2021 TOYOTA RAV4 Owners Manual (in English)

491-2. Child safety
1
For safety and security
1-2.Child safety
Riding with children
Observe the following pre-
cautions when children are
in the vehicle.
Use a child restraint system
appropriate for the child,
until the child becomes
large enough to properly
wear the vehicle’s seat belt.
It is recommended that chil-
dren sit in the rear seats to
avoid accidental contact
with the shift lever, wiper
switch, etc.
 Use the rear door child-pro-
tector lock or the window
lock switch to avoid children
opening the door while driv-
ing or operating the power
window accidentally.
( P.114, 160)
 Do not let small children
operate equipment which
may catch or pinch body
parts, such as the power
window, hood, back door,
seats, etc.
WARNING
■When children are in the vehi-
cle
Never leave children unattended
in the vehicle, and never allow
children to have or use the key.
Children may be able to start the
vehicle or shift the vehicle into
neutral. There is also a danger
that children ma y injure them-
selves by playing with the side
windows, the moon roof (if
equipped), the panoramic moon
roof (if equipped) or other features
of the vehicle. In addition, heat
build-up or extremely cold tem-
peratures inside the vehicle can
be fatal to children.

501-2. Child safety
Points to remember: P.50
Child restraint system: P.52
When using a child restraint sys-
tem: P.53
Child restraint system installa-
tion method
• Fixed with a seat belt: P.54
• Fixed with a child restraint LATCH anchor: P.59
• Using an anchor bracket (for top tether strap): P.61 The laws of all 50 states of the
U.S.A. as well as Canada now
require the use of child restraint
systems.

Prioritize and observe the
warnings, as well as the laws
and regulations for child
restraint systems.
 Use a child restraint system
until the child becomes large
enough to properly wear the
vehicle’s seat belt.
 Choose a child restraint sys-
tem that suits your vehicle
and is appropriate to the age
and size of the child.
Child restraint sys-
tems
Before installing a child
restraint system in the vehi-
cle, there are precautions
that need to be observed,
different types of child
restraint systems, as well as
installation methods, etc.,
written in this manual.
Use a child restraint system
when riding with a small child
that cannot properly use a
seat belt. For the child’s
safety, install the child
restraint system to a rear seat.
Be sure to follow the installa-
tion method that is in the oper-
ation manual enclosed with
the restraint system.
Table of contents
Points to remember
WARNING
■When a child is riding
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may result in
death or serious injury.
●For effective protection in auto-
mobile accidents and sudden
stops, a child must be properly
restrained, using a seat belt or
child restraint system which is
correctly installe d. For installa-
tion details, refer to the opera-
tion manual enclosed with the
child restraint system. General
installation instructions are pro-
vided in this manual.

511-2. Child safety
1
For safety and security
WARNING
●Toyota strongly urges the use of
a proper child restraint system
that conforms to the weight and
size of the child, installed on the
rear seat. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seat than in the front seat.
●Holding a child in your or some-
one else’s arms is not a substi-
tute for a child restraint system.
In an accident, the child can be
crushed against the windshield
or between the holder and the
interior of the vehicle.
■Handling the child restraint
system
If the child restrai nt system is not
properly fixed in place, the child or
other passengers may be seri-
ously injured or e ven killed in the
event of sudden braking, sudden
swerving, or an accident.
●If the vehicle were to receive a
strong impact from an accident,
etc., it is possib le that the child
restraint system has damage
that is not readily visible. In
such cases, do not reuse the
restraint system.
●Make sure you have complied
with all installation instructions
provided with the child restraint
system manufacturer and that
the system is properly secured.
●Keep the child restraint system
properly secured on the seat
even if it is not in use. Do not
store the child restraint system
unsecured in the passenger
compartment.
●If it is necessary to detach the
child restraint system, remove it
from the vehicle or store it
securely in the luggage com-
partment.

