TOYOTA RAV4 2021 Owners Manual (in English)
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Pictorial indexSearch by illustration
For safety 
and securityMake sure to read through them
(Main topics: Child seat, theft deterrent system)
Vehicle status 
information and 
indicatorsReading driving-related information
(Main topics: Meters, multi-information display)
Before driving
Opening and closing the doors and windows, 
adjustment before driving
(Main topics: Keys, doors, seats)
Driving
Operations and advice which are necessary for 
driving
(Main topics: Starting engine, refueling)
AudioOperating the Audio
(Main topics: Audio/visual, phone, Connected Services)
Interior featuresUsage of the interior features
(Main topics: Air conditioner, storage features)
Maintenance 
and careCaring for your vehicle and maintenance 
procedures
(Main topics: Interior and exterior, light bulbs)
When trouble 
arisesWhat to do in case of malfunction and emergency
(Main topics: Battery discharge, flat tire)
Vehicle 
specificationsVehicle specifications, customizable features
(Main topics: Fuel, oil, tire inflation pressure)
For ownersReporting safety defects for U.S. owners, and seat 
belt and SRS airbag instructions for Canadian 
owners
IndexSearch by symptom
Search alphabetically 
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2TABLE OF CONTENTS
For your information...................8
Reading this manual ................ 12
How to search .......................... 13
Pictorial index .......................... 14
1-1. For safe use Before driving ................... 26
For safe driving ................ 27
Seat belts ......................... 29
SRS airbags ..................... 33
Front passenger occupant  classification system ...... 43
Exhaust gas precautions.. 48
1-2. Child safety Riding with children .......... 49
Child restraint systems..... 50
1-3. Emergency assistance Safety Connect ................ 65
1-4. Theft deterrent system Engine immobilizer system....................................... 70
Alarm................................ 73
2-1. Instrument cluster Warning lights and indicators....................................... 76
Gauges and meters (with 4.2- inch display) ................... 82
Gauges and meters (with 7- inch display) ................... 85
Multi-information display .. 89Fuel consumption information
....................................... 99
3-1. Key information Keys .............................. 102
3-2. Opening, closing and lock- ing the doors
Side doors ..................... 109
Back door ...................... 115
Smart key system .......... 129
3-3. Adjusting the seats Front seats .................... 135
Rear seats ..................... 136
Driving position memory 138
Head restraints .............. 141
3-4. Adjusting the steering  wheel and mirrors
Steering wheel............... 144
Inside rear view mirror ... 145
Digital Rear-view Mirror . 147
Outside rear view mirrors .................................... 156
3-5. Opening, closing the win- dows and moon roof
Power windows ............. 158
Moon roof ...................... 161
Panoramic moon roof .... 164
4-1. Before driving Driving the vehicle ......... 171
Cargo and luggage ........ 177
Vehicle load limits.......... 180
1For safety and security
2
Vehicle status 
information and 
indicators
3Before driving
4Driving 
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Trailer towing ................181
Dinghy towing ............... 193
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch (vehi-cles without smart key sys-
tem) ............................. 195
Engine (ignition) switch (vehi- cles with smart key system).................................... 196
Automatic transmission . 201
Turn signal lever ........... 204
Parking brake ................ 205
Brake Hold .................... 208
4-3. Operating the lights and  wipers
Headlight switch ............ 211
AHB (Automatic High Beam) .................................... 214
Fog light switch ............. 217
Windshield wipers and  washer......................... 218
Rear window wiper and  washer......................... 221
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap.................................... 223
4-5. Using the  driving support 
systems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 226
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .................................... 232
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) .................................... 240
RSA (Road Sign Assist) 250
Dynamic radar cruise control  with full-speed range ... 253BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)
.................................... 264
Intuitive parking assist ... 273
PKSB (Parking Support  Brake) .......................... 281
Parking Support Brake func- tion (static  objects) ...... 286
Parking Support Brake func- tion (rear-crossing vehicles).................................... 292
Rear view monitor system .................................... 296
Toyota parking assist monitor .................................... 304
Panoramic view monitor 317
Stop & Start system....... 349
Driving mode s elect switch
.................................... 355
Multi-terrain Select (AWD  vehicles) ...................... 357
Snow mode switch (AWD  vehicles) ...................... 361
Downhill assist control sys- tem .............................. 362
Driving assist systems ... 364
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips .......... 371
Utility vehicle precautions ....
