2023 TOYOTA RAV4 engine overheat

5TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds.................................... 449
If a warning message is dis- played.......................... 459
If you have a flat tire...... 463
If the engine will not start .................................... 472
If you lose your keys ..... 474
If the electronic key does not operate properly (vehicles
with smart key system) 474
If the vehicle battery is dis- charged ....................... 476
If your vehicle overheats 480
If the vehicle becomes stuck .................................... 482
8-1. Specifications Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .................... 486
Fuel information ............ 497
Tire information ............. 499
8-2. Customization Customizable features .. 509
8-3. Initialization Items to initialize ........... 523
9-1. For owners Reporting safety defects for U.S. owners................. 526
Reporting safety defects for Canadian owners ........ 527Seat belt instructions for
Canadian owners (in
French) ........................ 527
SRS airbag instructions for Canadian owners (in
French) ........................ 529
Headlight aim instructions for Canadian owners (in
French) ........................ 536
What to do if... (Trouble- shooting) ..................... 540
Alphabetical Index ........ 543
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index

15Pictorial index
Precautions against winter season ......................................P.325
To prevent freezing (windshield wiper de-icer)
*...................P.344
Precautions against car wash (R ain-sensing windshield wipers)
*
............................................................... ..............................P.381
Replacing the wiper insert ..................................... ...............P.422
Fuel filler door ............................................... .....................P.231
Refueling method ............................................... ..................P.231
Fuel type/fuel tan k capacity .................................................P.488
Tires ....................................................................................P.405
Tire size/inflation pressure ................................... ................P.492
Winter tires/tire chain ........................................ ...................P.325
Checking/rotation/tire pressure warning system
*.................P.405
Coping with flat tires......................................... ....................P.463
Hood ....................................................................................P.395
Opening ........................................................ .......................P.395
Engine oil ..................................................... ........................P.488
Coping with overheat ........................................... ................P.480
Warning messages ..............................................................P.459
Headlights..................................................... ......................P.219
Turn signal lights ...............................................................P.212
Parking lights .....................................................................P.219
Daytime running lights .. ....................................................P.219
Side marker lights ............................................. .................P.219
Fog lights
*............................................................... ............P.226
Stop lights/tail lights/turn s ignal lights ....................P.212, 219
Tail lights .................................................... ........................P.219
Back-up lights
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P .432, Watts: P.496)
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O

862-1. Instrument cluster
forming the following procedure.
1Stop the vehicle on a level sur-
face.
2 Press the “ODO TRIP” switch to
change the odometer and trip
meter display to odometer.
3 Turn the engine switch off.
4 While pressing and holding the
“ODO TRIP” switch, turn the
engine switch to ON.
5 Continue to hold the “ODO TRIP”
switch for approximately 5 sec-
onds, and then release it once
the odometer begins flashing.
Updating is complete once the
odometer flashes for approximately
5 seconds and th en the display
returns to normal.
■Outside temperature display
●In the following si tuations, the cor-
rect outside tempe rature may not
be displayed, or the display may
take longer than normal to
change.
• When stopped, or driving at low
speeds (less than 12 mph [20
km/h])
• When the outside temperature
has changed suddenly (at the
entrance/exit of a garage, tunnel,
etc.)
●When “--” or “E” is displayed, the
system may be malfunctioning.
Take your vehicle to your Toyota
dealer.
●Displays the outside temperature
within the range of -40°F (-40°C)
to 122°F (50°C).
●When the outside temperature is
approximately 37°F (3°C) or
lower, the indicator will flash
for approximately 10 seconds,
then stay on.
■Liquid crystal display
 P.94
■Customization
Settings (e. g. meter display) can be changed on the screen of the
multi-informat
ion display. (P.98)
Switches the items of the odom-
eter, trip meter A and trip meter
B by pressing the “ODO TRIP”
WARNING
■The information display at
low temperatures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to
warm up before using the liquid
crystal information display. At
extremely low temperatures, the
display monitor may respond
slowly, and display changes may
be delayed.
For example, there is a lag
between the driver’s shifting and
the new gear number appearing
on the display. This lag could
cause the driver to downshift
again, causing rapid and exces-
sive engine braking and possibly
an accident resulting in death or
injury.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the
engine and its components
●Do not let the indicator needle
of the tachometer enter the red
zone, which indicates the maxi-
mum engine speed.
●The engine may be overheating
if the engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge is in the red zone
(“H”). In this case, immediately
stop the vehicle in a safe place,
and check the engine after it
has cooled completely.
(  P.480)
Using the “ODO TRIP”
switch

