2023 TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID Owners Manual

47
1
1-1. For safe use
For safety and security
Exhaust gas precautions
Harmful substance to the
human body is included in
exhaust gases if inhaled.
WARNING
Exhaust gases contain harmful car-
bon monoxide (CO), which is color- less and odorless. Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause exhaust gases to enter the vehicle and may lead to an accident caused by light-
headedness, or may lead to death or a serious health hazard.
■Important points while driving
●Keep the back door closed.
●If you smell exhaust gases in the
vehicle even when the back door is closed, open the side windows and have the vehicle inspected at any
authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer as soon as possible.
■When parking
●If the vehicle is in a poorly venti-
lated area or a closed area, such as a garage, stop the hybrid system.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system operating for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and ensure that
exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
●Do not leave the hybrid system operating in an area with snow build-up, or where it is snowing. If
snowbanks build up around the vehicle while the hybrid system is operating, exhaust gases may col-
lect and enter the vehicle.
■Exhaust pipe
The exhaust system needs to be checked periodically. If there is a hole
or crack caused by corrosion, dam- age to a joint or abnormal exhaust noise, be sure to have the vehicle
inspected and repaired by any autho- rized Toyota retailer or Toyota autho-rized repairer, or any reliable repairer.

481-2. Child safety
1-2.Child sa fety
PASSENGER AIR BAG indica-
tor
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator and
“ON” indicator lights turn on when the
airbag system is on, and about after 60
seconds they go off (only when the
power switch is in ON).
Airbag manual on-off switch
Insert the mechanical key into the
cylinder and turn to the “OFF” posi-
tion.
The “OFF” indicator light turns on (only
when the power switch is in ON).
■PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator information
If any of the following problems occur, it
is possible that there is a malfunction in the system. Have the vehicle inspected by any authorized Toyota retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any reli- able repairer.
●The “OFF” indicator does not illumi-nate when the airbag manual on-off switch is set to “OFF”.
●The indicator light does not change when the airbag manual on-off switch
is switched to “ON” or “OFF”.
Airbag manual on-off
system
This system deactivates the
front passenger airbag.
Only deactivate the airbag
when using a child restraint
system on the front passenger
seat.
System components
A
B
Deactivating the airbags for
the front passenger

49
1
1-2. Child safety
For safety and security
WARNING
■When installing a child restraint system
For safety reasons, always install a child restraint system in a rear seat. In the event that the rear seat cannot be
used, the front seat can be used as long as the airbag manual on-off sys-tem is set to “OFF”.
If the airbag manual on-off system is left on, the strong impact of the airbag deployment (inflation) may cause
serious injury or even death.
■When a child restraint system is
not installed on the front passen- ger seat
Ensure that the airbag manual on-off
system is set to “ON”. If it is left off, the airbag may not deploy in the event of an accident,
which may result in serious injury or even death.
Riding with children
Observe the following precau-
tions when children are in the
vehicle.
Use a child restraint system
appropriate for the child, until
the child becomes large
enough to properly wear the
vehicle’s seat belt.
 It is recommended that chil-
dren sit in the rear seats to
avoid accidental contact with
the shift lever, wiper switch,
etc.
 Use the rear door child-protec-
tor lock or the window lock
switch to avoid children open-
ing the door while driving or
operating the power window
accidentally. ( P.239, 281)
 Do not let small children oper-
ate equipment which may
catch or pinch body parts,
such as the power window,
hood, back door, seats, etc.

501-2. Child safety
Points to remember: P.51
When using a child restraint sys-
tem: P.52
Child restraint system compatibility
for each seating position: P.54
Child restraint system installation
method: P.60
• Fixed with a seat belt: P.61
WARNING
■When children are in the vehicle
Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle, and never allow children to have or use the key.
Children may be able to start the vehi-
cle or shift the vehicle into neutral. There is also a danger that children may injure themselves by playing with
the side windows, panoramic moon roof (if equipped) or other features of the vehicle. In addition, heat build-up
or extremely cold temperatures inside the vehicle can be fatal to children.
Child restraint systems
Before installing a child
restraint system in the vehicle,
there are precautions that need
to be observed, different types
of child restraint systems, as
well as installation methods,
etc., written in this manual.
 Use a child restraint system
when riding with a small child
that cannot properly use a seat
belt. For the child’s safety,
install the child restraint sys-
tem to a rear seat. Be sure to
follow the installation method
that is in the operation manual
enclosed with the restraint sys-
tem.
 The use of a Toyota genuine
child restraint system is rec-
ommended, as it is safer to
use in this vehicle. Toyota gen-
uine child restraint systems
are made specifically for
Toyota vehicles. They can be
purchased at a Toyota dealer.
Table of contents

