2023 TOYOTA RAV4 automatic transmission

3TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle......... 179
Cargo and luggage ....... 185
Vehicle load limits ......... 188
Trailer towing ................ 189
Dinghy towing ............... 201
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles without smart key
system)........................ 203
Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles with smart key
system)........................ 204
Automatic transmission . 209
Turn signal lever ........... 212
Parking brake ................ 213
Brake Hold .................... 217
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ............ 219
AHB (Automatic High Beam) .................................... 222
Fog light switch ............. 226
Windshield wipers and washer......................... 226
Rear window wiper and washer......................... 229
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap.................................... 231
4-5. Using the driving support
systems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 234PCS (Pre-Collision System)
.................................... 239
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) .................................... 250
RSA (Road Sign Assist) 261
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range ... 264
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) .................................... 275
Intuitive parking assist ... 280
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function .............. 289
PKSB (Parking Support Brake) .......................... 294
Parking Support Brake func- tion (static objects) ...... 299
Parking Support Brake func- tion (rear-crossing vehicles)
.................................... 302
Stop & Start system....... 304
Driving mode s elect switch
.................................... 310
Multi-terrain Select (AWD vehicles) ...................... 312
Snow mode switch (AWD vehicles) ...................... 315
Downhill assist control sys- tem .............................. 316
Driving assist systems ... 318
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips .......... 325
Utility vehicle precautions .... ...

............................. 328
4Driving

177
4
4
Driving
Driving
4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle....... 179
Cargo and luggage ..... 185
Vehicle load limits ....... 188
Trailer towing .............. 189
Dinghy towing ............. 201
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles without smart
key system) ............... 203
Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles with smart key
system)...................... 204
Automatic transmission 209
Turn signal lever ......... 212
Parking brake .............. 213
Brake Hold .................. 217
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch .......... 219
AHB (Automatic High Beam)........................ 222
Fog light switch ........... 226
Windshield wipers and washer....................... 226
Rear window wiper and washer....................... 229
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap.................................. 2314-5. Using the dr
iving support
systems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 .................................. 234
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .................................. 239
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) .................................. 250
RSA (Road Sign Assist) .................................. 261
Dynamic radar cruise con- trol with full-speed range
.................................. 264
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) .................................. 275
Intuitive parking assist . 280
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function ............ 289
PKSB (Parking Support Brake) ........................ 294
Parking Support Brake func- tion (static objects)
.................................. 299
Parking Support Brake function (rear-crossing
vehicles) .................... 302
Stop & Start system .... 304
Driving mode select switch .................................. 310
Multi-terrain Select (AWD vehicles) .................... 312
Snow mode switch (AWD vehicles) .................... 315

2094-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
*1: Shifting to the D position allows the system to select a gear suit-
able for the driving conditions.
Setting the shift lever to the D
position is recommended for nor-
mal driving.
*2: Selecting shift ranges using S mode restricts the upper limit of
the possible gear ranges, con-
trols engine braking force, and
prevents unnecessary upshifting.
■When driving with dynamic
radar cruise control with full-
speed range activated
Even when performing the following
actions with the in tent of enabling
engine braking, e ngine braking will
not activate because dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed range will not be canceled.
●While driving in S mode, down-
shifting to 7, 6
, 5, or 4. (P.211)
●When switching th e driving mode
to sport mode while driving in D.
(  P.310)
■If “High Transmission Fluid
Temp” is displayed on the
multi-information display (AWD
models)
Make sure to return to D position
driving and reduce speed by easing
off the accelerato r pedal. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place, shift the shift
lever to P and le t the engine idle
until the warning message goes out.
When the warning message goes
out, the vehicle can be driven again.
If the warning message does not go
out after waiting a while, have your
vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-
Start Control)
 P.185
■AI-SHIFT
The AI-SHIFT automa tically selects
the suitable gear according to driver
performance and driving conditions.
The AI-SHIFT automatically oper-
ates when the shift lever is in D.
(Shifting the shift lever to S cancels
the function.)
Automatic transmis-
sion
Select the shift position
depending on your purpose
and situation.
Shift position purpose
and functions
Shift
positionObjective or function
PParking the vehi-
cle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2
(  P.211)
WARNING
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
Do not accelerate or shift gears
suddenly.
Sudden changes in engine brak-
ing may cause the vehicle to spin
or skid, resulting in an accident.

2124-2. Driving procedures
■Downshifting restriction warn-
ing buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving
performance, downshifting opera-
tion may sometimes b e restricted. In
some circumstances, downshifting
may not be possible even when the
shift lever is operated. (A buzzer will
sound twice.)
■If the “S” indicator does not
come on or the “D” indicator is
displayed even after shifting the
shift lever to S
This may indicate a malfunction in
the automatic tra nsmission system.
Have the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer imme diately. (In this
situation, the transmission will oper-
ate in the same manner as when the
shift lever is in D.)
1 Right turn
2 Lane change to the right
(move the lever partway and
release it)
The right hand s ignals will flash 3
times.
3 Lane change to the left
(move the lever partway and
release it)
The left hand signals will flash 3
times.
4Left turn
■Turn signals can be operated
when
The engine switch is in ON.
■If the indicator flashes faster
than usual
Check that a light bulb in the front or
rear turn signal lights has not
Turn signal lever
Operating instructions

