ECU TOYOTA RAV4 2023 Workshop Manual

1904-1. Before driving
■Before towing
Check that the following conditions
are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires
are properly inflated. ( P.492)
●Trailer tires are inflated according
to the trailer manufacturer’s rec-
ommendation.
●All trailer lights work as required
by law.
●All lights work each time you con-
nect 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/provin-
cial or local regu lations. If they do
not, install rear view mirrors
appropriate for towing purposes.
■When towing a trailer
Disable the following systems, as
the systems may not operate prop-
erly.
●LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
(  P.250)
●Dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range ( P.264)
●PKSB (Parking Suppor t Brake) (if
equipped) ( P.294)
●BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if
equipped) ( P.275)
●Intuitive parking assist (if
equipped) ( P.280)
●RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert)
function (if equipped) ( P.275)
Toyota warranties do not
apply to damage or mal-
function caused by towing a
trailer for commercial pur-
poses.
Contact your Toyota dealer for
further information about addi-
tional requirements such as a
towing kit, etc.
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use
extreme care and drive the vehi-
cle in accordance with the trailer’s
characteristics and operating con-
ditions. Failure to do so could
cause an accident resulting in
death or serious injury. Vehicle
stability and brak ing performance
are affected by trailer stability,
brake setting and performance,
and the hitch. Yo ur vehicle will
handle differently when towing a
trailer.
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the TWR,
unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR
or GAWR.
●Vehicles with towing package: If
the gross trailer weight is over
2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway con-
trol device with sufficient capac-
ity is required.
●Adjust the tongue weight within
the appropriate range. Place
heavier loads as close to the
trailer axle as possible.

1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■GCWR (Gross Combination
Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
combination weight. The gross
WARNING
●Do not exceed 65 mph (104
km/h), the posted towing speed
limit or the speed limit for your
trailer as set fort h in your trailer
owner’s manual, whichever is
lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery sur-
face, etc. to help avoid an acci-
dent. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from
reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep
your vehicle speed under the
speed of which you experience
the instability.
●Do not make jerky, abrupt or
sharp turns.
●Do not apply the brakes sud-
denly as you may skid, resulting
in jackknifing and loss of vehicle
control. This is especially true
on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Do not exceed th e trailer hitch
assembly weight, gross vehicle
weight, gross axle weight and
trailer tongue weight capacities.
●Do not use dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed
range when towing.
●Slow down and downshift
before descending steep or long
downhill grades. Do not make
sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
●Vehicle-trailer in stability is more
likely on steep long downhills.
Before descending steep or
long downhill grades, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts when
descending steep or long down-
hill grades. Avoid holding the
brake pedal down too long or
applying the brakes too fre-
quently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
●Do not tow a trailer when the
compact spare tire is installed
on your vehicle.
■When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any appli-
cable federal and s tate/provincial
regulations.
●If the gross tr ailer weight
exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer
brakes are required. Toyota rec-
ommends trailers with brakes
that conform to all applicable
federal and state/provincial reg-
ulations.
●Never tap into your vehicle’s
hydraulic system, as this will
lower the vehicle’s braking
effectiveness.
●Never tow a traile r without using
a safety chain securely attached
to both the trailer and the vehi-
cle. If damage occurs to the
coupling unit or hitch ball, there
is danger of the trailer wander-
ing into another lane.
Towing related terms

2324-4. Refueling
1Pull up the opener to open
the fuel filler door. 2
Turn the fuel tank cap slowly
to open it and put it into the
holder on the fuel filler door.
After refueling, turn the fuel tank
cap until you hear a click. Once
the cap is released, it will turn
slightly in the opposite direction.
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
The fuel tank cap may be unfas-
tened or loose. Turn the engine
switch to OFF, check the cap and
tighten it securely. If the message
remains, wait a few seconds and
then turn the engine switch to OFF
once again.
WARNING
■When refueling
Observe the following precautions
to prevent fuel overflowing from
the fuel tank:
●Securely insert the fuel nozzle
into the fuel filler neck.
●Stop filling the tank after the fuel
nozzle automatically clicks off.
●Do not top off the fuel tank.
NOTICE
■Refueling
Do not spill fuel during refueling.
Doing so may damage the vehi-
cle, such as causing the emission
control system to operate abnor-
mally or damaging fuel system
components or the vehicle’s
painted surface.
Opening the fuel tank cap
Closing the fuel tank cap

