2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID Owners Manual

95
2
2-1. Plug-in hybrid system
Plug-in hybrid system
Hybrid battery (traction battery)
Front electric motor (traction motor)
Air conditioning compressor
Junction box
■Running out of fuel
When the vehicle has run out of fuel and
the hybrid system c annot be started, refuel the vehicle with at least enough
gasoline to make the low fuel level warn -
ing light ( →P.575) go off. If there is only a small amount of fuel, the hybrid sys -
tem may not be able to start. (The stan -
dard amount of fuel is about 8.8 L [2.3 gal., 1.9 Imp.gal.], w hen the vehicle is
on a level surface. This value may vary
when the vehicle is on a slope. Add extra fuel when the vehicle is inclined.)
■Electromagnetic waves
●High voltage parts and cables on the hybrid vehicles incorporate electro -
magnetic shielding, and therefore emit
approximately the same amount of electromagnetic waves as conven -
tional gasoline powered vehicles or
home electronic appliances.
●Your vehicle may cause sound inter -
ference in some third party-produced radio parts.
■Effect of magnetic forces
If objects that generate strong magnetic
forces, such as large speakers, are placed inside the luggage compartment
or installed nearby, the generated mag -
netic forces may negatively affect the hybrid system.
■Hybrid battery (tr action battery)
(lithium-ion battery)
The hybrid battery (traction battery) has a limited service life.
The hybrid battery (traction battery)
capacity (the ability to hold a charge) reduces with time a nd use in the same
way as other rechargeable batteries.
The extent at which capacity reduces
changes drastically depending on the
environment (ambient temperature, etc.)
and usage conditions, such as how the
vehicle is driven and how the hybrid bat - tery (traction battery) is charged. This is
a natural characteristic of lithium-ion
batteries, and is not a malfunction. Also, even though the EV driving range
becomes shorter when the hybrid bat -
tery (traction batter y) capacity reduces, vehicle performance does not signifi -
cantly become worse.
In order to reduce th e possibility of the capacity reducing, follow the directions
listed on P.134, “Capacity reduction of
the hybrid battery ( traction battery)”.
■Starting the hybrid system in an extremely cold environment
When the hybrid battery (traction bat -
tery) is extremely c old (below approxi- mately -30°C [-22°F]) under the
influence of the outsi de temperature, it
may not be possible to start the hybrid system. In this case , try to start the
hybrid system again after the tempera -
ture of the hy brid battery increases due to the outside temperature increase etc.
■Declaration of conformity
This model conform s to hydrogen emis-
sions according to regulation ECE100 (Battery electric vehicle safety).
I
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WARNING
■High voltage precautions
The vehicle has high voltage DC and
AC systems as well as a 12-volt sys- tem. DC and AC high voltage is very
dangerous and can cause severe
burns and electric shock that may result in death or serious injury.

962-1. Plug-in hybrid system
WARNING
●Never touch, disassemble, remove
or replace the high voltage parts,
cables or their connectors.
●The hybrid system will become hot
after starting a s the system uses high voltage. Be careful of both the
high voltage and the high tempera -
ture, and always obe y the caution
labels attached to the vehicle.
●Never try to open the service plug
access hole located in the luggage compartment. The service plug is
used only when the vehicle is ser-
viced and is subject to high voltage.
■Road accident cautions
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of d eath or serious
injury:
●Pull your vehicle off the road, apply
the parking brake, shift the shift
lever to P, and tu rn the hybrid sys- tem off.
●Do not touch the high voltage parts, cables and connectors.
●If electric wires are exposed inside or outside your vehi cle, an electric
shock may occur. Never touch
exposed electric wires.
●Do not touch the battery if liquid is leaking from or adhering to it.
If electrolyte ( carbonic-based
organic electrolyte) from the hybrid battery (traction battery) comes into
contact with the eyes or skin, it
could cause blindness or skin wounds. In the unlik ely event that it
comes into contact with the eyes or
skin, wash it off immediately with a large amount of w ater, and seek
immediate medical attention.
●If electrolyte is leaking from the
hybrid battery (traction battery), do
not approach the vehicle. Even in the unlikely event that the
hybrid battery (traction battery) is
damaged, the internal construction of the battery wil l prevent a large
amount of electrolyte from leaking
out. However, any electrolyte that does leak out will g ive off a vapor.
This vapor is an irritant to skin and
eyes and could c ause acute poi- soning if inhaled.
●Do not bring burning or high-tem - perature items close to the electro -
lyte. The electrolyte may ignite and
cause a fire.
●If a fire occurs in the hybrid vehicle,
leave the vehicle as soon as possi - ble. Never use a f ire extinguisher
that is not meant fo r electric fires.
Using even a small amount of water may be dangerous.
●If your vehicle nee ds to be towed, do so with front wheels raised. If the
wheels connected to the electric
motor (traction motor) are on the ground when towing, the motor may
continue to generate electricity.
This may cause a fire. ( →P.563)
●Carefully inspect the ground under
the vehicle. If you find that liquid
has leaked onto the ground, the fuel system may have been damaged.
Leave the vehicle as soon as possi -
ble.

