2023 TOYOTA RAV4 PRIME brake

2955-1. Before driving
5
Driving
■GCWR (Gross Combination
Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
combination weight. The gross
WARNING
●Do not exceed 65 mph (104
km/h), the posted towing speed
limit or the speed limit for your
trailer as set fort h in your trailer
owner’s manual, whichever is
lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery sur-
face, etc. to help avoid an acci-
dent. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from
reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep
your vehicle speed under the
speed of which you experience
the instability.
●Do not make jerky, abrupt or
sharp turns.
●Do not apply the brakes sud-
denly as you may skid, resulting
in jackknifing and loss of vehicle
control. This is especially true
on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Do not exceed th e trailer hitch
assembly weight, gross vehicle
weight, gross axle weight and
trailer tongue weight capacities.
●Do not use dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed
range when towing.
●Slow down and downshift
before descending steep or long
downhill grades. Do not make
sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
●Vehicle-trailer in stability is more
likely on steep long downhills.
Before descending steep or
long downhill grades, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts when
descending steep or long down-
hill grades. Avoid holding the
brake pedal down too long or
applying the brakes too fre-
quently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
●Do not tow a trailer when the
compact spare tire is installed
on your vehicle.
■When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any appli-
cable federal and s tate/provincial
regulations.
●If the gross tr ailer weight
exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer
brakes are required. Toyota rec-
ommends trailers with brakes
that conform to all applicable
federal and state/provincial reg-
ulations.
●Never tap into your vehicle’s
hydraulic system, as this will
lower the vehicle’s braking
effectiveness.
●Never tow a traile r without using
a safety chain securely attached
to both the trailer and the vehi-
cle. If damage occurs to the
coupling unit or hitch ball, there
is danger of the trailer wander-
ing into another lane.
Towing related terms

2975-1. Before driving
5
Driving
(With brakes)
■Unbraked TWR (Unbraked
Trailer Weight Rating)
The trailer weight rating for tow-
ing a trailer without a trailer ser-
vice brake system.
(Without brakes)
■Tongue Weight
The load placed on the trailer
hitch ball. ( P.298) 
The gross trailer weight must
never exceed 2500 lb. (1135
kg).
 The gross combination weight
must never exceed 8030 lb.
(3645 kg).
 The gross vehicle weight
must never exceed the
GVWR indicated on the Certi-
fication Regulation Label.
 The gross axle weight on
each axle must never exceed
the GAWR indicated on the
Certification Regulation Label.
 If the gross trailer weight is
over the unbraked TWR,
trailer service brakes are
required.
Confirm that the gross trailer
weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and tongue
weight are all within the limits.
A
A
Weight limits
GCWR, TWR and
Unbraked TWR

2985-1. Before driving
■GCWR*
8030 lb. (3645 kg)
*: This model meets the tow-vehicle trailering requirement of SAE
International per SAE J2807.
■TWR*
2500 lb. (1135 kg)
*: This model meets the tow-vehicle trailering requirement of SAE
International per SAE J2807.
■Unbraked TWR*
1000 lb. (450 kg)
*: This model meets the tow-vehicle trailering requirement of SAE
International per SAE J2807.
 A recommended tongue
weight varies in accordance
with the types of trailers or
towing as described below.
 To ensure the recommended
values shown below, the
trailer must be loaded by
referring to the following
instructions.
• Tongue Weight
The gross trailer weight should be
distributed so that the tongue
weight is 9% to 11%.
(Tongue weight /Gross trailer
weight x 100 = 9% to 11%)
Gross trailer weight
Tongue weight
The gross trailer weight, gross
axle weight and tongue weight
can be measured with platform
scales found at a highway
weighing station, building supply
company, trucking company,
junk yard, etc.
Trailer hitch assemblies have
different weight capacities.
Toyota recommends the use of
Toyota hitch/bracket for your
vehicle. For details, contact your
Toyota dealer.
 If you wish to install a trailer
hitch, contact your Toyota
dealer.
 Use only a hitch that con-
forms to the gross trailer
weight requirement of your
vehicle.
 Follow the directions supplied
by the hitch manufacturer.
 Lubricate the hitch ball with a
light coating of grease.
Trailer Tongue Weight
Hitch
A
B

3015-1. Before driving
5
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, when using engine
braking, do not use the trans-
mission in D.
 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 hybrid
system may overheat on hot
days (at temperatures over
85°F [30°C]) when driving up
a long or steep grade. If the
high coolant temperature
warning light indicates over-
heating, immediately turn off
the air conditioning (if in use),
pull your vehicle off the road
and stop in a safe spot.
( P.574)
 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.
3 When the wheel blocks are in
place, release the brakes
slowly until the blocks absorb
the load.

