fuel TOYOTA RAV4 PRIME 2021 (in English) User Guide

822-1. Plug-in hybrid system
When the accelerator pedal is
depressed heavily, drive force
from both the gasoline engine
and the electric motor (trac-
tion motor) is used to acceler-
ate.
*: When the hybrid battery (traction
battery) requires charging or the
engine is warming up, etc., the
gasoline engine will not automati-
cally stop. ( P.83)
■When braking (regenera-
tive braking)
The electric motor (traction
motor) charges the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery).
The EV driving range can be
extended by actively using this
regenerative braking to store
electricity in the hybrid battery
(traction battery).
Moreover, as fuel consumption
is also reduced when in HV
mode, the regenerative braking
system can be used effectively.
■Regenerative braking
In the following si tuations, kinetic
energy is converted to electric
energy and deceleration force can
be obtained in conjunction with the
recharging of the hybrid battery
(traction battery).
●The accelerator pedal is released
while driving with the shift lever in
D or S.
●The brake pedal is depressed
while driving with the shift lever in
D or S.
■EV driving range
●The EV driving range is displayed on the multi-information display.
(
 P.172)
●The EV driving range changes in
accordance with the charge status
of the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery), the speed of the vehicle, etc.
●Even if there is enough charge
remaining in the hybrid battery
(traction battery), EV driving may
be canceled and both gasoline
engine and electric motor are
used depending on the situation.
( P.82)
■EV indicator
The EV indicator comes on when
the vehicle is driven using only the
electric motor (traction motor) or the
gasoline engine is stopped.
The on/off operation of the EV indi-
cator can be changed. ( P.177)
■After EV mode has switched to
HV mode due to low hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery) charge
I f t h e h y b r i d b a t t e r y (traction battery)
is regenerated by driving continu-
ously down a long slope, the EV
driving range etc. will be displayed
on the multi-information display and
EV mode will be a utomatically
switched to.
If EV mode is not switched to even
though EV driving range is being
displayed, EV mode can be
switched to by pressing the EV/HV
mode selection switch.
■Gasoline engine operation in
EV mode or AUTO EV/HV mode
Even if there is a sufficient amount
of electricity remaining in the hybrid
battery (traction battery) and EV

842-1. Plug-in hybrid system
●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. ( P.91)
●Sounds may be heard from near
the hybrid battery (traction battery)
in accordance with the operation
of the air conditioning system or
“Battery Cooler” ( P.116).
■Maintenance, repair, recycling,
and disposal
Contact your Toyota dealer regard-
ing maintenance, repair, recycling
and disposal. Do not dispose of the
vehicle yourself.
In order to make EV mode or
AUTO EV/HV mode available,
charge the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) from an external
power source before using the
vehicle.
Even if charging t he hybrid battery
(traction battery) has not been com-
pleted, the vehicle can be driven.
However, if there is not enough
charge remaining, it is possible that
the vehicle canno t be driven in EV
mode or AUTO EV/HV mode or the
EV driving range will become shorter.
■Refilling fuel
Plug-in hybrid vehicles can be
driven using electricity charged from
an external power source. However,
as the gasoline engine is used
depending on the situation ( P.82)
even if in EV mode or AUTO EV/HV
mode, and the gasoline engine is
provided on board as a power
source for driving in HV mode, it is
needed to refueling the vehicle.
Check the fuel a mount and refill
immediately when the fuel level
becomes low. ( P.306)
■If the vehicle is not used for a
long time
●The 12-volt battery may dis-
charge. In this e vent, charge the
12-volt battery. ( P.539)
In order to prevent the hybrid bat-
tery (traction batt ery) from becom-
ing extremely low in charge,
charge the hybrid battery (traction
battery) from external power
source or start th e hybrid system
at least once every 2 or 3 months,
and turn the power switch off after
the gasoline engine has stopped
automatically. ( If the gasoline
engine does not start up even
after approximately 10 seconds
have passed since the “READY”
indicator came on, the power
Charging ( P.99)

