2021 TOYOTA RAV4 PRIME Owners Manual

892-1. Plug-in hybrid system
2
Plug-in hybrid system
WARNING
●Never touch, disassemble,
remove or replace the high volt-
age parts, cables or their con-
nectors.
●The hybrid system will become
hot after starting as the system
uses high voltage. Be careful of
both the high voltage and the
high temperature, and always
obey the caution labels
attached to the vehicle.
●Never try to open the service
plug access hole located in the
luggage compartment. The ser-
vice plug is used only when the
vehicle is servi ced and is sub-
ject to high voltage.
■Road accident cautions
Observe the following precautions
to reduce the risk of death or seri-
ous injury:
●Pull your vehicle off the road,
apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, and turn the
hybrid system off.
●Do not touch the high voltage
parts, cables and connectors.
●If electric wires are exposed
inside or outside your vehicle,
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
unlikely event that it comes into
contact with the eyes or skin,
wash it off immediately with a
large amount of water, 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 bat-
tery) is damaged, the internal
construction of the battery will
prevent a large amount of elec-
trolyte from l eaking out. How-
ever, any electrolyte that does
leak out will give off a vapor.
This vapor is an irritant to skin
and eyes and could cause acute
poisoning if inhaled.
●Do not bring burning or high-
temperature items close to the
electrolyte. The electrolyte may
ignite and cause a fire.
●If a fire occurs in the hybrid
vehicle, leave the vehicle as
soon as possible. Never use a
fire extinguisher that is not
meant for electric fires. Using
even a small amount of water
may be dangerous.
●If your vehicle needs 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.507)

902-1. Plug-in hybrid system
WARNING
●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 possible.
■Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery)
●Your vehicle contains a sealed
lithium-ion battery.
●Never resell, hand over or mod-
ify the hybrid battery. To prevent
accidents, hybrid batteries that
have been removed from a dis-
posed vehicle are collected
through Toyota dealer. Do not
dispose of the battery yourself.
Unless the battery is properly
collected, the following may
occur, resulting in death or seri-
ous injury:
• The hybrid battery may be ille- gally disposed of or dumped,
and it is hazardous to the envi-
ronment 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 bat-
tery is used outside of your
vehicle or modifi ed in any way,
accidents such as electric
shock, heat generation, smoke
generation, an explosion and
electrolyte 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
without the hybrid battery hav-
ing been removed, there is a
danger of serious electric shock
if high voltage parts, cables and
their connectors are touched. In
the event that your vehicle must
be disposed of, the hybrid bat-
tery must be disposed of by
your Toyota dealer or a qualified
service shop. If the hybrid bat-
tery is not disposed of properly,
it may cause electric shock that
can result in dea th 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 the
bottom of the vehicle. If there is
damage to the hybrid battery
(traction battery) or liquid leakage,
it may lead to a v ehicle fire, etc.
Do not touch the vehicle and
immediately contact your Toyota
dealer.
■Modifications
Do not modify the vehicle to make
the height lower.
It is easier for the hybrid battery
(traction battery) in the under floor
area to come in contact with the
ground when the vehicle is low-
ered. If the hybrid battery (traction
battery) is damaged, a vehicle fire
may occur which could lead to
death or serious injury.

912-1. Plug-in hybrid system
2
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 sys-
tem from operating properly.When a certain level of impact is
NOTICE
■Notice about fuel
●For plug-in hybrid vehicles, fuel
may remain in the tank for a
long time and undergo changes
in quality depending on the how
the vehicle is used. Refuel at
least 5.3 gal. (20 L, 4.4 Imp.gal.)
of fuel every 12 months (refuel a
total of at least 5 .3 gal. [20 L,
4.4 Imp.gal.] over a 12-month
period), as this m ay affect com-
ponents of the fuel system or
the gasoline engine.
●If the vehicle has not been refu-
eled 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 di splay 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 converte r air intake
vent
●Make sure not to block the air
intake vent with anything, such
as a seat cover, plastic cover, or
luggage. Blocking the air intake
vent may prevent the plug-in
hybrid system from operating
properly.
●When dust etc. has accumu-
lated in the air intake vent, clean
it with a vacuum cleaner to pre-
vent the vent from clogging.
●Do not wet or allow foreign sub-
stances to enter the air vent as
this may cause a short circuit
and damage the DC/DC con-
verter.
●Do not carry large amounts of
water such as water cooler bot-
tles in the vehicle. If water spills
onto the DC/DC converter, the
converter may be damaged.
Have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer.
●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 replace-
ment is recommended. When
cleaning the filter, refer to
P.486.
●If “Maintenance required for
DCDC converter cooling parts
See Owner’s Manual” is shown
on the multi-information dis-
play, the air intake vent and fil-
ter may be clogged. Refer to
P.486 for information on how to
clean the air intake vent.
Emergency shut off sys-
tem

