ECU TOYOTA RAV4 PRIME 2021 Repair Manual

2625-1. Before driving
WARNING
●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 lim its of the brake
pads and/or those of the brake
discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress t he 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 prev ent accidents
due to the vehicle rolling away,
always keep depressing the
brake pedal while stopped with
the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated, and appl y the parking
brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an
incline, in order to prevent acci-
dents caused by the vehicle roll-
ing forward or backward, always
depress the brake pedal and
securely apply the parking
brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the
engine.
Running the engine at high
speed while the vehicle is
stopped may cause the exhaust
system to overheat, which could
result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave gla sses, cigarette
lighters, spray cans, or soft
drink cans in the vehicle when it
is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the fol-
lowing:
• 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, causing the contents to spray
over the interior of the vehicle,
and may also cause a short cir-
cuit in the vehicl e’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 se at is adjusted,
causing a fire.

2635-1. Before driving
5
Driving
WARNING
●Do not attach adhesive discs to
the windshield or windows. Do
not place containers such as air
fresheners on the instrument
panel or dashboard. Adhesive
discs or containers 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 silver-colored one.
Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act as a lens, caus-
ing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake,
shift the shift lever to P, stop the
hybrid system and lock the vehi-
cle.
Do not leave the vehicle unat-
tended while the “READY” indi-
cator 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 accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes
while the “READY” indicator is
illuminated or immediately after
turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the
vehicle
Always turn the hyb rid system off.
Otherwise, if you accidentally
move the shift lever or depress
the accelerator p edal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to
hybrid system ove rheating. Addi-
tionally, if the vehicle is parked in
a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a seri-
ous 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 d ifferently than
the other side. A lso, the parking
brake may not securely hold the
vehicle.
●If the electronically controlled
brake system does not operate,
do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp
turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still pos-
sible, but the brake pedal
should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2
or more individual hydraulic sys-
tems; if one of the systems fails,
the other will still operate. In 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 exces-
sively 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 pro-
pel the vehicle forward or back-
ward, causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator
and brake pedals at the same
time during driving, as this may
restrain the hybrid system out-
put.

2655-1. Before driving
5
Driving
Cargo capacity depends on the
total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load
capacity) - (Total weight of occu-
pants)
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit 
(1) Locate the statement “The
combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your
vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined
weight of the driver and passen-
gers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and passen-
gers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity.
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following
information about storage
precautions, cargo capacity
and load.
WARNING
■Things that must not be car-
ried in the luggage compart-
ment
The following things may cause a
fire if loaded in the luggage com-
partment:
●Receptacles co ntaining gaso-
line
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so m ay prevent the
pedals from be ing depressed
properly, may bloc k the driver’s
vision, or may result in items hit-
ting the driver or passengers, pos-
sibly causing an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the
luggage compartment when-
ever possible.
●Do not stack anything in the lug-
gage compartment higher than
the seatbacks.
●Do not place cargo or luggage
in or on the follo wing locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover (if equipped)
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
●Secure all items in the occupant
compartment.
●When you fold down the rear
seats, long items should not be
placed directly behind the front
seats.
●Never allow anyon e to ride in
the luggage compartment. It is
not designed for passengers.
They should ride in their seats
with their seat belts properly
fastened. Otherw ise, they are
much more likely to suffer death
or serious bodily injury, in the
event of sudden braking, sud-
den swerving or an accident.
Capacity and distribution

