TOYOTA RAV4 2019 Owners Manual (in English)

1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
left. Move your hand to the
right to move the trailer to
right. (This is generally oppo-
site to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp
or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when
reversing to reduce the risk of
an accident.
 As stopping distance is
increased when towing a
trailer, vehicle-to vehicle dis-
tance should be increased.
For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one
vehicle and trailer length.
 Avoid sudden braking as you
may skid, resulting in the
trailer jackknifing and a loss of
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 and charging sys-
tem performance when using
engine braking, do not put the
transmission in D. If in the S
mode, the transmission shift
range position must be in 6 or
lower.
 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 engine
may overheat on hot days (at
temperatures over 85°F
[30°C]) when driving up a long
or steep grade. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge
indicates overheating, imme-
diately turn off the air condi-

1924-1. Before driving
tioning (if in use), pull your
vehicle off the road and stop
in a safe spot. (P.653)
 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.
4 Apply the parking brake
firmly.
5 Shift into P and turn off the
engine.
 When restarting after parking
on a slope:
1 With the transmission in P,
start the engine. 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.204) 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 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 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 trailer, your vehicle
will require more fr equent 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 trailer, 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.

1934-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Do not increase speed. Do not
apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no ext reme 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 tr ailer swaying
occurred is beyond the limit of your
particular vehicle-trailer combina-
tion. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Remember that
swaying of the towing vehicle-trailer
increases as speed increases.
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed
to be dinghy towed (with 4
wheels on the ground)
behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to
your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with 4
wheels on the ground.
■To prevent causing serious
damage to the transmission
and AWD system (AWD mod-
els)
2WD models: Never tow this vehi-
cle from the rear with the front
wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to the
transmission.

1944-1. Before driving
NOTICE
AWD models: Never tow this vehi-
cle with any of the wheels on the
ground. This may cause serious
damage to the transmission and
AWD system.

1954-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
4-2.Driving procedures
1Pull the parking brake switch
to check that the parking
brake is set. ( P.204)
The parking brake indicator will
come on.
2Check that the shift lever is
set in P.
3 Firmly depress the brake
pedal.
4 Turn the engine switch to
START to start the engine.
■If the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may
not have been deactivated. ( P. 7 0 )
Contact your Toyota dealer.
■When the steering lock cannot
be released
When starting the engine, the
engine switch may seem stuck in
OFF. To free it, turn the key while
turning the steerin g wheel slightly
left and right.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
 P. 2 2 1
OFF (“LOCK” position)
The steering wheel is locked and
the key can be re moved. (The key
can be removed only when the shift
lever is in P.)
ACC (“ACC” position)
Some electrical components such
Engine (ignition)
switch (vehicles with-
out smart key system)
Starting the engine
WA R N I N G
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sit-
ting in the driver’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal
while starting the engine under
any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in death o r serious injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the engine
●Do not crank the engine for
more than 30 seconds at a time.
This may overheat the starter
and wiring system.
●Do not race a cold engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have
your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
Changing the engine
switch positions
A
B

1964-2. Driving procedures
as the audio system can be used.
ON (“ON” position)
All electrical components can be
used.
START (“START” position)
For starting the engine.
■Turning the key from ACC to
OFF
1 Shift the shift lever to P.
2 Push in the key and turn it to
OFF.
■Key reminder function
A buzzer sounds if the driver’s door
is opened while the engine switch is
in OFF or ACC to r emind you to
remove the key.
1 Pull the parking brake switch
to check that the parking
brake is set. ( P.204)
The parking brak e indicator will
come on.
2 Check that the shift lever is
set in P.
3 Firmly depress the brake
pedal.
and a message will be dis-
played on the multi-information dis-
play.
If it is not displ ayed, the engine
cannot be started.
4 Press the engine switch
shortly and firmly.
When operating the engine switch,
one short, firm press is enough. It is
not necessary to press and hold the
switch.
The engine will crank until it starts
or for up to 30 seconds, whichever
is less.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the engine is completely
started.
The engine can be started from any
WA R N I N G
■Caution when driving
Do not turn the engine switch to
OFF while driving. If, in an emer-
gency and you must turn the
engine off while the vehicle is
moving, turn the engine switch
only to ACC to stop the engine.
An accident may result if the
engine is stopped while driving.
(  P.612)
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the engine switch in
ACC or ON for long periods of
time without the engine running.
C
D
Engine (ignition)
switch (vehicles with
smar t key system)
Performing the following
operations when carrying
the electronic key on your
person starts the engine or
changes engine switch
modes.
Starting the engine

