transmission TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID 2023 Owners Manual

3TABLE OF CONTENTS
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4
5
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Panoramic moon roof....189
4-1. Before driving Driving the vehicle......... 195
Cargo and luggage ....... 202
Vehicle load limits ......... 205
Trailer towing ................ 206
Dinghy towing ............... 216
4-2. Driving procedures Power (ignition) switch (vehi-cles without smart key sys-
tem) ............................. 217
Power (ignition) switch (vehi- cles with smart key system).................................... 219
EV drive mode .............. 224
Hybrid transmission ...... 226
Turn signal lever ........... 230
Parking brake ................ 231
Brake Hold .................... 235
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ............ 237
AHB (Automatic High Beam) .................................... 240
Fog light switch ............. 244
Windshield wipers and washer......................... 244
Rear window wiper and washer......................... 247
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap.................................... 2494-5. Using the driving support
systems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 252
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .................................... 257
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) .................................... 268
RSA (Road Sign Assist) 279
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range ... 282
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) .................................... 293
Intuitive parking assist ... 298
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function .............. 307
PKSB (Parking Support Brake) .......................... 312
Parking Support Brake func- tion (static objects) ...... 318
Parking Support Brake func- tion (rear-crossing vehicles)
.................................... 321
Driving mode s elect switch
.................................... 323
Trail Mode (AWD vehicles) .................................... 324
Driving assist systems ... 326
4-6. Driving tips Hybrid Electric Vehicle driv-ing tips ......................... 332
Winter driving tips .......... 334
Utility vehicle precautions .... ...

............................. 337
4Driving

7
work properly or the danger that
it may work in situations where it
should not be working.
Installing electronic devices and
radios increases the risk of
cyber attacks through the
installed parts, which may lead
to unexpected accidents and
leakage of personal informa-
tion. Toyota does not make any
guarantees for problems caused
by installing non-genuine Toyota
products.
The installation of a mobile two-
way radio system in your vehicle
could affect electronic systems
such as:
Hybrid system
 Multiport fuel injection sys-
tem/sequential multiport fuel
injection system
 Toyota Safety Sense 2.5
 Anti-lock brake system
 SRS airbag system
 Seat belt pretensioner system
Be sure to check with your
Toyota dealer for precautionary
measures or special instructions
regarding installation of a mobile
two-way radio system.
High voltage parts and cables on the Hybrid Electric Vehicles
emit approximately the same
amount of electromagnetic
waves as the conventional gas-
oline powered vehicles or home
electronic appliances despite of
their electromagnetic shielding.
Unwanted noise may occur in
the reception of the mobile two-
way radio.
The vehicle is equipped with
sophisticated computers that will
record certain data, such as:
• Engine speed/Electric motor
speed (traction motor speed)
• Accelerator status
• Brake status
• Vehicle speed
• Operation status of the driving assist systems
• Images from the cameras Your vehicle is equipped with
cameras. Contact your
Toyota dealer for the location
of recording cameras.
The recorded data varies
according to the vehicle grade
level and options with which it is
equipped.
These computers do not record
conversations or sounds, and
only record images outside of
the vehicle in certain situations.
 Data Transmission
Your vehicle may transmit the data
recorded in these computers to
Cyber Attack Risk
Installation of a mobile
two-way radio system
Vehicle data recording

721-4. Hybrid system
■Charging the 12-volt battery
 P.487
■After the 12-volt battery has dis-
charged or when the terminal
has been removed and installed
during replace, etc.
The gasoline engine may not stop
even if the vehicle is being driven by
the hybrid battery (traction battery).
If this continues for a few days, con-
tact your To yota dealer.
■Sounds and vibrations specific
to a Hybrid Electric Vehicle
There may be no engine sound or
vibration even though the vehicle is
able to move with the “READY” indi-
cator is illuminate d. For safety,
make sure to shift the shift lever to P
and apply the parking brake when
parked.
The following sounds or vibrations
may occur when the hybrid system
is operating and are not a malfunc-
tion:
●Motor sounds may be heard from
the engine compartment.
●Sounds may be heard from the
hybrid battery (traction battery)
under the rear seats when the
hybrid system starts or stops.
●Relay operating sounds such as a
snap or soft clank will be emitted
from the hybrid battery (traction
battery), under the rear seats,
when the hybrid system is started
or stopped.
●Sounds from the hybrid system
may be heard when the back door
is open.
●Sounds may be heard from the
transmission when the gasoline
engine starts or stops, when driv-
ing at low speeds, or during idling.
●Engine sounds may be heard
when accelerating sharply.
●Sounds may be heard due to
regenerative braking when the
brake pedal is dep ressed or as
the accelerator pedal is released.
●Vibration may be felt when the
gasoline engine starts or stops.
●Cooling fan sounds may be heard
from the air intake vent under the
rear seat.
■Maintenance, repair, recycling,
and disposal
Contact your Toyota dealer regard-
ing maintenance, repair, recycling
and disposal. Do n ot dispose of the
vehicle yourself.
When driving with the gasoline
engine stopped, a sound, which
changes in accordance with the
driving speed, will be played in
order to warn people nearby of
the vehicle’s approach. The
sound will stop when the vehicle
speed exceeds approximately
22 mph (35 km/h).
■Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Sys-
tem
In the following cases, the Acoustic
Vehicle Alerting System may be dif-
ficult for surrounding people to hear.
●In very noisy areas
●In the wind or the rain
Also, as the Acoust ic Vehicle Alert-
ing System is installed on the front
of the vehicle, it may be more diffi-
cult to hear from the rear of the vehi-
cle compared to the front.
■If “Proximity Notification Sys-
tem Malfunction Visit Your
Dealer” is displayed on the
multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer.
Acoustic Vehicle Alerting
System

193
4
4
Driving
Driving
4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle....... 195
Cargo and luggage ..... 202
Vehicle load limits ....... 205
Trailer towing .............. 206
Dinghy towing ............. 216
4-2. Driving procedures Power (ignition) switch (vehicles without smart
key system) ............... 217
Power (ignition) switch (vehicles with smart key
system)...................... 219
EV drive mode ............ 224
Hybrid transmission .... 226
Turn signal lever ......... 230
Parking brake .............. 231
Brake Hold .................. 235
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch .......... 237
AHB (Automatic High Beam)........................ 240
Fog light switch ........... 244
Windshield wipers and washer....................... 244
Rear window wiper and washer....................... 247
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap.................................. 2494-5. Using the dr
iving support
systems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 .................................. 252
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .................................. 257
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) .................................. 268
RSA (Road Sign Assist) .................................. 279
Dynamic radar cruise con- trol with full-speed range
.................................. 282
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) .................................. 293
Intuitive parking assist . 298
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function ............ 307
PKSB (Parking Support Brake) ........................ 312
Parking Support Brake func- tion (static objects)
.................................. 318
Parking Support Brake function (rear-crossing
vehicles) .................... 321
Driving mode select switch .................................. 323
Trail Mode (AWD vehicles) .................................. 324
Driving assist systems. 326

1984-1. Before driving
WARNING
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration
and steering may cause tire
slippage and reduce your ability
to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine
braking due to shifting, or
changes in engine speed could
cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal
to make sure that the brakes
are functioning properly. Wet
brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning prop-
erly. If the brakes on only one
side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may
be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll back-
ward while a forward driving
position is selected, or roll for-
ward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an acci-
dent or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift lever to P
while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the trans-
mission and may result in a loss
of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R
while the vehicle is moving for-
ward.
Doing so can damage the trans-
mission and may result in a loss
of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a
driving position while the vehicle
is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the trans-
mission and may result in a loss
of vehicle control.
●Moving the shift lever to N while
the vehicle is moving will disen-
gage the hybrid system. Engine
braking is not available with the
hybrid system disengaged.
●Be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear
other than P or N may lead to
unexpected rapid acceleration
of the vehicle that may cause an
accident and result in death or
serious injury. Doing so can
damage the transmission and
may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
■If you hear a squealing or
scraping noise (brake pad
wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when
needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake
pads and/or those of the brake
discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator
pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any gear other
than P or N, the vehicle may
accelerate suddenly and unex-
pectedly, causing an accident.
●In order to prevent accidents
due to the vehicle rolling away,
always keep depressing the
brake pedal while stopped with
the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated, and apply the parking
brake as necessary.

2144-1. Before driving
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 hybrid
system 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,
immediately turn off the air
conditioning (if in use), pull
your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. ( P.490)
 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
hybrid system.
 When restarting after parking
on a slope:
1 With the transmission in P,
start the hybrid system. 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.231)
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 traile r, your vehicle
will require more fr equent mainte-
nance due to the additional load.

2164-1. Before driving
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
Never tow this vehicle with any of
the wheels on the ground. This
may cause serious damage to the
transmission and AWD system.

2264-2. Driving procedures
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise, shift the shift lever
to D for normal driving.
*2: By selecting shift ranges using S mode, you can control accelerat-
ing force and engine braking
force.
■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
will not be canceled.
●While driving in S mode, down-
shifting to 5 or 4. ( P.228)
●When switching th e driving mode
to sport mode while driving in D
position. ( P.323)
WARNING
■Caution while driving
When driving in EV drive mode,
pay special attention to the area
around the vehicle. Because
there is no engine noise, pedestri-
ans, people riding bicycles or
other people and vehicles in the
area may not be aware of the
vehicle starting off or approaching
them, so take extra care while
driving.
Hybrid transmission
Select the shift position
depending on your purpose
and situation.
Shift position purpose
and functions
Shift
positionObjective or function
P
Parking the vehi-
cle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2

2294-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
1Upshifting
2 Downshifting
The selected shift range, from S1 to
S6, will be displayed on the multi-
information display.
The initial shift range in S mode
is set automatically to S3, S4 or
S5 according to vehicle speed.
■S mode
●You can choose from 6 levels of
accelerating force and engine
braking force.
●A lower shift range will provide
greater accelerating force and
engine braking force than a higher
shift range, and t he engine revolu-
tions will also increase.
●To prevent the e ngine from over-
revving, upshifti ng may automati-
cally occur when the shift range is
4 or lower.
●When the shift range is 4 or lower,
holding the shift lever toward “+”
sets the shift range to 6.
■Downshifting restriction warn-
ing buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving
performance, downshifting opera-
tion may sometimes b e restricted. In
some circumstances, downshifting
may not be possible even when the
shift lever is operated. (A buzzer will
sound twice.)
■If the “S” indi cator does not
come on or the “D” indicator is
displayed even after shifting the
shift lever to S
This may indicate a malfunction in
the transmission system. Have the
vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately. (In this situa-
tion, the transmission will operate in
the same manner as when the shift
lever is in D.)

3394-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
WARNING
●When driving off-road or in rug-
ged terrain, do not drive at
excessive speeds, jump, make
sharp turns, strike objects, etc.
This may cause loss of control
or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. You are
also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle’s suspension
and chassis.
NOTICE
■To prevent the water damage
Take all necessary safety mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-
age to the hybrid battery (traction
battery), hybrid s ystem or other
components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine com-
partment may cause severe
damage to the hybrid system.
Water entering the interior may
cause the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) stowed under the
rear seats to short circuit.
●Water entering t he hybrid trans-
mission will cause deterioration
in transmission quality. The
malfunction indicator may come
on, and the vehicle may not be
drivable.
●Water can wash the grease
from wheel bearings, causing
rusting and premature failure,
and may also enter the hybrid
transaxle case, reducing the
gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
■When you drive through
water
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the riverbed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driv-
ing
●Sand and mud that has accu-
mulated around brake discs
may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system
components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-
road driving that has taken you
through rough terrain, sand,
mud, or water. For scheduled
maintenance information, refer
to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual
Supplement”.