2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PHEV brake

441
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
the TRC will turn on when vehicle
speed increases. If both the TRC and VSC systems are
turned off, automa tic re-enabling will
not occur when vehicle speed increases.
■Operating conditions of Active Cor -
nering Assist
The system operates when the following occurs.
●TRC/VSC can operate
●The driver is attempting to accelerate
while turning
●The system detects that the vehicle is
drifting to the outer side
●The brake pedal is released
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS
system
The effectiveness o f the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from
overheating when there is frequent steering input over an extended period
of time. The steering wheel may feel
heavy as a result. Should this occur, refrain from excessive steering input or
stop the vehicle and t urn the hybrid sys-
tem off. The EPS sys tem should return to normal within 10 minutes.
■Operating conditions of emergency
brake signal
When the following co nditions are met, the emergency brake signal will operate:
●The emergency fl ashers are off.
●Actual vehicle speed is over 55 km/h
(35 mph).
●The system judges from the vehicle
deceleration that it is a sudden brak -
ing operation.
■Automatic system cancelation of emergency brake signal
The emergency brake signal will be can -
celed in any of the following situations:
●The emergency flashers are turned
on.
●The system judges from the vehicle
deceleration that is not a sudden brak - ing operation.
■Secondary Collision Brake operat -
ing conditions (if equipped)
The system operates when the SRS air - bag sensor detects a collision while the
vehicle is in moti on. However, the sys-
tem does not operate in any of the fol - lowing situations.
●The vehicle speed is below 10 km/h (6 mph)
●Components are damaged
■Secondary Collision Brake auto - matic cancellation (if equipped)
The system is automa tically canceled in
any of the following situations.
●The vehicle speed drops below
approximately 10 km/h (6 mph)
●A certain amount of time elapses
during operation
●The accelerator pedal is depressed a
large amount
■If a message about AWD is shown on the multi-information displa y
Perform the following actions.

443
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
WARNING
●When driving over roads with pot -
holes or uneven surfaces
■TRC/VSC may not operate effec -
tively when
Directional control and power may not be achievable while driving on slip -
pery road surfaces , even if the
TRC/VSC system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in condi - tions where stabilit y and power may
be lost.
■Active Cornering Assist does not
operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on Active Corner - ing Assist. Active Cornering Assist
may not operate effectively when
accelerating down slopes or driving on slippery road surfaces.
●When Active Cornering Assist fre - quently operates, Active Cornering
Assist may temporarily stop operat -
ing to ensure prop er operation of the brakes, TRC and VSC.
■Hill-start assist control does not operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on hill-start assist
control. Hill-start assist control may not operate effectively on steep
inclines and roads covered with ice.
●Unlike the parking brake, hill-start
assist control is not intended to hold
the vehicle stationary for an extended period of time. Do not
attempt to use hill-start assist con -
trol to hold the vehicle on an incline, as doing so may lead to an acci-
dent.
■When the TRC/ABS/VSC/Trailer
Sway Control is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always drive carefully. Reckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular
care when the indicat or light flashes.
■When the TRC/VSC/Trailer Sway Control systems are turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a
speed appropriate t o the road condi- tions. As these ar e the systems to
help ensure vehicl e stability and driv-
ing force, do not turn the TRC/VSC/Trailer Sway Control sys -
tems off unle ss necessary.
Trailer Sway Control is part of the VSC system and will not operate if
VSC is turned off or experiences a
malfunction.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the specified size, brand, tread pattern
and total load capac ity. In addition,
make sure that the tires are inflated to the recommended tire inflation pres -
sure level.
The ABS, TRC and VSC/Trailer Sway Control systems will not function cor -
rectly if different ti res are installed on
the vehicle. Contact any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota a uthorized repairer,
or any reliable repairer for further information when replacing tires or
wheels.
■Handling of tires and the suspen -
sion
Using tires with any kind of problem or modifying the suspension will affect
the driving assist systems, and may
cause a system to malfunction.
■Trailer Sway Control precaution
The Trailer Sway C ontrol system is not able to reduce tr ailer sway in all
situations. Depending on many fac -
tors such as the conditions of the
vehicle, trailer, road surface and driv - ing environment, the Trailer Sway
Control system may not be effective.
Refer to your traile r owner’s manual for information on how to tow your
trailer properly.

4445-5. Using the driving support systems
WARNING
■If trailer sway occurs
Observe the following precautions.
Failing to do so may cause death or serious injury.
●Firmly grip the steering wheel.
Steer straight ahead. Do not try to control trailer sw aying 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 vehi-
cle and trailer should stabilize.
( →P.308)
■Secondary Collision Brake (if
equipped)
Do not rely solely upon the Secondary Collision Brake. This system is
designed to help re duce the possibil-
ity of further damage due to a second - ary collision, however, that effect
changes according to various condi -
tions. Overly relyi ng on the system may result in death or serious injury.

