Toyota RAV4 (2023 year). Manual in english

176

3-5. Opening, closing the windows and moon roof

WARNING

●

Check to make sure that all pas-

sengers do not have any part of

their body in a position where it

could be caught when the pan-

oramic moon roof is being oper-

ated.

●

When using the wireless remote

control or mechanical key and

operating the panoramic moon

roof, operate the panoramic

moon roof after checking to

make sure that there is no pos-

sibility of any passenger having

any of their body parts caught in

the panoramic moon roof. Also,

do not let a child operate pan-

oramic moon roof by the wire-

less remote control or

mechanical key. It is possible

for children and other passen-

gers to get caught in the pan-

oramic moon roof.

●

When exiting the vehicle, turn

the engine switch to OFF, carry

the key and exit the vehicle

along with the child. There may

be accidental operation, due to

mischief, etc., that may possibly

lead to an accident.

■

Jam protection function

●

Never use any part of your body

to intentionally activate the jam

protection function.

●

The jam protection function may

not work if something gets

caught just before the pan-

oramic moon roof or electronic

sunshade is fully closed. Also,

the jam protection function is

not designed to operate while

the switch is being pressed.

Take care so that your fingers,

etc. do not get caught.

■

To prevent burns or injuries

Do not touch the area between

the underside of the panoramic

moon roof and the electronic sun-

shade. Your hand may get caught

and you could injure yourself.

Also, if the vehicle is left in direct

sunlight for a long time, the under-

side of the panoramic moon roof

could become very hot and could

cause burns.

NOTICE

■

To prevent damage to the

panoramic moon roof

●

Before opening the panoramic

moon roof, make sure that there

are no foreign objects, such as

stones or ice, around the open-

ing.

●

Do not hit the surface or edge of

the panoramic moon roof with

hard objects.

■

After the vehicle has been

washed or rained on

Before opening the panoramic

moon roof, wipe any water off the

panoramic moon roof. Otherwise,

water may enter the cabin when

the panoramic moon roof is

opened.

177

ing

Driving

4-1. Before driving

Driving the vehicle.......

179

Cargo and luggage .....

185

Vehicle load limits .......

188

Trailer towing ..............

189

Dinghy towing .............

201

4-2. Driving procedures

Engine (ignition) switch

(vehicles without smart
key system) ...............

203

Engine (ignition) switch

(vehicles with smart key
system)......................

204

Automatic transmission

209

Turn signal lever .........

212

Parking brake..............

213

Brake Hold ..................

217

4-3. Operating the lights and

wipers

Headlight switch..........

219

AHB (Automatic High

Beam)........................

222

Fog light switch ...........

226

Windshield wipers and

washer.......................

226

Rear window wiper and

washer.......................

229

4-4. Refueling

Opening the fuel tank cap

..................................

231

4-5. Using the driving support

systems

Toyota Safety Sense 2.5

..................................

234

PCS (Pre-Collision System)

..................................

239

LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)

..................................

250

RSA (Road Sign Assist)

..................................

261

Dynamic radar cruise con-

trol with full-speed range

..................................

264

BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)

..................................

275

Intuitive parking assist.

280

RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic

Alert) function ............

289

PKSB (Parking Support

Brake)........................

294

Parking Support Brake func-

tion (static objects)

..................................

299

Parking Support Brake

function (rear-crossing
vehicles) ....................

302

Stop & Start system ....

304

Driving mode select switch

..................................

310

Multi-terrain Select (AWD

vehicles) ....................

312

Snow mode switch (AWD

vehicles) ....................

315

179

4-1. Before driving

ing

4-1.Before driving

■

Starting the engine



P.203, 204

■

Driving

With the brake pedal
depressed, shift the shift
lever to D. (



P.209)

Release the parking brake.
(



P.213)

If the parking brake is in automatic

mode, the parking brake will be

released automatically. (



P.215)

Gradually release the brake
pedal and gently depress the
accelerator pedal to acceler-
ate the vehicle.

■

Stopping

With the shift lever in D,
depress the brake pedal.

If necessary, set the parking
brake. (



P.213)

If the vehicle is to be stopped for an

extended period of time, shift the

shift lever to P. (



P.209)

■

Parking the vehicle

With the shift lever in D,
depress the brake pedal.

Set the parking brake.
(



P.213)

Make sure the parking brake indi-

cator light is on.

Shift the shift lever to P
(



P.209).

Turn the engine switch to
OFF to stop the engine.

Do not press the shift release but-

ton after shifting the shift position to

Lock the door, making sure
that you have the key on your
person.

If parking on a hill, block the wheels

as needed.

■

Starting off on a steep
uphill

With the brake pedal
depressed, shift the shift
lever to D. (



P.209)

Pull the parking brake switch
and parking brake is set
manually. (



P.213)

Release the brake pedal and
gently depress the accelera-
tor pedal to accelerate the
vehicle.

Parking brake automatic release

function (



P.215)

■

When starting off on a uphill

The hill-start assist control will acti-

vate. (



P.319)

■

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 slip-

pery.

●

Drive carefully when it starts to

rain, as the road surface could be

especially slippery.

●

Refrain from high speeds when

driving on an expressway in the

Driving the vehicle

The following procedures
should be observed to
ensure safe driving:

Driving procedure

180

4-1. Before driving

rain, because there may be a

layer of water between the tires

and the road surface, preventing

the steering and brakes from

operating properly.

■

Engine speed while driving

In the following conditions, the

engine speed may become high

while driving. This is due to auto-

matic up-shifting control or down-

shifting implementation to meet driv-

ing conditions. It does not indicate

sudden acceleration.

●

The vehicle is judged to be driving

uphill or downhill

●

When the accelerator pedal is

released

●

When the brake pedal is

depressed while sport mode is

selected

■

Restraining the engine output

(Brake Override System)

●

When the accelerator and brake

pedals are depressed at the same

time, the engine output may be

restrained.

●

A warning message is displayed

on the multi-information display

while the system is operating.

■

Breaking in your new Toyota

To extend the life of the vehicle,

observing the following precautions

is recommended:

●

For the first 200 miles (300 km):

Avoid sudden stops.

●

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 relevant vehicle

registration laws and confirm the

availability of the correct fuel.

(



P.488)

WARNING

Observe the following precau-

tions.

Failure to do so may result in

death or serious injury.

■

When starting the vehicle

Always keep your foot on the

brake pedal while stopped with

the engine running. 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.

• When backing up, you may twist

your body around, leading to a

difficulty in operating the pedals.

Make sure to operate the pedals

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.

●

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.

181

4-1. Before driving

ing

WARNING

●

During normal driving, do not

turn off the engine. Turning the

engine off while driving will not

cause loss of steering or brak-

ing control, but the power assist

to these systems will be lost.

This will make it more difficult to

steer and brake, so you should

pull over and stop the vehicle as

soon as it is safe to do so.

However, in the event of an

emergency, such as if it

becomes impossible to stop the

vehicle in the normal way:



P.440

●

Use engine braking (downshift)

to maintain a safe speed when

driving down a steep hill.

Using the brakes continuously

may cause the brakes to over-

heat and lose effectiveness.

(



P.209)

●

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 before 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 that 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 the shift lever is in a

driving position, or roll forward

while the shift lever is in R.

Doing so may cause the engine

to stall or lead to poor brake and

steering performance, resulting

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 trans-

mission and may result in a loss

of vehicle control.

●

Do not shift the shift 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.

182

4-1. Before driving

WARNING

●

Moving the shift lever to N while

the vehicle is moving will disen-

gage the engine from the trans-

mission. Engine braking is not

available when N is selected.

●

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 limits of the brake

pads and/or those of the brake

discs are exceeded.

■

When the vehicle is stopped

●

Do not race the engine.

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 prevent accidents

due to the vehicle rolling away,

always keep depressing the

brake pedal while the engine is

running, and apply 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 glasses, 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 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.

183

4-1. Before driving

ing

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

engine and lock the vehicle.

Do not leave the vehicle unat-

tended while the engine is run-

ning.

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 engine is running or

immediately after turning the

engine off.

Doing so may cause burns.

■

When taking a nap in the

vehicle

Always turn the engine off. Other-

wise, if you accidentally move the

shift lever or depress the acceler-

ator pedal, this could cause an

accident or fire due to engine

overheating. Additionally, if the

vehicle is parked in a poorly venti-

lated area, exhaust gases may

collect and enter the vehicle, lead-

ing 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 brake booster device does

not operate, do not follow other

vehicles closely and avoid hills

or sharp turns that require brak-

ing.

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.

●

Do not pump the brake pedal if

the engine stalls.

Each push on the brake pedal

uses up the reserve for the

power-assisted brakes.

●

The brake system consists of 2

individual hydraulic systems; 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

(AWD models)

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.

184

4-1. Before driving

When the following unusual
operation is performed with the
accelerator pedal depressed,
the engine output may be
restrained.



When the shift lever is shifted

NOTICE

■

When driving the vehicle

●

Do not depress the accelerator

and brake pedals at the same

time during driving, as this may

restrain the engine output.

●

Do not use the accelerator

pedal or depress the accelera-

tor and brake pedals at the

same time to hold the vehicle on

a hill.

■

Avoiding damage to vehicle

parts

●

Do not turn the steering wheel

fully in either direction 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,

underside of the vehicle, etc.

■

If you get a flat tire while driv-

ing

A flat or damaged tire 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 abnor-

mally.

Hold the steering wheel firmly and

gradually depress the brake pedal

to slow down the vehicle.
Information on what to do in case

of a flat tire (



P.463)

■

When encountering flooded

roads

Do not drive on a road that has

flooded after heavy rain, etc.

Doing so may cause the following

serious damage to the vehicle:

●

Engine stalling

●

Short in electrical components

●

Engine damage caused by

water immersion

In the event that you drive on a

flooded road and the vehicle is

flooded, be sure to have your

Toyota dealer check the following:

●

Brake function

●

Changes in quantity and quality

of oil and fluid used for the

engine, transaxle, transfer

(AWD vehicles), rear differen-

tial (AWD vehicles), etc.

●

Lubricant condition for the pro-

peller shaft (AWD models),

bearings and suspension joints

(where possible), and the func-

tion of all joints, bearings, etc.

■

When parking the vehicle

Always set the parking brake, and

shift the shift lever to P. Failure to

do so may cause the vehicle to

move or the vehicle may acceler-

ate suddenly if the accelerator

pedal is accidentally depressed.

Sudden start restraint
control (Drive-Start Con-
trol [DSC])

185

4-1. Before driving

ing

to R



When the shift lever is shifted
from P or R to forward drive
shift position such as D

When the system operates, a mes-
sage appears on the multi-informa-
tion display. Read the message
and follow the instruction.

: Depending on the situation, the

shift position may not be
changed.

■

Drive-Start Control (DSC)

●

When the TRAC is turned off

(



P.320), sudden start restraint

control also does not operate. If

your vehicle have trouble escap-

ing from the mud or fresh snow

due to sudden start restraint con-

trol operation, deactivate TRAC

(



P.320) so that the vehicle may

become able to escape from the

mud or fresh snow.

Also, sudden start restraint control

will not operate in the following con-

dition:

• When Multi-terrain Select is

selected (AWD vehicles)

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 containing gaso-

line

●

Aerosol cans

■

Storage precautions

Observe the following precau-

tions.

Failure to do so may prevent the

pedals from being depressed

properly, may block 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 following 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

186

4-1. Before 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.
For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs. and
there will be five 150 lb passen-
gers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 -
750 (5



150) = 650 lbs.)

(5) Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calcu-
lated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehi-
cle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the
available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
(



P.188)

WARNING

●

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 anyone to ride in

the luggage compartment. It is

not designed for passengers.

They should ride in their seats

with their seat belts properly

fastened. Otherwise, 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

WARNING

■

Capacity and distribution

●

Do not exceed the maximum

axle weight rating or the total

vehicle weight rating.

●

Even if the total load of occu-

pant’ weight and the cargo load

is less than the total load capac-

ity, do not apply the load

unevenly. Improper loading may

cause deterioration of steering

or braking control which may

cause death or serious injury.

187

4-1. Before driving

ing

Cargo capacity

Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) (



P.486)

When 2 people with the com-
bined weight of A lb. (kg) are rid-
ing in your vehicle, which has a
total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) of B lb. (kg),
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity will
be C lb. (kg) as follows:

lb. (kg) - A

lb. (kg) = C

lb.

(kg)

:A = Weight of people

:B = Total load capacity

:C = Available cargo and luggage

load

In this condition, if 3 more passen-
gers with the combined weight of D
lb. (kg) get on, the available cargo
and luggage load will be reduced E
lb. (kg) as follows:

C lb. (kg) - D

lb. (kg) = E

lb.

(kg)

:D = Additional weight of people

:E = Available cargo and luggage

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.

Calculation formula for
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.486)

●

Before driving, make sure the

cargo is securely 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 result in death or

serious injury.

188

4-1. Before driving

■

Total load capacity and seating

capacity

These details are also described on

the tire and loading information

label. (



P.416)

WARNING

●

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).

Vehicle load limits

Vehicle load limits include
total load capacity, seating
capacity, TWR (Trailer
Weight Rating) and cargo
capacity.



Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight):



P.486

Total load capacity means the
combined weight of occu-
pants, cargo and luggage.



Seating capacity:



P.487

Seating capacity means the
maximum number of occu-
pants whose estimated aver-
age weight is 150 lb. (68 kg)
per person.



TWR (Trailer Weight Rat-
ing):



P.195, 486

TWR means the maximum
gross trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo weight)
that your vehicle is able to
tow.



Cargo capacity

Cargo capacity may increase
or decrease depending on the
weight and the number of
occupants.

189

4-1. Before driving

ing

WARNING

■

Overloading the vehicle

Do not overload the vehicle. It

may not only cause damage to

the tires, but also degrade steer-

ing and braking ability, resulting in

an accident.

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.

190

4-1. Before driving

■

Before towing

Check that the following conditions

are met:

●

Ensure that your vehicle’s tires

are properly inflated. (



P.492)

●

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 the 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 mirrors conform to

all applicable federal, state/provin-

cial or local regulations. If they do

not, install rear view mirrors

appropriate for towing purposes.

■

When towing a trailer

Disable the following systems, as

the systems may not operate prop-

erly.

●

LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)

(



P.250)

●

Dynamic radar cruise control with

full-speed range (



P.264)

●

PKSB (Parking Support Brake) (if

equipped) (



P.294)

●

BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if

equipped) (



P.275)

●

Intuitive parking assist (if

equipped) (



P.280)

●

RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert)

function (if equipped) (



P.275)

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.

WARNING

■

Trailer towing precautions

To tow a trailer safely, use

extreme care and drive the vehi-

cle in accordance with the trailer’s

characteristics and operating con-

ditions. Failure to do so could

cause an accident resulting in

death or serious injury. Vehicle

stability and braking performance

are affected by trailer stability,

brake setting and performance,

and the hitch. Your vehicle will

handle differently when towing a

trailer.

■

To avoid accident or injury

●

Do not exceed the TWR,

unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR

or GAWR.

●

Vehicles with towing package: If

the gross trailer weight is over

2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway con-

trol device with sufficient capac-

ity is required.

●

Adjust the tongue weight within

the appropriate range. Place

heavier loads as close to the

trailer axle as possible.

191

4-1. Before driving

ing

■

GCWR (Gross Combination
Weight Rating)

The maximum allowable gross
combination weight. The gross

WARNING

●

Do not exceed 65 mph (104

km/h), the posted towing speed

limit or the speed limit for your

trailer as set forth in your trailer

owner’s manual, whichever is

lowest. Slow down sufficiently

before making a turn, in cross

winds, on wet or slippery sur-

face, etc. to help avoid an acci-

dent. If you experience a

vehicle-trailer instability from

reducing a certain speed, slow

down and make sure you keep

your vehicle speed under the

speed of which you experience

the instability.

●

Do not make jerky, abrupt or

sharp turns.

●

Do not apply the brakes sud-

denly as you may skid, resulting

in jackknifing and loss of vehicle

control. This is especially true

on wet or slippery surfaces.

●

Do not exceed the trailer hitch

assembly weight, gross vehicle

weight, gross axle weight and

trailer tongue weight capacities.

●

Do not use dynamic radar

cruise control with full-speed

range when towing.

●

Slow down and downshift

before descending steep or long

downhill grades. Do not make

sudden downshifts while

descending steep or long down-

hill grades.

●

Vehicle-trailer instability is more

likely on steep long downhills.

Before descending steep or

long downhill grades, slow

down and downshift. Do not

make sudden downshifts when

descending steep or long down-

hill grades. Avoid holding the

brake pedal down too long or

applying the brakes too fre-

quently. This could cause the

brakes to overheat and result in

reduced braking efficiency.

●

Do not tow a trailer when the

compact spare tire is installed

on your vehicle.

■

When towing a trailer

Toyota recommends trailers with

brakes that conform to any appli-

cable federal and state/provincial

regulations.

●

If the gross trailer weight

exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer

brakes are required. Toyota rec-

ommends trailers with brakes

that conform to all applicable

federal and state/provincial reg-

ulations.

●

Never tap into your vehicle’s

hydraulic system, as this will

lower the vehicle’s braking

effectiveness.

●

Never tow a trailer without using

a safety chain securely attached

to both the trailer 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

Toyota RAV4 (2023 year). Manual in english - page 11