maintenance TOYOTA RAV4 2023 User Guide

3806-1. Maintenance and care
6-1.Maintenance and care
Working from top to bottom,
liberally apply water to the
vehicle body, wheel wells and
underside of the vehicle to
remove any dirt and dust.
 Wash the vehicle body using
a sponge or soft cloth, such
as a chamois.
 For hard-to-remove marks,
use car wash soap and rinse
thoroughly with water.
 Wipe away any water.
 Wax the vehicle when the
waterproof coating deterio-
rates.
If water does not bead on a clean
surface, apply wax when the vehi-
cle body is cool.
■Automatic car washes
●Before washing the vehicle:
• Fold the mirrors
• Turn off the power back door (if equipped)
Start washing from the front of the
vehicle. Make sure to extend the
mirrors before driving.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle
surface, parts (wheel, etc.) and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
●Rear spoiler may not be washable
in some automatic car washes.
There may also be an increased
risk of damage to vehicle.
■High pressure car washes
As water may enter the cabin, do
not bring the nozzle tip near the
gaps around the doors or perimeter
of the windows, or spray these
areas continuously.
■Note for a smart key system (if
equipped)
If the door handle becomes wet
while the electronic key is within the
effective range, t he door may lock
and unlock repeatedly. In that case,
follow the following correction pro-
cedures to wash the vehicle:
●Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2
m) or more separate from the
vehicle while the vehicle is being
washed. (Take care to ensure that
the key is not stolen.)
●Set the electronic key to battery-
saving mode to disable the smart
key system. ( P.140)
■Wheels and wheel ornaments (if
equipped)
●Remove any dirt immediately by
using a neutral detergent.
●Wash detergent off with water
immediately after use.
●To protect the paint from damage,
make sure to obs erve the follow-
ing precautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent.
• Do not use hard brushes.
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such
as after driving or parking in hot
weather.
●For vehicles with matte painted
wheels: The wheels are not main-
tained in the same way as normal
aluminum wheels. For details,
Cleaning a nd protect-
ing the vehicle exte-
rior
Perform the following to
protect the vehicle and
maintain it in prime condi-
tion:
Cleaning instructions

3816-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
contact your Toyota dealer.
• When washing the vehicle, use water to wash off dirt. If the vehi-
cle is particularly dirty, use a
diluted neutral detergent and a
sponge or a soft cloth and wash
off the dir t by hand.
• Wash detergent off with water immediately after use. After using
detergent, wash the detergent off
with water and wipe the vehicle
dry with a soft cloth.
●For vehicles with matte painted
wheels: Make sure to observe the
following precautions to prevent
damage to the matte paint.
• Do not polish or scrub with dry
cloths, brushes, etc.
• Do not use detergents containing coatings or abrasives.
• If using an automatic car wash, make sure it does not include ded-
icated wheel brushes.
• Do not use high-pressure spray guns or steam cleaners.
• Do not use det ergent on the
wheels when they are hot, such
as after driving or parking in hot
weather.
■Brake pads and calipers
Rust may form if the vehicle is
parked with wet brake pads or disc
rotors, causing them to stick. Before
parking the vehicle after it is
washed, drive slow ly and apply the
brakes several times to dry the
parts.
■Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■Plated portions
If dirt cannot be removed, clean the
parts as follows:
●Use a soft cloth dampened with
an approximately 5% solution of
neutral detergent and water to
clean the dirt off.
●Wipe the surface with a dry, soft
cloth to remove any remaining
moisture.
●To remove oily deposits, use alco- hol wet wipes or a similar product.
WARNING
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of
the engine compartment. Doing
so may cause the electrical com-
ponents, etc. to catch fire.
■When cleaning the windshield
(vehicles with rain-sensing
windshield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”,
the wipers may operate unexpect-
edly in the following situations,
and may result in hands being
caught or other serious injuries
and cause damage to the wiper
blades.
Off
AUTO
●When the upper part of the
windshield where the raindrop
sensor is located is touched by
hand
●When a wet rag or similar is
held close to the raindrop sen-
sor
●If something bumps against the
windshield
●If you directly touch the raindrop
sensor body or if something
bumps into the ra indrop sensor
A
B

