2023 TOYOTA RAV4 power steering

2064-2. Driving procedures
1Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, set the parking
brake. ( P.213)
Check the parking brake indicator
is illuminated.
3 Shift the shift lever to P.
4 Press the engine switch
shortly and firmly.
The engine will stop, and the meter
display will be extinguished.
5Release the brake pedal and
check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown
on the multi-information dis-
play.
■Automatic engine shut off fea-
ture
●The vehicle is equipped with a
feature that automatically shuts off
the engine when the shift lever is
in P with the engine running for an
extended period.
●The engine will automatically shut
off after approximately 1 hour if it
has been left running while the
shift lever is in P.
●The timer for the automatic engine
shut off feature will reset if the brake pedal is depressed or if the
shift lever is in a position other
than P.
●After the vehicle
is parked, if the
door is locked with the door lock
switch ( P.123) from the inside
or the mechanical key ( P.475)
from the outside , the automatic
engine shut off feature will be dis-
abled. The timer for the automatic
engine shut off feature will be re-
enabled if the driver’s door is
opened.
NOTICE
■Symptoms indicating a mal-
function with the engine
switch
If the engine switch seems to be
operating somewhat differently
than usual, such as the switch
sticking slightly, there may be a
malfunction. Contact your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
■Stopping the engine in an
emergency
●If you want to stop the engine in
an emergency while driving the
vehicle, press and hold the
engine switch for more than 2
seconds, or press it briefly 3
times or more in succession.
(  P.440)
However, do not touch the
engine switch while driving
except in an emergency. Turn-
ing the engine off while driving
will not cause loss of steering or
braking control, but the power
assist to these systems will be
lost. This will make it more diffi-
cult to steer and brake, so you
should pull over and stop the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so.
●If the engine switch is operated
while the vehicle is running, a
warning message will be shown
on the multi-information display
and a buzzer sounds.
●When restarting the engine after
an emergency shutdown, shift
the shift lever to N and press the
engine switch shortly and firmly.

2474-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
objects that may contact your
vehicle, such as thick grass, tree
branches, or a banner
• When driving through steam or smoke
• When driving near an object that reflects radio waves, such as a
large truck or guardrail
• When driving near a TV tower, broadcasting station, electric
power plant, radar equipped vehi-
cles, etc., or other location where
strong radio waves or electrical
noise may be present
• When there are many things which can reflect the radio waves
of the radar in the vicinity (tunnels,
truss bridges, gravel roads, snow
covered road that have tracks,
etc.)
• While making a right/left turn, when an oncoming vehicle or a
crossing pedestrian has already
exited the path of your vehicle
• While making a right/left turn, closely in front of an oncoming
vehicle or a crossing pedestrian.
• While making a right/left turn, when an oncoming vehicle or a
crossing pedestrian stops before
entering the path of your vehicle
• While making a right/left turn,
when an oncoming vehicle turns
right/left in front of your vehicle
• While steering into the direction of oncoming traffic
■Situations in which the system
may not operate properly
●In some situations such as the fol-
lowing, an object may not be
detected by the radar sensor and
front camera, pre
venting the sys-
tem from opera ting properly:
• When a detectable object is
approaching your vehicle
• When your vehicle or a detectable object is wobbling
• If a detectable object makes an abrupt maneuver (such as sudden
swerving, acceleration or deceler-
ation)
• When your vehicle approaches a detectable object rapidly
• When a detectable object is not
directly in front of your vehicle
• When a detectable object is near
a wall, fence, gua rdrail, manhole
cover, vehicle, steel plate on the
road, etc.
• When a detectable object is under a structure
• When part of a detectable object is hidden by an object, such as
large baggage, an umbrella, or
guardrail
• When there are many things which can reflect the radio waves
of the radar in the vicinity (tunnels,
truss bridges, gravel roads, snow
covered road that have tracks,
etc.)
• When there is an effect on the radio waves to the radar that is
installed on another vehicle
• When multiple det ectable objects
are close together
• If the sun or other light is shining
directly on a detectable object