51
1
1-2. Child safety
For safety and security
• Fixed with an ISOFIX lower
anchorage: P.63
• Using a top tether anchorage:
P.64
 Prioritize and observe the warn-
ings, as well as the laws and reg-
ulations for child restraint
systems.
 Use a child restraint system until
the child becomes large enough
to properly wear the vehicle’s
seat belt.
 Choose a child restraint system
appropriate to the age and size
of the child.
 Note that not all child restraint
systems can fit in all vehicles.
Before using or purchasing a
child restraint system, check the
compatibility of the child restraint
system with seat positions.
( P.54)
Points to remember
WARNING
■When a child is riding
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
●For effective protection in automo-bile accidents and sudden stops, a child must be properly restrained,
using a seat belt or child restraint system which is correctly installed. For installation details, refer to the
operation manual enclosed with the child restraint system. General installation instructions are pro-
vided in this manual.
●Toyota strongly urges the use of a proper child restraint system that conforms to the weight and size of
the child, installed on the rear seat. According to accident statistics, the child is safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat.
●Holding a child in your or someone else’s arms is not a substitute for a child restraint system. In an acci-
dent, the child can be crushed against the windshield or between the holder and the interior of the
vehicle.
■Handling the child restraint sys-
tem
If the child restraint system is not properly fixed in place, the child or
other passengers may be seriously injured or even killed in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving, or
an accident.
●If the vehicle were to receive a
strong impact from an accident, etc., it is possible that the child restraint system has damage that is
not readily visible. In such cases, do not reuse the restraint system.
●Depending on the child restraint system, installation may be difficult or impossible. In those cases,
check whether the child restraint system is suitable for installment in the vehicle ( P.54). Be sure to
install and observe the usage rules after carefully reading the child restraint system fixing method in
this manual, as well as the opera- tion manual enclosed with the child restraint system.
●Keep the child restraint system properly secured on the seat even if
it is not in use. Do not store the child restraint system unsecured in the passenger compartment.

521-2. Child safety
■When installing a child
restraint system to a front pas-
senger seat
For the safety of a child, install a
child restraint system to a rear seat.
When installing a child restraint
system to the front passenger seat
is unavoidable, adjust the seat as
follows and install the child restraint
system:
 Adjust the seatback angle to the
most upright position.
When installing a forward-facing child
seat, if there is a gap between the child
seat and the seatback, adjust the seat-
back angle until good contact is
achieved.
 Move the front seat fully rear-
ward. If the passenger seat
height can be adjusted, move it
to the upper most position.
 If the head restraint interferes
with the child restraint system
installation and the head
restraint can be removed,
remove the head restraint. Oth-
erwise, put the head restraint in
the upper most position.
WARNING
●If it is necessary to detach the child restraint system, remove it from the
vehicle or store it securely in the luggage compartment.
When using a child restraint
system
WARNING
■When using a child restraint sys- tem
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
●Never use a rear-facing child restraint system on the front pas-
senger seat when the airbag man- ual on-off switch is on. ( P.48) The force of the rapid inflation of
the front passenger airbag can cause death or serious injury to children in the event of an accident.

53
1
1-2. Child safety
For safety and security
WARNING
●There is a label(s) on the passen- ger side sun visor, indicating it is
forbidden to attach a rear-facing child restraint system to the front passenger seat.
Details of the label(s) are shown in the illustration below.
WARNING

541-2. Child safety
■Child restraint system compat-
ibility for each seating posi-
tion
Compatibility of each seating posi-
tion with child restraint systems
( P.56) displays the type of child
restraint systems that can be used
and possible seating positions for
installation using symbols. Also, the
recommended child restraint sys-
tem that is suitable for your child
can be selected.
Otherwise, check [Recommended
child restraint systems information]
for recommended child restraint
WARNING
●Only put a forward-facing child restraint system on the front seat
when unavoidable. When installing a forward-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat, move the
seat as far back as possible. Failing to do so may result in death or seri-ous injury if the airbags deploy
(inflate).
●Do not allow the child to lean
his/her head or any part of his/her body against the door or the area of the seat, front or rear pillars, or roof
side rails from which the SRS side airbags or SRS curtain shield air-bags deploy even if the child is
seated in the child restraint system. It is dangerous if the SRS side air-bags and curtain shield airbags
inflate, and the impact could cause death or serious injury to the child.
●When a junior seat is installed, always ensure that the shoulder belt is positioned across the center
of the child’s shoulder. The belt should be kept away from the child’s neck, but not so that it could
fall off the child’s shoulder.
●Use a child restraint system suit- able to the age and size of the child and install it to the rear seat.
●If the driver’s seat interferes with the child restraint system and pre-
vents it from being attached cor- rectly, attach the child restraint system to the right-hand rear seat
(left-hand drive vehicles) or the left- hand rear seat (right-hand drive vehicles).
●Adjust the front passenger seat so that it does not interfere with the
child restraint system.
Child restraint system com-
patibility for each seating
position