check engine TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID 2021 User Guide

3774-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
When driving in a traffic jam,
gently release the brake pedal
to allow the vehicle to move for-
ward slightly while avoiding
overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consump-
tion.
Control and maintain the vehicle
at a constant speed. Before
stopping at a toll booth or simi-
lar, allow plenty of time to
release the accelerator and gen-
tly apply the brakes. A greater
amount of electrical energy can
be regenerated when slowing
down.
Use the air conditioning only
when necessary. Doing so can
help reduce excessive gasoline
consumption.
In summer: When the ambient
temperature is high, use the
recirculated air mode. Doing so
will help to reduce the burden on
the air conditioning system and
reduce fuel consumption as
well.
In winter: Because the gasoline
engine will not automatically cut
out until it and the interior of the
vehicle are warm, it will con-
sume fuel. Also, fuel consump-
tion can be improved by avoiding overuse of the heater.
Make sure to check the tire infla-
tion pressure frequently.
Improper tire inflation pressure
can cause poor fuel economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause
large amounts of friction, their
use on dry roads can lead to
poor fuel economy. Use tires
that are appropriate for the sea-
son.
Carrying heavy luggage will lead
to poor fuel economy. Avoid car-
rying unnecessary luggage.
Installing a large roof rack will
also cause poor fuel economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts
up and cuts out automatically
when cold, warming up the
engine is unnecessary. More-
over, frequently driving short
distances will cause the engine
to repeatedly warm up, which
can lead to excess fuel con-
sumption.
Highway driving
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation
pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driv-
ing

3834-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
WARNING
●When driving off-road or in rug-
ged 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 mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-
age to the hybrid battery (traction
battery), hybrid s ystem or other
components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine com-
partment may cause severe
damage to the hybrid system.
Water entering the interior may
cause the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) stowed under the
rear seats to short circuit.
●Water entering t he hybrid trans-
mission will cause deterioration
in transmission quality. The
malfunction 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 lubricating qualities.
■When you drive through
water
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the riverbed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driv-
ing
●Sand and mud that has accu-
mulated around brake discs
may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system
components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-
road driving that has taken you
through rough terrain, sand,
mud, or water. For scheduled
maintenance information, refer
to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual
Supplement”.

565
7
7
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
7-1. Maintenance and careCleaning 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) pro-
grams ........................ 576
7-3. Do-it-yourself mainte- nance
Do-it-yourself service pre- cautions ..................... 577
Hood ........................... 579
Positioning a floor jack 580
Engine compartment ... 582
12-volt battery ............. 588
Tires ............................ 590
Tire inflation pressure . 605
Wheels ......... ...............607
Air conditioning filter .... 609
Cleaning the hybrid battery (traction battery) air intake
vent and filter............. 611
Wiper insert replacement .................................. 615
Wireless remote con- trol/electronic key battery.................................. 618Checking and replacing
fuses .......................... 621
Light bulbs ................... 624

5727-2. Maintenance
7-2.Maintenance
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine
Toyota parts be used for repairs to
ensure performanc e of each sys-
tem. If non-Toyota p arts are used in
replacement or if a repair shop other
than a Toyota dealer performs
repairs, confirm the warranty cover-
age.
■Allow inspection and repairs to
be performed by a Toyota
dealer
●Toyota technicians are well-
trained specialists and are kept up
to date with the latest service
information. They are well
informed about the operations of
all systems on your vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repair order. It
proves that the maintenance that
has been performed is under war-
ranty coverage. If any problem
should arise while your vehicle is
under warranty, your Toyota
dealer will promptly take care of it.
General maintenance should be
performed on a daily basis. This
can be done by yourself or by a
Toyota dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should
be performed at specified inter-
vals according to the mainte-
nance schedule.
For details about maintenance
items and schedules, refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Maintenance require-
ments
To ensure safe and econom-
ical driving, day-to-day care
and regular maintenance
are essential. It is the
owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks.
Toyota recommends the fol-
lowing maintenance:
WARNING
■If your vehicle is not properly
maintained
Improper maintenance could
result in serious damage to the
vehicle and possible death or seri-
ous injury.
■Handling of the 12-volt bat-
tery
●Engine exhaust, some of its
constituents, and a wide variety
of automobile components con-
tain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects and
other reproductive harm. Work
in a well ventilated area.
●Oils, fuels and fluids contained
in vehicles as well as waste pro-
duced by component wear con-
tain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Avoid
exposure and wash any
affected area immediately.
●12-volt battery posts, terminals
and related accessories con-
tain lead and lead compounds
which are known to cause brain
damage. Wash your hands after
handling. ( P.588)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance

