2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PHEV emergency towing

5648-2. Steps to take in an emergency
The following may indicate a prob-
lem with your transmission. Contact
any authorized Toyota retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any
reliable repairer or commercial tow -
ing service before towing.
 The hybrid system warning mes-
sage is shown on the multi-infor -
mation display and the vehicle
does not move.
 The vehicle makes an abnormal
sound.
From the front
Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the front
wheels.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing using a wheel-lift
type truck
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear
when the power switch is off. The
steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front
wheels straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for tow -
ing at the opposite end of the raised
vehicle. Without adequate clear - ance, the vehicle could be dam -
aged while being towed.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing with a sling-type
truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck,
either from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the suspension components.
Situations when it is neces -
sary to contact dealers
before towing
Towing with a wheel-lift type
truck
NOTICE
■Towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a s ling-type truck to prevent body damage.

565
8
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
When trouble arises
When using a flat-bed truck to
transport the vehicle, use tire strap -
ping belts. Refer to the owner’s
manual of the flat-bed truck for the
tire strapping method.
In order to supp ress vehicle move-
ment during transportation, set the
parking brake and turn the power
switch off.
If a tow truck is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using cables or
chains secured to the emergency
towing eyelets. This should only be
attempted on hard surfaced roads
for short distances at under 30
km/h (18 mph).
A driver must be i n the vehicle to
steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drive train, axles,
steering and brakes must be in
good condition.
To have your vehicle towed by
another vehicle, the towing eyelet
must be installed to your vehicle.
Install the towing eyelet using the
following procedure.
1 Take out the wheel nut wrench
and towing eyelet. ( →P.583,
594)
2 Using a flathead screwdriver,
remove eyelet cover ( ), and
then remove eyelet cover ( ).
To protect the bodywork, place a rag
between the screwdriver and the vehi - cle body as shown in the illustration.
3 Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by
hand.
4 Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut
wrench (if equipped) or hard
metal bar.
Using a flatbed truck
Emergency towing
Emergency towing proce -
dure
A
B

5668-2. Steps to take in an emergency
5Securely attach cables or chains
to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle
body.
6 Enter the vehicle being towed
and start the hybrid system.
Turn off the Parking Support Brake
function. (if equipped): →P.420
If the hybrid system d oes not start, turn
the power switch to ON.
7 Shift the shift lever to N and
release the parking brake.
Turn automatic mode off. ( →P.327)
When the shift lever cannot be shifted:
→ P.323
■While towing
If the hybrid system is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and steering will not function, making steering and
braking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench (if equipped)
Wheel nut wrench is installed in the deck under tray. ( →P.583, 594)
Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air con -
ditioning after use is normal.)
 Flat-looking tires or uneven tire
wear
 High coolant temperature warn-
ing light flashes or come on
 Changes in exhaust sound
 Excessive tire squeal when cor-
nering
 Strange noises related to the
suspension system
 Pinging or other noises related to
the hybrid system
 Engine missing, stumbling or
running roughly
 Appreciable loss of power
If you think something is
wrong
If you notice any of the follow -
ing symptoms, your vehicle
probably needs adjustment or
repair. Contact any authorized
Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reli -
able repairer as soon as possi -
ble.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms

583
8
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
When trouble arises
■A flat tire that c annot be repaired with the emergency tire puncture
repair kit
In the following cases, the tire cannot be repaired with the emergency tire punc -
ture repair kit. Con tact any authorized
Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer.
●When the tire is damaged due to driv -
ing without sufficient air pressure
●When the tire lost a ir pressure due to
a crack or damage in the tire sidewall
●Whe n t he t ir e is v is ibl y se par a ted fr o m
the wheel
●When the cut or damage to the tread
is 4 mm (0.16 in .) long or more
●When the wheel is damaged
●When two or more tires have been punctured
●When there is more than one hole or cut in the damaged tire
●When the sealant has expired
Jack (if equipped)*1, 2
Emergency tire puncture repair kit
Towing eyelet
Location of the emergency tire puncture repair kit, jack and
tools
A
B
C

5948-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Jack
Spare tire
Towing eyelet
Jack handle
Wheel nut wrench
Location of the spare tire, jack and tools
A
B
C
D
E
WARNING
■Using the tire jack
Observe the following precautions.
Improper use of th e tire jack may
cause the vehicle to suddenly fall off
the jack, leading to death or serious injury.
●Do not use the tir e jack for any pur-
pose other than replacing tires or installing and removing tire chains.
●The equipped jack can only be used with your vehi cle. Do not use
it with other vehicles.
●And do not use j acks from other
vehicles with your vehicle.
●Put the jack properly in its jack
point.

