2023 TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID engine

4265-6. Driving tips
cautions to ensure your driving
enjoyment and to help prevent the
closure of areas to off-road vehi-
cles:
 Drive your vehicle only in areas
where off-road vehicles are per-
mitted to travel.
 Respect private property. Get
owner’s permission before enter-
ing private property.
 Do not enter areas that are
closed. Honor gates, barriers
and signs that restrict travel.
 Stay on established roads. When
conditions are wet, driving tech-
niques should be changed or
travel delayed to prevent dam-
age to roads.
WARNING
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precau- tions to minimize the risk of death, serious injury or damage to your vehi-
cle:
●Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by
driving in dangerous places.
●Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands
and especially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
●Always check your brakes for effec-tiveness immediately after driving in sand, mud, water or snow.
●After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that there is no grass, bush, paper,
rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the
underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a break-
down or fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rugged
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 measures to ensure that water damage to the hybrid battery (traction battery),
hybrid system or other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine compart-
ment may cause severe damage to the hybrid system.
●Water entering the hybrid transmis-sion will cause deterioration in transmission quality. The malfunc-
tion indicator may come on, and the vehicle may not be drivable.
●Water can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and premature failure, and may
also enter the hybrid transaxle case, reducing the gear oil’s lubri-cating qualities.

4326-1. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
switch to outside air mode if the recircu-
lated air mode is used. (It may switch
automatically.)
To defog the windshield and the side
windows quickly, turn the air flow and
temperature up.
To return to the previous mode, press
the windshield defogger switch again
when the windshield is defogged.
When the windshield defogger switch is
on, the indicator illuminates on the
windshield defogger switch.
■Defogging the rear window
and outside rear view mirrors
Defoggers are used to defog the
rear window, and to remove rain-
drops, dew and frost from the out-
side rear view mirrors.
Press the rear window and outside
rear view mirror defoggers switch.
The defoggers will automatically turn off
after 15 minutes.
When the rear window and outside rear
view mirror defoggers switch is on, the
indicator illuminates on the rear window
and outside rear view mirror defoggers
switch.
■Blower customization
The fan speed can be adjusted
according to your preference.
1Press the automatic mode or
airflow mode control switch.
2Press the blower customization
switch.
3Each time the blower customi-
zation switch is pressed, the fan
speed changes as follows.
Normal  “ECO”  “FAST”
■Heating
●In HV mode, the gasoline engine may
operate in order to extract heat from
the engine coolant via the heater.
●In EV mode, heating is done by a heat
pump system.
• When the outside temperature is low
or it is snowing, compared to conven-
tional vehicles, heating may be less
effective and warm air may not come
out.
• When the outside heat exchanger is
frosted over, fan speed declines and it
may become harder to heat the inte-
rior. However, it is not a malfunction.
In this situation, the air temperature
from the outlets may not change even
though the set temperature is raised.
• If frost has formed of the outside heat
exchanger, the heating performance
will decline. The frost can be removed
from the outside heat exchanger by
operating the Remote Air Conditioning
System before driving (P.438).
When frosted over, the heating opera-
tion of the Remote Air Conditioning
System starts after defrosting.
• When “AUTO” switch is turned on, the
heating is controlled optimally. There-
fore, the set heating performance may
not be achieved even if the fan speed
setting is increased.
Outside heat exchanger
●In the following situations the gasoline
engine may operate in order to extract
heat from the engine coolant via the
heater even in EV mode.
• The outside temperature is approxi-
mately -10°C (14°F) or low
A