3194-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
■Enhanced VSC (Enhanced
Vehicle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of
the ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintai n directional
stability when swerving on slip-
pery road surfaces by con-
trolling steering performance.
■Trailer Sway Control
Helps the driver to control trailer
sway by selectively applying
brake pressure for individual
wheels and reducing driving
torque when trailer sway is
detected.
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power
and prevent the drive wheels
from spinning when starting the
vehicle or accelerating on slip-
pery roads
■Active Cornering Assist
(ACA)
Helps to prevent the vehicle
from drifting to the outer side by
performing inner wheel brake
control when attempting to
accelerate while turning
■Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward
movement of the vehicle when
starting on an uphill
■EPS (Electric Power Steer-
ing)
Employs an electric motor to
reduce the amount of effort needed to turn the steering
wheel.
■Dynamic Torque Control
AWD system (AWD models)
(if equipped)
Automatically controls the drive
system such as to front-wheel
drive or AWD (all wheel drive)
according to various running
conditions including normal driv-
ing, during cornering, on a
uphill, when starting off, during
acceleration, on a slippery roads
due to snow or rain, thus con-
tributing to stable operability and
driving stability.
■Dynamic Torque Vectoring
AWD system (AWD models)
(if equipped)
Automatically controls the drive
system such as to front-wheel
drive or AWD (all wheel drive)
according to various running
conditions including normal driv-
ing, during cornering, on a
uphill, when starting off, during
acceleration, on a slippery roads
due to snow or rain, thus con-
tributing to stable operability and
driving stability.
Also, drive torque distribution is
precisely controlled during cor-
nering, contributing to improve-
ments in operability and
stability.
■The Secondary Collision
Brake
When the SRS airbag sensor

4417-1. Essential information
7
When trouble arises
Vehicles with smart key sys-
tem
Press and hold the engine switch
for 2 consecutive seconds or more,
or press it briefly 3 times or more in
succession.
5Stop the vehicle in a safe
place by the road. 
If the door can be opened,
open the door and exit the
vehicle.
 If the door can not be opened,
open the window using the
power window switch and
ensure an escape route.
 If the window can be opened,
exit the vehicle through the
window.
 If the door and window cannot
be opened due to the rising
water, remain calm, wait until
the water level inside the
vehicle rises to the point that
the water pressure inside of
the vehicle equals the water
pressure outside of the vehi-
cle and then open the door
after waiting for the rising
water to enter the vehicle, and
exit the vehicle. When the
WARNING
■If the engine has to be turned
off while driving
●Power assist for the brakes and
steering wheel will be lost, mak-
ing the brake pedal harder to
depress and the steering wheel
heavier to turn. Decelerate as
much as possible before turning
off the engine.
●Vehicles without smart key sys-
tem: Never attempt to remove
the key, as doing so will lock the
steering wheel.
If the vehicle is sub-
merged or water on
the road is rising
This vehicle is not designed
to be able to drive on roads
that are deeply flooded with
water. Do not drive on roads
where the roads may be
submerged or the water
may be rising. It is danger-
ous to remain in the vehicle,
if it anticipated that the vehi-
cle will be flooded or set a
drift. Remain calm and fol-
low the following.

4467-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Type B
4 Tighten down the towing eye-
let securely using a wheel nut
wrench or hard metal bar.
Type A
Type B
5 Securely attach cables or
chains to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehi-
cle body.
6Enter the vehicle being towed
and start the engine.
Turn off the Parkin g Support Brake function (if equipped):
P.299
If the engine does not start, turn the
engine switch to ON.
Vehicles with Stop & Start system:
Before towing the ve hicle, turn the
engine switch to OFF once, and
then start the engine.
7 Shift the shift lever to N and
release the parking brake.
Turn automatic mode off. ( P.215)
When the shift lever cannot be
shifted:  P.210
■While towing
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not function, making
steering and braking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench (if equipped)
Wheel nut wrench is installed in the
tool bag in luggage compartment.
(  P.464)
WARNING
Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to do so may result
in death or serious injury.
■While towing
●When towing using cables or
chains, avoid sudden starts, etc.
which place excessive stress on
the towing eyelets, cables or
chains. The towing eyelets,
cables or chains may become
damaged, broken debris may hit
people, and cause serious dam-
age.
●Vehicles without smart key sys-
tem: Do not turn the engine
switch to the “LOCK” position.
There is a possibility that the
steering wheel is locked and
cannot be operated.

