engine overheat TOYOTA RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID 2023 Owners Manual

13Pictorial index
Precautions against winter season ................................................. P.422
To prevent freezing (windshield wiper de-icer)
*1............................. P.435
Precautions against car wash ......................................................... P.467
Replacing the wiper insert............................................................... P.508
Fuel filler door ............................................................................... P.336
Refueling method ............................................................................ P.336
Fuel type/fuel tank capacity ............................................................ P.586
Charging port ................................................................................ P.106
Charging method ............................................................................ P.127
Tires ............................................................................................... P.487
Tire size/inflation pressure .............................................................. P.590
Winter tires/tire chain ...................................................................... P.422
Checking/rotation/tire pressure warning system ............................. P.487
Coping with flat tires................................................................ P.548, 559
Hood ............................................................................................... P.476
Opening .......................................................................................... P.476
Engine oil ........................................................................................ P.587
Coping with overheat ...................................................................... P.578
Warning messages ......................................................................... P.544
Headlights/front position lights/daytime running lights ........... P.326
Turn signal lights .......................................................................... P.319
Front fog lights.............................................................................. P.331
Stop lights/tail lights..................................................................... P.326
Tail lights ....................................................................................... P.326
Back-up lights
Shifting the shift lever to R .............................................................. P.315
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P.516, Watts: P.591)
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M

183
3 3-1. Instrument cluster
Vehicle status information and indicators
Warning lights inform the driver of
malfunctions in the indicated vehi-
cle’s systems.
*1: These lights turn on when the power
switch is turned to ON to indicate
that a system check is being per-
formed. They will turn off after the
hybrid system is on, or after a few
seconds. There may be a malfunc-
tion in a system if the light does not
come on, or turn off. Have the vehi-
Warning lights
(Red)
Brake system warning light*1
(P.534)
(Yellow)
Brake system warning light*1
(P.534)
Charging system warning
light
*1 (P.535)
High coolant temperature
warning light
*2 (P.535)
Hybrid system overheat
warning light
*2 (P.535)
Low engine oil pressure
warning light
*2 (P.535)
Malfunction indicator lamp
*1
(P.536)
SRS warning light
*1
(P.536)
ABS warning light
*1
(P.536)
(Red)
Electric power steering sys-
tem warning light
*1 (P.536)
(Yellow)
Electric power steering sys-
tem warning light
*1 (P.536)
(Flashes or
illuminates)
PCS warning light*1 (if
equipped) (P.537)
(Orange)
LTA indicator (if equipped)
(P.537)
Toyota parking assist-sensor
OFF indicator
*3 (P.538)
PKSB OFF indicator
*1 (if
equipped) (P.538)
BSM OFF indicator
*1 (if
equipped) (P.539)
RCTA OFF indicator
*1 (if
equipped)
(P.539)
Slip indicator light
*1 (P.539)
Inappropriate pedal operation
warning light
*2 (P.540)
(Flashes)
Brake hold operated indica-
tor
*1 (P.540)
(Flashes)
Parking brake indicator
(P.540)
Tire pressure warning light
*1
(P.541)
Low fuel level warning light
(P.541)
Driver’s and front passen-
ger’s seat belt reminder light
(P.541)
Rear passengers’ seat belt
reminder lights
*4 (P.542)
Rear passengers’ seat
belt reminder lights
(P.542)

191
3
3-1. Instrument cluster
Vehicle status information and indicators
changed suddenly (at the
entrance/exit of a garage, tunnel, etc.)
●When “--” or “E” is displayed, the sys-
tem may be malfunctioning. Take your vehicle to any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer.
●Displays the outside temperature
within the range of -40°C (-40°F) to 50°C (122°F).
●When the outside temperature is
approximately 3°C (37°F) or lower,
the indicator will flash for approxi-
mately 10 seconds, then stay on.
■Liquid crystal display
 P.200
■Customization
Settings (e. g. meter display) can be
changed on the screen of the multi-
information display. ( P.206)
Switches the items of the odome-
ter, trip meter A, trip meter B and
the brightness of the instrument
cluster lights by pressing the “ODO
TRIP” switch.
 When the trip meter is displayed,
pressing and holding the switch
will reset the trip meter.
 When the instrument cluster light
control display is displayed,
pressing and holding the switch
will adjust the brightness of the
instrument cluster lights.
■Instrument cluster brightness adjustment
The instrument cluster brightness levels when the tail lights are on and off can be
WARNING
■The information display at low
temperatures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to warm up before using the liquid crys-
tal information display. At extremely low temperatures, the display moni-tor may respond slowly, and display
changes may be delayed.
For example, there is a lag between the driver’s shifting and the new shift
range appearing on the display. This lag could cause the driver to down-shift again, causing rapid and exces-
sive engine braking and possibly an accident resulting in death or injury.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the engine and its components
●The engine may be overheating if “Engine Coolant Temp High Stop in a Safe Place See Owner’s Manual”
is shown on the multi-information display. In this case, immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place, and
check the engine after it has cooled completely. ( P.578)
Using the “ODO TRIP”
switch

