2021 TOYOTA RAV4 engine

1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
■When encountering flooded
roads
Do not drive on a road that has
flooded after heavy rain, etc.
Doing so may cause the following
serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by
water immersion
In the event that you drive on a
flooded road and the vehicle is
flooded, be sure to have your
Toyota dealer c heck the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality
of oil and fluid used for the
engine, transaxle, transfer
(AWD vehicles), rear differen-
tial (AWD vehicles), etc.
●Lubricant condition for the pro-
peller shaft (AWD models),
bearings and suspension joints
(where possible), and the func-
tion of all joints, bearings, etc.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and
shift the shift leve r to P. Failure to
do so may cause the vehicle to
move or the vehi cle may acceler-
ate suddenly if the accelerator
pedal is accidentally depressed.
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following
information about storage
precautions, cargo capacity
and load.
WARNING
■Things that must not be car-
ried in the luggage compart-
ment
The following things may cause a
fire if loaded in the luggage com-
partment:
●Receptacles containing gaso-
line
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may prevent the
pedals from being depressed
properly, may block the driver’s
vision, or may res ult in items hit-
ting the driver or passengers, pos-
sibly causing an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the
luggage compartment when-
ever possible.
●Do not stack anything in the lug-
gage compartment higher than
the seatbacks.
●Do not place cargo or luggage
in or on the follo wing locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover (if equipped)
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard

1914-1. 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 and charging sys-
tem performance when using
engine braking, do not put the
transmission in D. If in the S
mode, the transmission shift
range position must be in 6 or
lower.
 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 engine
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, imme-
diately turn off the air condi-
tioning (if in use), pull your
vehicle off the road and stop
in a safe spot. ( P.670)
 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.

1924-1. Before driving
3When the wheel blocks are in
place, release the brakes
slowly until the blocks absorb
the load.
4 Apply the parking brake
firmly.
5 Shift into P and turn off the
engine.
 When restarting after parking
on a slope:
1 With the transmission in P,
start the engine. 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.205)
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 fr equent 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

1954-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
4-2.Driving procedures
1Pull the parking brake switch
to check that the parking
brake is set. ( P.205)
The parking brake indicator will
come on.
2Check that the shift lever is
set in P.
3 Firmly depress the brake
pedal.
4 Turn the engine switch to
START to start the engine.
■If the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may
not have been deactivated. ( P.70)
Contact your Toyota dealer.
■When the steering lock cannot
be released
When starting the engine, the
engine switch may seem stuck in
OFF. To free it, t urn the key while
turning the steerin g wheel slightly
left and right.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
 P.224
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)
Engine (ignition)
switch (vehicles with-
out smart key system)
Starting the engine
WARNING
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sit-
ting in the driver’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal
while starting the engine under
any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the engine
●Do not crank the engine for
more than 30 seconds at a time.
This may overhea t the starter
and wiring system.
●Do not race a cold engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have
your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
Changing the engine
switch positions
A
B

1964-2. Driving procedures
Some electrical components such
as the audio system can be used.
ON (“ON” position)
All electrical components can be
used.
START (“START” position)
For starting the engine.
■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 engine switch is
in OFF or ACC to remind you to
remove the key.
1 Pull the parking brake switch
to check that the parking
brake is set. ( P.205)
The parking brak e indicator will
come on.
2 Check that the shift lever is
set in P.
3 Firmly depress the brake
pedal.
and a message will be dis-
played on the multi-information dis-
play.
If it is not displ ayed, the engine
cannot be started.
4 Press the engine switch
shortly and firmly.
When operating the engine switch,
one short, firm press is enough. It is
not necessary to press and hold the
switch.
The engine will crank until it starts
or for up to 30 seconds, whichever
is less.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the engine is completely
started.
The engine can be started from any
WARNING
■Caution when driving
Do not turn the engine switch to
OFF while driving. If, in an emer-
gency and you must turn the
engine off while the vehicle is
moving, turn the engine switch
only to ACC to stop the engine.
An accident may result if the
engine is stopped while driving.
(  P.628)
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the engine switch in
ACC or ON for long periods of
time without the engine running.
C
D
Engine (ignition)
switch (vehicles with
smart key system)
Performing the following
operations when carrying
the electronic key on your
person starts the engine or
changes engine switch
modes.
Starting the engine