615
8
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
When trouble arises
1 Stop the hybrid system. Set the
parking brake and shift the shift
lever to P.
2 Remove the mud, snow or sand
from around the stuck tire.
3 Place wood, stones or some
other material to help provide
traction under the tires.
4 Restart the hybrid system.
5 Shift the shift lever to D or R and
release the parking brake. Then,
while exercising caution,
depress the accelerator pedal.
■When it is difficult to free the vehi - cle
Press to turn off TRC. ( →P.439)
If the vehicle becomes
stuck
Carry out the following proce -
dures if the tires spin or the
vehicle becomes stuck in mud,
dirt or snow:
Recovering procedure
WARNING
■When attempting to free a stuck
vehicle
If you choose to push the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure
the surrounding area is clear to avoid
striking other vehicles, objects or peo - ple. The vehicle may also lunge for -
ward or lunge back suddenly as it
becomes free. Use extreme caution.
■When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to sh ift the shift lever
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid
acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■To avoid damaging the transmis - sion and other components
●Avoid spinning the wheels and
depressing the accelerator pedal
more than necessary.
●If the vehicle remains stuck even
after these procedures are per - formed, the vehicle may require
towing to be freed.

661Alphabetical Index
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch
................................................. 377
VSC OFF switch ........................ 439
Window lock switch .................... 293
Windshield defogger switch ....... 453
Windshield wiper de-icer switch . 457
Windshield wipers and washer
switch....................................... 338
Wireless charger power supply
switch....................................... 480
T
Tail lights
Light switch ................................ 332
Replacing light bulbs .................. 548
Theft deterrent system
Alarm............................................ 78
Double locking system ................. 77
Immobilizer system ...................... 76
Intrusion sensor ........................... 79
Tilt sensor .................................... 79
Tilt sensor ....................................... 79
Tire inflation pressure
Warning light .............................. 575
Tire pressure warning system
Function ..................................... 511
Initializing ................................... 523
Installing tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters ............ 522
Registering ID codes.................. 525
Warning light .............................. 575
Tires ............................................... 509
Chains ........................................ 447
Checking .................................... 509
Emergency tire puncture repair kit
................................................. 582
If you have a flat tire........... 582, 593
Inflation pressure ....................... 529
Replacing ........................... 582, 593
Rotating tires ......... ..................... 510
Size ............................................ 624
Snow tires .................................. 445
Spare tire.................................... 593
Tire pressure war ning system ....511
Warning light ..............................575
Tools ......................................583, 594
Top tether anchorages ................... 63
Towing
Emergency towing...................... 565
Towing eyelet .............565, 583, 594
Trailer sway control .................... 438
Trailer towing..............................308
Toyota parking assist-sensor ...... 414
Function .....................................414
Warning message ...................... 416
Toyota Safety Sense.....................344
Automatic High Beam (AHB)...... 334
Dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range .......................376
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)..........362
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .......355
RSA (Road Sign Assist) .............372
Traction battery (Hybrid battery)
Charging.....................................105
Location........................................ 94
Specification ............................... 621
Traction control ............................ 438
Traction motor (elect ric motor) ..... 84
Trailer sway control ...................... 438
Trailer towing ................................308
Trail Mode ......................................435
Transmission
Hybrid transmission.................... 321
TRC (Traction Control) ................. 438
Trip meters .................................... 174
Turn signal lights
Replacing light bulbs ..................548
Turn signal lever......................... 325
Wattage ......................................626
U
USB charging ports ...................... 478