2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID engine

497
7
7-3. Do-it-yours elf maintenance
Maintenance and care
WARNING
■When working on the engine
compartment
●Make sure that “IGNITION ON” on the multi-information display and
the “READY” indicat or are both off.
●Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from the moving fan.
●Be careful not to touch the engine, power control unit, radiator, exhaust
manifold, etc. right after driving as
they may be hot. Oil and other flu - ids may also be hot.
●Do not leave anyt hing that may burn easily, such as paper and
rags, in the engi ne compartment.
●Do not smoke, cause sparks or
expose an open flame to fuel or the
12-volt battery. Fu el and 12-volt battery fumes are flammable.
●Take care because brake fluid can harm your hands or eyes and dam -
age painted surfac es. If fluid gets
on your hands or in your eyes, flush the affected area with clean water
immediately. If you still experience
discomfort, consult a doctor.
■When working near the electric
cooling fan or radiator grille
Be sure the power switch is off.
With the power swi tch in ON, the
electric cooling fan may automatically start to run if the air conditioning is on
and/or the coolant temperature is
high. ( →P.504)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc.,
from getting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove th e air cleaner fil-
ter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive
engine wear due to dirt in the air.
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the br ake fluid level to
go down slightly as the brake pads
wear or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refill -
ing, it may indicate a serious problem.

501
7
7-3. Do-it-yours elf maintenance
Maintenance and care
Fuse boxes (→P.545)
Engine oil filler cap ( →P.502)
Engine oil level dipstick ( →P.501)
Radiator ( →P.504)
Electric cooling fan
Condenser ( →P.504)
Power control unit coolant reservoir ( →P.504)
Washer fluid tank ( →P.505)
Engine coolant reservoir ( →P.503)
■12-volt battery
→ P.506
With the engine at operating tem-
perature and turned off, check the
Engine compartment
Components
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
Checking and adding the
engine oil

5027-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
oil level on the dipstick.
■Checking the engine oil
1 Park the vehicle on level
ground. After warming up the
engine and turning off the hybrid
system, wait more than 5 min -
utes for the oil to drain back into
the bottom o f the engine.
2 Holding a rag under the end,
pull the dipstick out.
3 Wipe the dipstick clean.
4 Reinsert the dipstick fully.
5 Holding a rag under the end,
pull the dipstick out and check
the oil level.
Low
Normal
Excessive
The shape of the dip stick may differ
depending on the type of vehicle or
engine.
6 Wipe the dipstick and reinsert it
fully.
■Checking the oil type and pre -
paring the items needed
Make sure to check the oil type and
prepare the items needed before
adding oil.
 Engine oil selection
→P.621
Oil quantity (Low → Full)
1.5 L (1.6 qt., 1.3 Imp. qt.)
Item
Clean funnel
■Adding engine oil
If the oil level is below or near the
low level mark, add engine oil of the
same type as that already in the
engine.
1 Remove the oil filler cap by turn-
ing it counterclockwise.
2 Add engine oil slowly, checking
the dipstick.
3 Install the oil filler cap by turning
it clockwise.
A
B
C

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

5047-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
“LOW” line
If the level is on or below the “LOW”
line, add coolant up to the “FULL” line.
( →P.611)
■Power control unit coolant
reservoir
Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
If the level is on or below the “LOW”
line, add coolant up to the “FULL” line.
( →P.613)
■Coolant selection
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coo - lant” or a similar hig h quality ethylene
glycol based non-si licate, non-amine,
non-nitrite, and non- borate coolant with long-life hybrid org anic acid technology.
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a
mixture of 50% coolant and 50% deion - ized water. (Minimu m temperature: -
35°C [-31°F])
For more details about coolant, contact any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
■If the coolant level drops within a short time of replenishing
Visually check the radiators, hoses,
engine/power control unit coolant reser - voir caps, drain cock and water pump.
If you cannot find a leak, have any
authorized Toyota r etailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer, test the cap and check for
leaks in the cooling system.
Check the radiator and condenser,
and clear away any foreign objects.
If either of the above parts is
extremely dirty or you are not sure
of their condition, have your vehicle
inspected by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer.
C
A
B
C
WARNING
■When the hybrid system is hot
Do not remove the engine/power con -
trol unit coolant reservoir caps.
The cooling system may be under
pressure and may spray hot coolant if the cap is removed, causing serious
injuries, such as burns.
NOTICE
■When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor
straight antifreeze. The correct mix - ture of water and antifreeze must be
used to provide proper lubrication,
corrosion protection and cooling. Be sure to read the anti freeze or coolant
label.
■If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to
prevent it from damaging parts or
paint.
Checking the radiator and
condenser