2804-5. Using the driving support systems
a vehicle remains in the detection
area
• When driving up and down con-
secutive steep inclines, such as
hills, dips in the road, etc.
• When driving on roads with sharp
bends, consecutive curves, or
uneven surfaces
• When vehicle lanes are wide, or
when driving on the edge of a
lane, and the vehicle in an adja-
cent lane is far away from your
vehicle
• When an accessory (such as a bicycle carrier) is installed to the
rear of the vehicle
• When there is a significant differ- ence in height between your vehi-
cle and the vehicle that enters the
detection area
• Immediately after the Blind Spot
Monitor is turned on
• When towing with the vehicle
●Instances of unnecessary detec-
tion may increase in situations
such as the follo wing (while driv-
ing):
• When the sensor is misaligned
due to a strong impact to the sen-
sor or its surrounding area
• When the distanc e between your
vehicle and a guar drail, wall, etc.
that enters the detection area is
short
• When driving up and down con-
secutive steep inclines, such as
hills, dips in the road, etc.
• When vehicle lanes are narrow, or
when driving on the edge of a
lane, and a vehicle traveling in a
lane other than the adjacent lanes
enters the detection area
• When driving on roads with sharp bends, consecutive curves, or
uneven surfaces
• When the tires are slipping or spinning
• When the distanc e between your
vehicle and a following vehicle is
short
• When an accessory (such as a
bicycle carrier) is installed to the
rear of the vehicle
• When towing with the vehicle
*: If equipped
■Location and types of sen-
sors
Front corner sensors
Front center sensors
Rear corner sensors
Rear center sensors
■Display (Multi-information
display)
When the sensors detect an
object, such as a wall, a graphic
is shown on the multi-informa-
Intuitive parking
assist*
The distance from your
vehicle to objects, such as a
wall, when parallel parking
or maneuvering into a
garage is measured by the
sensors and communicated
via the multi-information
display or Multimedia Dis-
play and a buzzer. Always
check the surrounding area
when using this system.
System components
A
B
C
D

3535-3. Using the storage features
5
Interior features
Raise the hook to use.
The cargo hooks are provided for
securing loose items.
■Flipping the deck board
upside down
The deck board can be flipped
upside down (resin side up)
depending on the situation. Original position
Underside (resin side)
■Changing the deck board
positions
Height of the deck board can be
changed by setting the deck
board under the floor.
Upper
Lower
Luggage compart-
ment features
Cargo hooks
WARNING
■When cargo hooks are not in
use
To avoid injury, always return the
hooks to their stowed positions
when not in use.
Deck board
A
B
A
B

3565-3. Using the storage features
■Removing the luggage
cover
1 Release the cover from the
left and right anchors and
allow it to retract.
2 Compress the end of the lug-
gage cover and lift the lug-
gage cover up.
■Stowing the luggage cover
1 Open the rear deck board
and remove the side deck
covers.
When the back surface (resin sur-
face) of the deck board is facing up, remove the deck board.
2
Place the both ends of the
luggage cover into the
holder.
WARNING
■Luggage cover
●When installing/stowing the lug-
gage cover, make sure that the
luggage cover is securely
installed/stowed. Failure to do
so may result in serious injury in
the event of sudden braking or a
collision.
●Do not place anything on the
luggage cover. In the event of
sudden braking or turning, the
item may go flying and strike an
occupant. This could lead to an
unexpected accident, resulting
in death or serious injury.
●Do not allow children to climb
on the luggage cover. Climbing
on the luggage cover could
result in damage to the luggage
cover, possibly causing death or
serious injury to the child.

3695-4. Using the other interior features
5
Interior features
The coat hooks are provided
with the rear assist grips.
*: If equipped
■HomeLink® programming pro-
cedure
The programming procedures can
also be found at the following URL.
Website: www.homelink.com/toyota
For support, contact customer sup-
port at the following.
Help Line: 1-800-355-3515
The HomeLink® wireless control
system in your vehicle has 3
buttons which can be pro-
grammed to operate 3 different
devices. Refer to the program-
ming methods on the following
pages to determine the method
which is appropriate for the
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the
assist grip
Do not hang any heavy object or
put a heavy load on the assist
grip.
Coat hooks
WARNING
■Items that must not be
hanged on the hook
Do not hang coat hangers or
other hard or sharp objects on the
hook. If the SRS curtain shield air-
bags deploy, these items may
become projectiles, causing death
or serious injury.
Garage door opener*
The garage door opener can
be programmed using the
HomeLink
® to operate
garage doors, gates, entry
doors, door locks, home
lighting systems, security
systems, and other devices.
System components

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

3906-2. Maintenance
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to
one side when
the brakes are
applied.
• The brakes should work
effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel
spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get
too close to the
floor when the
brakes are
applied.
Head
restraints
• Do the head restraints move
smoothly and
lock securely?
Indica-
tors/buzzers
• Do the indica-tors and buzzers
function prop-
erly?
Lights
• Do all the lights come on?
• Are the head- lights aimed cor-
rectly?
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?
ItemsCheck points
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.
Vehicle 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.
ItemsCheck points

3956-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
1Pull the hood lock release
lever.
The hood will pop up slightly.
2Push the auxiliary catch lever
to the left and lift the hood. 3
Hold the hood open by insert-
ing the supporting rod into
the slot.
Hood
Release the lock from the
inside of the vehicle to open
the hood.
Opening the hood
WARNING
■Pre-driving check
Check that the hood is fully closed
and locked.
If the hood is not locked properly,
it may open while the vehicle is in
motion and cause an accident,
which may result i n death or seri-
ous injury.
■To prevent injuries
The support rod may be hot after
driving the vehicle. Touching the
hot support rod may lead to burns
or other serious injuries.
■After installing the support
rod into the slot
Make sure the rod supports the
hood securely fro m falling down
on to your head or body.