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2
2-1. Plug-in hybrid system
Plug-in hybrid system
WARNING
■Hybrid battery ( traction battery)
●Your vehicle contains a sealed lith-
ium-ion battery.
●Never resell, hand over or modify
the hybrid battery . To prevent acci- dents, hybrid batteries that have
been removed from a disposed
vehicle are collected through any
authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer. Do not dispose of the bat -
tery yourself. Unless the battery is properly collected, the following
may occur, resulting in death or
serious injury:
• The hybrid battery may be illegally
disposed of or dumped, and it is hazardous to the environment or
someone may touch a high voltage
part, resulting in an electric shock.
• The hybrid battery is intended to be
used exclusively with your hybrid vehicle. If the hybrid battery is used
outside of your vehicle or modified
in any way, accidents such as elec - tric shock, heat generation, smoke
generation, an ex plosion and elec-
trolyte leakage may occur. When reselling or handing over
your vehicle, the possibility of an
accident is extremely high because the person receiving the vehicle
may not be aware of these dangers.
●If your vehicle is disposed of with- out the hybrid bat tery having been
removed, there is a danger of seri -
ous electric shock if high voltage parts, cables and their connectors
are touched. In t he event that your
vehicle must be disposed of, the hybrid battery mus t be disposed of
by any authorized Toyota retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer, or a qualified ser -
vice shop. If the hybrid battery is
not disposed of properly, it may cause electric shock that can result
in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If the vehicle under floor area
receives strong shock or impact while driving, stop the vehicle in a safe area
and check around th e bottom of the
vehicle. If there is damage to the hybrid battery (traction battery) or liq -
uid leakage, it may lead to a vehicle
fire, etc. Do not touch the vehicle and immediately contac t any authorized
Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer.
■Modifications
Do not modify the v ehicle to make the height lower.
It is easier for the hybrid battery (trac -
tion battery) in the under floor area to come in contact with the ground when
the vehicle is lowered. If the hybrid
battery (traction bat tery) is damaged, a vehicle fire may occur which could
lead to death or serious injury.