2675-1. Before driving
5
Driving
load
As shown in the example above,
if the number of occupants
increases, the cargo and lug-
gage load will be reduced by an
amount that equals the
increased weight due to the
additional occupants. In other
words, if an increase in the num-
ber of occupants causes an
excess of the total load capacity
(combined weight of occupants
plus cargo and luggage load),
you must reduce the cargo and
luggage on your vehicle.
WARNING
■When loading cargo on the
roof luggage carrier (if
equipped)
Observe the following precau-
tions:
●Place the cargo so that its
weight is distributed evenly
between the front and rear
axles.
●If loading long or wide cargo,
never exceed the vehicle overall
length or width. ( P.550)
●Before driving, make sure the
cargo is securel y fastened on
the roof luggage carrier.
●Loading cargo on the roof lug-
gage carrier will make the cen-
ter of gravity of the vehicle
higher. Avoid high speeds, sud-
den starts, sharp turns, sudden
braking or abrupt maneuvers,
otherwise it may result in loss of
control or vehicle rollover due to
failure to operate this vehicle
correctly and resu lt in death or
serious injury.
●If driving for a long distance, on
rough roads, or at high speeds,
stop the vehicle now and then
during the trip to make sure the
cargo remains in its place.
●Do not exceed 176.4 lb. (80 kg)
cargo weight on the roof lug-
gage carrier.
NOTICE
■When loading cargo on the
roof luggage carrier (if
equipped)
Be careful not to scratch the sur-
face of the moon roof (if
equipped) or the panoramic moon
roof (if equipped).

2695-1. Before driving
5
Driving
■Before towing
Check that the fo llowing conditions
are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires
are properly inflated. ( P.555)
●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 th e 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 mirr ors conform to
all applicable fede ral, state/provin-
cial or local regulations. If they do
not, install rear view mirrors
appropriate for towing purposes.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed
primarily as a passenger-
and-load-carrying vehicle.
Towing a trailer can have an
adverse impact on handling,
performance, braking, dura-
bility, and fuel consump-
tion. For your safety and the
safety of others, you must
not overload your vehicle or
trailer. You must also
ensure that you are using
appropriate towing equip-
ment, that the towing equip-
ment has been installed
correctly and used properly,
and that you employ the
requisite driving habits.
Vehicle-trailer stability and
braking performance are
affected by trailer stability,
brake performance and set-
ting, trailer brakes, the hitch
and hitch systems (if
equipped).
To tow a trailer safely, use
extreme care and drive the
vehicle in accordance with
your trailer’s characteris-
tics and operating condi-
tions.
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.

2715-1. Before driving
5
Driving
■GCWR (Gross Combination
Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
combination weight. The gross
combination weight is the sum
of the total vehicle weight
(including the occupants, cargo
and any optional equipment
installed on the vehicle) and the
weight of the trailer being towed
(including the cargo in the
trailer).
■GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
vehicle weight. The gross vehi-
cle weight is the total weight of
the vehicle. When towing a
trailer, it is the sum of the vehi-
cle weight (including the occu-
pants, cargo and any optional equipment installed on the vehi-
cle) and the tongue weight.
■GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
axle weight. The gross axle
weight is the load placed on
each axle (front and rear).
Front GAWR
Rear GAWR
■TWR (Trailer Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
trailer weight. The gross trailer
weight is the sum of the trailer
weight and the weight of the
cargo in the trailer.
TWR is calculated assuming
WARNING
●Never tow a trailer without using
a safety chain securely attached
to both the traile r 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
A
B

2975-3. Operating the lights and wipers
5
Driving
after several seconds to help
enhance the visibility of your vehi-
cle.
■12-volt battery-saving function
In order to prevent the 12-volt bat-
tery of the vehicle from discharging,
if the headlights and/or tail lights are
on when the power switch is turned
to OFF, the battery saving function
will operate and aut omatically turn
off all the lights after approximately
20 minutes.
When any of the fo llowing are per-
formed, the 12-volt battery-saving
function is canceled once and then
reactivated. All the lights will turn off
automatically 20 mi nutes after the
12-volt battery-saving function has
been reactivated:
●When the headlight switch is oper-
ated
●When a door is opened or closed
■If “Headlight System Malfunc-
tion Visit Your D ealer” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
The system may be malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer.
■Customization
Settings (e.g. light sensor sensitiv-
ity) can be changed.
(Customizable features: P.577)
1 With the headlights on, push
the lever away from you to
turn on the high beams.
Pull the lever toward you to the
center position to turn the high
beams off.
2Pull the lever toward you and
release it to flash the high
beams once.
You can flash the high beams with
the headlights on or off.
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting
System) secures excellent visi-
bility at intersections and on
curves by automatically adjust-
ing the direction of the light axis
of the headlights according to
vehicle speed and the degree of
the tire’s angle as controlled by
steering input.
AFS operates at speeds of
approximately 6 mph (10 km/h)
or higher.
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery dis-
charge
Do not leave the lights on longer
than necessary when the hybrid
system is not operating.
Turning on the high beam
headlights
AFS (Adaptive Front-light-
ing System) (if equipped)