433
6 6-1. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
Interior features
• is operating
■Water droplets during air condi-
tioning operation
The outside heat exchanger, accumula-
tor and air conditioning piping may incur
condensation or frost may form. During
or after the air conditioning operation,
water droplets may fall from the vehicle.
However, it is not a malfunction.
Accumulator
Outside heat exchanger
■Fogging up of the windows
●The windows will easily fog up when
the humidity in the vehicle is high.
Turning “A/C” switch on will dehumid-
ify the air from the outlets and defog
the windshield effectively.
●If you turn “A/C” switch off, the win-
dows may fog up more easily.
●The windows may fog up if the recir-
culated air mode is used.
■While using “My Room Mode”
●It may not be possible to obtain the
intended defogging performance even
if is pressed. If the windows
need to be defogged before driving,
stop charging power and then press
.
●When the outside temperature is low,
heating may feel insufficient due to
restricted operation of the air condi-
tioning. Heating cannot be performed when it is -10°C (14°F) or less as the
gasoline engine cannot be started
during “My Room Mode”. If heating is
desired, stop charging and remove
the AC charging cable from the vehi-
cle.
■When driving on dusty roads
Close all windows. If dust thrown up by
the vehicle is still drawn into the vehicle
after closing the windows, it is recom-
mended that the air intake mode be set
to outside air mode and the fan speed to
any setting except off.
■Outside/recirculated air mode
●Setting to the recirculated air mode
temporarily is recommended in pre-
venting dirty air from entering the
vehicle interior and helping to cool the
vehicle when the outside air tempera-
ture is high.
●Outside/recirculated air mode may
automatically switch depending on the
temperature setting or the inside tem-
perature.
■Operation of the air conditioning
system in Eco drive mode
●In Eco drive mode, the air conditioning
system is controlled as follows to pri-
oritize fuel efficiency:
• Engine speed and compressor opera-
tion controlled to restrict heating/cool-
ing capacity
• Fan speed restricted when automatic
mode is selected
●To improve air conditioning perfor-
mance, perform the following opera-
tions:
• Turn off Eco drive mode (P.411)
• Turn off blower customization
(P.432)
■When the outside temperature falls
to nearly 0°C (32°F)
The dehumidification function may not
operate even when “A/C” switch is
pressed.
■Ventilation and air conditioning
odors
●To let fresh air in, set the air condition-
A
B

7
465
7
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
7-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the
vehicle exterior ............... 466
Cleaning and protecting the
vehicle interior ................ 469
7-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
....................................... 472
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precau-
tions ................................ 474
Hood ................................. 476
Positioning a floor jack...... 477
Engine compartment ........ 479
12-volt battery ................... 484
Tires.................................. 487
Tire inflation pressure ....... 498
Wheels.............................. 499
Air conditioning filter ......... 500
Cleaning the DC/DC Converter
air intake vent and filter .. 504
Wiper insert replacement .. 508
Electronic key battery ....... 511
Checking and replacing fuses
....................................... 513
Light bulbs ........................ 516

467
7
7-1. Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
■Front side windows water-repel-
lent coating (except quarter win- dow)
●The following precautions can extend the effectiveness of the water-repel-lent coating.
• Remove any dirt, etc., from the front side windows regularly.• Do not allow dirt and dust to accumu-
late on the windows for a long period. Clean the windows with a soft, damp cloth as soon as possible.
• Do not use wax or glass cleaners that contain abrasives when cleaning the windows.
• Do not use any metallic objects to remove condensation build up.
■Brake pads and calipers
Rust may form if the vehicle is parked
with wet brake pads or disc rotors, caus- ing them to stick. Before parking the vehicle after it is washed, drive slowly
and apply the brakes several times to dry the parts.
■Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■Plated portions
If dirt cannot be removed, clean the parts as follows:
●Use a soft cloth dampened with an approximately 5% solution of neutral detergent and water to clean the dirt
off.
●Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth
to remove any remaining moisture.
●To remove oily deposits, use alcohol
wet wipes or a similar product.
WARNING
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the
engine compartment. Doing so may cause the electrical components, etc. to catch fire.
■When cleaning the windshield
Set the wiper switch to off. If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the
wipers may operate unexpectedly in the following situations, and may result in hands being caught or other
serious injuries and cause damage to the wiper blades.
Off
“AUTO”
●When the upper part of the wind-
shield where the raindrop sensor is located is touched by hand
●When a wet rag or similar is held close to the raindrop sensor
●If something bumps against the windshield
●If you directly touch the raindrop sensor body or if something bumps
into the raindrop sensor
■Precautions regarding the
exhaust pipes
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipes to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipes until they have cooled sufficiently, as touching hot
exhaust pipes can cause burns.
A
B