1983-1. Instrument cluster
( P.103)
■Manually updating the fuel gauge
and possible driving range
The fuel gauge and the possible driving range are linked. If the displays of the
fuel gauge and possible driving range do not update after adding a small amount of fuel, the displays can be
updated by performing the following pro- cedure.
1 Stop the vehicle on a level surface.
2 Press the “ODO TRIP” switch to change the odometer and trip meter
display to odometer.
3 Turn the power switch off.
4 While pressing and holding the “ODO TRIP” switch, turn the power switch to ON.
5 Continue to hold the “ODO TRIP”
switch for approximately 5 seconds, and then release it once the odome-ter begins flashing.
Updating is complete once the odometer flashes for approximately 5 seconds and then the display returns to normal.
■Outside temperature display
●Displays the outside temperature within the range of -40°C (-40°F) to
60°C (140°F).
●When the outside temperature is
approximately 3°C (37°F) or lower,
the indicator will flash for approxi-
mately 10 seconds, then stay on.
●In the following situations, the correct
outside temperature may not be dis- played, or the display may take longer than normal to change:
• When stopped, or driving at low speeds (less than 12 mph [20 km/h])• When the outside temperature has
changed suddenly (at the entrance/exit of a garage, tunnel, etc.)
●When “--” or “E” is displayed, the sys-tem may be malfunctioning. Take your vehicle to your Toyota dealer.
■Liquid crystal display
 P.211
■Free/Open Source Software Infor- mation
This product contains Free/Open
Source Software (FOSS). The license information and/or the source code of such FOSS can be found at the follow-
ing URL.
https://www.denso.com/global/en/ opensource/meter/toyota/
■Customization
The gauges and meters can be custom-
ized on of the multi-information dis-
play. ( P.211)
WARNING
■The information display at low
temperatures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to warm up before using the liquid crys-
tal information display. At extremely low temperatures, the information dis-play monitor may respond slowly, and
display changes may be delayed.
For example, there is a lag between
the driver’s shifting and the new gear number appearing on the display. This lag could cause the driver to
downshift again, causing rapid and excessive engine braking and possi-bly an accident resulting in death or
injury.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the engine
and its components
The engine may be overheating if
“Engine Coolant Temp High Stop in a Safe Place See Owner’s Manual” is shown on the multi-information dis-
play. In this case, immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place, and check the engine after it has cooled com-
pletely. ( P.578)

2905-1. Before driving
WARNING
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar
with the location of the brake and accelerator pedals 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 the 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 by 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 vehicle 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 for the steering wheel may be lost
making it difficult to steer smoothly before stopping the vehicle depend-ing on the remaining charge in the
12-volt battery or usage conditions. In this situation, 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.526
●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.315)
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside rear view mirrors
while driving. Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●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.

2925-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Avoid revving or racing the engine. Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may cause the exhaust system to over-heat, which could result in a fire if
combustible material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehicle when it is in the
sun. Doing so may result in the follow-ing:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of glasses to
deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, caus- ing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when luggage is loaded or the seat
is adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the
windshield or windows. Do not place containers such as air fresh-eners on the instrument panel or
dashboard. Adhesive discs or con- tainers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated
with a metallized film such as a sil- ver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause the glass to act as a
lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid system and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unat- tended while the “READY” indicator is illuminated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the parking brake is not set, the vehicle may start to
move, possibly leading to an acci- dent.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “READY” indicator is illu-minated or immediately after turn-
ing the hybrid system off. Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move
the shift lever or depress the acceler- ator pedal, this could cause an acci-dent or fire due to hybrid system
overheating. Additionally, if the vehi- cle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and
enter the vehicle, leading to death or a serious health hazard.
■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 parking 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 your brakes fixed immediately.

3085-1. Before driving
is especially true when driving on
wet or slippery road surfaces.
■Sudden acceleration/steering
input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing
may result in the trailer colliding
with your vehicle. Decelerate well in
advance when approaching turns
and take them slowly and carefully
to avoid sudden braking.
■Important points regarding
turning
The wheels of the trailer 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.315)
■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.578)
■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 factors (crosswinds, pass-
ing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can

