2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PHEV power steering

289
4
4-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
Before driving
■Defogging the mirrors
The outside rear view mirrors can be
cleared using the mirror defoggers. Turn on the rear window defogger to turn on
the outside rear view mirror defoggers.
( →P.454)
1To select a mirror to adjust,
press the switch.
Left
Right
2 To adjust the mirror, press the
switch.
Up
Right
Down
Left
■Mirror angle can be adjusted when
The power switch is in ACC or ON.
Outside rear view mir-
rors
The rear view mirror’s position
can be adjusted to enable suf -
ficient confirmation of the rear
view.
WARNING
■Important points while driving
Observe the following precautions
while driving.
Failing to do so may result in loss of control of the veh icle and cause an
accident, resulting in death or serious
injury.
●Do not adjust the m irrors while driv-
ing.
●Do not drive with the mirrors folded.
●Both the driver and passenger side mirrors must be extended and prop -
erly adjusted before driving.
■When the mirror defoggers are
operating
Do not touch the rea r view mirror sur- faces, as they can become very hot
and burn you.
Adjustment procedure
A
B
A
B
C
D

3025-1. Before driving
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the rele vant vehicle regis-
tration laws and confi rm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( →P.620)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your f oot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the “READY” indicator is illuminated. This
prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar
with the location of the brake and accelerator pe dals to avoid
depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accel - erator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden accelera -
tion that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist
your body around, leading to a diffi -
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate th e pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving
posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly. This allows
you to depress the brake and accel -
erator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your
right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result -
ing in an accident.
●The driver should pay extra atten - tion to pedestrians when the vehicle
is powered only b y the electric
motor (traction motor). As there is no engine noise, the pedestrians
may misjudge the vehicle’s move-
ment. Even though the vehicle is equipped with the Acoustic Vehicle
Alerting System, drive with care as
pedestrians in the vicinity may still not notice the ve hicle if the sur-
rounding area is noisy.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or
stop the vehicle near flammable
materials such as leaves, paper or rags.
The exhaust system and exhaust
gases can be extremely hot. These hot parts may cause a fire if there is
any flammable material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn
off the hybrid system. Turning the
hybrid system off while driving will not cause loss of steering or brak -
ing control, however, power assist
to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer
smoothly, so you should pull over
and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such
as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
→ P.560
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill. Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and
lose effectiveness. ( →P.321)
●Do not adjust the position of the
steering wheel, t he seat, or the
inside or outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of
vehicle control.

305
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
WARNING
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive
more cautiously. Braking distance increases when
the brakes are wet, and this may
cause one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other
side. Also, the pa rking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the electronically controlled brake
system does not operate, do not fol -
low other vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require
braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual.
Also, the braking distance will increase. Have yo ur brakes fixed
immediately.
●The brake system c onsists of 2 or
more individual hydraulic systems;
if one of the system s fails, the other will still operate. I n this case, the
brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual and the braking distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively
when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud,
etc. This may damage the driveline
components or propel the vehicle for - ward or backward, causing an acci -
dent.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time
during driving, as t his may restrain
the hybrid system output.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the
vehicle on a hill.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle
parts
●Do not turn the ste ering wheel fully
in either directio n and hold it there
for an extended period of time. Doing so may damage the power
steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the
road, drive as slowly as possible to
avoid damaging the wheels, under - side of the vehicle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged t ire may cause the
following situations.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Hold the steering wheel firmly and
gradually depress t he brake pedal to
slow down the vehicle.
Information on what to do in case of a
flat tire ( →P.582, 593)
■When encountering flooded
roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain, etc. Doing so
may cause the following serious dam -
age to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water
immersion

