2021 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID service

5727-2. Maintenance
7-2.Maintenance
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine
Toyota parts be used for repairs to
ensure performanc e of each sys-
tem. If non-Toyota p arts are used in
replacement or if a repair shop other
than a Toyota dealer performs
repairs, confirm the warranty cover-
age.
■Allow inspection and repairs to
be performed by a Toyota
dealer
●Toyota technicians are well-
trained specialists and are kept up
to date with the latest service
information. They are well
informed about the operations of
all systems on your vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repair order. It
proves that the maintenance that
has been performed is under war-
ranty coverage. If any problem
should arise while your vehicle is
under warranty, your Toyota
dealer will promptly take care of it.
General maintenance should be
performed on a daily basis. This
can be done by yourself or by a
Toyota dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should
be performed at specified inter-
vals according to the mainte-
nance schedule.
For details about maintenance
items and schedules, refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Maintenance require-
ments
To ensure safe and econom-
ical driving, day-to-day care
and regular maintenance
are essential. It is the
owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks.
Toyota recommends the fol-
lowing maintenance:
WARNING
■If your vehicle is not properly
maintained
Improper maintenance could
result in serious damage to the
vehicle and possible death or seri-
ous injury.
■Handling of the 12-volt bat-
tery
●Engine exhaust, some of its
constituents, and a wide variety
of automobile components con-
tain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects and
other reproductive harm. Work
in a well ventilated area.
●Oils, fuels and fluids contained
in vehicles as well as waste pro-
duced by component wear con-
tain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Avoid
exposure and wash any
affected area immediately.
●12-volt battery posts, terminals
and related accessories con-
tain lead and lead compounds
which are known to cause brain
damage. Wash your hands after
handling. ( P.588)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance

5737-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
■Resetting the message indicat-
ing maintenance is required
After the required maintenance is
performed according to the mainte-
nance schedule, please reset the
reminder light or message.
To reset the reminder light or mes-
sage, follow the procedure
described below:
1 Press or of the meter
control switches and select
on the multi-information display.
2 Press or of the meter
control switches and select
“Vehicle Settings”. Then press
and hold .
3 Press or of the meter
control switches and select
“Scheduled Maintenance”. Then
press .
4 Select “Yes” and press .
You can perform some mainte-
nance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-your-
self maintenance may affect
warranty coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals
is recommended.
For details about warranty cover-
age, refer to the separate “Owner’s
Warranty Information Booklet” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Do-it-yourself mainte-
nance
General maintenance
Listed below are the general
maintenance items that
should be performed at the
intervals specified in the
“Owner’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It
is recommended that any
problem you notice should
be brought to the attention
of your Toyota dealer or
qualified service shop for
advice.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system is run-
ning
Turn the hybrid system off and
ensure that there is adequate
ventilation before performing
maintenance checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
(  P.586)
Engine/power
control unit
coolant
Is the
engine/power con-
trol unit coolant at
the correct level?
( P.584)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at
the correct level?
( P.582)

5767-2. Maintenance
The OBD system determines
that a problem exists some-
where in the emission control
system. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test and may need
to be repaired. Contact your
Toyota dealer to service the
vehicle.
When the 12-volt battery is
disconnected or discharged
Readiness codes that are set
during ordinary driving are
erased.
Also, depending on your driv-
ing habits, the readiness
codes may not be completely
set.
 When the fuel tank cap is loose
The malfunction indicator
lamp comes on indicating a
temporary malfunction and
your vehicle may not pass the
I/M test.
The error code in the OBD sys-
tem will not be cleared unless
the vehicle is driven 40 or more
times.
Contact your Toyota dealer to
prepare the vehicle for re-test-
ing.
Emission inspection
and maintenance (I/M)
programs
Some states have vehicle
emission inspection pro-
grams which include OBD
(On Board Diagnostics)
checks. The OBD system
monitors the operation of
the emission control sys-
tem.
If the malfunc tion indica-
tor lamp comes on
Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test in the fol-
lowing situations:
When the malfunction
indicator lamp still
remains on after several
driving trips
If your vehicle does not
pass the I/M test

5777-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
7-3.Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions
If you perform maintenance
by yourself, be sure to fol-
low the correct procedure as
given in these sections.
Maintenance
ItemsParts and tools
12-volt bat-
tery condi-
tion
( P.588)•Grease
• Conventional
wrench (for termi-
nal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid
level
( P.586)
• FMVSS No.116
DOT 3 or SAE
J1703 brake fluid
• FMVSS No.116 DOT 4 or SAE
J1704 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake
fluid)
Engine/power
control unit
coolant level
( P.584)
• “Toyota Super
Long Life Cool-
ant” or a similar
high quality eth-
ylene glycol-based
non-silicate, non-
amine, non-nitrite
and non-borate
coolant with long-
life hybrid organic
acid technology
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super
Long Life Cool-
ant” is pre-mixed
with 50% coolant
and 50% deion-
ized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super
Long Life Cool-
ant” is pre-mixed
with 55% coolant
and 45% deion-
ized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil
level
( P.582)
• “Toyota Genuine
Motor Oil” or
equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine
oil)
Fuses
( P.621)• Fuse with same
amperage rating
as original
ItemsParts and tools