473
7 7-2. Maintenance
Maintenance and care
request that a record of maintenance
be kept.
■Does your vehicle need repairs?
Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance and sounds, and visual tip-offs
that indicate service is needed. Some
important clues are:
●Engine missing, stumbling or pinging
●Appreciable loss of power
●Strange engine noises
●A fluid leak under the vehicle (How-
ever, water dripping from the air con-
ditioning system after use is normal.)
●Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monox-
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhaust system checked
immediately.)
●Flat-looking tires, excessive tire
squeal when cornering, uneven tire
wear
●Vehicle pulls to one side when driven
straight on a level road
●Strange noises related to suspension
movement
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy
feeling brake pedal, pedal almost
touches the floor, vehicle pulls to one
side when braking
●Engine coolant temperature continu-
ally higher than normal (P.187, 193)
If you notice any of these clues, take
your vehicle to any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or
any reliable repairer as soon as possi-
ble.
Your vehicle may need adjustment or
repair.

4747-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7-3.Do-it-y ours elf main ten ance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions
If you perform maintenance by
yourself, be sure to follow the
correct procedure as given in
these sections.
Maintenance
ItemsParts and tools
12-volt battery
condition
( P.484)
•Grease
• Conventional
wrench (for terminal
clamp bolts)
Engine/power
control unit
coolant level
( P.481)
• “Toyota Super Long
Life Coolant” or a
similar high quality
ethylene glycol-
based non-silicate,
non-amine, non-
nitrite and non-
borate coolant with
long-life hybrid
organic acid technol-
ogy
“Toyota Super Long
Life Coolant” is pre-
mixed with 50%
coolant and 50%
deionized water.
• Funnel (used only
for adding coolant)
Engine oil level
( P.479)
• “Toyota Genuine
Motor Oil” or equiva-
lent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only
for adding engine
oil)
Fuses
( P.513)
• Fuse with same
amperage rating as
original
DC/DC Con-
verter air
intake vent
( P.504)
• Vacuum cleaner,
etc,
• Phillips screwdriver
Light bulbs
( P.516)
• Bulb with same
number and watt-
age rating as origi-
nal
• Phillips-head screw-
driver
• Flathead screw-
driver
•Wrench
Radiator and
condenser
( P.482)

Tire inflation
pressure
( P.498)
• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air
source
Washer fluid
( P.483)
• Water or washer
fluid containing anti-
freeze (for winter
use)
• Funnel (used only
for adding water or
washer fluid)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many mechanisms and fluids that may move suddenly, become hot, or
become electrically energized. To avoid death or serious injury, observe the following precautions.
ItemsParts and tools

475
7
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Maintenance and care
WARNING
■When working on the engine compartment
●Make sure that “IGNITION ON” on the multi-information display and the “READY” indicator are both off.
●Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan.
●Be careful not to touch the engine, power control unit, radiator, exhaust
manifold, etc. right after driving as they may be hot. Oil and other flu-ids may also be hot.
●Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and
rags, in the engine compartment.
●Do not smoke, cause sparks or
expose an open flame to fuel. Fuel fumes are flammable.
●Take care because brake fluid can harm your hands or eyes and dam-age painted surfaces. If fluid gets
on your hands or in your eyes, flush the affected area with clean water immediately. If you still experience
discomfort, consult a doctor.
■When working near the electric
cooling fan or radiator grille
Be sure the power switch is off. With the power switch in ON, the
electric cooling fan may automatically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature is
high. ( P.482)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc., from getting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner fil-ter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive engine wear due to dirt in the air.
■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 or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refill- ing, it may indicate a serious problem.