852-1. Plug-in hybrid system
2
Plug-in hybrid system
switch can be turned to off without
any further action.)
When the 12-volt battery is dis-
charged, refer to P.539, “If the 12-
volt battery is discharged” and
perform the corr ection procedure.
●When the vehicle is left with the
AC charging cable connected, the
electricity consumption amount of
the 12-volt battery increases due
to controls, such as the system
checking, operating. When the AC
charging cable is not needed,
immediately remove it from the
vehicle.
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 Sy stem may be dif-
ficult for surrounding people to hear.
●In very noisy areas
●In the wind or the rain
Also, as the Acoustic 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.
■When “Acoustic Vehicle Alert-
ing System Malfunction Visit
your Dealer” is displayed on the
multi-information display
The Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Sys- tem may be malf
unctioning. Have
the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
*: This function can only be used in
the mainland U.S.A. It cannot be
used in other states and territo-
ries, including Alaska and Hawaii.
This system operates based on
the driving situation and traffic
information to enhance fuel
economy.
For details about Predictive effi-
cient drive, refer to “NAVIGA-
TION AND MULTIMEDIA
SYSTEM OWNER’S MANUAL”.
 When the vehicle approaches
to predictive deceleration sup-
port points registered in the
navigation system, the “Refer-
ence operation range” ( ) of
the ECO Accelerator Guid-
ance ( P.173) on the multi-
information display will be
turned off to encourage the
driver to reduce excessive
acceleration.Acoustic Vehicle Alerting
System
Predictive efficient drive
(predictive deceleration
support) (vehicles with
navigation system)
*
A

882-1. Plug-in hybrid system
Front electric motor (traction motor)
Air conditioning compressor
Junction box
■Running out of fuel
When the vehicle has run out of fuel
and the hybrid system cannot be
started, refuel th e vehicle with at
least enough gasoline to make the
low fuel level warning light ( P.518)
go off. If there is only a small
amount of fuel, th e hybrid system
may not be able to start. (The stan-
dard amount of fuel is about 2.3 gal.
[8.8 L, 1.9 Imp.gal.], when the vehi-
cle is on a level su rface. This value
may vary when the vehicle is on a
slope. Add extra fuel when the vehi-
cle is inclined.)
■Electromagnetic waves
●High voltage parts and cables on
the hybrid vehicles incorporate
electromagnetic shielding, and
therefore emit approximately the
same amount of electromagnetic
waves as conventional gasoline
powered vehicles or home elec-
tronic appliances.
●Your vehicle may cause sound
interference in so me third party-
produced radio parts.
■Effect of magnetic forces
If objects that generate strong mag-
netic forces, such as large speak-
ers, are placed inside the luggage
compartment or installed nearby,
the generated magnetic forces may
negatively affect t he hybrid system.
■Hybrid battery (traction battery)
(lithium-ion battery)
The hybrid battery (traction battery)
has a limited service life.
The hybrid battery (traction battery)
capacity (the ability to hold a
charge) reduces with time and use
in the same way as other recharge-
able batteries. The extent at which capacity reduces changes drasti-
cally depending on the environment
(ambient temperature, etc.) and
usage conditions, such as how the
vehicle is driven and how the hybrid
battery (traction battery) is charged.
This is a natural characteristic of
lithium-ion batteries, and is not a
malfunction. Also, even though the
EV driving range becomes shorter
when the hybrid battery (traction
battery) capacity reduces, vehicle
performance does not significantly
become worse.
In order to reduce the possibility of
the capacity reducing, follow the
directions listed on P.121, “Capacity
reduction of the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery)”.
■Starting the hybrid system in an
extremely cold environment
When the hybrid battery (traction
battery) is extremely cold (below
approximately -22°F [-30°C]) under
the influence of the outside tem-
perature, it may not be possible to
start the hybrid system. In this case,
try to start the hybrid system again
after the temperature of the hybrid
battery increases due to the outside
temperature increase etc.
J
K
L
WARNING
■High voltage precautions
The vehicle has high voltage DC
and AC systems as well as a 12-
volt system. DC and AC high volt-
age is very dangerous and can
cause severe burns and electric
shock that may result in death or
serious injury.

902-1. Plug-in hybrid system
WARNING
●Carefully inspect the ground
under the vehicle. If you find
that liquid has leaked onto the
ground, the fuel system may
have been damaged. Leave the
vehicle as soon as possible.
■Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery)
●Your vehicle contains a sealed
lithium-ion battery.
●Never resell, hand over or mod-
ify the hybrid battery. To prevent
accidents, hybrid batteries that
have been removed from a dis-
posed vehicle are collected
through Toyota dealer. Do not
dispose of the battery yourself.
Unless the battery is properly
collected, the following may
occur, resulting in death or seri-
ous injury:
• The hybrid battery may be ille- gally disposed of or dumped,
and it is hazardous to the envi-
ronment or someone may touch
a high voltage part, resulting in
an electric shock.
• The hybrid battery is intended to be used exclusively with your
hybrid vehicle. If the hybrid bat-
tery is used outside of your
vehicle or modifi ed in any way,
accidents such as electric
shock, heat generation, smoke
generation, an explosion and
electrolyte leakage may occur.
When reselling or handing over
your vehicle, the possibility of
an accident is extremely high
because the person receiving
the vehicle may not be aware of
these dangers.
●If your vehicle is disposed of
without the hybrid battery hav-
ing been removed, there is a
danger of serious electric shock
if high voltage parts, cables and
their connectors are touched. In
the event that your vehicle must
be disposed of, the hybrid bat-
tery must be disposed of by
your Toyota dealer or a qualified
service shop. If the hybrid bat-
tery is not disposed of properly,
it may cause electric shock that
can result in dea th or serious
injury.
■Caution while driving
If the vehicle under floor area
receives strong shock or impact
while driving, stop the vehicle in a
safe area and check around the
bottom of the vehicle. If there is
damage to the hybrid battery
(traction battery) or liquid leakage,
it may lead to a vehicle fire, etc.
Do not touch the vehicle and
immediately contact your Toyota
dealer.
■Modifications
Do not modify the vehicle to make
the height lower.
It is easier for the hybrid battery
(traction battery) in the under floor
area to come in contact with the
ground when the vehicle is low-
ered. If the hybrid battery (traction
battery) is damaged, a vehicle fire
may occur which could lead to
death or serious injury.