5737-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
■Resetting the message indicat-
ing maintenance is required
After the required maintenance is
performed according to the mainte-
nance schedule, please reset the
reminder light or message.
To reset the reminder light or mes-
sage, follow the procedure
described below:
1 Press or of the meter
control switches and select
on the multi-information display.
2 Press or of the meter
control switches and select
“Vehicle Settings”. Then press
and hold .
3 Press or of the meter
control switches and select
“Scheduled Maintenance”. Then
press .
4 Select “Yes” and press .
You can perform some mainte-
nance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-your-
self maintenance may affect
warranty coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals
is recommended.
For details about warranty cover-
age, refer to the separate “Owner’s
Warranty Information Booklet” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Do-it-yourself mainte-
nance
General maintenance
Listed below are the general
maintenance items that
should be performed at the
intervals specified in the
“Owner’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It
is recommended that any
problem you notice should
be brought to the attention
of your Toyota dealer or
qualified service shop for
advice.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system is run-
ning
Turn the hybrid system off and
ensure that there is adequate
ventilation before performing
maintenance checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
(  P.586)
Engine/power
control unit
coolant
Is the
engine/power con-
trol unit coolant at
the correct level?
( P.584)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at
the correct level?
( P.582)

5757-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
Parking brake
• Does the park-ing brake oper-
ate normally?
• When parked on a slope and the
parking brake is
on, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
Seat belts
• Do the seat belts operate
smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be
damaged.
Seats
• Do the seat con-trols operate
properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steer-ing wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steer- ing wheel have
the correct
amount of free
play?
• There should not be any strange
sounds coming
from the steer-
ing wheel.
ItemsCheck pointsVehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors
• Do the doors operate
smoothly?
Engine hood
• Does the engine hood lock system
work properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs of
fluid leakage
after the vehicle
has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire infla-tion pressure
correct?
• The tires should not be damaged
or excessively
worn.
• Have the tires been rotated
according to the
maintenance
schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be
loose.
Windshield
wipers/rear
window wiper
• The wiper blades should not show
any signs of
cracking, split-
ting, wear, con-
tamination or
deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the
windshield/rear
window without
streaking or skip-
ping.

5837-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
check the oil level on the dip-
stick.
■Checking the engine oil
1 Park the vehicle on level
ground. After warming up the
engine and turning off the
hybrid system, wait more
than 5 minutes for the oil to
drain back into the bottom of
the engine.
2 Holding a rag under the end,
pull the dipstick out.
3 Wipe the dipstick clean.
4 Reinsert the dipstick fully.
5 Holding a rag under the end,
pull the dipstick out and
check the oil level.
Low
Normal
Excessive
The shape of the dipstick may differ
depending on the type of vehicle or
engine.
6Wipe the dipstick and reinsert
it fully.
■Checking the oil type and
preparing the items needed
Make sure to check the oil type
and prepare the items needed
before adding oil.
 Engine oil selection
P.686
 Oil quantity (Low  Full)
1.6 qt. (1.5 L, 1.3 Imp. qt.)
 Item
Clean funnel
■Adding engine oil
If the oil level is below or near
the low level mark, add engine
oil of the same type as that
already in the engine.
1 Remove the oil filler cap by
turning it counterclockwise.
2 Add engine oil slowly, check-
ing the dipstick.
3 Install the oil filler cap by
turning it clockwise.
A
B
C