4185-5. Using the driving support systems
■Sounds and vibrations caused by
the ABS, brake assist, VSC, Trailer
Sway Control, TRC and hill-start
assist control systems
●A sound may be heard from the
engine compartment when the brake
pedal is depressed repeatedly, when
the hybrid system is started or just
after the vehicle begins to move. This
sound does not indicate that a mal-
function has occurred in any of these
systems.
●Any of the following conditions may
occur when the above systems are
operating. None of these indicates
that a malfunction has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the
vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also
after the vehicle comes to a stop.
■ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in
the following cases, but it does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred.
●Operating sound heard from the
engine compartment when the brake
pedal is operated.
●Motor sound of the brake system
heard from the front part of the vehicle
when the driver’s door is opened.
●Operating sound heard from the
engine compartment when one or two
minutes passed after the stop of the
hybrid system.
■Active Cornering Assist operation
sounds and vibrations
When the Active Cornering Assist is
operated, operation sounds and vibra-
tions may be generated from the brake
system, but this is not a malfunction.
■Automatic reactivation of TRC,
Trailer Sway Control and VSC sys-
tems
After turning the TRC, Trailer Sway
Control and VSC systems off, the sys-
tems will be automatically re-enabled in
the following situations:
●When the power switch is turned off
●If only the TRC system is turned off,
the TRC will turn on when vehicle
speed increases
If both the TRC and VSC systems are
turned off, automatic re-enabling will
not occur when vehicle speed
increases.
■Operating conditions of Active Cor-
nering Assist
The system operates when the following
occurs.
●TRC/VSC can operate
●The driver is attempting to accelerate
while turning
●The system detects that the vehicle is
drifting to the outer side
●The brake pedal is released
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS
system
The effectiveness of the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from
overheating when there is frequent
steering input over an extended period
of time. The steering wheel may feel
heavy as a result. Should this occur,
refrain from excessive steering input or
stop the vehicle and turn the hybrid sys-
tem off. The EPS system should return
to normal within 10 minutes.
■Operating conditions of emergency
brake signal
When the following conditions are met,
the emergency brake signal will operate:
●The emergency flashers are off.
●Actual vehicle speed is over 55 km/h
(35 mph).
●The system judges from the vehicle
deceleration that it is a sudden brak-
ing operation.
■Automatic system cancelation of
emergency brake signal
The emergency brake signal will be can-
celed in any of the following situations:
●The emergency flashers are turned
on.
●The system judges from the vehicle

535
8
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
When trouble arises
■Charging system warning light
■High coolant temperature warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display with a message.
■Hybrid system overheat warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display with a message.
■Low engine oil pressure warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display with a message.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging sys-
tem
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place
and contact any authorized Toyota retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine is overheating
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Handling method ( P.578)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the hybrid system has overheated
 Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Handling method ( P.578)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place
and contact any authorized Toyota retailer or
Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.

5468-2. Steps to take in an emergency
shown on the multi-information dis-
play, the vehicle may have run out of fuel. Stop the vehicle in a safe place and, if the fuel level is low, refuel the
vehicle. • “Hybrid System Stopped”• “Engine Stopped”
●If “Maintenance required for DCDC converter cooling parts See Owner’s
Manual” is shown, the filter may be clogged, the air intake vent may be blocked, or there may be a gap in the
duct. Therefore, perform the following correction procedure.• If the air intake vent or filter of the
DC/DC converter are dirty, perform the procedures on P.504 to clean them.
• If the warning message is shown when the air intake vent and filter of the DC/DC converter are not dirty,
have the vehicle inspected at any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
●If “12-Volt Battery Charging System
Malfunction Stop in a Safe Place See Owner’s Manual” is shown
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s
charging system. Pull over and stop the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
While the message is displayed, the
functions of the air conditioning, etc.
may be partially limited in order to
reduce the power consumption of the
12-volt battery.
■If “Hybrid System Overheated Out- put Power Reduced” is shown
The message may be shown when driv- ing under severe operating conditions. (For example, when driving up a long
steep hill or driving up a steep hill in reverse.)
Coping method: P.578
■If “Traction Battery Needs to be
Protected Refrain from the Use of N Position” is shown
This message may be displayed when
the shift lever is in N.
As the hybrid battery (traction battery) cannot be charged when the shift lever is in N, shift the shift lever to P when the
vehicle is stopped.
■If “Traction Battery Needs to be Protected Shift into P to Restart” is shown
This message is displayed when the hybrid battery (traction battery) charge has become extremely low because the
shift lever has been left in N for a certain amount of time.
When operating the vehicle, shift to P
and restart the hybrid system.
■If “Shift to P Before Exiting Vehi- cle” is shown
Message is displayed when the driver’s
door is opened without turning the power switch to OFF with the shift lever in any position other than P.
Shift the shift lever to P.
■If “Shift Out of N Release Accelera- tor Before Shifting” is shown
Message is displayed when the acceler-
ator pedal has been depressed and the shift lever is in N. Release the accelera-tor pedal and shift the shift lever to D or
R.
■If “Press Brake when vehicle is stopped Hybrid system may over-heat” is shown
Message is displayed when the acceler- ator pedal is depressed to maintain the vehicle position when stopped on a
upward slope, etc.
If this continues, the hybrid system may overheat.
Release the accelerator pedal and depress the brake pedal.
■If “Auto Power OFF to Conserve Battery” is shown
Power was turned off due to the auto- matic power off function.
Next time when starting the hybrid sys-
tem, operate the hybrid system for approximately 5 minutes to recharge the