TOYOTA RAV4 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

6318-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
8-2.Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs
to be towed
If towing is necessary, we
recommend having your
vehicle towed by your
Toyota dealer or commer-
cial towing service, using a
wheel-lift type truck or flat-
bed truck.
Use a safety chain system
for all towing, and abide by
all state/provincial and local
laws.
2WD models: If towing your
vehicle with a wheel-lift type
truck from the front, the
vehicle’s rear wheels and
axles must be in good con-
ditions. (P.631, 633)
If they are damaged, use a
towing dolly or flatbed
truck.
AWD models: If towing your
vehicle with a wheel-lift type
truck, use a towing dolly.
( P.631, 633)
WARNING
Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to do so may result
in death or serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
2WD models
Be sure to transp ort the vehicle
with the front wheels raised or
with all four wheels raised off the
ground. If the vehicle is towed
with the front wheels contacting
the ground, the drivetrain and
related parts may be damaged.
AWD models
Be sure to transp ort the vehicle
with all four wheels raised off the
ground. If the vehicle is towed
with the tires co ntacting the
ground, the drivetrain or related
parts may be damaged, the vehi-
cle may fly off the truck.

6328-2. Steps to take in an emergency
The following may indicate a
problem with your transmission.
Contact your Toyota dealer or
commercial towing service
WARNING
■While towing (vehicles with
towing eyelet)
●When towing using cables or
chains, avoid sudden starts, etc.
which place excessive stress on
the towing eyelets, cables or
chains. The towing eyelets,
cables or chains may become
damaged, broken debris may hit
people, and cause serious dam-
age.
●Do not turn the engine switch to
OFF.
There is a possibility that the
steering wheel is locked and
cannot be operated.
■Installing towing eyelets to
the vehicle (vehicles with
towing eyelets)
Make sure that towing eyelets are
installed securely. If not securely
installed, towing eyelets may
come loose during towing.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the
vehicle when towing using a
wheel-lift type truck
●Do not tow the vehicle from the
rear when the engine switch is
off or the key is removed (vehi-
cles without smart key system).
The steering lock mechanism is
not strong enough to hold the
front wheels straight.
●When raising the vehicle,
ensure adequate ground clear-
ance for towing at the opposite
end of the raised vehicle. With-
out adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while
being towed.
■To prevent damage to the
vehicle when towing with a
sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck,
either from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the
vehicle during emergency
towing (vehicles with towing
eyelet)
Do not secure cables or chains to
the suspension components.
■When towing the vehicle
(vehicles with Stop & Start
system)
If it is necessary to tow the vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground,
perform the following procedure
before towing the vehicle, in order
to protect the system.
Turn the engine switch to OFF
and then start the engine or turn
the engine switch to ON.
■Recreational towing (behind
motor home, etc.)
Never dinghy tow your vehicle to
prevent causing serious damage
to the AWD system (AWD mod-
els) and transmission. ( P.193)
Situations when it is nec-
essary to contact dealers
before towing

6338-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
before towing.
The engine is running but the
vehicle does not move.
 The vehicle makes an abnor-
mal sound.
From the front (2WD models)
Release the parking brake.
Turn automatic mode off.
( P.206)
From the front (AWD models)
Use a towing dolly under the
rear wheels.
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the
front wheels. When using a flat-bed truck to
transport the vehicle, use tire
strapping belts. Refer to the
owner’s manual of the flat-bed
truck for the tire strapping
method.
In order to suppress vehicle
movement during transporta-
Towing with a wheel-lift
type truck
NOTICE
■Towing with a sling-type
truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck
to prevent body damage.
2WD models
AWD models
Using a flatbed truck

6348-2. Steps to take in an emergency
tion, set the parking brake and
turn the engine switch to OFF.
If a tow truck is not available in
an emergency, your vehicle may
be temporarily towed using
cables or chains secured to the
emergency towing eyelets. This
should only be attempted on
hard surfaced roads for at most
50 miles (80 km) at under 18
mph (30 km/h).
A driver must be in the vehicle to
steer and operate the brakes.
The vehicle’s wheels, drive
train, axles, steering and brakes
must be in good condition.
To have your vehicle towed by
another vehicle, the towing eye-
let must be installed to your
vehicle. Install the towing eyelet
using the following procedure.
1Take out the wheel nut
wrench and towing eyelet.
( P.654)
2 Using a flathead screw-
driver, remove eyelet cover
( ), and then remove eyelet
cover ( ).
To protect the bodywork, place a
rag between the screwdriver and the vehicle body
as shown in the
illustration.
Type A
Type B
3 Insert the towing eyelet into
the hole and tighten partially
by hand.
Type A
Emergency towing (vehi-
cles with towing eyelet)
Emergency towing proce-
dure (vehicles with towing
eyelet)
A
B