982-1. Plug-in hybrid system
There is an air intake vent under
the rear seat for cooling the DC/DC
converter.
Blocking the air intake vent may
prevent the plug-in hybrid system
from operating properly.
When a certain level of impact is
detected by the im pact sensor, the
emergency shut off system blocks
off the high voltage current and
NOTICE
■Notice about fuel
●For plug-in hybrid vehicles, fuel
may remain in the tank for a long time and undergo changes in qual -
ity depending on the how the vehi -
cle is used. Refuel at least 20 L (5.3 gal., 4.4 Imp.gal. ) of fuel every 12
months (refuel a tot al of at least 20
L [5.3 gal., 4.4 Imp.gal.] over a 12-
month period), as this may affect components of the fuel system or
the gasoline engine.
●If the vehicle has not been refueled
for a certain amount of time and it is
possible that the quality of the fuel remaining in the tank has changed,
“No New Fuel has been Added
Recently Please refuel” is displayed on the multi-information display
when the power switch is turned to
ON. If the message is displayed, refuel the vehicle immediately.
DC/DC converter air intake
vent
NOTICE
■DC/DC converter air intake vent
●Make sure not to block the air
intake vent with anything, such as a seat cover, plastic cover, or lug -
gage. Blocking the air intake vent
may prevent the plug-in hybrid sys - tem from operating properly.
●When dust etc. has accumulated in
the air intake ven t, clean it with a vacuum cleaner to prevent the vent
from clogging.
●Do not wet or a llow foreign sub-
stances to enter the air vent as this
may cause a shor t circuit and dam- age the DC/DC converter.
●Do not carry large amounts of water such as water cooler bottles in the
vehicle. If water spills onto the
DC/DC converter, the converter may be damaged. Have the vehicle
inspected by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer.
●A filter is installed to the air intake vent. When the filter remains
noticeably dirty even after cleaning
the air intake vent, filter cleaning or replacement is recommended.
When cleaning the filter, refer to
P.536.
●If “Maintenance required for DCDC
converter cooling parts See Owner’s Manual” is shown on the
multi-information display, the air
intake vent and filter may be clogged. Refer to P.536 for informa -
tion on how to clean the air intake
vent.
Emergency shut off system

99
2
2-1. Plug-in hybrid system
Plug-in hybrid system
stops the fuel pump to minimize the
risk of electrocuti on and fuel leak-
age.
If the emergency shut off system
activates, your vehicle will not
restart. To restart the hybrid sys -
tem, contact any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer.
A message is automatically dis -
played when a malfunction occurs
in the hybrid system or an improper
operation is attempted.
If a warning message is shown on
the multi-informat ion display, read
the message and follow the instruc -
tions.
■If a warning light comes on, a warn - ing message is displayed or the 12-
volt battery is disconnected
The hybrid system may not start. In that
case, try to start the system again. If the “READY” indicator does not come on,
contact any authorized Toyota retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any reli - able repairer.
Primarily using EV mode and
AUTO EV/HV mode when driving in
cities and using HV mode when
driving on highways (or freeways)
can help conserve fuel and electric -
ity. ( →P.86)
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the accel -
erator pedal depression amount
can be generated more smoothly
than it is in normal conditions. In
addition, the operation of the air
conditioning system (heating/cool -
ing) will be minim ized, improving
fuel and electricity economy.
( →P.434)
Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the Hybrid System Indica -
tor within Eco area. ( →P.177)
Hybrid warning message
Plug-in hybrid vehicle
driving tips
For economical and ecological
driving, pay attention to the
following points:
Using EV mode, AUTO
EV/HV mode and HV mode
effectively
Using Eco drive mode
Use of Hybrid System Indi -
cator

1002-1. Plug-in hybrid system
Shift the shift lever to D when
stopped at a traffic light, or driving
in heavy traffic etc. Shift the shift
lever to P when parking. When
using the N, there is no positive
effect on fuel consumption. In the
N, the gasoline engine operates but
electricity canno t be generated.
Also, when using the air condition -
ing system, etc., the hybrid battery
(traction battery) power is con -
sumed.
 Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and
deceleration. Gradual accelera -
tion and deceler ation will make
more effective use of the electric
motor (traction motor) without
having to use gasoline engine
power.
 Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration con -
sumes hybrid battery (traction
battery) power, resulting in poor
fuel consumption. Battery power
can be restored by driving with
the accelerator pedal slightly
released.
Make sure to operate the brakes
gently and a ti mely manner. A
greater amount of electrical energy
can be regenerated when slowing
down.
Repeated acceler ation and decel-
eration, as well as long waits at traf -
fic lights, will lead to high fuel and
electricity consumption. Check traf -
fic reports before leaving and avoid
delays as much as possible. When
driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly
while avoiding overuse of the accel -
erator pedal. Doing so can help
control excessive electricity and
fuel consumption.
 Control and maintain the vehicle
at a constant speed. Before stop -
ping at a toll booth or similar,
allow plenty of time to release
the accelerator and gently apply
the brakes. A greater amount of
electrical energy can be regener -
ated when slowing down.
 Electricity consumption will
increase significantly when driv -
ing at high speeds in EV mode or
AUTO EV/HV mode. If there will
be a long distance to the next
external charging point after
leaving a freewa y, it is recom-
mended to drive in HV mode
while on the freeway and change
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake
pedal operation
When braking
Delays
Highway driving