922-1. Instrument cluster
■Free/Open Source Software
Information
This product contains Free/Open
Source Software (FOSS). The
license information and/or the
source code of such FOSS can be
found at the following URL.
https://www.denso.com/global/en/
opens ource/meter/toyota/
■Liquid crystal display
 P.103
■Customization
The gauges and meters can be cus-
tomized on of the multi-informa-
tion display. ( P.509)
■Display items
 Odometer
Displays the total distance the vehi-
cle has been driven.
 Trip meter A/trip meter B
Displays the distance the vehicle
has been driven since the meter
was last reset. Trip meters A and B
can be used to record and display
different distances independently.
■Changing the display
Each time the “ODO TRIP”
switch is pressed, the displayed
item will be changed.
When the trip meter is dis-
played, pressing and holding the
switch will reset the trip meter.
WARNING
■The information display at
low temperatures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to
warm up before u sing the liquid
crystal informat ion display. At
extremely low temperatures, the
information display monitor may
respond slowly, and display
changes may be delayed.
For example, there is a lag
between the driver’s shifting and
the new gear number appearing
on the display. This lag could
cause the driver to downshift
again, causing rapid and exces-
sive engine braking and possibly
an accident resulting in death or
injury.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the
engine and its components
●Do not let the i ndicator needle
of the tachomete r enter the red
zone, which indicates the maxi-
mum engine speed.
●The engine may be overheating
if the engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge is in the red zone
(H). In this case, immediately
stop the vehicle in a safe place,
and check the engine after it
has cooled completely.
(  P.480)
Odometer and trip meter
display

1824-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Moving the shift lever to N while
the vehicle is moving will disen-
gage the engine from the trans-
mission. Engine braking is not
available when N is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear
other than P or N may lead to
unexpected rapid acceleration
of the vehicle that may cause an
accident and result in death or
serious injury. Doing so can
damage the transmission and
may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
■If you hear a squealing or
scraping noise (brake pad
wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when
needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake
pads and/or those of the brake
discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other
than P or N, the vehicle may
accelerate suddenly and unex-
pectedly, causing an accident.
●In order to prev ent accidents
due to the vehicle rolling away,
always keep depressing the
brake pedal while the engine is
running, and apply the parking
brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an
incline, in order to prevent acci-
dents caused by the vehicle roll-
ing forward or backward, always
depress the brake pedal and
securely apply the parking
brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the
engine.
Running the engine at high
speed while the vehicle is
stopped may cause the exhaust
system to overheat, which could
result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette
lighters, spray cans, or soft
drink cans in the vehicle when it
is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the fol-
lowing:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may
lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic
lenses and plastic material of
glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray
over the interior of the vehicle,
and may also cause a short cir-
cuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in
the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter
is in a place such as the glove
box or on the floor, it may be lit
accidentally when luggage is
loaded or the se at is adjusted,
causing a fire.

