2023 TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID Owners Manual

415
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
■ECB (Electronically Con-
trolled Brake System)
The electronically controlled sys-
tem generates braking force corre-
sponding to the brake operation
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when
the brakes are applied suddenly, or
if the brakes are applied while driv-
ing on a slippery road surface
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of
braking force after the brake pedal
is depressed when the system
detects a panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding
when swerving suddenly or turning
on slippery road surfaces.
NOTICE
■To prevent the GPF system from not operating properly
●Do not use fuel other than the spec-ified type
●Do not modify the exhaust pipes
Driving assist systems
To keep driving safety and per-
formance, the following sys-
tems operate automatically in
response to various driving sit-
uations. Be aware, however,
that these systems are supple-
mentary and should not be
relied upon too heavily when
operating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving
assist systems

4165-5. Using the driving support systems
■VSC+ (Vehicle Stability Con-
trol+)
Provides cooperative control of the
ABS, TRC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stabil-
ity when swerving on slippery road
surfaces by controlling steering per-
formance.
■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.
■TRC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and
prevent the drive wheels from spin-
ning when starting the vehicle or
accelerating on slippery roads
■Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
Helps to prevent the vehicle from
drifting to the outer side by perform-
ing inner wheel brake control when
attempting to accelerate while turn-
ing
■Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward
movement of the vehicle when
starting on an uphill
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to
reduce the amount of effort needed
to turn the steering wheel.
■E-Four (Electronic On-Demand
AWD system)
Automatically controls the drive
system such as to front-wheel drive
or AWD (all wheel drive) according
to various running conditions
including normal driving, during cor-
nering, on a uphill, when starting
off, during acceleration, on a slip-
pery roads due to snow or rain,
thus contributing to stable
operability and driving stability.
■Emergency brake signal
When the brakes are applied sud-
denly, the emergency flashers
automatically flash to alert the vehi-
cle behind.
■The Secondary Collision
Brake (if equipped)
When the SRS airbag sensor
detects a collision and the system
operates, the brakes and brake
lights are automatically controlled
to reduce the vehicle speed and
help reduce the possibility of further
damage due to a secondary colli-
sion.
■When the TRC/VSC/ABS/Trail
Mode/Trailer Sway Control systems
are operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRC/VSC/ABS/Trail Mode/Trailer Sway
Control systems are operating.

417
5 5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
■Disabling the TRC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or
snow, the TRC system may reduce
power from the hybrid system 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 TRC system off, quickly
press and release .
The “Traction Control Turned OFF” will
be shown on the multi-information dis-
play.
Press again to turn the system back
on.
■Turning off the TRC/VSC/Trailer
Sway Control systems
To turn the TRC/VSC/Trailer Sway Con-
trol systems off, 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-infor-
mation display.
*
Press again to turn the systems back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision
System), PCS will also be disabled
(only pre-collision warning is avail-
able). The PCS warning light will
come on and a message will be dis-
played on the multi-information dis-
play. (P.353)
■When the message is displayed on
the multi-information display show-
ing that TRC has been disabled
even if has not been pressed
TRC is temporary deactivated. If the
information continues to show, contact
any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
■Operating conditions of hill-start
assist control
When all of the following conditions are
met, the hill-start assist control will oper-
ate:
●The shift lever is in a position other
than P or N (when starting off for-
ward/backward on an upward incline)
●The vehicle is stopped
●The accelerator pedal is not
depressed
●The parking brake is not engaged
●The power switch is in ON
■Automatic system cancelation of
hill-start assist control
The hill-start assist 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 brake pedal is depressed and the
parking brake is engaged
●A maximum of 2 seconds have
elapsed after the brake pedal is
released
●The power switch is turned to OFF