1974-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
engine switch mode.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system
may not have been deactivated.
( P. 7 0 )
Contact your Toyota dealer.
●If a message related to start-up is
shown on the multi-information
display, read the message and fol-
low the instructions.
■If the battery is discharged
The engine cannot be started using
the smart key system. Refer to
P.649 to restart the engine.
■Electronic key battery depletion
 P. 1 0 2
■Conditions affecting operation
 P. 1 3 0
■Note for the entry function
 P. 1 3 1
■Steering lock function
●After turning the engine switch to
OFF and opening and closing the
doors, the steer ing wheel will be
locked due to the steering lock
function. Operating the engine
switch again automatically can-
cels the steering lock.
●When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Push Engine Switch
while Turning Steering Wheel in
Either Direction” will be displayed
on the multi-information display.
Press the engine switch shortly
and firmly while turning the steer-
ing wheel left and right.
●To prevent the steering lock motor
from overheating, the operation of
motor may be suspended if the
engine is turned on and off repeat-
edly in a short period of time. In
this case, refrain from running the
engine. After about 10 seconds,
the steering lo ck motor will
resume functioning.
■If there is a malfunction in the
smart key system
If “Smart Entry & Start System Mal-
function” is displayed on the multi-
information display, the system may
be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
 P.221
■Electronic key battery
 P.594
■Operation of the engine switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly
and firmly, the engine switch
mode may not change or the
engine may not start.
●If attempting to res tart the engine
immediately after turning the
engine switch to OFF, the engine
may not start in some cases. After
turning the engine switch to OFF,
please wait a few seconds before
restarting the engine.
■Customization
If the smart key system has been
deactivated in a customized setting,
refer to P.648.

1984-2. Driving procedures
1Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, set the parking
brake. ( P.204)
Check the parking brake indicator
is illuminated.
3 Shift the shift lever to P.
4 Press the engine switch
shortly and firmly.
The engine will stop, and the meter
display will be extinguished.
5Release the brake pedal and
check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown
on the multi-information dis-
play.
WA R N I N G
■When starting the engine
Always start the e ngine while sit-
ting in the driver’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal
while starting the engine under
any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If engine failure o ccurs while the
vehicle is moving, do not lock or
open the doors until the vehicle
reaches a safe and complete
stop. Activation of the steering
lock in this circumstance may lead
to an accident, resulting in death
or serious injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the engine
●Do not race a cold engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have
your vehicle checked by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a mal-
function with the engine
switch
If the engine switch seems to be
operating somewh at differently
than usual, such as the switch
sticking slightly, there may be a
malfunction. Contact your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Stopping the engine
WA R N I N G
■Stopping the engine in an
emergency
●If you want to stop the engine in
an emergency while driving the
vehicle, press and hold the
engine switch for more than 2
seconds, or press it briefly 3
times or more in succession.
(  P.612)
However, do not touch the
engine switch while driving
except in an emergency. Turn-
ing the engine off while driving
will not cause loss of steering or
braking control, but the power
assist to these s ystems will be
lost. This will make it more diffi-
cult to steer and brake, so you
should pull over and stop the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so.
●If the engine switch is operated
while the vehicle is running, a
warning message will be shown
on the multi-information display
and a buzzer sounds.
●When restarting the engine after
an emergency shutdown, press
the engine switch shortly and
firmly.

1994-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Modes can be changed by
pressing the engine switch with
brake pedal released. (The
mode changes each time the
switch is pressed.)
1OFF
*
The emergency flashers can be
used.
The multi-information display will
not be displayed.
2ACC
Some electrical components such
as the audio system can be used.
“ACCESSORY” will be displayed
on the multi-information display.
3ON
All electrical com ponents can be
used.
“IGNITION ON” will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
*: If the shift lever is in a position other than P when turning off the
engine, the engine switch will be
turned to ACC, not to OFF.
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACC for more
than 20 minutes or ON (the engine
is not running) for more than an
hour with the shif t lever in P, the
engine switch will automatically turn
to OFF. However, this function can-
not entirely prevent battery dis-
charge. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine switch in ACC or ON
for long periods of time when the
engine is not running.
If the engine is stopped with the
shift lever in a position other
than P, the engine switch will not
be turned to OFF but instead be
turned to ACC. Perform the fol-
lowing procedure to turn the
switch to OFF:
1 Check that the parking brake
is set.
2 Shift the shift lever to P.
3 Check that “ACCESSORY” is
displayed on the multi-infor-
mation display and then
Changing engine switch
modes
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
●Do not leave the engine switch
in ACC or ON for long periods of
time without the engine running.
●If “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION
ON” is displayed on the multi-
information display, the engine
switch is not in OFF. Exit the
vehicle after turning the engine
switch to OFF.
When stopping the engine
with the shift lever in a
position other than P

2004-2. Driving procedures
press the engine switch
shortly and firmly.
4 Check that “ACCESSORY”
or “IGNITION ON” on the
multi-information display is
off.
*1: Shifting to the D position allows
the system to select a gear suit-
able for the driving conditions.
Setting the shift lever to the D
position is recommended for nor-
mal driving.
*2: Selecting shift ranges using S mode restricts the upper limit of
the possible gear ranges, con-
trols engine braking force, and
prevents unnecessary upshifting.
■When driving with dynamic
radar cruise control with full-
speed range activated
Even when perform ing the following
actions with the intent of enabling
engine braking, engine braking will
not activate because dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed range
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not stop the engine when the
shift lever is in a position other
than P. If the engin e is stopped in
another shift lever position, the
engine switch will not be turned to
OFF but instead be turned to
ACC. If the vehicle is left in ACC,
battery discharge may occur.
Automatic transmis-
sion
Select the shift position
depending on your purpose
and situation.
Shift position purpose
and functions
Shift
positionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/start- ing the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2
( P.201)