3075-4. Refueling
5
Driving
1Press the opener to open the
fuel filler door.
The fuel filler doo r will open within
about 10 seconds of the switch
being pressed. Before refueling is
possible, a messa ge will be shown
on the multi-information display in
the instrument cluster to indicate
the progress of the fuel filler door opener.
2
Turn the fuel tank cap slowly
to open it and put it into the
holder on the fuel filler door.
■If the fuel filler door cannot be
opened
 P.536
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.
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
●Finish refueling within 30 min-
utes. If more than 30 minutes
passes, the internal valve
closes. In this condition, fuel
may overflow during the refuel-
ing process. Press the fuel filler
door opener switch again.
●Do not spill fuel during refueling.
Doing so may damage the vehi-
cle, such as causing the emis-
sion control system to operate
abnormally or damaging fuel
system components or the vehi-
cle’s painted surface.
■Notice about fuel
 P.91
Opening the fuel tank cap
Closing the fuel tank cap

3085-4. Refueling
■When “Check Fuel Cap” is dis-
played on the multi-information
display
The fuel tank cap may be unfas-
tened or loose. Turn the power
switch off, check the cap and tighten
it securely. If the message remains,
wait a few seconds and then turn
the power switch off once again.
WARNING
■When replacing the fuel tank
cap
Do not use anything but a genu-
ine Toyota fuel tank cap designed
for your vehicle. Doing so may
cause a fire or other incident
which may result in death or seri-
ous injury.
NOTICE
■When refueling
When refueling your vehicle,
make sure that the fuel filler door
lock is not pushed by the fuel noz-
zle boot, etc., as this may cause a
valve to close, possibly resulting
in a fuel spill.
If the fuel filler door lock has been
pushed, operate the fuel filler door
opener switch in the vehicle
before continu ing to refuel.

3525-5. Using the driving support systems
■The BSM function is operational
when
The BSM function is operational
when all of the following conditions
are met:
●The BSM function is on.
●The shift lever is in a position
other than R.
●The vehicle speed is greater than
approximately 10 mph (16 km/h).
■The BSM function will detect a
vehicle when
The BSM function will detect a vehi-
cle present in the detection area in
the following situations:
●A vehicle in an adjacent lane over-
takes your vehicle.
●You overtake a vehicle in an adja-
cent lane slowly.
●Another vehicle enters the detec-
tion area when it changes lanes.
■Conditions under which the
BSM function will not detect a
vehicle
The BSM function is not designed to
detect the following types of vehi-
cles and/or objects:
●Small motorcycles, bicycles,
pedestrians, etc.*
●Vehicles traveling in the opposite
direction
●Guardrails, walls, signs, parked
vehicles and similar stationary
objects
*
●Following vehicles that are in the
same lane*
●Vehicles traveling 2 lanes away
from your vehicle*
●Vehicles which are being over-
taken rapidly by your vehicle
*: Depending on the conditions, detection of a v ehicle and/or
object may occur.
■Conditions under which the
BSM function may not function
correctly
●The BSM function may not detect
vehicles correctly in the following
situations:
• When the sensor is misaligned due to a strong impact to the sen-
sor or its surrounding area
• When mud, snow, ice, a sticker, etc. is covering the sensor or sur-
rounding area on the rear bumper
• When driving on a road surface that is wet with standing water
during bad weather, such as
heavy rain, snow, or fog
• When multiple vehicles are approaching with only a small gap
between each vehicle
• When the distance between your vehicle and a following vehicle is
short
• When there is a significant differ- ence in speed between your vehi-
cle and the vehicle that enters the
detection area
• When the difference in speed
between your vehicle and another
vehicle is changing
• When a vehicle enters a detection
area traveling at about the same
speed as your vehicle
• As your vehicle starts from a stop,
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 r oads with sharp
bends, consecutive curves, or
uneven surfaces
• When vehicle lanes are wide, or