4517-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
■ABS warning light
■Electric power steering system warning light (warning
buzzer)
■PCS warning light (warning buzzer)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
 The ABS; or
 The brake assist system
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(Red)
(Yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in the EPS (Electric
Power Steeri ng) system
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(Flashes or illuminates)
When a buzzer sounds simultaneously:
Indicates a malfunction has occurred in the PCS
(Pre-Collision System).
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
When a buzzer does not sound:
The PCS (Pre-Collision System) has become
temporarily unavailable, corrective action may
be necessary.
 Follow the instructions displayed on the
multi-information display. ( P.237, 461)
If the PCS (Pre-Collision System) or VSC (Vehi-
cle Stability Control) system is disabled, the
PCS warning light will illuminate.
 P.249

4577-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
■Electric power steering system
warning light (warning buzzer)
When the battery charge becomes
insufficient or the voltage temporar-
ily drops, the electric power steering
system warning light may come on
and the warning buzzer may sound.
■When the tire pressure warning
light comes on (vehicles with
tire pressure warning system)
Inspect the tires to check if a tire is
punctured.
If a tire is punctured: P.463
If none of the tires are punctured:
Turn the engine switch to OFF then
turn it to ON. Check if the tire pres-
sure warning light comes on or
blinks.
If the tire pressure warning light
blinks for approximately 1 minute
then stays on
There may be a malfunction in the
tire pressure warning system. Have
the vehicle insp ected by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
If the tire pressure warning light
comes on
1 After the temperature of the tires
has lowered suff iciently, check
the inflation pressure of each tire
and adjust them to the specified
level.
2 If the warning light does not turn
off even after several minutes
have elapsed, check that the
inflation pressure of each tire is
at the specified level and perform
initialization. ( P.410)
■The tire pressure warning light
may come on due to natural
causes (vehicles with tire pres-
sure warning system)
The tire pressure warning light may
come on due to natural causes such
as natural air leaks and tire inflation
pressure changes caused by tem-
perature. In this case, adjusting the
tire inflation pressure will turn off the warning ligh
t (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a
compact spare tire (vehicles
with tire pressure warning sys-
tem)
The compact spare tire is not
equipped with a tire pressure warn-
ing valve and tran smitter. If a tire
goes flat, the tire pressure warning
light will not turn off even though the
flat tire has been replaced with the
spare tire. Replace the spare tire
with the standard tire and adjust the
tire inflation pressure. The tire pres-
sure warning light will go off after a
few minutes.
■Conditions that the tire pres-
sure warning system may not
function properly
 P.408
WARNING
■If a warning light comes on or
a warning buzzer sounds
when a warning message is
shown on the multi-informa-
tion display
*
Check and follow the message
shown on the multi-information
display.
Failure to do so may result in
death or serious injury.
*: Warning lights illuminate in red
or yellow and the warning
buzzer beeps once or sounds
continuously.

4587-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■When the electric power
steering system warning light
comes on
When the light comes on yellow,
the assist to the power steering is
restricted. When the light comes
on red, the assist to the power
steering is lost and handling oper-
ations of the steering wheel
become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes
heavier than usual when operat-
ing, hold firmly and operate using
more force than usual.
■If the tire pressure warning
light comes on (vehicles with
tire pressure warning system)
Be sure to observe the following
precautions. Failure to do so
could cause a loss of vehicle con-
trol and result in death or serious
injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe
place as soon as possible.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure
immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light
comes on even after tire infla-
tion pressure adjustment, it is
probable that y ou have a flat
tire. Check the tires. If a tire is
flat, change it with the spare tire
and have the flat tire repaired by
the nearest Toyota dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and
braking. If the vehicle tires dete-
riorate, you could lose control of
the steering wheel or the
brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air
leakage should occur (vehi-
cles with tire pressure warn-
ing system)
The tire pressure warning system
may not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
(vehicles with tire pressure
warning system)
Each tire, includi ng the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label (tire and
load information label). (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label [tire and load infor-
mation label], you should deter-
mine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS-tire pressure warning sys-
tem) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale (tire pressure
warning light) w hen one or more
of your tires is s ignificantly under-
inflated. Accord ingly, when the
low tire pressure te lltale (tire pres-
sure warning light) illuminates,
you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping abil-
ity.
Please note that the TPMS (tire
pressure warning system) is not a
substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to m aintain correct
tire pressure, even if under-infla-
tion has not reached the level to
trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure te lltale (tire pres-
sure warning light).