2022 TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID Owners Manual

263
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
WARNING
ODo not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover (if equipped)
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
OSecure all items in the occupant compartment.
QLoad and distribution
ODo not overload your vehicle.
ODo not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deterio-
ration of steering or braking control which may cause death or serious injury.
QWhen loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier (if equipped)
Observe the following precautions:
OPlace the cargo so that its weight is distributed evenly between the front
and rear axles.
OIf loading long or wide cargo, never
exceed the vehicle overall length or width. ( P.558)
OBefore driving, make sure the cargo is securely fastened on the roof lug-gage carrier.
OLoading cargo on the roof luggage carrier will make the center of grav-
ity of the vehicle higher. Avoid high speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns, sudden braking or abrupt maneu-
vers, otherwise it may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover due to failure to operate this vehicle cor-
rectly and result in death or serious injury.
OIf driving for a long distance, on rough roads, or at high speeds, stop the vehicle now and then
during the trip to make sure the cargo remains in its place.
ODo not exceed 80 kg (176.4 lb.) cargo weight on the roof luggage carrier.
NOTICE
QWhen loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier (if equipped)
Be careful not to scratch the surface
of the panoramic moon roof (if equipped).

2645-1. Before driving
QTire information
OIncrease the tire inflation pressure to
20.0 kPa (0.2 kgf/cm2 or bar, 3 psi) greater than the recommended value when towing. ( P.564)
OIncrease the air pressure of the trailer
tires in accordance with the total
trailer weight and according to the val- ues recommended by the manufac-turer of your trailer.
QSafety checks before towing
OCheck that the maximum load limit for the towing hitch/bracket and hitch ball
is not exceeded. Bear in mind that the coupling weight of the trailer will add to the load exerted on the vehicle.
Also make sure that the total load exerted on the vehicle is within the range of the weight limits. ( P.265)
OEnsure that the trailer load is secure.
OSupplementary outside rear view mir- rors should be added to the vehicle if the traffic behind cannot be clearly
seen with standard mirrors. Adjust the extending arms of these mirrors on both sides of the vehicle so that they
always provide maximum visibility of the road behind.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed pri-
marily as a passenger carry-
ing vehicle. Towing a trailer
will have an adverse effect on
handling, performance, brak-
ing, durability, and fuel con-
sumption. Your safety and
satisfaction depend on the
proper use of correct equip-
ment and cautious driving hab-
its. For your safety and the
safety of others, do not over-
load the vehicle or trailer.
To tow a trailer safely, use
extreme care and drive the
vehicle in accordance with the
trailer’s characteristics and
operating conditions.
Toyota warranties do not apply
to damage or malfunction
caused by towing a trailer for
commercial purposes.
Ask your local authorized
Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reli-
able repairer for further details
before towing, as there are
additional legal requirements
in some countries.
WARNING
Follow all the instructions described in
this section. Failure to do so could cause an acci-dent resulting in death or serious
injury.
QTrailer towing precautions
When towing, make sure that none of
the weight limits are exceeded. ( P.265)
QTo avoid accident or injury
OVehicles with compact spare tire: Do not tow a trailer when the com-
pact spare tire is installed on your vehicle.
OVehicles with emergency tire punc-ture repair kit:Do not tow a trailer when the tire
installed is repaired with the emer- gency tire puncture repair kit.

265
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
Check the allowable towing capac-
ity, GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass),
MPAC (Maximum Permissible Axle
Capacity), and permissible drawbar
load before towing. ( P.558)
Toyota recommends the use of the
Toyota hitch/bracket for your vehi-
cle. Other products of a suitable
nature and comparable quality may
also be used.
For vehicles where the towing
device blocks any of the lights or
license plate, the following shall be
observed:
 Do not use towing devices that
cannot be easily removed or
repositioned.
 Towing devices must be
removed or repositioned when
not in use.
Please consult any authorized
Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer
when installing trailer lights, as
incorrect installation may cause
damage to the vehicle’s lights.
Please take care to comply with
your state’s laws when installing
trailer lights.
QTotal trailer weight and per-
missible drawbar load
Total trailer weight
WARNING
ODo not use dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range (if
equipped) or cruise control (if equipped) when trailer towing.
QVehicle speed in towing
Observe the legal maximum speeds for trailer towing.
QBefore descending hills or long declines
Reduce speed and downshift. How- ever, never downshift suddenly while descending steep or long downhill
grades.
QOperation of the brake pedal
Do not hold the brake pedal depressed often or for long periods of time.
Doing so may result in the brake over- heating or reduce braking effects.
Weight limits
Towing hitch/bracket
Connecting trailer lights
NOTICE
QDo not directly splice trailer lights
Directly splicing trailer lights may damage your vehicle’s electrical sys-tem and cause a malfunction.
Important points regarding
trailer loads
A