922-1. Plug-in hybrid system
detected by the impact sensor,
the emergency shut off system
blocks off the high voltage cur-
rent and stops the fuel pump to
minimize the risk of electrocu-
tion and fuel leakage.
If the emergency shut off system
activates, your vehicle will not
restart. To restart the hybrid sys-
tem, contact your Toyota dealer.
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-information display,
read the message and follow the
instructions.
■If a warning light comes on, a
warning message is displayed
or the 12-volt battery is discon-
nected
The hybrid system may not start. In
that case, try to start the system
again. If the “READY” indicator does
not come on, contact your Toyota
dealer.
Primarily using EV mode and
AUTO EV/HV mode when driv-
ing in cities and using HV mode
when driving on highways (or
freeways) can help conserve
fuel and electricity. ( P.78)
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the
accelerator pedal depression
amount can be generated more
smoothly than it is in normal
conditions. In addition, the oper-
ation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be
minimized, improving fuel and
electricity economy. ( P.377)
Eco-friendly driving is possible
by keeping the Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area.
( P.167)Hybrid warning message
Plug-in hybrid vehicle
driving tips
For economical and ecolog-
ical 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
Indicator

932-1. Plug-in hybrid system
2
Plug-in hybrid system
Shift the shift lever to D when
stopped at a traffic light, or driv-
ing in heavy traffic etc. Shift the
shift lever to P when parking.
When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consump-
tion. In the N, the gasoline
engine operates but electricity
cannot be generated. Also,
when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery
(traction battery) power is con-
sumed.
Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and
deceleration. Gradual accel-
eration and deceleration 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 (trac-
tion battery) power, resulting
in poor fuel consumption. Bat-
tery power can be restored by
driving with the accelerator
pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes
gently and a timely manner. A greater amount of electrical
energy can be regenerated
when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and
deceleration, as well as long
waits at traffic lights, will lead to
high fuel and electricity con-
sumption. Check traffic reports
before leaving and avoid delays
as much as possible. When driv-
ing in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow
the vehicle to move forward
slightly while avoiding overuse
of the accelerator pedal. Doing
so can help control excessive
electricity and fuel consumption.

Control and maintain the vehi-
cle at a constant speed.
Before stopping 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 regenerated
when slowing down.
 Electricity consumption will
increase significantly when
driving 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 freeway,
it is recommended to drive in
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake
pedal operation
When braking
Delays
Highway driving

942-1. Plug-in hybrid system
HV mode while on the free-
way and change to EV mode
or AUTO EV/HV mode after
leaving the freeway. (P.78)
 Turn the “A/C” switch off
when it is not needed. Doing
so can help reduce excessive
electricity and fuel consump-
tion.
In summer: When the ambient tem-
perature is high, use the recircu-
lated air mode. Doing so will help to
reduce the burden on the air condi-
tioning system and reduce electric-
ity and fuel consumption as well.
In winter: Avoid excessive and
unnecessary use o f the heater.
Usage of the heated steering wheel
(if equipped) ( P.407) and seat
heaters ( P.408) are effective.
 Using the Remote Air Condi-
tioning System ( P.405)
while the AC charging cable is
connected to the vehicle can
reduce electricity consump-
tion immediately after starting
off by operating air condition-
ing mainly using electricity
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 imme-
diately after starting off by
operating air conditioning before charging is completed.
(
P.130)
Make sure to check the tire infla-
tion pressure frequently. If there
is improper tire inflation pres-
sure in the tires, the EV driving
range will become shorter, and
fuel consumption 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 car-
rying unnecessary luggage.
Installing a large roof rack will
also cause poor fuel economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts
up and cuts out automatically,
warming up is not necessary.
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation
pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driv-
ing