912-1. Plug-in hybrid system
2
Plug-in hybrid system
There is an air intake vent under
the rear seat for cooling the
DC/DC converter.
Blocking the air intake vent may
prevent the plug-in hybrid sys-
tem from operating properly.When a certain level of impact is
NOTICE
■Notice about fuel
●For plug-in hybrid vehicles, fuel
may remain in the tank for a
long time and undergo changes
in quality depending on the how
the vehicle is used. Refuel at
least 5.3 gal. (20 L, 4.4 Imp.gal.)
of fuel every 12 months (refuel a
total of at least 5 .3 gal. [20 L,
4.4 Imp.gal.] over a 12-month
period), as this may affect com-
ponents of the fuel system or
the gasoline engine.
●If the vehicle has not been refu-
eled for a certain amount of time
and it is possible that the quality
of the fuel remaining in the tank
has changed, “No New Fuel has
been Added Recently Please
refuel” is displayed on the multi-
information display when the
power switch is turned to ON. If
the message is displayed, refuel
the vehicle immediately.
DC/DC converter air
intake vent
NOTICE
■DC/DC converte r air intake
vent
●Make sure not to block the air
intake vent with anything, such
as a seat cover, plastic cover, or
luggage. Blocking the air intake
vent may prevent the plug-in
hybrid system from operating
properly.
●When dust etc. has accumu-
lated in the air intake vent, clean
it with a vacuum cleaner to pre-
vent the vent from clogging.
●Do not wet or allow foreign sub-
stances to enter the air vent as
this may cause a short circuit
and damage the DC/DC con-
verter.
●Do not carry large amounts of
water such as water cooler bot-
tles in the vehicle. If water spills
onto the DC/DC converter, the
converter may be damaged.
Have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer.
●A filter is installed to the air
intake vent. When the filter
remains noticeably dirty even
after cleaning the air intake
vent, filter cleaning or replace-
ment is recommended. When
cleaning the filter, refer to
P.486.
●If “Maintenance required for
DCDC converter cooling parts
See Owner’s Manual” is shown
on the multi-information dis-
play, the air intake vent and fil-
ter may be clogged. Refer to
P.486 for information on how to
clean the air intake vent.
Emergency shut off sys-
tem

922-1. Plug-in hybrid system
detected by the impact sensor,
the emergency shut off system
blocks off the high voltage cur-
rent and stops the fuel pump to
minimize the risk of electrocu-
tion and fuel leakage.
If the emergency shut off system
activates, your vehicle will not
restart. To restart the hybrid sys-
tem, contact your Toyota dealer.
A message is automatically dis-
played when a malfunction
occurs in the hybrid system or
an improper operation is
attempted.
If a warning message is shown
on the multi-information display,
read the message and follow the
instructions.
■If a warning light comes on, a
warning message is displayed
or the 12-volt battery is discon-
nected
The hybrid system may not start. In
that case, try to start the system
again. If the “READY” indicator does
not come on, contact your Toyota
dealer.
Primarily using EV mode and
AUTO EV/HV mode when driv-
ing in cities and using HV mode
when driving on highways (or
freeways) can help conserve
fuel and electricity. ( P.78)
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the
accelerator pedal depression
amount can be generated more
smoothly than it is in normal
conditions. In addition, the oper-
ation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be
minimized, improving fuel and
electricity economy. ( P.377)
Eco-friendly driving is possible
by keeping the Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area.
( P.167)Hybrid warning message
Plug-in hybrid vehicle
driving tips
For economical and ecolog-
ical driving, pay attention to
the following points:
Using EV mode, AUTO
EV/HV mode and HV
mode effectively
Using Eco drive mode
Use of Hybrid System
Indicator