4465-6. Driving tips
Perform the following according to
the driving conditions:
 Do not try to forcibly open a win-
dow or move a wiper that is fro -
zen. Pour warm water over the
frozen area to melt the ice. Wipe
away the water immediately to
prevent it from freezing.
 To ensure proper operation of
the climate control system fan,
remove any sno w that has accu-
mulated on the air inlet vents in
front of the windshield.
 Check for and remove any
excess ice or snow that may
have accumulated on the exte -
rior lights, vehicle’s roof, chassis,
around the tires or on the brakes.
 Remove any snow or mud from
the bottom of your shoes before
getting in the vehicle.
Accelerate the veh icle slowly, keep
a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead, and drive at a
reduced speed suitable to road
conditions.
 Park the vehicle and move the
s hif t le ve r to P w itho u t se tt ing th e
parking brake. The parking brake
may freeze up, preventing it from
being released. If the vehicle is
parked without setting the park -
ing brake, make sure to block the
wheels.
Failure to do so may be danger -
ous because it may cause the
vehicle to move unexpectedly,
possibly leading to an accident.
When the parking brake is in automatic
mode, release the parking brake after
shifting the shift lever to P. ( →P.326)
If the vehicle is left parked with
the brakes damp in cold tem -
peratures, there is a possibility of
the brakes freezing.
 If the vehicle is parked without
setting the parking brake, con -
firm that the shift lever cannot be
moved out of P*.
*: The shift lever will be locked if it is
attempted to be shifted from P to any
other position with out depressing the
brake pedal. If the shift lever can be
shifted from P, t here may be a prob-
lem with the shift lock system. Have
the vehicle inspected by any autho -
rized Toyota retailer or Toyota autho -
rized repairer, or any reliable repairer
immediately.
Before driving the vehicle
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
WARNING
■When parking the vehicle
When parking the vehicle without
applying the parki ng brake, make
sure to chock the wheels. If you do
not chock the wheels, the vehicle may move unexpectedly, possibly result-
ing in an accident.

4505-6. Driving tips
NOTICE
■When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow st reams, first check the depth of the water and the bottom
of the riverbed for firmness. Drive
slowly and avoid deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driving
●Sand and mud that has accumu-
lated around brake discs may affect braking efficiency and may damage
brake system components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-
road driving that has taken you through rough terrain, sand, mud,
or water.

4907-1. Maintenance and care
WARNING
■Precaution regarding the rear
bumper with Blind Spot Monitor
(if equipped)
If the paint of the rear bumper is
chipped or scratched, the system may
malfunction. If this occurs, consult any authorized Toyo ta retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any
reliable repairer.
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and
components (aluminum wheels,
etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in
the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present on
the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or
bird droppings are present on the
paint surface
• After driving in an area contami - nated with soot, o ily smoke, mine
dust, iron powder or chemical sub -
stances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily
soiled with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gas - oline are spilled on the paint sur-
face
●If the paint is chipped or scratched,
have it repaired immediately.
●To prevent the wh eels from corrod-
ing, remove any dirt and store in a
place with low humidity when stor - ing the wheels.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic
substances or scrub with a hard
brush. This may damage the surfaces of
the lights.
●Do not apply wax to the surfaces of
the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■When using an automatic car wash
Set the wiper switch to off position.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wipers may operate and the wiper
blades may be damaged.
■When using a high pressure car
wash
●When washing the vehicle, do not let water from the high-pressure
washer directly hit the camera (if
equipped) or the area around the camera. Due to the shock from the
high pressure water, it is possible
that the device may not operate normally.
●Do not bring the no zzle tip close to boots (rubber o r resin manufac-
tured cover), or co nnectors or the
following parts. The parts may be damaged if they
come into contact with high-pres -
sure water.
• Traction battery
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
●Keep the cleaning nozzle at least 30 cm (11.9 in.) away from the vehi -
cle body. Otherwis e resin section,
such as moldings and bumpers, may be deformed and damaged.
Also, do not continuously hold the
nozzle in the same place.

495
7
7-2. Maintenance
Maintenance and care
request that a record of maintenance
be kept.
■Does your vehicle need repairs?
Be on the alert for changes in perfor - mance and sounds, a nd visual tip-offs
that indicate service is needed. Some
important clues are:
●Engine missing, stumbling or pinging
●Appreciable loss of power
●Strange engine noises
●A fluid leak under the vehicle (How-
ever, water dripping from the air con - ditioning system after use is normal.)
●Change in exhaust sound (This may indicate a dangerous carbon monox -
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhau st system checked immediately.)
●Flat-looking tires, excessive tire squeal when cornering, uneven tire
wear
●Vehicle pulls to one side when driven
straight on a level road
●Strange noises related to suspension
movement
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy
feeling brake pedal, pedal almost
touches the floor, vehicle pulls to one
side when braking
●Engine coolant temperature continu -
ally higher than normal ( →P.174)
If you notice any of these clues, take
your vehicle to any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repair er as soon as possi-
ble.
Your vehicle may need adjustment or repair.

497
7
7-3. Do-it-yours elf maintenance
Maintenance and care
WARNING
■When working on the engine
compartment
●Make sure that “IGNITION ON” on the multi-information display and
the “READY” indicat or are both off.
●Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from the moving fan.
●Be careful not to touch the engine, power control unit, radiator, exhaust
manifold, etc. right after driving as
they may be hot. Oil and other flu - ids may also be hot.
●Do not leave anyt hing that may burn easily, such as paper and
rags, in the engi ne compartment.
●Do not smoke, cause sparks or
expose an open flame to fuel or the
12-volt battery. Fu el and 12-volt battery fumes are flammable.
●Take care because brake fluid can harm your hands or eyes and dam -
age painted surfac es. If fluid gets
on your hands or in your eyes, flush the affected area with clean water
immediately. If you still experience
discomfort, consult a doctor.
■When working near the electric
cooling fan or radiator grille
Be sure the power switch is off.
With the power swi tch in ON, the
electric cooling fan may automatically start to run if the air conditioning is on
and/or the coolant temperature is
high. ( →P.504)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc.,
from getting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove th e air cleaner fil-
ter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive
engine wear due to dirt in the air.
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the br ake fluid level to
go down slightly as the brake pads
wear or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refill -
ing, it may indicate a serious problem.