1834-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●Do not attach adhesive discs to
the windshield or windows. Do
not place containers such as air
fresheners on the instrument
panel or dashboard. Adhesive
discs or containers may act as
lenses, causing a fire in the
vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window
open if the curved glass is
coated with a metallized film
such as a silver-colored one.
Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act as a lens, caus-
ing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake,
shift the shift lever to P, stop the
engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is run-
ning.
If the vehicle is parked with the
shift lever in P but the parking
brake is not set, the vehicle may
start to move, possibly leading
to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes
while the engine is running or
immediately after turning the
engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the
vehicle
Always turn the e ngine off. Other-
wise, if you accidentally move the
shift lever or dep ress the acceler-
ator pedal, this could cause an
accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the
vehicle is parked in a poorly venti-
lated area, exhaust gases may
collect and enter the vehicle, lead-
ing to death or a serious health
hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive
more cautiously.
Braking distance increases
when the brakes are wet, and
this may cause one side of the
vehicle to brake differently than
the other side. A lso, the parking
brake may not securely hold the
vehicle.
●If the brake booster device does
not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills
or sharp turns t hat require brak-
ing.
In this case, braking is still pos-
sible, but the brake pedal
should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if
the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal
uses up the reserve for the
power-assisted brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2
individual hydraulic systems; if
one of the systems fails, the
other will still operate. In this
case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than
usual and the braking distance
will increase. Have your brakes
fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
(AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels exces-
sively when any of the tires is up
in the air, or the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud, etc. This may damage
the driveline components or pro-
pel the vehicle forward or back-
ward, causing an accident.

1994-1. Before driving
4
Driving
vehicle control. This is espe-
cially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
 Avoid jerky starts or sudden
acceleration.
 Avoid jerky steering and
sharp turns, and slow down
before making turn.
 Note that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels
to the inside of the turn. Com-
pensate by making a wider
than normal turning radius.
 Slow down before making a
turn, in cross winds, on wet or
slippery surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can
destabilize the trailer.
Take care when passing other
vehicles. Passing requires
considerable distance. After
passing a vehicle, do not for-
get the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty
of room before changing
lanes.
 To maintain engine braking
efficiency and charging sys-
tem performance when using
engine braking, do not put the
transmission in D. If in the S
mode, the transmission shift
range position must be in 6 or
lower.
 Instability happens more fre-
quently when descending
steep or long downhill grades. Before descending, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts
while descending steep or
long downhill grades.
 Avoid holding the brake pedal
down too long or applying the
brakes too frequently. This
could cause the brakes to
overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
 Due to the added load of the
trailer, your vehicle’s engine
may overheat on hot days (at
temperatures over 85°F
[30°C]) when driving up a long
or steep grade. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge
indicates overheating, imme-
diately turn off the air condi-
tioning (if in use), pull your
vehicle off the road and stop
in a safe spot. ( P.480)
 Always place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle’s and
the trailer’s wheels when
parking. Apply the parking
brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P. Avoid park-
ing on a slope, but if unavoid-
able, do so only after
performing the following:
1 Apply the brakes and keep
them applied.
2 Have someone place wheel
blocks under both the vehi-
cle’s and trailer’s wheels.

2034-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
4-2.Driving procedures
1Pull the parking brake switch
to check that the parking
brake is set. ( P.213)
The parking brake indicator will
come on.
2 Check that the shift lever is
set in P.
3 Firmly depress the brake
pedal.
4 Turn the engine switch to
START to start the engine.
■If the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may
not have been deactivated. ( P.70)
Contact your Toyota dealer.
■When the steering lock cannot
be released
When starting the engine, the
engine switch may seem stuck in
OFF. To free it, turn the key while
turning the steerin g wheel slightly
left and right.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
 P.232
OFF (“LOCK” position)
The steering wheel is locked and
the key can be re moved. (The key
can be removed only when the shift
lever is in P.)
ACC (“ACC” position)
Engine (ignition)
switch (vehicles with-
out smart key system)
Starting the engine
WARNING
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sit-
ting in the driver’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal
while starting the engine under
any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the engine
●Do not crank the engine for
more than 30 seconds at a time.
This may overheat the starter
and wiring system.
●Do not race a cold engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have
your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
Changing the engine
switch positions
A
B