3025-1. Before driving
4Apply the parking brake
firmly.
5 Shift into P and turn off the
hybrid system.
 When restarting after parking
on a slope:
1 With the transmission in P,
start the hybrid system. Be
sure to keep the brake pedal
depressed.
2 Shift into a forward gear. If
reversing, shift into R.
3 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, release the park-
ing brake. ( P.314)
4 Release the brake pedal, and
slowly pull or back away from
the wheel blocks. Stop and
apply the brakes.
5 Have someone retrieve the
blocks.
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped
with any new power train compo-
nents (such as an engine, transmis-
sion, differential or wheel bearing),
Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer unt il the vehicle has
been driven for over 500 miles (800
km).
After the vehicle has been driven for
over 500 miles (800 km), you can
start towing. However, for the next
500 miles (800 km), drive the vehi-
cle at a speed of less than 45 mph
(72 km/h) when towing a trailer, and
avoid full throttle acceleration.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a traile r, your vehicle
will require more f requent mainte-
nance due to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner
’s Manual Sup-
plement”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the
towing ball and bracket after
approximately 600 miles (1000
km) of tra iler towing.
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds,
passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.)
can adversely affect handling of
your vehicle and t railer, causing
instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to contr ol trailer sway-
ing 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
vehicle and trailer should stabilize (if
enabled, Trailer Sway Control can
also help to stabilize the vehicle and
trailer.).
●After the trailer swaying has
stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occu-
pants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer. Make sure the load has not
shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is
appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle is not over-
loaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the
speed at which trailer swaying
occurred is beyond the limit of your
particular vehicle-trailer combina-
tion. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Remember that

3045-2. Driving procedures
5-2.Driving procedures
1Check that the AC charging
cable is disconnected.
( P.121)
2 Pull the parking brake switch
to check that the parking
brake is set. ( P.314)
The parking brake indicator will
come on.
3Check that the shift lever is
set in P.
4 Firmly depress the brake
pedal.
and a message will be dis-
played on the multi-information dis-
play.
If it is not displayed, the hybrid sys-
tem cannot be started.
5 Press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
When operating the power switch,
one short, firm press is enough. It is
not necessary to press and hold the
switch.
If the “READY” indicator turns on,
the hybrid system will operate nor-
mally.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the “READY” indicator is illuminated.
The hybrid system can be started
from any power switch mode.
6
Check that the “READY” indi-
cator is illuminated.
The vehicle will not move when the
“READY” indicator is off.
■Power switch illumination
According to the situation, the
power switch illu mination operates
as follows.
●When driver’s door or front pas-
senger’s door is opened, the
power switch illu mination illumi-
nates.
●When the power switch is in OFF
and depressing t he brake pedal
with carrying the electronic key on
your person, the power switch illu-
mination blinks.
●When the power switch is in ACC
or ON, the power switch illumina-
tion illuminates.
●When the power switch mode is
changed from ACC or ON to OFF,
the power switch illumination illu-
minates for a certain amount of
time. Afterwards, the power switch
illumination turns off.
■If the hybrid system does not
start
●The immobilizer system may not
have been deactivated. ( P.70)
Contact your Toyota dealer.
●If a message related to start-up is
shown on the multi-information
Power (ignition)
switch
Performing the following
operations when carrying
the electronic key on your
person starts the hybrid
system or changes power
switch modes.
Starting the hybrid sys-
tem

3065-2. Driving procedures
1Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, set the parking
brake. ( P.314)
Check the parking brake indicator
is illuminated.
3 Shift the shift lever to P.
Do not press the shift lever button
after shifting the shift lever to P.
4Press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
The hybrid system will stop, and the
meter display will be extinguished.
Release the shift lever when press-
ing the power switch.
5Release the brake pedal and
check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown
on the multi-information dis-
play.
■Automatic hybrid system shut
off feature
●The vehicle is equipped with a
feature that automatically shuts off
the hybrid system when the shift
lever is in P with the hybrid system
operating for an extended period.
●The hybrid system will automati-
cally shut off after approximately 1
hour if it has been left operating
while the shift lever is in P.
●The message asking if you wish to
enable/disable t he automatic
hybrid syste m shut off feature will
sometimes be displayed on the
multi-information display.
Leaving the vehicle as is or select-
ing “Perform Auto Off” keeps the
automatic hybrid system shut off
feature enabled, or selecting
“Keep Vehicle On” disables the
automatic hybrid system shut off
feature.
●The timer for the automatic hybrid
system shut off feature will reset if
the brake pedal is depressed or if
the shift lever is in a position other
than P.
●After the vehicle is parked, if the
door is locked with the door lock
switch ( P.225) from the inside
or the mechanical key ( P.568)
from the outside , the automatic
hybrid syste m shut off feature will
be disabled. The timer for the
automatic hybrid system shut off
feature will be re-enabled if the
driver’s door is opened.
NOTICE
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
If the hybrid system becomes diffi-
cult to start, have your vehicle
checked by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a mal-
function with the power
switch
If the power switch seems to be
operating somewhat differently
than usual, such as the switch
sticking slightly, there may be a
malfunction. Contact your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Stopping the hybrid sys-
tem

3075-2. Driving procedures
5
Driving
Modes can be changed by
pressing the power switch with
the brake pedal released. (The
mode changes each time the
switch is pressed.)
WARNING
■Stopping the hybrid system
in an emergency
●If you want to stop the hybrid
system in an emergency while
driving the vehicle, press and
hold the power switch for more
than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in suc-
cession. (P.535)
However, do not touch the
power switch while driving
except in an emergency. Turn-
ing the hybrid system off while
driving will not cause a loss of
steering or braking control.
However, power assist for the
steering wheel may be lost mak-
ing it difficult to steer smoothly
before stopping the vehicle
depending on the remaining
charge in the 12-volt battery or
usage conditions. In this situa-
tion, you should pull over and
stop the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so.
●If the power switch is operated
while the vehicle is running, a
warning message will be shown
on the multi-info rmation display
and a buzzer sounds.
●When restarting the hybrid sys-
tem after an emergency shut-
down, shift the shift lever to N
and press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
■When parking
Exhaust gases include harmful
carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless 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.
●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 ve hicle 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 sys-
tem is operating, exhaust gases
may collect and enter the vehi-
cle.
Changing power switch
modes