1974-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
engine switch mode.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system
may not have been deactivated.
( P.70)
Contact your Toyota dealer.
●If a message related to start-up is
shown on the multi-information
display, read the message and fol-
low the instructions.
■If the battery is discharged
The engine cannot be started using
the smart key system. Refer to
P.666to restart the engine.
■Electronic key battery depletion
 P.102
■Conditions affecting operation
 P.130
■Note for the entry function
 P.131
■Steering lock function
●After turning the engine switch to
OFF and opening and closing the
doors, the steer ing wheel will be
locked due to the steering lock
function. Operating the engine
switch again automatically can-
cels the steering lock.
●When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Push Engine Switch
while Turning Steer ing Wheel in
Either Direction” will be displayed
on the multi-information display.
Check that the shift lever is set in
P. Press the engine switch shortly
and firmly while turning the steer- ing wheel left and right.
●To prevent the steering lock motor
from overheating, the operation of
motor may be suspended if the
engine is turned on and off repeat-
edly in a short period of time. In
this case, refrain from running the
engine. After about 10 seconds,
the steering lo
ck motor will
resume functioning.
■If there is a malfunction in the
smart key system
If “Smart Key System Malfunction”
is displayed on the multi-information
display, the system may be mal-
functioning. Hav e the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
 P.224
■Electronic key battery
 P.613
■Operation of the engine switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly
and firmly, the engine switch
mode may not change or the
engine may not start.
●If attempting to res tart the engine
immediately after turning the
engine switch to OFF, the engine
may not start in some cases. After
turning the engine switch to OFF,
please wait a few seconds before
restarting the engine.
■Customization
If the smart key system has been
deactivated in a customized setting,

1984-2. Driving procedures
refer to P.665.
1Stop the vehicle completely. 2
If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, set the parking
brake. ( P.205)
Check the parking brake indicator
is illuminated.
3 Shift the shift lever to P.
4 Press the engine switch
shortly and firmly.
The engine 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 engine shut off fea-
ture
●The vehicle is equipped with a
feature that automatically shuts off
the engine when the shift lever is
in P with the engine running for an
extended period.
●The engine will automatically shut
off after approxima tely 1 hour if it
has been left running while the
shift lever is in P.
●The timer for the automatic engine
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.113) from the inside
or the mechanical key ( P.664)
from the outside , the automatic
engine shut off fe ature will be dis-
abled. The timer for the automatic
engine shut off feature will be re-
enabled if the driver’s door is
opened.
WARNING
■When starting the engine
Always start the e ngine while sit-
ting in the driver’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal
while starting the engine under
any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
■Caution while driving
If engine failure o ccurs while the
vehicle is moving, do not lock or
open the doors until the vehicle
reaches a safe and complete
stop. Activation of the steering
lock in this circumstance may lead
to an accident, resulting in death
or serious injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the engine
●Do not race a cold engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have
your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a mal-
function with the engine
switch
If the engine 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 engine

1994-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Modes can be changed by
pressing the engine switch with
brake pedal released. (The
mode changes each time the
switch is pressed.)
1OFF
*
The emergency flashers can be
used.
The multi-information display will
not be displayed.
2ACC
WARNING
■Stopping the engine in an
emergency
●If you want to stop the engine in
an emergency while driving the
vehicle, press and hold the
engine switch for more than 2
seconds, or press it briefly 3
times or more in succession.
( P.628)
However, do not touch the
engine switch while driving
except in an emergency. Turn-
ing the engine off while driving
will not cause loss of steering or
braking control, but the power
assist to thes e systems will be
lost. This will make it more diffi-
cult to steer and brake, so you
should pull over and stop the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so.
●If the engine switch is operated
while the vehicle is running, a
warning message will be shown
on the multi-info rmation display
and a buzzer sounds.
●When restarting the engine after
an emergency shutdown, shift
t h e s h i f t l e v e r t o N a n d p r e s s t h e
engine 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
engine.
●Do not leave the vehicle with
the engine running for a long
time. If such a situation cannot
be avoided, park the vehicle in
an open space and ensure that
exhaust fumes do not enter the
vehicle interior.
●Do not leave the engine running
in an area with snow build-up,
or where it is snowing. If snow-
banks build up around the vehi-
cle while the engine is running,
exhaust gases may collect and
enter the vehicle.
Changing engine switch
modes