2665-1. Before driving
Weight of the trailer itself plus the trailer
load should be within the maximum
towing capacity. Exceeding this weight
is dangerous. ( P.558)
When towing a trailer, use a friction
coupler or friction stabilizer (sway con-
trol device).
Permissible drawbar load
Allocate the trailer load so that the
drawbar load is greater than 25 kg
(55.1 lb.) or 4% of the towing capacity.
Do not let the drawbar load exceed the
indicated weight. ( P.558)
QInformation tag (manufac-
turer’s label)
Gross vehicle mass
The combined weight of the driver, pas-
sengers, luggage, towing hitch, total
curb mass and drawbar load should not
exceed the gross vehicle mass by more
than 100 kg (220.5 lb.). Exceeding this
weight is dangerous.
Maximum permissible rear axle
capacity
The weight borne by the rear axle
should not exceed the maximum per-
missible rear axle capacity by 15% or
more. Exceeding this weight is danger-
ous.
The values for towing capacity were
derived from testing conducted at sea
level. Take note that hybrid system out-
put and towing capacity will be reduced
at high altitudes.
B
A
B
WARNING
QWhen the gross vehicle mass or
maximum permissible axle capacity is exceeded
Failing to observe this precaution may
lead to an accident causing death or serious injury.
OAdd an additional 20.0 kPa (0.2
kgf/cm2 or bar, 3 psi) to the recom- mended tire inflation pressure
value. ( P.564)
ODo not exceed the established
speed limit for towing a trailer in built-up areas or 100 km/h (62 mph), whichever is lower.

267
5 5-1. Before driving
Driving
458 mm (18.0 in.)
461 mm (18.1 in.)
536 mm (21.1 in.)
Installation positions for the towing hitch/bracket and hitch
ball
A
B
C

2685-1. Before driving
537 mm (21.1 in.)
537 mm (21.1 in.)
536 mm (21.1 in.)
461 mm (18.1 in.)
458 mm (18.0 in.)D
E
F
G
H

269
5 5-1. Before driving
Driving
2 mm (0.07 in.)
13 mm (0.5 in.)
28 mm (1.1 in.)A
B
C

2705-1. Before driving
34 mm (1.3 in.)
412 mm (16.2 in.)
332 mm (13.1 in.)
370 mm (14.6 in.)
570 mm (22.4 in.)
601 mm (23.7 in.)
1073 mm (42.2 in.)
Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer. In order to
avoid accident, death or serious
injury, keep the following in mind
when towing:
QChecking connections
between trailer and lights
Stop the vehicle and check the
operation of the connection
between the trailer and lights after
driving for a brief period as well as
before starting off.
QPracticing driving with a cou-
pled trailer
 Get the feel for turning, stopping
and reversing with the trailer
coupled by practicing in an area
with no or light traffic.
 When reversing with a coupled
trailer, hold the section of the
steering wheel nearest to you
and rotate clockwise to turn the
trailer left or counterclockwise to
turn it right. Always rotate a little
at a time to prevent steering
error. Have someone guide you
when reversing to lessen the risk
of an accident.
QIncreasing vehicle-to-vehicle
distance
At a speed of 10 km/h (6 mph), the
distance to the vehicle running
ahead of you should be equivalent
to or greater than the combined
length of your vehicle and trailer.
Avoid sudden braking that may
cause skidding. Otherwise, the
vehicle may spin out of control. This
is especially true when driving on
wet or slippery road surfaces.
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
NOTICE
QWhen the rear bumper strength-
ening material is aluminum
Ensure the steel bracket part does not come directly in contact with that
area.
When steel and aluminum come into contact, there is a reaction similar to
corrosion, which will weaken the sec- tion concerned and may result in damage. Apply a rust inhibitor to parts
that will come in contact when attach- ing a steel bracket.
Guidance