3826-1. Maintenance and care
WARNING
■Precautions regarding the
exhaust pipes
Exhaust gasses cause the
exhaust pipes to become quite
hot.
When washing the vehicle, be
careful not to tou ch the pipes until
they have cooled sufficiently, as
touching hot exhaust pipes can
cause burns.
■Precaution regarding the rear
bumper
If the paint of the rear bumper is
chipped or scratched, the follow-
ing systems may not function cor-
rectly. If this occurs, consult your
Toyota dealer.
●BSM (if equipped)
●RCTA (if equipped)
●PKSB (if equipped)
●Intuitive parking assist (if
equipped)
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration
and corrosion on the body
and components (aluminum
wheels, etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in
the following cases:
• After driving nea r the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on
the paint surface
• After driving in an area contami- nated with soot, oily smoke,
mine dust, iron powder or chem-
ical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with d ust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint
surface
●If the paint is chipped or
scratched, have it repaired
immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from cor-
roding, remove any dirt and
store in a place with low humid-
ity when storing the wheels.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use
organic substances or scrub
with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces
of the lights.
●Do not apply wax to the sur-
faces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the
lenses.

3836-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■When using an automatic car
wash (vehicles with rain-
sensing windshield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to off posi-
tion.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”,
the wipers may operate and the
wiper blades may be damaged.
■When using a high pressure
car wash
●When washing the vehicle, do
not let water from the high-pres-
sure washer directly hit the
camera or the area around the
camera. Due to th e shock from
the high pressure water, it is
possible that the device may not
operate normally.
●Do not spray water directly on
the radar which is equipped
behind the radar sensor cover.
Otherwise it may cause the
device to be damaged.
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close
to boots (rubber or resin manu-
factured cover), or connectors
or the following parts.
The parts may be damaged if
they come into contact with
high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
●Keep the cleaning nozzle at
least 11.9 in. (30 cm) away from
the vehicle body. Otherwise
resin section, such as moldings
and bumpers, may be deformed
and damaged. Also, do not con-
tinuously hold the nozzle in the
same place.
●Do not spray the lower part of
the windshield continuously. If
water enters the air conditioning
system intake located near the
lower part of the windshield, the
air conditioning system may not
operate correctly.
●Do not wash the underside of
the vehicle using a high pres-
sure car washer.

3846-1. Maintenance and care
Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty
surfaces with a cloth damp-
ened with lukewarm water.
 If dirt cannot be removed,
wipe it off with a soft cloth
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately
1%.
Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off remaining traces of
detergent and water.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foam-
ing-type cleaners available. Use a
sponge or brush to apply the foam.
Rub in overlapping circles. Do not
use water. Wipe dirty surfaces and
let them dry. Excellent results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as
dry as possible.
■Handling the seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm
water using a clot h or sponge. Also
check the belts periodically for
excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
Cleaning a nd protect-
ing the vehicle interior
Perform cleaning in a man-
ner appropriate to each
component and its material.
Protecting the vehicle
interior
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in
the vehicle.
Doing so may cause electrical
components, etc., to malfunc-
tion or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS com-
ponents or wiring in the vehicle
interior wet.
(  P.34)
An electrical ma lfunction may
cause the airbags to deploy or
not function properly, resulting
in death or serious injury.
●Vehicles with wireless charger:
Do not let the wireless charger
(  P.369) get wet. Failure to do
so may cause t he charger to
become hot and cause burns or
could cause electric shock
resulting in death or serious
injury.
■Cleaning the interior (espe-
cially instrument panel)
Do not use a polish wax or polish
cleaner. The instrument panel
may reflect off the windshield,
obstructing the driver’s view and
leading to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following types
of detergent, as they may dis-
color the vehicle interior or
cause streaks or damage to
painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic sub- stances such as benzene or
gasoline, alkaline or acidic solu-
tions, dye, and bleach
• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solu- tions, such as thinner, benzene,
and alcohol

