tires TOYOTA RAV4 2018 Owners Manual (in English)

TABLE OF CONTENTS6
RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)6-4. Using the other interior
features
Other interior features ....... 523 • Sun visors .................... 523
• Vanity mirrors ............... 523
• Power outlets ................ 524
• Armrest ......................... 526
• Coat hooks.................... 526
• Assist grips .................. 527
Garage door opener .......... 528
Compass ........................... 535
7-1. Maintenance and care Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 540
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 543
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 546
General maintenance ........ 549
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ......................... 552 7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ...................... 553
Hood .................................. 555
Positioning a floor jack....... 557
Engine compartment ......... 558
Tires................................... 569
Tire inflation pressure ........ 581
Wheels............................... 584
Air conditioning filter .......... 587
Wireless remote control/electronic
key battery ....................... 589
Checking and replacing fuses ................................ 592
Light bulbs ......................... 595
8-1. Essential information Emergency flashers ........... 608
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an
emergency....................... 609
7Maintenance and care
8When trouble arises

15Pictorial index
RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)Windshield wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 225
Precautions against winter season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 317
To prevent freezing (windshield wiper de-icer)
*. . . . . . . . P. 490, 497
Fuel filler door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 232
Refueling method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 232
Fuel type/fuel tank capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 674
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 569
Tire size/inflation pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 679
Winter tires/tire chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 317
Checking/rotation/tire pressure warning system
*. . . . . . . . P. 569
Coping with flat tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 645
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 555
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 555
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 675
Coping with overheat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 666
Headlights/daytime running lights
(halogen headlights) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
Headlights (LED headlights) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
Parking lights (halogen headlights) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
Parking lights/daytime running lights
(LED headlights) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
Fog lights
* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 224
Turn signal lights
*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 213
Tail lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
Stop/tail lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
Hill-start assist control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 310
License plate lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
Back-up lights
Shifting the shift lever to R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 205
Side marker lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 215
4
5
6
7
Light bulbs of the exter ior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P. 595, Watts: P. 680)
*: If equipped
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
1674-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. ( →P. 310)
■ Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
● Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
● Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road sur-
face, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■ Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
● When the accelerator pedal is released
● When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected
■ Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
● For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speed.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
Starting off on a steep uphill
1
2
3

RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
1694-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
● During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: →P. 609
● Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( →P. 206)
● Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.
● Do not drive the vehicle off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle designed for off-road driving. Proceed with all
due caution if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road.
● Do not drive across river crossings or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic components to short circuit, damage
the engine or cause other serious damage to the vehicle.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has h\
igh-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.

RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
1734-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire
due to engine overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to
death or a serious health hazard.
■ When braking
● When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
● If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other\
vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
● Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
● The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems; if one of the
systems fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal
should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking distance will\
increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
■ If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or
the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline com-
ponents or propel the vehicle forward or backward, causing an accident.

180
RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
Vehicle load limits
◆Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight): →P. 672
Total load capacity means the comb ined weight of occupants, cargo
and luggage.
◆Seating capacity: 5 occupants (Front 2, Rear 3)
Seating capacity means the maxi mum number of occupants whose
estimated average weight is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person.
◆TWR (Trailer Weight Rating) (except SE grade): →P. 187, 672
TWR means the maximum gross trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo weight) that your vehicle is able to tow.
◆Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or decrease depending on the weight
and the number of occupants.
■Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading information label.
(→ P. 581)
Vehicle load limits include total load capacity, seating capacity,
TWR (Trailer Weight Rating) and cargo capacity.
WARNING
■Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tires, but also degrade steering
and braking ability, resu lting in an accident.

190
RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid
an accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when
towing:
● Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not
exceed the posted to wing speed limit.
● Toyota recommends that the vehi cle-trailer speed limit is 65 mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this limit, the
posted towing speed limit or the spe ed limit for your trailer as set
forth in your trailer owner’s manual, whichever is lowest. Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increases as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of control.
● Before starting out, check the tr ailer lights, tires and the vehicle-
trailer connections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel
of the vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice.
Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left . Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to right. (This is generally opposite to reversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
Trailer towing tips

RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
1934-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height
■ Before towing
Check that the following conditions are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. ( →P. 679)
● Trailer tires are inflated according to the trailer manufacturer’s recommen-
dation.
● All trailer lights work as required by law.
● All lights work each time you connect them.
● The trailer ball is set at the proper height for the coupler on the trailer.
● The trailer is level when it is hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not level, and check for improper tongue weight,
overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.
● The trailer cargo is securely loaded.
● The rear view mirrors conform to all applicable federal, state/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors appropriate for tow-
ing purposes.
No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be the proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
1
2

194
RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train components
(such as an engine, transmission, differential or wheel bearing), Toyota rec-
ommends that you do not tow a trailer until 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 vehicle 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 trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”.)
● Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■ If trailer sway occurs (if equipped)
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradually 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 occupants 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 overloaded 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 combination. Drive at a
lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that swaying of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer increases as speed increases.

RAV4_OM_OM0R012U_(U)
2454-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
WARNING
■When to disable the pre-collision system
In the following situations, disable the system, as it may not operate prop-
erly, possibly leading to an accident resulting in death or serious injury:
● When the vehicle is being towed
● When your vehicle is towing another vehicle
● When transporting the vehicle via truck, boat, train or similar means of
transportation
● When the vehicle is raised on a lift with the engine running and the tires
are allowed to rotate freely
● When inspecting the vehicle using a drum tester such as a chassis dyna-
mometer or speedometer tester, or when using an on vehicle wheel bal-
ancer
● When a strong impact is applied to the front bumper or front grille, due to
an accident or other reasons
● If the vehicle cannot be driven in a stable manner, such as when the vehi-
cle has been in an accident or is malfunctioning
● When the vehicle is driven in a sporty manner or off-road
● When the tires are not properly inflated
● When the tires are very worn
● When tires of a size other than specified are installed
● When tire chains are installed
● When a compact spare tire is used
● If equipment (snow plow, etc.) that may obstruct the radar sensor or cam-
era sensor is temporarily installed to the vehicle