2023 TOYOTA RAV4 brake light

3204-5. Using the driving support systems
detects a collision and the sys-
tem operates, the brakes and
brake lights are automatically
controlled to reduce the vehicle
speed and help reduce the pos-
sibility of further damage due to
a secondary collision.
■When the TRAC/VSC/Multi-ter-
rain Select/Trailer Sway Con-
trol systems are operating
The slip indicator light will flash
while the TRAC/VSC/Multi-terrain
Select/Trailer Sway Control systems
are operating.
■Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt
or snow, the TRAC system may
reduce power from the engine to the
wheels.
Pressing to turn the system off
may make it easier for you to rock
the vehicle in order to free it.
To turn the TRAC system off,
quickly press and release .
The “Traction Control Turned OFF”
will be shown on the multi-informa-
tion display. Press again to turn the system
back on.
■Turning off the
TRAC/VSC/Trailer Sway Con-
trol systems
To turn the TRAC/VSC/Trailer Sway
Control systems of f, press and hold
for more than 3 seconds while
the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will
come on and the “Traction Control
Turned OFF” will be shown on the
multi-informat ion display.
*
Press again to turn the systems
back on.
*: PCS (Pre-Collision System) will
also be disabled (only pre-collision
warning is available). The PCS
warning light will come on and a
message will be disp layed on the
multi-information display.
(  P.249)
■When the message is dis-
played on the multi-information
display showing that TRAC has
been disabled even if has
not been pressed
TRAC is temporary deactivated. If
the information continues to show,
contact your Toyota dealer.
■Operating conditions of hill-
start assist control
When all of the fo llowing conditions
are met, the hill-star t assist control
will operate:
●The shift lever is in a position
other than P or N (when starting
off forward/backward on an
upward incline)
●The vehicle is stopped
●The accelerator pedal is not
depressed

3214-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
●The parking brake is not engaged
●The engine switch is in ON
■Automatic system cancelation
of hill-start assist control
The hill-start assis t control will turn
off in any of the following situations:
●The shift lever is shifted to P or N
●The accelerator pedal is
depressed
●The parking brake is engaged
●2 seconds at maximum elapsed
after the brake pedal is released
●The engine switch is turned to
OFF
■Sounds and vibrations caused
by the ABS, brake assist, VSC,
TRAC, Trailer Sway Control and
hill-start assist control systems
●A sound may be heard from the
engine compartment when the
brake pedal is dep ressed repeat-
edly, when the engine is started or
just after the vehicle begins to
move. This sound does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has
occurred in any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions
may occur when t he above sys-
tems are operating. None of these
indicates that a malfunction has
occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the
vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down
slightly after the ABS is activated.
■Active Cornering Assist opera-
tion sounds and vibrations
When the Active Cornering Assist is
operated, operation sounds and
vibrations may b e generated from
the brake system, but this is not a
malfunction.
■AWD system operation sounds
and vibrations when switching
between AWD and front wheel
drive
When the vehicle switches from
AWD to front wheel drive and vice
versa, operation s ounds and vibra-
tions may be generated, but this is
not a malfunction.
■Automatic reactivation of
TRAC, Trailer Sway Control and
VSC systems
After turning the TRAC, Trailer
Sway Control and VSC systems off,
the systems will be a utomatically re-
enabled in the following situations:
●When the engine switch is turned
off
●If only the TRAC sy stem is turned
off, the TRAC will turn on when
vehicle speed increases.
If both the TRAC and VSC sys-
tems are turned of f, automatic re-
enabling will not occur when vehi-
cle speed increases
■Operating conditions of Active
Cornering Assist
The system operates when the fol-
lowing occurs.
●TRAC/VSC can operate
●The driver is attempting to accel-
erate while turning
●The system detects that the vehi-
cle is drifting to the outer side
●The brake pedal is released
■Reduced effectiveness of the
EPS system
The effect iveness of the EPS sys-
tem is reduced to prevent the sys-
tem from overheating when there is
frequent steering input over an
extended period of time. The steer-
ing wheel may feel heavy as a
result. Should this occur, refrain
from excessive steering input or
stop the vehicle and turn the engine
off. The EPS syste m should return
to normal within 10 minutes.