315
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
■Sudden acceleration/steering
input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing
may result in the trailer colliding
with your vehicle. D ecelerate well in
advance when approaching turns
and take them slowly and carefully
to avoid sudden braking.
■Important points regarding
turning
The wheels of the tr ailer will travel
closer to the inside of the curve
than the wheels of the vehicle. To
make allowance for this, take the
turns wider than you would nor -
mally do.
■Important points regarding
stability
Vehicle movement resulting from
uneven road surfaces and strong
crosswinds will affect handling. The
vehicle may also be rocked by
passing buses or large trucks. Fre -
quently check behind when moving
alongside such vehicles. As soon
as such vehicle movement occurs,
immediately start to decelerate
smoothly by slowly applying the
brakes. Always steer the vehicle
straight ahead while braking.
■Passing other vehicles
Consider the total combined length
of your vehicle and trailer and
ensure that the vehicle-to-vehicle
distance is sufficient before execut -
ing lane changes.
■Transmission information
To maintain engine braking effi -
ciency, when using engine braking,
do not use the transmission in D.
( →P.321)
■If the hybrid system overheats
Towing a loaded trailer up a long,
steep incline in temperatures
exceeding 30°C (85°F) may result
in the hybrid system overheating. If
the high coolant temperature warn -
ing light indicates that the hybrid
system is overheating, turn the air
conditioning off immediately, leave
the road and stop the vehicle in a
safe place. ( →P.611)
■When parking the vehicle
Always place wheel chocks under
the wheels of both the vehicle and
trailer. Firmly set the parking brake
and shift the shift lever to P.
■Break-in schedule
Toyota recommends that vehicles fitted
with new power train components
should not be used for towing trailers for the first 800 km (500 miles).
■Maintenance
●Maintenance must be performed more frequently when using the vehicle for
towing due to the greater weight bur -
den placed on the vehicle compared to normal driving.
●Retighten all bolts securing the hitch - ing ball and bracket after towing for
approximately 1000 km (600 miles).
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factor s (crosswinds, pass- ing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing instability.

3185-2. Driving procedures
■When the ambient temperature is
low, such as during winter driving conditions
●When starting the hy brid system, the flashing time of the “READY” indicator
may be long. Leave the vehicle as it is
until the “READY” indicator is steady on, as steady means the vehicle is
able to move.
●When the hybrid bat tery (traction bat-
tery) is extremely cold (below approxi -
mately -30°C [-22°F]) under the influence of the outside temperature, it
may not be possible to start the hybrid
system. In this case, try to start the hybrid system again after the tem -
perature of the hybrid battery
increases due to t he outside tempera- ture increase etc.
■Sounds and vibrations specific to a
hybrid vehicle
→ P.91
■If the 12-volt battery is discharged
The hybrid system cannot be started
using the smart en try & start system.
Refer to P.606 to res tart the hybrid sys- tem.
■Electronic key battery depletion
→ P.202
■Conditions affecting operation
→ P.225
■Note for the entry function
→ P.225
■Steering lock function
●After turning the power switch to OFF and opening and clos ing the doors,
the steering wheel will be locked due
to the steering lock function. Operat -
ing the power switch again automati- cally cancels the steering lock.
●When the steering lock cannot be released, “Push Power Switch while
Turning Steering Wheel in Either
Direction” will be displayed on the multi-information display.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Press the power switch shortly and
firmly while turning the steering wheel
left and right.
●To prevent the st eering lock motor
from overheating, the motor may be suspended if the hybrid system is
turned on and off repeatedly in a short
period of time. In this case, refrain from operating the power switch. After
about 10 seconds, the steering lock
motor will resume functioning.
■If there is a malfunction in the smart entry & start system
If “Smart Entry & St art System Malfunc-
tion” is displayed on the multi-informa - tion display, the system may be
malfunctioning. Have the vehicle
inspected by any a uthorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or
any reliable repairer immediately.
■If the “READY” indicator does not
come on
In the event that the “READY” indicator
does not come on even after performing
the proper procedures for starting the vehicle, contact any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or
any reliable repairer immediately.
■If the hybrid system is malfunction - ing
→ P.99
■Electronic key battery
→ P.543
■Operation of the power switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly and
firmly, the power switch mode may not
change or the hybri d system may not start.
●If attempting to restart the hybrid sys - tem immediately after turning the