5847-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Engine oil consumption
A certain amount o f engine oil will
be consumed while driving. In the
following situatio ns, oil consump-
tion may increase, and engine oil
may need to be refilled in between
oil maintenance intervals.
●When the engine is new, for
example directly after purchasing
the vehicle or after replacing the
engine
●If low quality oil or oil of an inap-
propriate viscosity is used
●When driving at high engine
speeds or with a heavy load,
when towing, or when driving
while accelerating o r decelerating
frequently
●When leaving the engine idling for
a long time, or wh en driving fre-
quently through heavy traffic
The coolant level is satisfactory
if it is between the “FULL” and
“LOW” lines on the reservoir
when the hybrid system is cold.
■Engine coolant reservoir
WARNING
■Used engine oil
●Used engine oil contains poten-
tially harmful contaminants
which may cause skin disorders
such as inflammation and skin
cancer, so care should be taken
to avoid prolonged and
repeated contact. To remove
used engine oil from your skin,
wash thoroughly with soap and
water.
●Dispose of used oil and filters
only in a safe an d acceptable
manner. Do not dispose of used
oil and filters in household trash,
in sewers or onto the ground.
Call your Toyota dealer, service
station or auto parts store for
information concerning recy-
cling or disposal.
●Do not leave used engine oil
within the rea ch of children.
NOTICE
■To prevent serious engine
damage
Check the oil le vel on a regular
basis.
■When replacing the engine oil
●Be careful not to spill engine oil
on the vehicle components.
●Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
●Check the oil level on the dip-
stick every time you refill the
vehicle.
●Be sure the engin e oil filler cap
is properly tightened.
■If oil is spilled on the engine
cover
To prevent the engine cover from
being damaged, remove any
engine oil from the engine cover
as soon as possi ble using a neu-
tral detergent. Do not use an
organic solvent such as brake
cleaner.
Checking the coolant

5867-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
your vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer.
■Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN”
lines on the tank.
■Adding fluid
1 Slide and lift up the rubber
strip to partly remove it as
shown.
2 Disconnect the claws and
remove the service cover.
3 Remove the reservoir cap.
4 Add brake fluid slowly while
checking the fluid level.
Make sure to check the fluid
type and prepare the necessary
item.
WARNING
■When the hybrid system is
hot
Do not touch the r adiator or con-
denser as they m ay be hot and
cause serious injuries, such as
burns.
■When the electric cooling fan
is operating
Do not touch the engine compart-
ment.
With the power switch in ON
mode, the electric cooling fan may
automatically start to run if the air
conditioning is on and/or the cool-
ant temperature is high. Be sure
the power switch is OFF when
working near the electric cooling
fan or radiat or grille.
Checking and adding the
brake fluid

6087-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Use only Toyota wheel nuts
and wrenches designed for
use with your aluminum
wheels.
 When rotating, repairing or
changing your tires, check
that the wheel nuts are still
tight after driving 1000 miles
(1600 km).
 Be careful not to damage the
aluminum wheels when using
tire chains.
 Use only Toyota genuine bal-
ance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber ham-
mer when balancing your
wheels.
WARNING
■When replacing wheels
●Do not use wheels that are a dif-
ferent size from those recom-
mended in the Owner’s Manual,
as this may result in a loss of
handling control.
●Never use an i nner tube in a
leaking wheel which is designed
for a tubeless tire. Doing so may
result in an accident, causing
death or serious injury.
■When installing the wheel
nuts
Never use oil or grease on the
wheel bolts or wheel nuts. Oil and
grease may cause the wheel nuts
to be excessively tightened, lead-
ing to bolt or disc wheel damage.
In addition, the oil or grease can
cause the wheel nuts to loosen
and the wheel may fall off, caus-
ing an accident and resulting in
death or serious injury. Remove
any oil or grease from the wheel
bolts or wheel nuts.
■Use of defective wheels pro-
hibited
Do not use cracked or deformed
wheels.
Doing so could cau se the tire to
leak air during driving, possibly
causing an accident.
NOTICE
■Replacing tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitters
(vehicles with tire pressure
warning system)
●Because tire repair or replace-
ment may affect the tire pres-
sure warning valves and
transmitters, make sure to have
tires serviced by your Toyota
dealer or other qualified service
shop. In additio n, make sure to
purchase your tire pressure
warning valves and transmit-
ters at your To yota dealer.
●Ensure that only genuine
Toyota wheels are used on your
vehicle.
Tire pressure warning valves
and transmitters may not work
properly with non-genuine
wheels.
Aluminum wheel precau-
tions

6137-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
8Using a Phillips screwdriver,
install the clip.
■Scheduled maintenance of the
air intake vent is necessary
when
In some situations such as when the
vehicle is used frequently or in
heavy traffic or dusty areas, the air
intake vent may need to be cleaned
more regularly. For details, refer to
“Owner’s Warranty Information
Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Sup-
plement”.
■Cleaning the ai r intake vent
●Dust in the air intake vent may
interfere with the cooling of the
hybrid battery (traction battery). If
charging/discharging of the hybrid
battery (traction battery) becomes
limited, the distance that the vehi-
cle can be driven using the electric
motor (traction motor) may be
reduced and the fuel economy
may be reduced. Inspect and
clean the air intake vent periodi-
cally.
●Improper handling of the air intake
vent cover and filt er may result in
damage to them. If you have any
concerns about cleaning the filter,
contact your Toyota dealer.
■If “Maintenance Required for
Traction Battery Cooling Parts
See Owner’s Manual” is shown
on the multi-information display
●If this warning m essage is shown
on the multi-information display,
remove the air in take vent cover and clean the filter. (
P.611)
●After cleaning the air intake vent,
start the hybrid system and check
that the warning message is no
longer shown.
It may take approximately 20 min-
utes after the hybrid system is
started until the warning message
disappears. If the warning mes-
sage does not disappear, have
the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer.
WARNING
■When cleaning the air intake
vent
●Do not use water or other liq-
uids to clean the air intake vent.
If water is applied to the hybrid
battery (traction battery) or
other components, a malfunc-
tion or fire may occur.
●Before cleaning the air intake
vent, make sure to turn the
power switch to OFF to stop the
hybrid system.
■When removing the air intake
vent cover
Do not touch the service plug
located near the air intake vent.
(  P.77)