3064-5. Using the driving support systems
the vehicle is stopped by the
dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range when in vehicle-
to-vehicle distance control mode)
• The D shift position is selected.
• The driver’s seat belt is fastened.
• The driver’s door is closed.
• The selected driv ing mode is not
snow mode (AWD models).
• Mud & Sand or Rock & Dirt mode is not selected for Multi-terrain
Select (AWD models).
• The windshield defogger is off. (vehicles without a manual air
conditioning system)
• The accelerator pedal is not being depressed.
• The engine is adequately warmed
up.
• The outside temperature is 23°F (- 5°C) or higher.
• The hood is closed. ( P.307)
●In the following situations, the
engine may not be stopped by the
Stop & Start syste m. This is not a
malfunction of the Stop & Start
system.
• When the air conditioning system is being used.
• When the battery is undergoing a periodic recharge.
• When the battery is not sufficiently
charged, such as if the vehicle
has been parked for a long time
and the battery charge has
decreased, the e lectric load is
large, the battery fluid tempera-
ture is excessively low or the bat-
tery has deteriorated.
• When the brake booster vacuum is low.
• When the elapsed time since the engine was restarted is short.
• When the vehicle is stopped fre-
quently, such as when in a traffic
jam.
• When the engine coolant tem- perature or transmission fluid tem-
perature is extremely low or high.
• When the vehicle is stopped on a steep incline.
• When the steering wheel is being operated.
• When the vehicle is being driven in a high altitude area.
• When the battery fluid tempera- ture is extremely low or high.
• For a while after the battery termi- nals have been disconnected and
reconnected.
●When the engine is stopped by
the Stop & Star t system, the
engine will be restarted automati-
cally if any of the following condi-
tions are met:
(To enable the engine to be
stopped by the Stop & Start sys-
tem again, drive the vehicle.)
• The air conditioning system is turned on. (vehicles without a
manual air conditioning system)
• The windshield defogger is turned on. (vehicles without a manual air
conditioning system)
• The shift lever is shifted from D or P.
• The shift lever is shifted from P.
(When the engine is stopped by
the Stop & Start system when the
shift lever is in P.)
• The driver’s seat belt is unfas- tened.
• The driver’s door is opened.
• The driving mode is changed to
snow mode (AWD models).
• Mud & Sand or Rock & Dirt mode
is selected for Mult i-terrain Select
(AWD models).
• The Stop & Start cancel switch is
pressed.
• The steering wheel is operated.
• The accelerator pedal is depressed.
• The vehicle starts to roll on an incline.
●When the engine is stopped by
the Stop & Star t system, the
engine may restart automatically
in the following situations: (To
enable the engine to be stopped
by the Stop & Start system again,
drive the vehicle.)
• When the brake pedal is pumped
or strongly depressed.
• When the air conditioning system is being used.
• When a switch of the air condition-

3304-6. Driving tips
WARNING
●When driving off-road or in rug-
ged terrain, do not drive at
excessive speeds, jump, make
sharp turns, strike objects, etc.
This may cause loss of control
or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. You are
also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle’s suspension
and chassis.
NOTICE
■To prevent the water damage
Take all necessary safety mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-
age to the engine or other
components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine air
intake will cause severe engine
damage.
●Water entering the automatic
transmission will cause deterio-
ration in shift quality, locking up
of your transmission accompa-
nied by vibration, and ultimately
damage.
●Water can wash the grease
from wheel bearings, causing
rusting and premature failure,
and may also enter the differen-
tials, transmission and transfer
case (AWD models), reducing
the gear oil’s lub ricating quali-
ties.
■When you drive through
water
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the riverbed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driv-
ing
●Sand and mud that has accu-
mulated around brake discs
may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system
components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-
road driving that has taken you
through rough terrain, sand,
mud, or water. For scheduled
maintenance information, refer
to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual
Supplement”.

3896-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
General maintenance
Listed below are the general
maintenance items that
should be performed at the
intervals specified in the
“Owner’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It
is recommended that any
problem you notice should
be brought to the attention
of your Toyota dealer or
qualified service shop for
advice.
WARNING
■If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure
that there is adequate ventilation
before performing maintenance
checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
BatteryCheck the connec-
tions. ( P.403)
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
( P.401)
Engine coolant
Is the engine cool-
ant at the correct
level? ( P.400)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at
the correct level?
( P.398)
Exhaust sys-
temThere should not
be any fumes or
strange sounds.
Radiator/con-
denser
The radiator and
condenser should
be free from for-
eign objects.
( P.401)
Washer fluid
Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
( P.403)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator
pedal
• The accelerator
pedal should
move smoothly
(without uneven
pedal effort or
catching).
Automatic
transmission
“Park” mecha-
nism
• When parked on a slope and the
shift position is in
P, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have
appropriate
clearance from
the floor?
• Does the brake pedal have the
correct amount
of free play?
ItemsCheck points

4437-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
7-2.Steps to take in an emergency
The following may indicate a
problem with your transmission.
Contact your Toyota dealer or
commercial towing service
before towing.
The engine is running but the
vehicle does not move.
 The vehicle makes an abnor-
mal sound.
From the front (2WD models)
Release the parking brake.
Turn automatic mode off.
( P.215)
From the front (AWD models)
Use a towing dolly under the
rear wheels.
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the
front wheels.
If your vehicle needs
to be towed
If towing is necessary, we
recommend having your
vehicle towed by your
Toyota dealer or commer-
cial towing service, using a
wheel-lift type truck or flat-
bed truck.
Use a safety chain system
for all towing, and abide by
all state/provincial and local
laws.
Situations when it is nec-
essary to contact dealers
before towing (vehicles
with towing eyelet)
Towing with a wheel-lift
type truck