319
5
5-2. Driving procedures
Driving
power switch to OF F, the hybrid sys-
tem may not start in some cases. After turning the power switch to OFF,
please wait a few seconds before
restarting the hybrid system.
■Customization
If the smart entry & start system has
been deactivated in a customized set -
ting, refer to P.605.
1 Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, set the parking brake.
( →P.326)
Check the parking brake indicator is
illuminated.
3 Shift the shift lever to P.
4 Press the power switch shortly
and firmly.
The hybrid system w ill stop, and the meter display will be extinguished.
Release the shift lever when pressing
the power switch.
5 Release the brake pedal and
check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown on
the multi-inform ation display.
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hyb rid system while
sitting in the drive r’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal while starting the hybri d system under any
circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If hybrid system fai lure occurs 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 acci - dent, resulting in death or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the hybrid system
If the hybrid system becomes difficult
to start, have your vehicle checked by
any authorized Toyo ta retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any
reliable repairer immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a malfunc -
tion with the power switch
If the power switch seems to be oper - ating somewhat differently than usual,
such as the switch sticking slightly,
there may be a malfunction. Contact any authorized Toyo ta retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any
reliable repairer immediately.
Stopping the hybrid system
WARNING
■Stopping the hybrid system in an
emergency
●If you want to sto p the hybrid sys- tem in an emergency while driving
the vehicle, press and hold the
power switch for more than 2 sec- onds, or press it b riefly 3 times or
more in succession. ( →P.560)
However, do not touch the power switch while driving except in an
emergency. Turning the hybrid sys -
tem off while driving will not cause a loss of steering or braking control.
However, power assist for the
steering wheel may be lost making it difficult to st eer smoothly before
stopping the vehi cle depending on
the remaining charge in the 12-volt battery or usage co nditions. In this
situation, you should pull over and
stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.

4345-5. Using the driving support systems
1Eco drive mode
Suitable for driving to improve fuel
economy by more smoothly generating
torque in response to accelerator pedal
operations compared to normal mode
and restraining air conditioning system
operations (heating/cooling).
When the switch is turned to the left
while not in Eco drive mode, the system
switches to Eco dr ive mode and the
Eco drive mode indic ator illuminates on
the multi-information display.
2 Normal mode
Suitable for normal driving.
The driving mode returns to normal
mode if the switch is pressed while in
Eco drive mode or sport mode.
3 Sport mode
Controls the steering feeling and hybrid
system to create an acceleration
response that is suita ble for sporty driv-
ing. Suitable for when crisp handling is
desired, such as when driving on
mountainous roads.
When the switch is tu rned to the right
while not in sport m ode, the system
switches to sport mode and the sport
mode indicator illuminates on the multi-
information display.
■When changing to a driving mode
other than normal mode
●The background color of the multi-
information display changes accord - ing to the selected driving mode.
●When the speedometer is set to ana - log display, the speedometer display
color also changes.
●The color of the switch changes
according to the s elected driving
mode. (On some models)
■Air conditioning system operation
in Eco drive mode
In Eco drive mode, heating/cooling oper -
ations and the fan speed is controlled to
improve fuel efficiency. Perform the fol - lowing procedures to increase the air
conditioning performance.
●Adjust the fan speed ( →P.453)
●Cancel Eco drive mode
■Canceling a driving mode
●Sport mode is automatically canceled
and the driving mode returns to nor - mal mode when the power switch is
turned off.
●Normal mode and Eco drive mode are
not canceled until another driving
mode is selected. ( Even if the power
Driving mode select
switch
The driving modes can be
selected to suit the driving and
usage conditions.
Selecting a driving mode

4365-5. Using the driving support systems
■Trail Mode
●Trail Mode is intended for use when
driving on bumpy rough roads. Do not turn the switch on in other situations.
●Trail Mode controls the vehicle so that it can use the maximum amount of
drive force when driving on bumpy
roads.
●If Trail Mode is continuously used for
a long period of t ime, the load on related parts increases and the sys -
tem may be unable t o operate effec-
tively.
■When Trail Mode is canceled
In the following situations, Trail Mode is
automatically canc eled even if it is
turned on.
●When the drivi ng mode is changed
( →P.434)
●When the power switch is turned off
■During Trail Mode operation
The following types of situations may occur, but they are not malfunctions.
●Vibrations may be felt throughout the vehicle or steering wheel
●Operating noise may be heard from
the engine compartment
■When an inspection at any autho - rized Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer is necessary
In the following situ ations, the system
may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle
inspected by any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or
any reliable repairer immediately.
●When the slip indicator light illumi -
nates while Trail Mode is on
●When the Trail Mode indicator does
not illuminate even though the Trail
Mode switch is pressed