................................ 374
5-1. Basic function Buttons overview ........... 379
Menu screen.................. 381
Status icon..................... 382
“Setup” screen ............... 384
5Audio 
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4TABLE OF CONTENTS
5-2. Basic information before operation
Initial screen .................. 385
Touch screen ................ 386
Home screen................. 388
Entering letters and num- bers/list screen operation.................................... 389
Screen adjustment ........ 392
Linking multi-information dis- play and the system .... 393
5-3. Connectivity settings Registering/Connecting a Bluetooth
® device ....... 394
Setting Bluetooth
® details
.................................... 398
Wi-Fi
® Hotspot .............. 406
5-4. Apple CarPlay/Android  Auto
Apple CarPlay
®/Android 
Auto™ ......................... 411
5-5. Other settings General settings ............ 418
Voice settings................ 422
Vehicle settings ............. 423
5-6. Using the audio/visual sys- tem
Quick reference............. 424
Some basics ................. 425
5-7. Radio operation AM/FM/SiriusXM (SXM) radio.................................... 429
5-8. Media operation USB memory................. 436
iPod/iPhone (Apple CarPlay) .................................... 438Android Auto..................
441
Bluetooth
® audio ........... 442
5-9. Audio/visual remote con- trols
Steering switches .......... 446
5-10.Audio settings Setup ............................. 448
5-11.Tips for  operating the 
audio/visual system
Operating information .... 450
5-12.Voice command system  operation
Voice command system 462
Command list ................ 465
5-13.Mobile Assistant operation Mobile Assistant ............ 469
5-14.Phone operation (Hands- free system for cellular 
phones)
Quick reference ............. 471
Some basics .................. 472
Placing a call using the  Bluetooth
® hands-free sys-
tem .............................. 476
Receiving a call using the  Bluetooth
®hands-free sys-
tem .............................. 479
Talking on the Bluetooth
® 
hands-free system ....... 480
Bluetooth
® phone message 
function ........................ 482
5-15.Phone settings Setup ............................. 487
5-16.What to do if...  (Bluetooth
®)
Troubleshooting............. 497 
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5-17.Connected Services over-view
Connected Services ...... 501
Type A: Function achieved by  using a smartphone or DCM
.................................... 502
Type B: Function achieved by  using DCM and  the system
.................................... 504
Type C: Function achieved  by using DCM.............. 505
Type D: Function achieved  by using DCM and a smart-
phone .......................... 508
5-18.Connected Services opera- tion
Toyota Apps .................. 510
5-19.Setup Toyota Apps settings .... 514
6-1. Using the  air conditioning 
system and defogger
Manual air conditioning sys-
tem .............................. 516
Automatic air conditioning  system ......................... 522
Heated steering wheel/seat  heaters/seat ventilators 529
6-2. Using the interior lights Interior lights list ............ 532
6-3. Using the storage features List of storage features . 535
Luggage compartment fea- tures ............................ 5396-4. Using the other interior fea-
tures
Other interior features ... 544
Garage door opener ...... 556
7-1. Maintenance and care Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior ............ 566
Cleaning and protecting the  vehicle interior ............. 569
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements.................................... 572
General maintenance .... 573
Emission inspection and  maintenance (I/M) programs
.................................... 576
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precau-tions ............................. 577
Hood .............................. 579
Positioning a floor jack .. 580
Engine compartment ..... 582
Tires .............................. 589
Tire inflation pressure .... 604
Wheels .......................... 606
Air conditioning filter ...... 608
Wiper insert replacement .................................... 610
Wireless remote control/elec- tronic key battery ......... 613
Checking and replacing fuses .................................... 616
Light bulbs ..................... 619
6Interior features
7Maintenance and care 
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8-1. Essential informationEmergency flashers ...... 628
If your vehicle has to be  stopped in an emergency.................................... 628
If the vehicle is trapped in ris- ing water...................... 629
8-2. Steps to take in an emer- gency
If your vehicle needs to be towed........................... 631
If you think something is  wrong .......................... 636
Fuel pump shut off system .................................... 637
If a warning light turns on or a  warning buzzer sounds 638
If a warning message is dis- played.......................... 649
If you have a flat tire...... 653
If the engine will not start 662
If you lose your keys ..... 664
If the electronic key does not  operate properly (vehicles 
with smart key system) 664
If the vehicle battery is dis- charged ....................... 666
If your vehicle overheats 670
If the vehicle becomes stuck .................................... 6729-1. Specifications
Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .................... 676
Fuel information............. 688
Tire information ............. 690
9-2. Customization Customizable features... 700
9-3. Initialization Items to initialize ............ 712
10-1.For owners Reporting safet y defects for 
U.S. owners ................. 714
Seat belt instructions for  Canadian owners (in 
French) ........................ 715
SRS airbag instructions for  Canadian owners (in 
French) ........................ 716
What to do if... (Trouble- shooting) ..................... 726
Alphabetical Index  ........ 729
8When trouble arises9Vehicle specifications
10For owners
Index 
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Please note that this manual 
applies to all models and 
explains all equipment, including 
options. Therefore, you may find 
some explanations for equip-
ment not installed on your vehi-
cle.
All specifications provided in this 
manual are current at the time of 
printing. However, because of 
the Toyota policy of continual 
product improvement, we 
reserve the right to make 
changes at any time without 
notice.
Depending on specifications, 
the vehicle shown in the illustra-
tions may differ from your vehi-
cle in terms of equipment.
