2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID engine

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.

303
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
WARNING
●Always check that all passengers’
arms, head or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
■When driving on slippery road
surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage
and reduce your ability to control
the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine brak -
ing due to shifting, or changes in engine speed could cause the vehi -
cle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal to
make sure that the brakes are func - tioning properly. Wet brake pads
may prevent the brakes from func -
tioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not func-
tioning properly, steering control
may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehi cle roll backward while a forward driving position is
selected, or roll forward while the
shift lever is in R. Doing so may result in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmis - sion and may result in a loss of
vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmis - sion and may result in a loss of
vehicle control.
●Do not shift the sh ift lever to a driv- ing position while the vehicle is
moving backward.
Doing so can dama ge the transmis- sion and may resu lt in a loss of
vehicle control.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the
vehicle is moving will disengage the
hybrid system. Engine braking is not available with the hybrid system
disengaged.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever
with the accelerator pedal
depressed. Shifting the shift lever to a gear
other than P or N may lead to unex -
pected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident
and result in death or serious injury.
Doing so can dama ge the transmis- sion and may resu lt in a loss of
vehicle control.
■If you hear a squealing or scrap -
ing noise (brake pad wear indica -
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota a uthorized repairer, or any reliable repairer as soon as
possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those of the brake discs
are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator
pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is i n any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accel -
erate suddenly an d unexpectedly,
causing an accident.

3045-1. Before driving
WARNING
●In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always
keep depressing the brake pedal while stopped with the “READY”
indicator is illuminated, and apply
the parking brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an
incline, in order to prevent acci -
dents caused by t he vehicle rolling forward or backward, always
depress the brake pedal and
securely apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may
cause the exhaust system to over- heat, which could result in a fire if
combustible material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette
lighters, spray can s, or soft drink cans in the vehicle when it is in the
sun.
Doing so may result in the follow - ing:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette
lighter or spray c an, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle
may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of glasses to
deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, caus - ing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also
cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on
the floor, it may be lit accidentally when luggage is loaded or the seat
is adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not
place containers such as air fresh -
eners on the instrument panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs or con -
tainers may act as lenses, causing
a fire in the vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window
open if the curved glass is coated with a metallized fi lm such as a sil-
ver-colored one. Reflected sunlight
may cause the gl ass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lev er to P, stop the
hybrid system and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unat - tended while the “READY” indicator
is illuminated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the parking brake is
not set, the vehicl e may start to
move, possibly leading to an acci - dent.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “READY” indicator is illu -
minated or immediately after turn -
ing the hybrid system off. Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off.
Otherwise, if you accidentally move
the shift lever or depress the acceler - ator pedal, this could cause an acci -
dent or fire due to hybrid system
overheating. Additionally, if the vehi - cle is parked in a poorly ventilated
area, exhaust gases may collect and
enter the vehi cle, leading to death or a serious health hazard.

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

3065-1. Before driving
NOTICE
In the event that you drive on a
flooded road and the vehicle is
flooded, be sure t o have any autho- rized Toyota retailer or Toyota autho -
rized repairer, or any reliable repairer
check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of
oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid transaxle (front and rear),
etc.
●Lubricant condition for the bearings
and suspension joints (where possi -
ble), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the park ing brake, and
shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do
so may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly
if the accelerator pedal is accidentally
depressed.
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following
information about storage pre -
cautions, cargo capacity and
load.
WARNING
■Things that must not be carried
in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compartment:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so m ay prevent the ped-
als from being depressed properly, may block the driver’s vision, or may
result in items hitting the driver or
passengers, possibly causing an acci - dent.
●Stow cargo and l uggage in the lug-
gage compartment whenever pos - sible.
●Do not stack anything in the lug - gage compartment higher than the
seatbacks.
●When you fold down the rear seats,
long items should not be placed
directly behind the front seats.
●Never allow anyone to ride in the
luggage compartment. It is not designed for passengers. They
should ride in their seats with their
seat belts properl y fastened. Other- wise, they are much more likely to
suffer death or serious bodily injury,
in the event of sudden braking, sud - den swerving or an accident.

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.

321
5
5-2. Driving procedures
Driving
If the hybrid system is stopped with
the shift lever in a position other
than P, the power switch will not be
turned to OFF but instead be turned
to ACC. Perform the following pro -
cedure to turn the switch to OFF:
1 Check that the parking brake is
set.
2 Shift the shift lever to P.
3 Check that “IGNITION ON” is
displayed on the multi-informa -
tion display and press the power
switch shortly and firmly.
4 Check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” on the multi-
information display is off.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and
reduce noise, shift the shift lever to
D for normal driving.
*2: Vehicles with paddle shift switches
only: Selecting shift ranges in the D
position allows suitable use of
engine braking. ( →P.323)
*3: By selecting shift ranges using S
mode, you can control accelerating
force and engine braking force.
■When driving with dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed range or cruise control activated (if
equipped)
Even when performing the following actions with the intent of enabling
engine braking, engine braking will not
activate because dyn amic radar cruise control with full-speed range, or cruise
control will not be canceled.
●While driving in D or S mode, down-
When stopping the hybrid
system with the shift lever in
a position other than P
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery dis -
charge
Do not stop the hybrid system when the shift lever is i n a position other
than P. If the hy brid system is
stopped in another shift lever position, the power switch will not be turned to
OFF but instead remain ON. If the
vehicle is left in ON , 12-volt battery discharge may occur.
Hybrid transmission
Select the shift position
depending on your purpose
and situation.
Shift position purpose and
functions
Shift
positionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/start -
ing the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1, 2
SS mode driving*3

3225-2. Driving procedures
shifting to 5 or 4. ( →P.323, 324)
●When switching the driving mode to
sport mode while driving in D position.
( →P.434)
■Restraining sudden start (Drive- Start Control)
→ P.301
While the power switch is
in ON and the brake pedal
depressed*, shift the shift lever
while pushing the shift release but -
ton on the shift knob.
Shift the shift lever while
pushing the shift release button on
the shift knob.
Shift the shift lever nor -
mally.
When shifting the shift lever between P
and D, make sure that the vehicle is
completely stopped and the brake
pedal is depressed.
*: For the vehicle to be able to be
WARNING
■When driving on slippery road
surfaces
Be careful of down shifting and sud-
den acceleration, as this could result
in the vehicle skidding to the side or spinning.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery ( traction battery) charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid bat -
tery (traction battery) will not be charging, even when the engine is
running. Therefore, if the vehicle is
left with the shift le ver in N for a long
period of tim e, the hybrid battery (traction battery) will discharge, and
this may result in the vehicle not
being able to start.
Shifting the shift lever