932-1. Plug-in hybrid system
2
Plug-in hybrid system
Shift the shift lever to D when
stopped at a traffic light, or driv-
ing in heavy traffic etc. Shift the
shift lever to P when parking.
When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consump-
tion. In the N, the gasoline
engine operates but electricity
cannot be generated. Also,
when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery
(traction battery) power is con-
sumed.
Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and
deceleration. Gradual accel-
eration and deceleration 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 (trac-
tion battery) power, resulting
in poor fuel consumption. Bat-
tery power can be restored by
driving with the accelerator
pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes
gently and a timely manner. A greater amount of electrical
energy can be regenerated
when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and
deceleration, as well as long
waits at traffic lights, will lead to
high fuel and electricity con-
sumption. Check traffic reports
before leaving and avoid delays
as much as possible. When driv-
ing in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow
the vehicle to move forward
slightly while avoiding overuse
of the accelerator pedal. Doing
so can help control excessive
electricity and fuel consumption.

Control and maintain the vehi-
cle at a constant speed.
Before stopping 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 regenerated
when slowing down.
 Electricity consumption will
increase significantly when
driving 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 freeway,
it is recommended to drive in
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake
pedal operation
When braking
Delays
Highway driving

942-1. Plug-in hybrid system
HV mode while on the free-
way and change to EV mode
or AUTO EV/HV mode after
leaving the freeway. (P.78)
 Turn the “A/C” switch off
when it is not needed. Doing
so can help reduce excessive
electricity and fuel consump-
tion.
In summer: When the ambient tem-
perature is high, use the recircu-
lated air mode. Doing so will help to
reduce the burden on the air condi-
tioning system and reduce electric-
ity and fuel consumption as well.
In winter: Avoid excessive and
unnecessary use o f the heater.
Usage of the heated steering wheel
(if equipped) ( P.407) and seat
heaters ( P.408) are effective.
 Using the Remote Air Condi-
tioning System ( P.405)
while the AC charging cable is
connected to the vehicle can
reduce electricity consump-
tion immediately after starting
off by operating air condition-
ing mainly using electricity
from an external power
source.
 When setting the charging
schedule, setting the charging
mode to “Departure” and “Cli-
mate Prep” to on can reduce
electricity consumption imme-
diately after starting off by
operating air conditioning before charging is completed.
(
P.130)
Make sure to check the tire infla-
tion pressure frequently. If there
is improper tire inflation pres-
sure in the tires, the EV driving
range will become shorter, and
fuel consumption when in HV
mode will increase.
Also, as snow tires can cause
large amounts of friction, their
use on dry roads can lead to
increased fuel and electricity
consumption.
Carrying heavy luggage will lead
to poor fuel economy. Avoid car-
rying unnecessary luggage.
Installing a large roof rack will
also cause poor fuel economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts
up and cuts out automatically,
warming up is not necessary.
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation
pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driv-
ing

962-1. Plug-in hybrid system
of occupants.
The distance that EV driving is
possible can be extended if the
following is performed:
■When starting off, depress
the accelerator pedal
smoothly to accelerate
As a guide, accelerate up to
approximately 12mph (20 km/h)
in the first 5 seconds.
Electrical and fuel efficiency can
be improved just by using the
ECO Accelerator Guidance dis-
played on the multi-information
display and taking care to start
off gently. ( P.173)
When the driving mode is set to
Eco drive mode, depressing the
accelerator pedal generates
smooth torque that makes it easier
to operate the accelerator gently.
At the same time, the air condition-
ing control is switched to eco air
conditioning mode ( P.397) to
reduce the strength of the air condi-
tioning operation.
■Maintain sufficient vehicle-
to-vehicle distance and do
not accelerate or decelerate
unnecessarily
Try to maintain a fixed speed
while driving. Driving at a short
vehicle-to-vehicle distance will
result in repeating wasteful
acceleration and deceleration,
which will worsen the electrical
and fuel efficiency.
■Release the accelerator
pedal early before stopping
the vehicle, such as at a
traffic light
The regenerative brake will
operate to convert the kinetic
energy of the vehicle into electri-
cal energy, which will charge the
hybrid battery (traction battery).
The regeneration status can be
checked from the Hybrid Sys-
tem Indicator. ( P.167)
When the brake pedal is
depressed lightly during decel-
eration, the regeneration
amount increases, enabling
more electrical energy to be
recovered.
If the brake pedal is depressed too
strongly, the recovered amount
indicator will reac h the maximum
level and the upper limit of the
recoverable energy will be
exceeded. Theref ore, be sure to
operate the brak e pedal early.
■Use the air conditioning
system appropriately, and
also utilize the heated steer-
ing wheel (if equipped) and
seat heaters
In EV mode, the vehicle is
cooled and heated by electrical
energy. (Except in extremely
cold temperatures of approxi-
mately 14°F (-10°C) or less.)
Preventing excessive cooling or
heating of the vehicle will reduce
power consumption and
improve electrical efficiency.