Approximately five hours after 
the engine is turned off, you 
may hear sound coming from 
under the vehicle for several 
minutes. This is the sound of a 
fuel evaporation leakage check 
and, it does not indicate a mal-
function.A wide variety of non-genuine 
spare parts and accessories for 
Toyota vehicles are currently 
available in the market. You 
should know that Toyota does 
not warrant these products and 
is not responsible for their per-
formance, repair, or replace-
ment, or for any damage they 
may cause to, or adverse effect 
they may have on, your Toyota 
vehicle.
This vehicle should not be modi-
fied with non-genuine Toyota 
products. Modification with non-
genuine Toyota products could 
affect its performance, safety or 
durability, and may even violate 
governmental regulations. In 
addition, damage or perfor-
mance problems resulting from 
the modification may not be cov-
ered under warranty.
The installation of a mobile two-
way radio system in your vehicle 
could affect electronic systems 
such as:
Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel 
injection system
 Toyota Safety Sense 2.0
For your information
Main Owner’s Manual
Noise from under vehicle 
after turning off the engine
Accessories, spare parts 
and modification of your 
Toyota
Installation of a mobile 
two-way radio system 
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Anti-lock brake system
 SRS airbag system
 Seat belt pretensioner system
Be sure to check with your 
Toyota dealer for precautionary 
measures or special instructions 
regarding installation of a mobile 
two-way radio system.
The vehicle is equipped with 
sophisticated computers that will 
record certain data, such as:
• Engine speed/ Electric motor  speed (traction motor speed)
• Accelerator status
• Brake status
• Vehicle speed
• Operation status of the driving  assist systems
• Images from the cameras Your vehicle is equipped with 
cameras.
Contact your Toyota dealer 
for the location of recording 
cameras.
The recorded data varies 
according to the vehicle grade 
level and options with which it is 
equipped. 
These computers do not record 
conversations or sounds, and 
only record images outside of 
the vehicle in certain situations.
 Data Transmission
Your vehicle may transmit the data 
recorded in these computers to 
Toyota without not ification to you.
Data usage
Toyota may use the data recorded 
in this computer to diagnose mal-
functions, conduct research and 
development, and improve quality.
Toyota will not  disclose the 
recorded data to a third party 
except:
• With the consen t of the vehicle 
owner or with the consent of the 
lessee if the vehicle is leased
• In response to an official request  by the police, a court of law or a 
government agency
• For use by Toyota in a lawsuit
• For research purposes where the  data is not tied to a specific vehi-
cle or vehicle owner
 Recorded image information 
can be erased by your Toyota 
dealer.
The image recording function can 
be disabled. However, if the func-
tion is disabled, data from when the 
system operates will not be avail-
able.
To learn more about the vehi-
cle data collected, used and 
shared by Toyota, please visit 
www.toyota.com/privacyvts/
.
If your Toyota has Safety Con-
nect and if you have subscribed 
to those services, please refer to 
the Safety Connect Telematics 
Subscription Service Agreement 
Vehicle data recording
Usage of data collected 
through Safety Connect 
(U.S.mainland only) 
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for information on data collected 
and its usage.
To learn more about the vehi-
cle data collected, used and 
shared by Toyota, please visit 
www.toyota.com/privacyvts/
.
This vehicle is equipped with an 
event data recorder (EDR). The 
main purpose of an EDR is to 
record, in certain crash or near 
crash-like situations, such as an 
air bag deployment or hitting a 
road obstacle, data that will 
assist in understanding how a 
vehicle’s systems performed. 
The EDR is designed to record 
data related to vehicle dynamics 
and safety systems for a short 
period of time, typically 30 sec-
onds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is 
designed to record such data 
as:
 How various systems in your 
vehicle were operating;
 Whether or not the driver and 
passenger safety belts were 
buckled/fastened;
 How far (if at all) the driver 
was depressing the accelera-
tor and/or brake pedal; and,
 How fast the vehicle was trav-
eling.
These data can help provide a 
better understanding of the cir- cumstances in which crashes 
and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded 
by your vehicle only if a non-triv-
ial crash situation occurs; no 
data are recorded by the EDR 
under normal driving conditions 
and no personal data (e.g., 
name, gender, age, and crash 
location) are recorded. How-
ever, other parties, such as law 
enforcement, could combine the 
EDR data with the type of per-
sonally identifying data rou-
tinely acquired during a crash 
investigation.
To read data recorded by an 
EDR, special equipment is 
required, and access to the 
vehicle or the EDR is needed. In 
addition to the vehicle manufac-
turer, other parties, such as law 
enforcement, that have the spe-
cial equipment, can read the 
information if they have access 
to the vehicle or the EDR.
Disclosure of the EDR data
Toyota will not di sclose the data 
recorded in an EDR to a third party 
except when:
• An agreement from the vehicle’s  owner (or the lessee for a leased 
vehicle) is obtained
• In response to an official request  by the police, a court of law or a 
government agency
• For use by Toyota in a lawsuit
However, if necessary, Toyota 
may:
Event data recorder