2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PHEV towing

4746-3. Using the storage features
2Pull out the luggage cover and
hook it onto the anchors.
■Removing the luggage cover
1 Release the cover from the left
and right anchors and allow it to
retract.
2 Compress the end of the lug-
gage cover and lift the luggage
cover up.
■Stowing the luggage cover
(except for vehicles with spare
tire)
1 Open the rear deck board and
remove the deck side cover.
2 Place the both ends of the lug-
gage cover into the holder.
WARNING
■Luggage cover
●When installing/st owing the lug-
gage cover, make sure that the lug - gage cover is securely
installed/stowed. Failure to do so
may result in seri ous injury in the event of sudden braking or a colli -
sion.
●Do not place anything on the lug -
gage cover. In the event of sudden
braking or turning, the item may go flying and strike an occupant. This
could lead to an unexpected acci-
dent, resulting in death or serious injury.

503
7
7-3. Do-it-yours elf maintenance
Maintenance and care
■Engine oil consumption
A certain amount o f engine oil will be
consumed while driving. In the following
situations, oil consumption may increase, and engine oil may need to be
refilled in between oil maintenance inter -
vals.
●When the engine is new, for example
directly after purchasing the vehicle or after replacing the engine
●If low quality oil or oil of an inappropri - ate viscosity is used
●When driving at high engine speeds or with a heavy load , when towing, or
when driving while accelerating or
decelerating frequently
●When leaving the engine idling for a
long time, or when driving frequently through heavy traffic
The coolant level is satisfactory if it
is between the “ FULL” and “LOW”
lines on the reservoir when the
hybrid system is cold.
■Engine coolant reservoir
Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
WARNING
■Used engine oil
●Used engine oil contains poten -
tially harmful contaminants which may cause skin di sorders such as
inflammation and skin cancer, so
care should be taken to avoid pro - longed and repeated contact. To
remove used engine oil from your
skin, wash thoroughly with soap and water.
●Dispose of used oi l and filters only in a safe and acceptable manner.
Do not dispose of used oil and fil -
ters in household trash, in sewers or onto the ground. Call any autho -
rized Toyota ret ailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer, service station or auto
parts store for in formation concern-
ing recycling or disposal.
●Do not leave used e ngine oil within
the reach of children.
NOTICE
■To prevent serious engine dam -
age
Check the oil level on a regular basis.
■When replacing the engine oil
●Be careful not to spill engine oil on the vehicle components.
●Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
●Check the oil leve l on the dipstick
every time you refill the vehicle.
●Be sure the engine oil filler cap is
properly tightened.
■If oil is spilled on the engine
cover
To prevent the engine cover from
being damaged, remove any engine
oil from the engine cover as soon as possible using a neutral detergent. Do
not use an organic solvent such as
brake cleaner.
Checking the coolant
A
B

563
8
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
When trouble arises
8-2.Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to
be towed
If towing is necessary, we rec -
ommend having your vehicle
towed by any authorized
Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reli -
able repairer or commercial
towing service, using a wheel-
lift type truck or flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for
all towing, and abide by all
state/provincia l and local laws.
If towing your vehicle with a
wheel-lift type truck, use a tow -
ing dolly. ( →P.563, 564)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
Be sure to transport the vehicle with
all four wheels raise d off the ground.
If the vehicle is t owed with the tires contacting the groun d, the drivetrain
or related parts may be damaged, the
vehicle may fly off the truck, or elec- tricity generated by the operation of
the motor may caus e a fire to occur
depending on the nature of the dam- age or malfunction.
■While towing
●When towing using cables or
chains, avoid sudden starts, etc. which place excessive stress on the
towing eyelets, cables or chains.
The towing eyelets, cables or chains may become damaged, bro -
ken debris may hit people, and
cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the power switch off.
There is a possibility that the steer - ing wheel is locked and cannot be
operated.
■Installing towing eyelets to the
vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelets are installed securely . If not securely
installed, towing ey elets may come
loose during 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.