6358-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
Type B
4 Tighten down the towing eye-
let securely using a wheel nut
wrench or hard metal bar.
Type A
Type B
5 Securely attach cables or
chains to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehi-
cle body.
6Enter the vehicle being towed
and start the engine.
Turn off the Parkin g Support Brake function (if equipped):
P.286
If the engine does not start, turn the
engine switch to ON.
Vehicles with Stop & Start system:
Before towing the ve hicle, turn the
engine switch to OFF once, and
then start the engine.
7 Shift the shift lever to N and
release the parking brake.
Turn automatic mode off. ( P.206)
When the shift lever cannot be
shifted: P.202
■While towing
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not function, making
steering and braking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench
Wheel nut wrench is installed in the
tool bag. ( P.654)

6368-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air
conditioning after use is nor-
mal.)
 Flat-looking tires or uneven
tire wear
 Engine coolant temperature
gauge needle continually
points higher than normal.
 Changes in exhaust sound
 Excessive tire squeal when
cornering
 Strange noises related to the
suspension system
 Pinging or other noises
related to the engine
 Engine missing, stumbling or
running roughly
 Appreciable loss of power
 Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
 Vehicle pulls heavily to one
side when driving on a level
road
 Loss of brake effectiveness,
spongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor
If you think something
is wrong
If you notice any of the fol-
lowing symptoms, your
vehicle probably needs
adjustment or repair. Con-
tact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms

6378-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
Follow the procedure below to
restart the engine after the sys-
tem is activated.
1Turn the engine switch to
ACC or off.
2 Restart the engine.
Fuel pump shut off
system
To minimize the risk of fuel
leakage when the engine
stalls or when an airbag
inflates upon collision, the
fuel pump shut off system
stops the supply of fuel to
the engine.
Restarting the engine
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the
vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked
onto the ground, the fuel system
has been damaged and is in need
of repair. Do not restart the
engine.

6388-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)
■Brake system warning light
■Charging system warning light*
*: This light illuminates on the mu lti-information display (with 7-inch display
only).
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer
sounds
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning
lights comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but
then goes off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunc-
tion in the system. However, if this continues to occur, have
the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Actions to the warning lights or warning buzzers
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) (Red)
Indicates that:
 The brake fluid level is low; or
 The brake system is malfunctioning
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.
Continuing to drive the vehicle may be
dangerous.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(Yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in the parking brake sys-
tem
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging
system
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.

6398-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
■High coolant temperature warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the mu lti-information display with a message.
■Low engine oil pressure warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the mu lti-information display with a message.
■Malfunction indicator lamp*
*: This light illuminates on the mu lti-information display (with 7-inch display
only).
■SRS warning light
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine is overheating
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place.
Handling method ( P.670)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
 The electronic engi ne control system;
 The electronic throttle control system; or
 The emission control s ystem (if equipped)
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates a malfunction in:
The SRS airbag system;
 The front passenger o ccupant classification
system; or
 The seat belt pretensioner system
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.

6408-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■ABS warning light
■Electric power steering system warning light* (warning
buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the mu lti-information display (with 7-inch display
only).
■PCS warning light (warning buzzer)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
 The ABS; or
 The brake assist system
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(Red/yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in the EPS (Electric
Power Steeri ng) system
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(Flashes or illuminates)
When a buzzer sounds simultaneously:
Indicates a malfunction has occurred in the PCS
(Pre-Collision System).
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
When a buzzer does not sound:
The PCS (Pre-Collision System) has become
temporarily unavailable, corrective action may
be necessary.
 Follow the instructions displayed on the
multi-information display. ( P.230, 651)
If the PCS (Pre-Collision System) or VSC (Vehi-
cle Stability Control) system is disabled, the
PCS warning light will illuminate.
 P.239