The brake hold system
keeps the brake applied
when the shift lever is in D,
S or N with the system on
and the brake pedal has
been depressed to stop the
vehicle. The system
releases the brake when the
accelerator pedal is
depressed with the shift
lever in D or S to allow
smooth start off.
Enabling the system
A
B