521-2. Child safety
■Types of child restraint system installation methods
Confirm with the operation manual enclosed with the child restr aint
system about the installation of the child restraint system.
Child restraint system
Installation methodPage
Seat belt attachmentP.54
Child restraint LATCH anchors attachmentP.59
Anchor brackets (for
top tether strap) attach- ment
P.61

531-2. Child safety
1
For safety and security
■When installing a child
restraint system to a front
passenger seat
For the safety of a child, install a
child restraint system to a rear
seat. When installing a child
restraint system to the front pas-
senger seat is unavoidable,
adjust the seat as follows and
install the child restraint system.
 Adjust the seatback angle to
the most upright position.
 Move the front seat fully rear-
ward.
 If the head restraint interferes
with the child restraint system
installation and the head
restraint can be removed,
remove the head restraint.
Otherwise, put the head
restraint in the upper most
position.
When using a child
restraint systemWARNING
■When using a ch ild restraint
system
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may result in
death or serious injury.
●Never install a re ar-facing child
restraint system on the front
passenger seat even if the “AIR
BAG OFF” indicator light is illu-
minated. In the event of an acci-
dent, the force of the rapid
inflation of the front passenger
airbag can cause death or seri-
ous injury to the child if the rear-
facing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger
seat.
●A forward-facing child restraint
system may be installed on the
front passenger seat only when
it is unavoidable. A child
restraint system that requires a
top tether strap should not be
used in the front passenger seat
since there is no top tether strap
anchor for the front passenger
seat.

541-2. Child safety
A child restraint system for a
small child or baby must itself be
properly restrained on the seat
with the lap portion of the
lap/shoulder belt.
■Installing child restraint
system using a seat belt
(child restraint lock func-
tion belt)
Install the child restraint system
in accordance to the operation
WARNING
●A forward-facing c hild restraint
system may be installed on the
front passenger seat only when
it is unavoidable. When install-
ing a forward-facing child
restraint system on the front
passenger seat, adjust the seat-
back angle to the most upright
position, move the seat to the
rearmost position, even if the
“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is
illuminated.
If the head restraint interferes
with the child restraint system
installation and the head
restraint can be removed,
remove the head restraint.
●Do not allow the child to lean
his/her head or any part of
his/her body against the door or
the area of the seat, front or rear
pillars, or roof side rails from
which the SRS side airbags or
SRS curtain shield airbags
deploy even if the child is
seated in the child restraint sys-
tem. It is dangerous if the SRS
side and curtain shield airbags
inflate, and the impact could
cause death or serious injury to
the child.
●When a booster seat is
installed, always ensure that the
shoulder belt is positioned
across the center of the child’s
shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from the child’s neck,
but not so that it could fall off the
child’s shoulder.
●Use a child restraint system
suitable to the age and size of
the child and install it to the rear
seat.
●If the driver’s seat interferes
with the child restraint system
and prevents it from being
attached correctly, attach the
child restraint system to the
right-hand rear seat.
●Adjust the front passenger seat
so that it does not interfere with
the child restraint system.
Child restraint system
fixed with a seat belt

551-2. Child safety
1
For safety and security
manual enclosed with the child
restraint system.
■Rear-facing  Infant
seat/convertible seat
1 Adjust the rear seat.
If there is a gap between the child
restraint system and the seatback,
adjust the seatback angle until
good contact is achieved.
2 Place the child restraint sys-
tem on the rear seat facing
the rear of the vehicle.
3 Run the seat belt through the
child restraint system and
insert the plate into the
buckle. Make sure that the
belt is not twisted.
4 Fully extend the shoulder belt
and allow it to retract to put it in lock mode. In lock mode,
the belt cannot be extended.
5 While pushing the child
restraint system down into
the rear seat, allow the shoul-
der belt to retract until the
child restraint system is
securely in place.
After the shoulder belt has
retracted to a poi nt where there is
no slack in the belt, pull the belt to
check that it cannot be extended.
6 After installing the child
restraint system, rock it back
and forth to ensure that it is
installed securely. ( P.58)
■Forward-facing  Convert-
ible seat
1 Adjust the seat.
When using the front passenger
seat: If installing th e child restraint
system to the front passenger seat
is unavoidable, refer to P.53for
front passenger seat adjustment.

561-2. Child safety
When using the rear seat: If there is
a gap between the child restraint
system and the seatback, adjust
the seatback angle until good con-
tact is achieved.
2 If the head restraint interferes
with the child restraint system
installation and the head
restraint can be removed,
remove the head restraint.
( P.142)
3 Place the child restraint sys-
tem on the seat facing the
front of the vehicle.
4 Run the seat belt through the
child restraint system and
insert the plate into the buckle. Make sure that the
belt is not twisted.
5 Fully extend the shoulder belt
and allow it to retract to put it
in lock mode. In lock mode,
the belt cannot be extended.
6 While pushing the child
restraint system into the rear
seat, allow the shoulder belt
to retract until the child
restraint system is securely in
place.
After the shoulder belt has
retracted to a poi nt where there is
no slack in the belt, pull the belt to