952-1. Plug-in hybrid system
2
Plug-in hybrid system
The value displayed on the SOC
(State of Charge) gauge
(P.165) is estimated from the
following information.
 The amount of hybrid battery
(traction battery) charge cur-
rently remaining
 The electricity consumption
(the estimated distance that
EV driving is possible per unit
of electrical energy) based on
the recorded value
 Past air conditioning system
electricity consumption
amount
The electricity consumption var-
ies depending on how the vehi-
cle is driven. The vehicle automatically records the elec-
tricity consumption when being
charged and uses the electricity
consumption for estimating the
EV driving range. Therefore, the
EV driving range displayed
when the hybrid battery (traction
battery) is fully charged may dif-
fer from the previous EV driving
range depending on how the
vehicle was driven.
The EV driving range may
change significantly with each
charging until the electricity con-
sumption based on the recorded
value is stable (for approxi-
mately the first month or two).
However, this does not indicate
a malfunction.
When the air conditioning sys-
tem is turned on, the EV driving
range (with using the air condi-
tioning system) is estimated
based on the past air condition-
ing electricity consumption
amount considering that the
electricity consumption may
become higher.
The distance that EV driving is
possible varies significantly
depending on how the vehicle is
driven, road conditions, the
weather, the outside tempera-
ture, usage conditions of electri-
cal components and the number
EV driving range
The EV driving range dis-
played on the multi-informa-
tion display shows the
reference distance that EV
driving (driving using only
the electric motor) is possi-
ble, and the actual distance
that can be driven may dif-
fer from that displayed.
Even if the EV driving range is
displayed, EV driving may be
canceled and both gasoline
engine and electric motor are
used depending on the situa-
tion. (
P.82)
Displayed value
Tips for extending the EV
driving range

962-1. Plug-in hybrid system
of occupants.
The distance that EV driving is
possible can be extended if the
following is performed:
■When starting off, depress
the accelerator pedal
smoothly to accelerate
As a guide, accelerate up to
approximately 12mph (20 km/h)
in the first 5 seconds.
Electrical and fuel efficiency can
be improved just by using the
ECO Accelerator Guidance dis-
played on the multi-information
display and taking care to start
off gently. ( P.173)
When the driving mode is set to
Eco drive mode, depressing the
accelerator pedal generates
smooth torque that makes it easier
to operate the accelerator gently.
At the same time, the air condition-
ing control is switched to eco air
conditioning mode ( P.397) to
reduce the strength of the air condi-
tioning operation.
■Maintain sufficient vehicle-
to-vehicle distance and do
not accelerate or decelerate
unnecessarily
Try to maintain a fixed speed
while driving. Driving at a short
vehicle-to-vehicle distance will
result in repeating wasteful
acceleration and deceleration,
which will worsen the electrical
and fuel efficiency.
■Release the accelerator
pedal early before stopping
the vehicle, such as at a
traffic light
The regenerative brake will
operate to convert the kinetic
energy of the vehicle into electri-
cal energy, which will charge the
hybrid battery (traction battery).
The regeneration status can be
checked from the Hybrid Sys-
tem Indicator. ( P.167)
When the brake pedal is
depressed lightly during decel-
eration, the regeneration
amount increases, enabling
more electrical energy to be
recovered.
If the brake pedal is depressed too
strongly, the recovered amount
indicator will reac h the maximum
level and the upper limit of the
recoverable energy will be
exceeded. Theref ore, be sure to
operate the brak e pedal early.
■Use the air conditioning
system appropriately, and
also utilize the heated steer-
ing wheel (if equipped) and
seat heaters
In EV mode, the vehicle is
cooled and heated by electrical
energy. (Except in extremely
cold temperatures of approxi-
mately 14°F (-10°C) or less.)
Preventing excessive cooling or
heating of the vehicle will reduce
power consumption and
improve electrical efficiency.