light TOYOTA RAV4 PRIME 2021 Manual Online

2605-1. Before driving
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a for-
eign country
Comply with the re levant vehicle
registration laws and confirm the
availability of the correct fuel.
(  P.551)
WARNING
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so m ay result in
death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the
brake pedal while stopped with
the “READY” indi cator is illumi-
nated. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamil-
iar with the location of the brake
and accelerator pedals to avoid
depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the
brake pedal will result in sudden
acceleration that may lead to an
accident.
• W h e n b a c k i n g u p , y o u m a y t w i s t your body around, leading to a
difficulty in operating the pedals.
M a k e s u r e t o o p e r a t e t h e p e d a l s
properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when mov-
ing the vehicle only slightly. This
allows you to depress the brake
and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the
brake pedal using your left foot
may delay response in an emer-
gency, resulting in an accident.
●The driver should pay extra
attention to pedestrians when
the vehicle is powered only by
the electric motor (traction
motor). As there is no engine
noise, the pedestrians may mis-
judge the vehicle’s movement.
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 surrounding 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 i f there is any
flammable material nearby.

2615-1. Before driving
5
Driving
WARNING
●During normal driving, do not
turn off the hybrid system. Turn-
ing the hybrid system off while
driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, how-
ever, power assist to the steer-
ing 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.505
●Use engine braking (downshift)
to maintain a safe speed when
driving down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously
may cause the br akes to over-
heat and lose effectiveness.
(  P.285)
●Do not adjust the position of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the
inside or outside rear view mir-
rors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of
vehicle control.
●Always check that all passen-
gers’ arms, head or other parts
of their body are not outside the
vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the
speed limit. Even if the legal
speed limit permits it, do not
drive over 85 mph (140 km/h)
unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving
over 85 mph (140 km/h) may
result in tire failure, loss of con-
trol and possible injury. Be sure
to consult a tire dealer to deter-
mine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capabil-
ity tires or not b efore driving at
such speeds.
■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 t hat 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 fo rward 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 sh ift 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 sh ift 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.

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.

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.

2745-1. Before driving
by the hitch manufacturer.
 Lubricate the hitch ball with a
light coating of grease.
 Remove the hitch ball when-
ever you are not towing a
trailer. Remove the trailer
hitch if you do not need it.
After removing the hitch, seal
any mounting holes in the
vehicle body to prevent entry
of any substances into the
vehicle.
Weight carrying ball position:
43.3 in. (1100 mm)
Hitch receiver pin hole posi-
tion: 38.1 in. (969 mm)
■Matching trailer ball height to
trailer coupler height
No matter wh ich class of tow hitch
applies, for a m ore safe trailer
hookup, the trailer ball setup must
be the proper height for the coupler
on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
WARNING
■Hitch
Trailer hitch assemblies have dif-
ferent weight capacities estab-
lished by the hitch manufacturer.
Even though the vehicle may be
physically capable of towing a
higher weight, the operator must
determine the maximum weight
rating of the pa rticular hitch
assembly and never exceed the
maximum weight rating specified
for the trailer-hitch. Exceeding the
maximum weight rating set by the
trailer-hitch manufacturer can
cause an accident resulting in
death or serious personal injuries.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
Use only the position recom-
mended by your Toyota dealer.
Do not install the trailer hitch on
the bumper; this may cause body
damage.
Positions for towing hitch
receiver and hitch ball
A
B
A
B

2755-1. Before driving
5
Driving
Please consult your dealer
when installing trailer lights, as
incorrect installation may cause
damage to the vehicle’s lights.
Please take care to comply with
your state’s laws when installing
trailer lights.
Your vehicle will handle differ-
ently when towing a trailer. Help
to avoid an accident, death or
serious injury, keep the follow-
ing in mind when towing:
Speed limits for towing a
trailer vary by state or prov-
ince. Do not exceed the
posted towing speed limit.
 Toyota recommends that the
vehicle-trailer speed limit is 65
mph (104 km/h) on a flat,
straight, dry road. Do not
exceed this limit, the posted
towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as
set forth in your trailer owner’s
manual, whichever is lowest.
Instability of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer combination (trailer
sway) increases as speed increases. Exceeding speed
limits may cause loss of con-
trol.
 Before starting out, check the
trailer lights, tires and the
vehicle-trailer connections.
Recheck after driving a short
distance.
 Practice turning, stopping and
reversing with the trailer
attached in an area away
from traffic until you become
accustomed to the feel of the
vehicle-trailer combination.
 Reversing with a trailer
attached is difficult and
requires practice. Grip the
bottom of the steering wheel
and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the
left. Move your hand to the
right to move the trailer to
right. (This is generally oppo-
site to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp
or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when
reversing to reduce the risk of
an accident.
 As stopping distance is
increased when towing a
trailer, vehicle-to vehicle dis-
tance should be increased.
For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one
vehicle and trailer length.
 Avoid sudden braking as you
may skid, resulting in the
trailer jackknifing and a loss of
Connecting trailer lights
NOTICE
■Do not directly splice trailer
lights
Do not directly splice trailer lights.
Directly splicing trailer lights may
damage your vehicle’s electrical
system and cause a malfunction.
Trailer towing tips