101
2
2-1. Plug-in hybrid system
Plug-in hybrid system
to EV mode or AUTO EV/HV
mode after leaving the freeway.
( →P.86)
 Turn the “A/C” switch off when it
is not needed. Doing so can help
reduce excessive e lectricity and
fuel consumption.
In summer: When the ambient tem -
perature is high, use the recirculated air
mode. Doing so will help to reduce the
burden on the air co nditioning system
and reduce electricity and fuel con -
sumption as well.
In winter: Avoid excessive and unnec-
essary use of the heater. Usage of the
heated steering w heel (if equipped)
( →P.462) and seat heaters (→P.463)
are effective.
 Using the Remote Air Condition-
ing System ( →P.460) while the
AC charging cable is connected
to the vehicle can reduce elec -
tricity consumption immediately
after starting off by operating air
conditioning mainly using elec -
tricity from an external power
source.
 When setting the charging
schedule, setting the charging
mode to “Departure” and “Cli -
mate Prep” to on can reduce
electricity consumption immedi -
ately after starting off by operat -
ing air conditioning before
charging is completed. ( →P.144)
Make sure to check the tire inflation
pressure frequen tly. If there is
improper tire inflation pressure in
the tires, the EV driving range will
become shorter, and fuel consump-
tion when in HV mode will increase.
Also, as snow tires can cause large
amounts of friction, their use on dry
roads can lead to increased fuel
and electricity consumption.
Carrying heavy luggage will lead to
poor fuel economy. Avoid carrying
unnecessary lugga ge. Installing a
large roof rack will also cause poor
fuel economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts up
and cuts out automatically, warm -
ing up is not necessary.
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation pres -
sure
Luggage
Warming up before driving

1022-1. Plug-in hybrid system
The value displayed on the SOC
(State of Charge) gauge ( →P.174)
is estimated from the following
information.
 The amount of hybrid battery
(traction battery) charge cur -
rently remaining
 The electricity consumption (the
estimated distan ce that EV driv-
ing is possible pe r unit of electri-
cal energy) based on the
recorded value
 Past air conditioning system
electricity consumption amount
The electricity co nsumption varies
depending on how the vehicle is
driven. The vehicle automatically
records the electricity consumption
when being charged and uses the
electricity consumption for estimat -
ing the EV driving range. Therefore,
the EV driving ra nge displayed
when the hybrid battery (traction
battery) is fully charged may differ
from the previous EV driving range
depending on how the vehicle was
driven.
The EV driving r ange may change
significantly with each charging
until the electricity consumption
based on the recorded value is sta -
ble (for approximately the first
month or two). However, this does
not indicate a malfunction.
When the air conditioning system is
turned on, the EV driving range
(with using the air conditioning sys -
tem) is estimated based on the past
air conditioning electricity con -
sumption amount considering that
the electricity consumption may
become higher.
The distance that EV driving is pos -
sible varies signi ficantly depending
on how the vehicle is driven, road
conditions, the weather, the outside
temperature, usage conditions of
electrical components and the num -
ber of occupants.
The distance that EV driving is pos -
sible can be extended if the follow -
ing is performed:
EV driving range
The EV driving range displayed
on the multi-information dis -
play shows the reference dis -
tance that EV driving (driving
using only the electric motor)
is possible, and the actual dis-
tance that can be driven may
differ from that displayed.
Even if the EV dr iving range is
displayed, EV driving may be
canceled and both gasoline
engine and electric motor are
used depending on the situation.
( →P.90)
Displayed value
Tips for extending the EV
driving range