3856-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner.
 Wipe off any excess dirt and
dust with a soft cloth damp-
ened with diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of
approximately 5% neutral wool
detergent.
Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off all remaining traces
of detergent.
 Wipe the surface with a dry,
soft cloth to remove any
remaining moisture. Allow the
leather to dry in a shaded and
ventilated area.
■Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the
interior of the vehicle at least twice a
year to maintain t he quality of the
vehicle’s interior.
NOTICE
●Do not use a polish wax or pol-
ish cleaner. The instrument
panel’s or other interior part’s
painted surface may be dam-
aged.
■Preventing damage to leather
surfaces
Observe the following precautions
to avoid damage to and deteriora-
tion of leather surfaces:
●Remove any dust or dirt from
leather surfaces immediately.
●Do not expose the vehicle to
direct sunlight for extended peri-
ods of time. Park the vehicle in
the shade, especially during
summer.
●Do not place items made of
vinyl, plastic, or containing wax
on the upholstery, as they may
stick to the leather surface if the
vehicle interior heats up signifi-
cantly.
■Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with
water.
Vehicle systems such as the
audio system may be damaged if
water comes into contact with
electrical components such as the
audio system above or under the
floor of the vehicle. Water may
also cause the body to rust.
■When cleaning the inside of
the windshield
Do not allow glass cleaner to con-
tact the lens. Also, do not touch
the lens. ( P.234)
■Cleaning the inside of the rear
window
●Do not use a gla ss cleaner to
clean the rear window, as this
may cause damage to the rear
window defogger heater wires.
Use a cloth dampened with
lukewarm water to gently wipe
the window clean. Wipe the win-
dow in strokes running parallel
to the heater wires.
●Be careful not to scratch or
damage the heater wires.
Cleaning the leather areas

3866-1. Maintenance and care
Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner.
 Wipe it off with a soft cloth
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately
1%.
 Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off remaining traces of
detergent and water.
Cleaning the synthetic
leather areas

3876-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
6-2.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 battery
●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.
●Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds which are
known to cause brain damage.
Wash your hands after han-
dling. ( P.403)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance

3886-2. Maintenance
■Resetting the message indicat-
ing maintenance is required
(with 7-inch display)
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 .
A message will be displayed when
the reset proced ure has been com-
pleted.
■Resetting the message indicat-
ing maintenance is required
(with 12.3-inch display)
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 and hold to display the
cursor on the content display
area (center) of the multi-infor-
mation display. 2
Press or of the meter
control switches to select
and then press .
3 Press or of the meter
control switch es and select
“ Vehicle Settings”. Then
press and hold .
4 Press or of the meter
control switch es and select
“Scheduled Maintenance”. Then
press .
5 Select “Yes” and press .
A message will be d isplayed when
the reset procedure has been com-
pleted.
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 Informat ion Booklet” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Do-it-yourself mainte-
nance

3896-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
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 engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure
that there is adequate ventilation
before performing maintenance
checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
BatteryCheck the connec-
tions. ( P.403)
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
( P.401)
Engine coolant
Is the engine cool-
ant at the correct
level? ( P.400)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at
the correct level?
( P.398)
Exhaust sys-
temThere should not
be any fumes or
strange sounds.
Radiator/con-
denser
The radiator and
condenser should
be free from for-
eign objects.
( P.401)
Washer fluid
Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
( P.403)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator
pedal
• The accelerator
pedal should
move smoothly
(without uneven
pedal effort or
catching).
Automatic
transmission
“Park” mecha-
nism
• When parked on a slope and the
shift position is in
P, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have
appropriate
clearance from
the floor?
• Does the brake pedal have the
correct amount
of free play?
ItemsCheck points