3234-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
WARNING
■TRAC/VSC may not operate
effectively when
Directional control and power may
not be achievable while driving on
slippery road surfaces, even if the
TRAC/VSC system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in con-
ditions where stability and power
may be lost.
■Active Cornering Assist does
not operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on Active
Cornering Assist. Active Corner-
ing Assist may not operate
effectively when accelerating
down slopes or driving on slip-
pery road surfaces.
●When Active Cornering Assist
frequently operates, Active Cor-
nering Assist may temporarily
stop operating to ensure proper
operation of the brakes, TRAC
and VSC.
■Hill-start assist control does
not operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on hill-start
assist control. Hill-start assist
control may not operate effec-
tively on steep inclines and
roads covered with ice.
●Unlike the parking brake, hill-
start assist control is not
intended to hold the vehicle sta-
tionary for an extended period
of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold
the vehicle on an incline, as
doing so may lead to an acci-
dent.
■When the TRAC/VSC/Trailer
Sway Control is activated
The slip indicator light flashes.
Always drive carefully. Reckless
driving may cause an accident.
Exercise particular care when the
indicator light flashes.
■When the TRAC/VSC/Trailer
Sway Control systems are
turned off
Be especially careful and drive at
a speed appropriate to the road
conditions. As these are the sys-
tems to help ensure vehicle stabil-
ity and driving force, do not turn
the TRAC/VSC/Tra iler Sway Con-
trol systems off unless necessary.
Trailer Sway Control is part of the
VSC system and will not operate
if VSC is turned off or experiences
a malfunction.
■Dynamic Torque Vectoring
AWD system (if equipped)
The cornering performance of the
newly developed AWD system
has been improved. However, do
not overly rely on the system and
drive with caution.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the
specified size, brand, tread pat-
tern and total load capacity. In
addition, make sure that the tires
are inflated to the recommended
tire inflation p ressure level.
The ABS, TRAC, Trailer Sway
Control and VSC systems will not
function correctly if different tires
are installed on the vehicle.
Contact your Toyota dealer for
further information when replacing
tires or wheels.
■Handling of tires and the sus-
pension
Using tires with any kind of prob-
lem or modifying the suspension
will affect the driving assist sys-
tems, and may cause a system to
malfunction.

3264-6. Driving tips
Perform the following according
to the driving conditions:
Do not try to forcibly open a
window or move a wiper that
is frozen. Pour warm water
over the frozen area to melt
the ice. Wipe away the water
immediately to prevent it from
freezing.
 To ensure proper operation of
the climate control system
fan, remove any snow that
has accumulated on the air
inlet vents in front of the wind-
shield.
 Check for and remove any
excess ice or snow that may
have accumulated on the
exterior lights, outside rear
view mirrors, windows, vehi-
cle’s roof, chassis, around the
tires or on the brakes.
 Remove any snow or mud
from the bottom of your shoes
before getting in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly,
keep a safe distance between
you and the vehicle ahead, and
drive at a reduced speed suit-
able to road conditions.
 Turn automatic mode of the parking brake off. Otherwise,
the parking brake may freeze
and not be able to be
released automatically.
Also, avoid using the following as
the parking brake may operate
automatically, even if automatic
mode is off.
• Brake hold system

Park the vehicle and shift the
shift lever to P without setting
the parking brake. The park-
ing brake may freeze up, pre-
venting it from being released.
If the vehicle is parked without
setting the parking brake,
make sure to block the
wheels. Failure to do so may
be dangerous because it may
cause the vehicle to move
unexpectedly, possibly lead-
ing to an accident.
 When the parking brake is in
automatic mode, release the
parking brake after shifting
the shift lever to P. ( P.215)
 If the vehicle is parked without
setting the parking brake,
confirm that the shift lever
cannot be moved out of P.
 If the vehicle is left parked
with the brakes damp in cold
temperatures, there is a pos-
sibility of the brakes freezing.
Before driving the vehicle
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle

3906-2. Maintenance
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to
one side when
the brakes are
applied.
• The brakes should work
effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel
spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get
too close to the
floor when the
brakes are
applied.
Head
restraints
• Do the head restraints move
smoothly and
lock securely?
Indica-
tors/buzzers
• Do the indica-tors and buzzers
function prop-
erly?
Lights
• Do all the lights come on?
• Are the head- lights aimed cor-
rectly?
Parking brake
• Does the park-ing brake oper-
ate normally?
• When parked on a slope and the
parking brake is
on, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
ItemsCheck points
Seat belts
• Do the seat belts operate
smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be
damaged.
Seats
• Do the seat con-trols operate
properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steer-ing wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steer- ing wheel have
the correct
amount of free
play?
• There should not be any strange
sounds coming
from the steer-
ing wheel.
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors
• Do the doors operate
smoothly?
Engine hood
• Does the engine hood lock system
work properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs of
fluid leakage
after the vehicle
has been parked.
ItemsCheck points

4036-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Check the battery as follows.
■Battery exterior
Make sure that the battery termi-
nals are not corroded and that
there are no loose connections,
cracks, or loose clamps.
Terminals
Hold-down clamp
■Before recharging
When recharging, t he battery pro-
duces hydrogen ga s which is flam-
mable and explosive. Therefore,
observe the following precautions
before recharging:
●If recharging wi th the battery
installed on the vehicle, be sure to
disconnect the ground cable.
●Make sure the power switch on
the charger is off when connecting
and disconnecting the charger cables to the battery.
■After recharging/reconnecting
the battery (vehicles with smart
key system)
●Unlocking the doors using the
smart key system may not be pos-
sible immediately
after reconnect-
ing the battery. If this happens,
use the wireless remote control or
the mechanical key to lock/unlock
the doors.
●Start the engine with the engine
switch in ACC. T he engine may
not start with th e engine switch
turned off. However, the engine
will operate normally from the sec-
ond attempt.
●The engine switch mode is
recorded by the vehicle. If the bat-
tery is disconnected and recon-
nected, the vehicle will return the
engine switch mode to the status
it was in before t he battery was
disconnected. Make sure to turn
off the engine switch before dis-
connecting the battery. Take extra
care when connecting the battery
if the engine switch mode prior to
the battery being disconnected is
unknown.
If the engine will no t start even after
multiple attempts, contact your
Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level
to go down slightly as the brake
pads wear out or when the fluid
level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent
refilling, there may be a serious
problem.
Checking the battery
A
B:$51,1*
■Chemicals in the battery
A battery contains poisonous and
corrosive sulfur ic acid and may
produce hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. To
reduce the risk of death or serious
injury, take the following precau-
tions while working on or near the
battery:
●Do not cause sparks by touch-
ing the battery terminals with
tools.

4407-1. Essential information
7-1.Essential information
Press the switch.
All the turn signal lights will flash.
To turn them off, press the switch
once again.
■Emergency flashers
●If the emergency flashers are
used for a long time while the
engine is not running, the battery
may discharge.
●If any of the SRS airbags deploy
(inflate) or in the event of a strong
rear impact, the emergency flash-
ers will turn on automatically.
The emergency flashers will turn
off automatically after operating
for approximatel y 20 minutes. To
manually turn t he emergency
flashers off, press the switch
twice. (The emergency flashers
may not turn on automatically
depending on the force of the
impact and conditions of the colli-
sion.)
1 Steadily step on the brake
pedal with both feet and
firmly depress it.
Do not pump the brake pedal
repeatedly as this will increase the
effort required to slow the vehicle.
2Shift the shift lever to N.
If the shift lever is shifted to N
3 After slowing down, stop the
vehicle in a safe place by the
road.
4 Stop the engine.
If the shift lever cannot be
shifted to N
3 Keep depressing the brake
pedal with both feet to reduce
vehicle speed as much as
possible.
4 Perform the following proce-
dure to stop the engine:
Vehicles without smart key
system
Turn the engine switch to ACC.
Emergency flashers
The emergency flashers are
used to warn other drivers
when the vehicle has to be
stopped in the road due to a
breakdown, etc.
Operating instructions
If your vehicle has to
be stopped in an emer-
gency
Only in an emergency, such
as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the
normal way, stop the vehi-
cle using the following pro-
cedure:
Stopping the vehicle

4497-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
■Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)
■Brake system warning light
■Charging system warning light
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer
sounds
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning
lights comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but
then goes off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunc-
tion in the system. However, if this continues to occur, have
the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Actions to the warning lights or warning buzzers
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) (Red)
Indicates that:
 The brake fluid level is low; or
 The brake system is malfunctioning
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.
Continuing to drive the vehicle may be
dangerous.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(Yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in the parking brake sys-
tem
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging
system
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.