2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PHEV brakes

4285-5. Using the driving support systems
• When driving on a gravel road or in an
area with tall grass
• When driving toward a banner, flag,
low-hanging branch or boom barrier (such as those used at railroad cross-
ings, toll gates and parking lots)
• When there is a structure on the road - side (such as when driving in a narrow
tunnel, on a narrow bridge or on a nar -
row road) • When parallel parking
• When there is a rut o r hole in the sur-
face of the road • When driving on a metal cover (grat -
ing), such as those used for drainage
ditches • When driving up or down a steep
slope
• If a sensor is hit by a large amount of water, such as when driving on a
flooded road
• When loaded on ships or trucks • Moving type automatic car wash
• Lift type parking area or multi-story
parking lot • Underground parking area
• Structures on the ground (speed
bumps, cat’s eyes, etc.)
• Differences in height • When moving straight ahead or turn -
ing right
• Snow-melting pipes • Devices for detecting vehicles, such
as traffic lights, dev ices for detecting
traffic congestion, or devices for
detecting empty spaces in parking areas
• Railroad tracks
• H-shaped steel • When there are vehicles on both
sides, or there is a vehicle that resem -
bles this vehicle
●Weather
• If a sensor is covered with ice, snow, dirt, etc. (when c leared, the system
will return to normal)
• If heavy rain or water strikes a sensor • When driving in inclement weather
such as fog, snow or a sandstorm
• Strong wind is blowing
●Other sonic wave sources
• When vehicle horns, vehicle detec - tors, motorcycle engines, air brakes of
large vehicles, the clearance sonar of
other vehicles or other devices which produce ultrasonic waves are near the
vehicle
• If a sticker or an electronic compo - nent, such as a backlit license plate
(especially fluorescent type), fog
lights, fender pole or wireless antenna is installed near a sensor
●Changes in the vehicle posture• If the vehicle is significantly tilted
• If the front of the v ehicle is raised or
lowered due to the carried load • If the orientation of a sensor has been
changed due to a collision or other
impact
■Situations in which the Parking Support Brake function (static
objects) may not operate properly
In some situations, s uch as the follow- ing, this function m ay not operate prop-
erly.
●Weather • When a sensor or the area around a
sensor is extremely hot or cold

429
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
• When strong winds are blowing
• If a sensor is cove red with ice, snow,
dirt, etc. (when cleared, the system
will return t o normal) • If heavy rain or wa ter strikes a sensor
• When driving in inclement weather
such as fog, snow or a sandstorm • A sensor is frozen. (Thawing the area
will resolve this problem.)
●Vehicle surroundings
• When an object that cannot be
detected is between the vehicle and a detected object
• If an object such as a vehicle, motor-
cycle, bicycle or pedestrian cuts in front of the vehicl e or runs out from
the side of the vehicle
• The vehicle is approaching a tall or curved curb.
• On an extremely bumpy road, on an
incline, on gravel, or on grass. • The objects draw too close to the sen -
sor.
●Other sonic waves sources
• When vehicle horns , vehicle detec-
tors, motorcycle engines, air brakes of large vehicles, the clearance sonar of
other vehicles or other devices which
produce ultrasonic waves are near the
vehicle • If a sticker or an electronic compo -
nent, such as a backl it license plate
(especially fluorescent type), fog
lights, fender pole or wireless antenna
is installed near a sensor
●Changes in the vehicle
• If the vehicle is significantly tilted • If the front of the v ehicle is raised or
lowered due to the carried load
• If the orientation of a sensor has been changed due to a collision or other
impact
• When equipment that may obstruct a sensor is installed , such as a towing
eyelet, bumper protector (an addi -
tional trim str ip, etc.), bicycle carrier, or snow plow
• If the suspension has been modified
or tires of a size o ther than specified are installed
• If paint or a sticker is applied to the
sensor

4385-5. Using the driving support systems
■ECB (Electronically Con-
trolled Brake System)
The electronically controlled sys -
tem generates braking force corre -
sponding to the brake operation
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when
the brakes are applied suddenly, or
if the brakes are applied while driv -
ing on a slippery road surface
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of
braking force after the brake pedal
is depressed when the system
detects a panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding
when swerving suddenly or turning
on slippery road surfaces.
■VSC+ (Vehicle Stability Con -
trol+)
Provides cooperative control of the
ABS, TRC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stabil -
ity when swerving on slippery road
surfaces by controlling steering per -
formance.
■Trailer Sway Control
Helps the driver t o control trailer
sway by selectively applying brake
pressure for individual wheels and
reducing driving torque when trailer
sway is detected.
■TRC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and
prevent the drive wheels from spin -
ning when starting the vehicle or
accelerating on slippery roads
■Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
Helps to prevent t he vehicle from
drifting to the outer side by perform -
ing inner wheel brake control when
attempting to acc elerate while turn-
ing
■Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward
movement of the vehicle when
starting on an uphill
■EPS (Electric Po wer Steering)
Employs an electric motor to
reduce the amount of effort needed
to turn the steering wheel
Driving assist systems
To keep driving safety and per -
formance, the following sys -
tems operate aut omatically in
response to various driving sit -
uations. Be aware, however,
that these sys tems are supple-
mentary and should not be
relied upon too heavily when
operating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving
assist systems

439
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
■E-Four (Electronic On-Demand
AWD system)
Automatically switches from front
wheel drive to all-wheel drive
(AWD) according to the driving con -
ditions, helping to ensure reliable
handling and stability. Examples of
conditions where the system will
switch to AWD are when cornering,
going uphill, start ing off or acceler-
ating, and when the road surface is
slippery due to snow, rain, etc.
■Emergency brake signal
When the brakes are applied sud -
denly, the emergency flashers
automatically flash to alert the vehi -
cle behind.
■The Secondary Collision
Brake (if equipped)
When the SRS airbag sensor
detects a collision and the system
operates, the brakes and brake
lights are automatically controlled
to reduce the v ehicle speed and
help reduce the possibility of further
damage due to a secondary colli -
sion.
■When the TRC/VSC/ABS/Trailer Sway Control syst ems are operat-
ing
The slip indicator light will flash while the TRC/VSC/ABS/Traile r Sway Control
systems are operating.
■Disabling the TRC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow, the TRC system may reduce
power from the hyb rid system to the
wheels.
Pressing to turn t he system off may
make it easier for you to rock the vehicle
in order to free it.
To turn the TRC system off, quickly
press and release .
“Traction Control Tu rned OFF” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press again to turn the system back
on.
■Turning off the TRC/VSC/Trailer
Sway Control systems
To turn the TRC/VS C/Trailer Sway Con-
trol systems off, press and hold for
more than 3 seconds wh ile the vehicle is
stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come
on and the “Tractio n Control Turned
OFF” will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display.*
Press again to turn the systems
back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision

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.

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