4185-5. Using the driving support systems
■Sounds and vibrations caused by
the ABS, brake assist, VSC, Trailer
Sway Control, TRC and hill-start
assist control systems
●A sound may be heard from the
engine compartment when the brake
pedal is depressed repeatedly, when
the hybrid system is started or just
after the vehicle begins to move. This
sound does not indicate that a mal-
function has occurred in any of these
systems.
●Any of the following conditions may
occur when the above systems 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.
■ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in
the following cases, but it does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred.
●Operating sound heard from the
engine compartment when the brake
pedal is operated.
●Motor sound of the brake system
heard from the front part of the vehicle
when the driver’s door is opened.
●Operating sound heard from the
engine compartment when one or two
minutes passed after the stop of the
hybrid system.
■Active Cornering Assist operation
sounds and vibrations
When the Active Cornering Assist is
operated, operation sounds and vibra-
tions may be generated from the brake
system, but this is not a malfunction.
■Automatic reactivation of TRC,
Trailer Sway Control and VSC sys-
tems
After turning the TRC, Trailer Sway
Control and VSC systems off, the sys-
tems will be automatically re-enabled in
the following situations:
●When the power switch is turned off
●If only the TRC system is turned off,
the TRC will turn on when vehicle
speed increases
If both the TRC and VSC systems are
turned off, automatic re-enabling will
not occur when vehicle speed
increases.
■Operating conditions of Active Cor-
nering Assist
The system operates when the following
occurs.
●TRC/VSC can operate
●The driver is attempting to accelerate
while turning
●The system detects that the vehicle is
drifting to the outer side
●The brake pedal is released
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS
system
The effectiveness of the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from
overheating when there is frequent
steering input over an extended period
of time. The steering wheel may feel
heavy as a result. Should this occur,
refrain from excessive steering input or
stop the vehicle and turn the hybrid sys-
tem off. The EPS system should return
to normal within 10 minutes.
■Operating conditions of emergency
brake signal
When the following conditions are met,
the emergency brake signal will operate:
●The emergency flashers are off.
●Actual vehicle speed is over 55 km/h
(35 mph).
●The system judges from the vehicle
deceleration that it is a sudden brak-
ing operation.
■Automatic system cancelation of
emergency brake signal
The emergency brake signal will be can-
celed in any of the following situations:
●The emergency flashers are turned
on.
●The system judges from the vehicle

419
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
deceleration that is not a sudden brak-
ing operation.
■Secondary Collision Brake operat- ing conditions (if equipped)
The system operates when the SRS air-
bag sensor detects a collision while the vehicle is in motion. However, the sys-tem does not operate when the compo-
nents are damaged.
■Secondary Collision Brake auto- matic cancellation (if equipped)
The system is automatically canceled in
any of the following situations.
●The vehicle speed drops to approxi-
mately 10 km/h (6 mph).
●A certain amount of time elapses
during operation
●The accelerator pedal is depressed a
large amount
■If a message about AWD is shown on the multi-information display (AWD models)
Perform the following actions.
●“AWD System Overheated Switching
to 2WD Mode”
AWD system is overheated. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place with the hybrid
system operating.*
If the message disappears after a while,
there is no problem. If the message
remains, have the vehicle inspected by
any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer immediately.
●“AWD System Overheated 2WD
Mode Engaged”
AWD system has been temporarily
released and switched to front-wheel
drive due to overheating. Stop the vehi-
cle in a safe place with the hybrid sys-
tem operating.*
If the message disappears after a while,
AWD system will automatically recover.
If the message remains, have the vehi-
cle inspected by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or
any reliable repairer immediately.
●“AWD System Malfunction 2WD Mode Engaged Visit Your Dealer”
A malfunction occurs in the AWD sys-
tem. Have the vehicle inspected by any
authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota
authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer immediately.
*: When stopping the vehicle, do not
stop the hybrid system until the dis-
play message has turned off.
WARNING
■The ABS does not operate effec-
tively when
●The limits of tire gripping perfor- mance have been exceeded (such
as excessively worn tires on a snow covered road).
●The vehicle hydroplanes while driv-ing at high speed on wet or slick roads.
■Stopping distance when the ABS is operating may exceed that of
normal conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the vehicle’s stopping distance.
Always maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, especially in the following situations:
●When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the
road
●When driving over roads with pot-
holes or uneven surfaces