505
7
7-3. Do-it-yours elf maintenance
Maintenance and care
Without level gauge
Type A: If any washer does not
work, the washer tank may be
empty. Add washer fluid.
Type B: If any washer does not
work or the wa rning message
appears on the multi-information
display, the washer tank may be
empty. Add washer fluid.
With level gauge
If the washer fluid level is at “LOW”,
add washer fluid.
■Using the gauge (if equipped)
The washer fluid level can be checked
by observing the position of the level on
the liquid-covered holes in the gauge.
If the level falls below the second hole
from the bottom (the “LOW” position),
refill the washer fluid.
Current fluid level
WARNING
■When the hybrid system is hot
Do not touch the radiator or con -
denser as they may be hot and cause serious injuries, such as burns.
■When the electric cooling fan is operating
Do not touch the engine compart -
ment.
With the power swi tch in ON mode, the electric cooli ng fan may automati-
cally start to run if t he air conditioning
is on and/or the c oolant temperature is high. Be sure the power switch is
off when working near the electric
cooling fan or radiator grille.
Checking and adding the
washer fluid
WARNING
■When adding washer fluid
Do not add washer fluid when the
hybrid system is hot or operating as
washer fluid contains alcohol and may catch fire if sp illed on the hybrid
system, etc.
A

5067-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
The 12-volt battery is located in the
right-hand side of luggage compart -
ment.
■Before recharging
When recharging, the 12-volt battery produces hydrogen gas which is flam-
mable and explosive. Therefore,
observe the following precautions before recharging:
●If recharging with the 12-volt battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to dis -
connect the ground cable.
●Make sure the power switch on the
charger is off when connecting and
disconnecting the charger cables to the 12-volt battery.
■After recharging/reconnecting the
12-volt battery
The hybrid system may not start. Follow the procedure below to initialize the sys-
tem.
1 Shift the shift lever to P.
2 Open and close any of the doors.
3 Restart the hybrid system.
●Unlocking the doors using the smart entry & start system may not be possi -
ble immediately after reconnecting the
12-volt battery. If this happens, use the wireless remote control or the
mechanical key to lock/unlock the
NOTICE
■Do not use any fluid other than
washer fluid
Do not use soapy water or engine antifreeze instead of washer fluid.
Doing so may cause streaking on the
vehicle’s painted sur faces, as well as damaging the pump leading to prob -
lems of the washer fluid not spraying.
■Diluting washer fluid
Dilute washer fluid with water as nec-
essary.
Refer to the freezing temperatures listed on the label of the washer fluid
bottle.
12-volt battery
Location

545
7
7-3. Do-it-yours elf maintenance
Maintenance and care
1Turn the power switch off.
Confirm that the charging connector is
not connected. Also, do not use the
Remote Air Conditioning System during the procedure.
2 Open the fuse box cover.
Engine compartment: Type A
fuse box
Push claw and to completely
release the lock, and then lift up the
cover.
Engine compartment: Type B
fuse box
Push claw and to completely
release the lock, and then lift up the
cover.
Left side instrument panel
Left-hand drive vehi cles: Remove the
lid.
Right-hand drive vehicles: Push the tab
in and remove the cover, and then
remove the lid.
Checking and replacing
fuses
If any of the electrical compo -
nents do not operate, a fuse
may have blown. If this hap -
pens, check and replace the
fuses as necessary.
Checking and replacing
fuses
AB
AB