5847-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Engine oil consumption
A certain amount o f engine oil will
be consumed while driving. In the
following situatio ns, oil consump-
tion may increase, and engine oil
may need to be refilled in between
oil maintenance intervals.
●When the engine is new, for
example directly after purchasing
the vehicle or after replacing the
engine
●If low quality oil or oil of an inap-
propriate viscosity is used
●When driving at high engine
speeds or with a heavy load,
when towing, or when driving
while accelerating o r decelerating
frequently
●When leaving the engine idling for
a long time, or wh en driving fre-
quently through heavy traffic
The coolant level is satisfactory
if it is between the “FULL” and
“LOW” lines on the reservoir
when the hybrid system is cold.
■Engine coolant reservoir
WARNING
■Used engine oil
●Used engine oil contains poten-
tially harmful contaminants
which may cause skin disorders
such as inflammation and skin
cancer, so care should be taken
to avoid prolonged and
repeated contact. To remove
used engine oil from your skin,
wash thoroughly with soap and
water.
●Dispose of used oil and filters
only in a safe an d acceptable
manner. Do not dispose of used
oil and filters in household trash,
in sewers or onto the ground.
Call your Toyota dealer, service
station or auto parts store for
information concerning recy-
cling or disposal.
●Do not leave used engine oil
within the rea ch of children.
NOTICE
■To prevent serious engine
damage
Check the oil le vel on a regular
basis.
■When replacing the engine oil
●Be careful not to spill engine oil
on the vehicle components.
●Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
●Check the oil level on the dip-
stick every time you refill the
vehicle.
●Be sure the engin e oil filler cap
is properly tightened.
■If oil is spilled on the engine
cover
To prevent the engine cover from
being damaged, remove any
engine oil from the engine cover
as soon as possi ble using a neu-
tral detergent. Do not use an
organic solvent such as brake
cleaner.
Checking the coolant

5857-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
I f t he le ve l is on o r be low th e “L O W ”
line, add coolant up to the “FULL”
line. (P.677)
■Power control unit coolant
reservoir
Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
I f t he le ve l is on o r be low th e “L O W ”
line, add coolant up to the “FULL”
line. ( P.678)
■Coolant selection
Only use “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 technology.
U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is
a mixture of 50% coolant and 50%
deionized water. (Minimum tem-
perature: -31°F [-35°C])
Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is
a mixture of 55% coolant and 45%
deionized water. (Minimum tem-
perature: -44°F [-42°C])
For more details about coolant, con-
tact your To yota dealer.
■If the coolant level drops within
a short time of replenishing
Visually check the radiators, hoses,
engine/power control unit coolant
reservoir caps, drain cock and water
pump.
If you cannot find a leak, have your
Toyota dealer, test the cap and
check for leaks in the cooling sys-
tem.
Check the radiator and con-
denser, and clear away any for-
eign objects.
If either of the above parts is
extremely dirty or you are not
sure of their condition, have
A
B
C
A
B
C
WARNING
■When the hybrid system is
hot
Do not remove the engine/power
control unit coolant reservoir
caps.
The cooling system may be under
pressure and may spray hot cool-
ant if the cap is removed, causing
serious injuries, such as burns.
NOTICE
■When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor
straight antifreeze. The correct
mixture of water and antifreeze
must be used to provide proper
lubrication, corrosion protection
and cooling. Be sure to read the
antifreeze or coolant label.
■If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to
prevent it from damaging parts or
paint.
Checking the radiator and
condenser

5867-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
your vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer.
■Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN”
lines on the tank.
■Adding fluid
1 Slide and lift up the rubber
strip to partly remove it as
shown.
2 Disconnect the claws and
remove the service cover.
3 Remove the reservoir cap.
4 Add brake fluid slowly while
checking the fluid level.
Make sure to check the fluid
type and prepare the necessary
item.
WARNING
■When the hybrid system is
hot
Do not touch the r adiator or con-
denser as they m ay be hot and
cause serious injuries, such as
burns.
■When the electric cooling fan
is operating
Do not touch the engine compart-
ment.
With the power switch in ON
mode, the electric cooling fan may
automatically start to run if the air
conditioning is on and/or the cool-
ant temperature is high. Be sure
the power switch is OFF when
working near the electric cooling
fan or radiat or grille.
Checking and adding the
brake fluid