4205-5. Using the driving support systems
WARNING
■TRC/VSC may not operate effec- tively when
Directional control and power may not be achievable while driving on slip-pery road surfaces, even if the
TRC/VSC system is operating. Drive the vehicle carefully in condi-tions where stability and power may
be lost.
■Active Cornering Assist does not
operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on Active Corner- ing Assist. Active Cornering Assist
may not operate effectively when accelerating down slopes or driving on slippery road surfaces.
●When Active Cornering Assist fre-quently operates, Active Cornering
Assist may temporarily stop operat- ing to ensure proper operation of the brakes, TRC 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 effectively on steep
inclines and roads covered with ice.
●Unlike the parking brake, hill-start
assist control is not intended to hold the vehicle stationary for an extended period of time. Do not
attempt to use hill-start assist con- trol to hold the vehicle on an incline, as doing so may lead to an acci-
dent.
■When the TRC/ABS/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 TRC/VSC/Trailer Sway Control systems are turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a
speed appropriate to the road condi- tions. As these are the systems to help ensure vehicle stability and driv-
ing force, do not turn the TRC/VSC/Trailer Sway Control sys-tems 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.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the specified size, brand, tread pattern and total load capacity. In addition,
make sure that the tires are inflated to the recommended tire inflation pres-sure level.
The ABS, TRC, VSC and Trailer Sway Control systems will not func-tion correctly if different tires are
installed on the vehicle. Contact any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer,
or any reliable repairer for further information when replacing tires or wheels.
■Handling of tires and the suspen-sion
Using tires with any kind of problem or modifying the suspension will affect the driving assist systems, and may
cause a system to malfunction.
■Trailer Sway Control precaution
The Trailer Sway Control system is not able to reduce trailer sway in all situations. Depending on many fac-
tors such as the conditions of the vehicle, trailer, road surface and driv-ing environment, the Trailer Sway
Control system may not be effective. Refer to your trailer owner’s manual for information on how to tow your
trailer properly.

421
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
WARNING
■If trailer sway occurs
Observe the following precautions.
Failing to do so may cause death or serious injury.
●Firmly grip the steering wheel.
Steer straight ahead. Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering wheel.
●Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradu-
ally to reduce speed. Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction
with the steering or brakes, your vehi-
cle and trailer should stabilize.
( P.296)
■Secondary Collision Brake (if
equipped)
Do not rely solely upon the Secondary Collision Brake. This system is
designed to help reduce the possibil- ity of further damage due to a second-ary collision, however, that effect
changes according to various condi- tions. Overly relying on the system may result in death or serious injury.

4225-6. Driving tips
5-6.Driving tips
Use fluids that are appropriate to
the prevailing outside tempera-
tures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Power control unit coolant
• Washer fluid
 Have a service technician
inspect the condition of the 12-
volt battery.
 Have the vehicle fitted with four
snow tires or purchase a set of
tire chains for the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size
and brand, and that chains match the
size of the tires.*
*: Tire chains cannot be mounted on
vehicles with 235/55R19 tires.
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary prepa-
rations and inspections before
driving the vehicle in winter.
Always drive the vehicle in a
manner appropriate to the pre-
vailing weather conditions.
Pre-winter preparations
WARNING
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and cause death or serious injury.
●Use tires of the specified size.
●Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
●Do not drive at speeds in excess of the speed limit or the speed limit specified for the snow tires being
used.
●Use snow tires on all, not just some
wheels.
■Driving with tire chains (except
235/55R19 tires)
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the vehi- cle being unable to be driven safely, and may cause death or serious
injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit specified for the tire chains being used, or 50 km/h (30 mph), whichever is lower.
●Avoid driving on bumpy road sur-faces or over potholes.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shift-
ing operations that cause sudden engine braking.
●Slow down sufficiently before enter-ing a curve to ensure that vehicle control is maintained.
●Do not use LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) system (if equipped).
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from any authorized
Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer or legitimate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affects the operation of the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters.