brakes TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID 2021 Owners Manual

41
1
1-1. For safe use
For safety and security
“PASSENGER AIR BAG” indicator
The main SRS airbag system comp onents are shown above. The SRS air-
bag system is controlled by the airbag sensor assembly. As the airbags
deploy, a chemical reaction in t he inflators quickly fills the airbags with non-
toxic gas to help restrain t he motion of the occupants.
■If the SRS airbags deploy (inflate)
●Slight abrasions, burns, bruising etc.,
may be sustained from SRS airbags, due to the extrem ely high speed
deployment (inflation) by hot gases.
●A loud noise and white powder will be
emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steering
wheel hub, airbag cover and inflator)
as well as the fron t seats, parts of the front and rear pillars, and roof side
rails, may be hot for several minutes.
The airbag itself m ay also be hot.
●The windshield may crack.
●The hybrid system will be stopped and
fuel supply to t he engine will be
stopped. ( →P.98)
●All of the doors will be unlocked.
( →P.206)
●Vehicles with Secondary Collision
Brake: The brakes and stop lights will be controlled au tomatically. (→P.439)
●The interior lights will turn on automat- ically. ( →P.466)
●The emergency flashers will turn on automatically. ( →P.560)
■SRS airbag deployment conditions
(SRS front airbags)
●The SRS front airb ags will deploy in
the event of an impact that exceeds
the set threshold level (the level of force corresponding to an approxi -
mately 20-30 km/h [12-18 mph] frontal
collision with a fixed wall that does not move or deform).
However, this threshold velocity will be
considerably higher in the following situ -
ations:
• If the vehicle strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign pole,
which can move or deform on impact
• If the vehicle is involved in an under -
ride collision, such as a collision in which the front of the vehicle under -
rides, or goes under , the bed of a
truck
●Depending on the type of collision, it is
possible that only the seat belt preten - sioners will activate.
■SRS airbag deployment conditions
(SRS side and cu rtain shield air-
bags)
●The SRS side and curtain shield air -
bags will deploy in the event of an impact that exceeds the set threshold
level (the level of force corresponding
to the impact forc e produced by an approximately 1500 kg [3300 lb.] vehi -
cle colliding with the vehicle cabin
from a direction perpendicular to the vehicle orientation at an approximate
speed of 20 -30 km/h [12 -18 mph]).
●Both SRS curtain shield airbags may
also deploy in the event of a severe
frontal collision.
■Conditions under which the SRS airbags may deploy (inflate), other
than a collision
The SRS front airbags and SRS curtain shield airbags may a lso deploy if a seri-
ous impact occurs to the underside of
your vehicle. Some e xamples are shown in the illustration.
●Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard surface
●Falling into or jumping over a deep hole
●Landing hard or falling
O

1002-1. Plug-in hybrid system
Shift the shift lever to D when
stopped at a traffic light, or driving
in heavy traffic etc. Shift the shift
lever to P when parking. When
using the N, there is no positive
effect on fuel consumption. In the
N, the gasoline engine operates but
electricity canno t be generated.
Also, when using the air condition -
ing system, etc., the hybrid battery
(traction battery) power is con -
sumed.
 Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and
deceleration. Gradual accelera -
tion and deceler ation will make
more effective use of the electric
motor (traction motor) without
having to use gasoline engine
power.
 Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration con -
sumes hybrid battery (traction
battery) power, resulting in poor
fuel consumption. Battery power
can be restored by driving with
the accelerator pedal slightly
released.
Make sure to operate the brakes
gently and a ti mely manner. A
greater amount of electrical energy
can be regenerated when slowing
down.
Repeated acceler ation and decel-
eration, as well as long waits at traf -
fic lights, will lead to high fuel and
electricity consumption. Check traf -
fic reports before leaving and avoid
delays as much as possible. When
driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly
while avoiding overuse of the accel -
erator pedal. Doing so can help
control excessive electricity and
fuel consumption.
 Control and maintain the vehicle
at a constant speed. Before stop -
ping at a toll booth or similar,
allow plenty of time to release
the accelerator and gently apply
the brakes. A greater amount of
electrical energy can be regener -
ated when slowing down.
 Electricity consumption will
increase significantly when driv -
ing at high speeds in EV mode or
AUTO EV/HV mode. If there will
be a long distance to the next
external charging point after
leaving a freewa y, it is recom-
mended to drive in HV mode
while on the freeway and change
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake
pedal operation
When braking
Delays
Highway driving

301
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining,
because visibility will be reduced, the
windows may become fogged-up, and the road could be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, as the road surfa ce could be espe-
cially slippery.
●Refrain from hig h speeds when driv-
ing on an expressw ay in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road sur -
face, preventing the steering and
brakes from operating properly.
■ECO Accelerator Guidance ( →P.182)
It is easier to drive in an Eco-friendly
manner by driving while referring to the ECO Accelerator Guidance display.
Also, by using the ECO Accelerator
Guidance it is easier to increase the “Eco Score” evaluation.
●When starting off: While staying within the ECO Accelerator Guidance range,
gradually depress the accelerator
pedal and accelerate to the desired speed. If excessive acceleration is
avoided, the “Start” score will
increase.
●When driving: After accelerating to the
desired speed, release the accelera - tor pedal and drive at a stable speed
within the ECO Accelerator Guidance
range. By keeping the vehicle within the ECO Accelerator Guidance range,
the “Cruise” score will increase.
●When stopping: When stopping the
vehicle, early releasing the accelera -
tor pedal will cause the “Stop” score to increase.
■Restraining the hybrid system out - put (Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake ped - als are depressed at the same time,
the hybrid system output may be
restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on
the multi-information display and
head-up display (if equipped) while
the system is operating. ( →P.574)
■Restraining sudden start (Drive- Start Control)
●When the following unusual operation is performed, the hybrid system output
may be restrained.
• When the shift leve r is shifted from R
to D, D to R, N to R, P to D*, or P to R*
(D includes S) with the accelerator
pedal depressed, a warning message appears on the multi-information dis -
play and head-up display (if
equipped). If a warning message is shown on the multi-information dis -
play, read the message and follow the
instructions. • When the accelerator pedal is
depressed too much while the vehicle
is in reverse.*: Depending on the sit uation, the shift
lever may not be changed.
●While Drive-Start Control is being acti -
vated, your vehicle may have trouble escaping from the mud or fresh snow.
In such case, deactivate TRC
( →P.439) to cancel Drive-Start Con- trol so that the vehi cle may be able to
escape from the mud or fresh snow.
●Drive-Start Control does not work
when Trail Mode is turned on.
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observ- ing the following precautions is recom -
mended:
●For the first 300 km (200 miles):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 800 km (500 miles):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 km (600 miles): • Do not drive at extremely high
speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration. • Do not drive continuously in low
gears.
• Do not drive at a c onstant speed for extended periods.

3025-1. Before driving
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the rele vant vehicle regis-
tration laws and confi rm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( →P.620)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your f oot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the “READY” indicator is illuminated. This
prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar
with the location of the brake and accelerator pe dals to avoid
depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accel - erator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden accelera -
tion that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist
your body around, leading to a diffi -
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate th e pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving
posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly. This allows
you to depress the brake and accel -
erator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your
right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result -
ing in an accident.
●The driver should pay extra atten - tion to pedestrians when the vehicle
is powered only b y the electric
motor (traction motor). As there is no engine noise, the pedestrians
may misjudge the vehicle’s move-
ment. Even though the vehicle is equipped with the Acoustic Vehicle
Alerting System, drive with care as
pedestrians in the vicinity may still not notice the ve hicle if the sur-
rounding area is noisy.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or
stop the vehicle near flammable
materials such as leaves, paper or rags.
The exhaust system and exhaust
gases can be extremely hot. These hot parts may cause a fire if there is
any flammable material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn
off the hybrid system. Turning the
hybrid system off while driving will not cause loss of steering or brak -
ing control, however, power assist
to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer
smoothly, so you should pull over
and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such
as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
→ P.560
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill. Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and
lose effectiveness. ( →P.321)
●Do not adjust the position of the
steering wheel, t he seat, or the
inside or outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of
vehicle control.

303
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
WARNING
●Always check that all passengers’
arms, head or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
■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 brak -
ing due to shifting, or changes in engine speed could cause the vehi -
cle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal to
make sure that the brakes are func - tioning properly. Wet brake pads
may prevent the brakes from func -
tioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not func-
tioning properly, steering control
may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehi cle roll backward while a forward driving position is
selected, or roll forward while the
shift lever is in R. Doing so may result in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmis - sion and may result in a loss of
vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmis - sion and may result in a loss of
vehicle control.
●Do not shift the sh ift lever to a driv- ing position while the vehicle is
moving backward.
Doing so can dama ge the transmis- sion and may resu lt in a loss of
vehicle control.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the
vehicle is moving will disengage 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 unex -
pected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident
and result in death or serious injury.
Doing so can dama ge the transmis- sion and may resu lt in a loss of
vehicle control.
■If you hear a squealing or scrap -
ing noise (brake pad wear indica -
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota a uthorized repairer, or any reliable repairer 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 i n any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accel -
erate suddenly an d unexpectedly,
causing an accident.

305
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
WARNING
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive
more cautiously. Braking distance increases when
the brakes are wet, and this may
cause one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other
side. Also, the pa rking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the electronically controlled brake
system does not operate, do not fol -
low other vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require
braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual.
Also, the braking distance will increase. Have yo ur brakes fixed
immediately.
●The brake system c onsists of 2 or
more individual hydraulic systems;
if one of the system s fails, the other will still operate. I n this case, the
brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual and the braking distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively
when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud,
etc. This may damage the driveline
components or propel the vehicle for - ward or backward, causing an acci -
dent.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time
during driving, as t his may restrain
the hybrid system output.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the
vehicle on a hill.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle
parts
●Do not turn the ste ering wheel fully
in either directio n and hold it there
for an extended period of time. Doing so may damage the power
steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the
road, drive as slowly as possible to
avoid damaging the wheels, under - side of the vehicle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged t ire may cause the
following situations.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Hold the steering wheel firmly and
gradually depress t he brake pedal to
slow down the vehicle.
Information on what to do in case of a
flat tire ( →P.582, 593)
■When encountering flooded
roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain, etc. Doing so
may cause the following serious dam -
age to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water
immersion

315
5
5-1. Before driving
Driving
■Sudden acceleration/steering
input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing
may result in the trailer colliding
with your vehicle. D ecelerate well in
advance when approaching turns
and take them slowly and carefully
to avoid sudden braking.
■Important points regarding
turning
The wheels of the tr ailer will travel
closer to the inside of the curve
than the wheels of the vehicle. To
make allowance for this, take the
turns wider than you would nor -
mally do.
■Important points regarding
stability
Vehicle movement resulting from
uneven road surfaces and strong
crosswinds will affect handling. The
vehicle may also be rocked by
passing buses or large trucks. Fre -
quently check behind when moving
alongside such vehicles. As soon
as such vehicle movement occurs,
immediately start to decelerate
smoothly by slowly applying the
brakes. Always steer the vehicle
straight ahead while braking.
■Passing other vehicles
Consider the total combined length
of your vehicle and trailer and
ensure that the vehicle-to-vehicle
distance is sufficient before execut -
ing lane changes.
■Transmission information
To maintain engine braking effi -
ciency, when using engine braking,
do not use the transmission in D.
( →P.321)
■If the hybrid system overheats
Towing a loaded trailer up a long,
steep incline in temperatures
exceeding 30°C (85°F) may result
in the hybrid system overheating. If
the high coolant temperature warn -
ing light indicates that the hybrid
system is overheating, turn the air
conditioning off immediately, leave
the road and stop the vehicle in a
safe place. ( →P.611)
■When parking the vehicle
Always place wheel chocks under
the wheels of both the vehicle and
trailer. Firmly set the parking brake
and shift the shift lever to P.
■Break-in schedule
Toyota recommends that vehicles fitted
with new power train components
should not be used for towing trailers for the first 800 km (500 miles).
■Maintenance
●Maintenance must be performed more frequently when using the vehicle for
towing due to the greater weight bur -
den placed on the vehicle compared to normal driving.
●Retighten all bolts securing the hitch - ing ball and bracket after towing for
approximately 1000 km (600 miles).
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factor s (crosswinds, pass- ing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing instability.

3165-1. Before driving
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by
turning the steering wheel. • Begin releasing the accelerator pedal
immediately but very gradually to
reduce speed. Do not increase speed. Do not apply
vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme 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 occupants
out of the vehicle. • Check the tires of t he vehicle and the
trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer. Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appro -
priate, if possible. • Check the load in the vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded
after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the
speed at which trailer swaying occurred
is beyond the limit of your particular
vehicle-trailer combination. Drive at a
lower speed to pre vent instability.
Remember that swaying of the towing
vehicle-trailer increases as speed
increases.

3305-2. Driving procedures
enabled, the system will turn off and the
brake hold standby indicator light will go off. In addition, if any of the conditions
are detected while th e system is holding
the brake, a warning buzzer will sound and a message wi ll be shown on the
multi-information display. The parking
brake will then be set automatically.
■Brake hold function
●If the brake pedal is left released for a
period of about 3 minutes after the system has started ho lding the brake,
the parking brake will be set automati -
cally. In this case, a warning buzzer sounds and a message is shown on
the multi-information display.
●To turn the system o ff while the sys-
tem is holding the brake, firmly
depress the brak e pedal and press the button again.
●The brake hold func tion may not hold the vehicle when the vehicle is on a
steep incline. In this situation, it may
be necessary for the driver to apply the brakes. A warning buzzer will
sound and the multi -information dis-
play will inform the dr iver of this situa- tion. If a warning message is shown
on the multi-informa tion display, read
the message and follow the instruc - tions.
■When the parking brake is set auto -
matically while the system is hold -
ing the brakes
Perform any of the following operations
to release the parking brake:
●Depress the accelerator pedal. (The
parking brake will not be released
automatically if the seat belt is not fas - tened.)
●Operate the parking brake switch with
the brake pedal depressed.
Make sure that the parking brake indica -
tor light goes off. ( →P.326)
■When an inspection at any autho-
rized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer is necessary
When the brake hold standby indicator (green) does not illuminate even when
the brake hold switch is pressed with the
brake hold system ope rating conditions met, the system may b e malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle i nspected at any
authorized Toyota r etailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
■If “Brake Hold Malfunction Press
Brake to Deactivate Visit Your Dealer” or “Brake Hold Malfunction
Visit Your Dealer” is displayed on
the multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle inspected by any
authorized Toyota r etailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
■Warning messages and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to indicate a system malfunction or
to inform the driver of the need for cau -
tion. If a warning message is shown on the multi-information display, read the
message and follow the instructions.
■If the brake hold operated indicator
flashes
→ P.574
WARNING
■When the vehicle is on a steep
incline
When using the brake hold system on a steep incline, exercise caution. The
brake hold function may not hold the
vehicle in such a situation.
■When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when the gripping ab ility of the tires
has been exceeded. Do not use the
system when stopped on a slippery road.

355
5
5-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving
*: If equipped
The system can detect the follow -
ing:
 Vehicles
 Bicyclists
 Pedestrians
■Pre-collision warning
When the system determines that
the possibility of a frontal collision is
high, a buzzer will sound and a
warning message wil l be displayed
on the multi-information display to
urge the driver to take evasive
action.
■Pre-collision brake assist
When the system determines that
the possibility of a frontal collision is
high, the system applies greater
braking force in relation to how
strongly the brake pedal is
depressed.
■Pre-collision braking
If the system determines that the
possibility of a fr ontal collision is
extremely high, the brakes are
automatically applied to help avoid
the collision or reduce the impact of
the collision.
PCS (Pre-Collision Sys-
tem)*
The pre-collision system uses
a radar sensor and front cam -
era to detect objects ( →P.355)
in front of the vehicle. When
the system determines that the
possibility of a fr ontal collision
with an object is high, a warn -
ing operates to urge the driver
to take evasive action and the
potential brake pressure is
increased to help the driver
avoid the collision. If the sys -
tem determines that the possi -
bility of a fronta l collision with
an object is extremely high,
the brakes are automatically
applied to help avoid the colli -
sion or help reduce the impact
of the collision.
The pre-collision system can be
disabled/enabled and the warn -
ing timing can be changed.
( →P.357)
Detectable objects
System functions