2765-1. Before driving
vehicle control. This is espe-
cially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
 Avoid jerky starts or sudden
acceleration.
 Avoid jerky steering and
sharp turns, and slow down
before making turn.
 Note that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels
to the inside of the turn. Com-
pensate by making a wider
than normal turning radius.
 Slow down before making a
turn, in cross winds, on wet or
slippery surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can
destabilize the trailer.
Take care when passing other
vehicles. Passing requires
considerable distance. After
passing a vehicle, do not for-
get the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty
of room before changing
lanes.
 To maintain engine braking
efficiency, when using engine
braking, do not use the trans-
mission in D.
 Instability happens more fre-
quently when descending
steep or long downhill grades.
Before descending, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts
while descending steep or 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
high coolant temperature
warning light indicates over-
heating, immediately turn off
the air conditioning (if in use),
pull your vehicle off the road
and stop in a safe spot.
( P.544)
 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.

2815-2. Driving procedures
5
Driving
■Operation of the power switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly
and firmly, the power switch mode
may not change or the hybrid sys-
tem may not start.
●If attempting to re start the hybrid
system immediately after turning
the power switch to OFF, the
hybrid system ma y not start in
some cases. After turning the
power switch to OFF, please wait
a few seconds before restarting
the hybrid system.
■Customization
If the smart key system has been
deactivated in a customized setting,
refer to P.538.
1 Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, set the parking
brake. ( P.290)
Check the parking brake indicator
is illuminated.
3 Shift the shift lever to P.
4 Press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
The hybrid system will stop, and the
meter display will be extinguished.
Release the shift lever when press-
ing the power switch.
5 Release the brake pedal and
check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown
on the multi-information dis-
play.
■Automatic hybrid system shut
off feature
●The vehicle is equipped with a
feature that automatically shuts off
the hybrid system when the shift
lever is in P with the hybrid system
operating for an extended period.
●The hybrid system will automati-
cally shut off after approximately 1
hour if it has been left operating
while the shift lever is in P.
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
Always start the hybrid system
while sitting in the driver’s seat.
Do not depress the accelerator
pedal while starting the hybrid
system under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
■Caution while driving
If hybrid system f ailure occurs
while the vehicle is moving, do not
lock or open the doors until the
vehicle reaches a safe and com-
plete stop. Activation of the steer-
ing lock in this circumstance may
lead to an acciden t, resulting in
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
If the hybrid system becomes diffi-
cult to start, have your vehicle
checked by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a mal-
function with the power
switch
If the power switch seems to be
operating somewhat differently
than usual, such as the switch
sticking slightly, there may be a
malfunction. Contact your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Stopping the hybrid sys-
tem

2835-2. Driving procedures
5
Driving
Modes can be changed by
pressing the power switch with
the brake pedal released. (The
mode changes each time the
switch is pressed.)1
OFF
*
The emergency flashers can be
used.
2ACC
Some electrical components such
as the audio sys tem can be used.
“ACCESSORY” will be displayed
on the multi-information display.
3 ON
All electrical components can be
used.
“IGNITION ON” will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
*: If the shift lever is in a position
other than P when turning off the
hybrid system, the power switch
will remain ON, will not turn to
OFF.
■Auto power off function
●If the vehicle is left in ACC or ON
(the hybrid system is not operat-
ing) for more than 20 minutes with
the shift lever in P, the power
switch will automat ically turn to
OFF.
●If the 12-volt battery is low with the
shift lever is in P and the power
switch is in ACC or ON (the hybrid
system is not operating), a buzzer
WARNING
■When parking
Exhaust gases include harmful
carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless and odorless. Observe
the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause
exhaust gases to enter the vehicle
and may lead to an accident
caused by light-headedness, or
may lead to death or a serious
health hazard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly venti-
lated area or a closed area,
such as a garage, stop the
hybrid system.
●Do not leave the vehicle with
the hybrid system operating for
a long time. If such a situation
cannot be avoided, park the
vehicle in an open space and
ensure that exhaust fumes do
not enter the vehicle interior.
●Do not leave the hybrid system
operating in an area with snow
build-up, or where it is snowing.
If snowbanks build up around
the vehicle while the hybrid sys-
tem is operating, exhaust gases
may collect and enter the vehi-
cle.
Changing power switch
modes