Toyota RAV4 Forums banner

2021 RAV4 Prime with 31,000 miles overheating?

1 reading
525 views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  Greasy  
#1 ·
I live in Colorado and car overheats when going over mountain passes over 10,000'. I am pulling a MeerKat camping trailer with a dry weight of 1150lbs and loaded about 1400lbs. The car is rated at 2500lb towing capacity. I keep it below the PWR indicator but must reduce much more than that and watch cars zooming by me? Is the engine fan up to the task?
 
#5 ·
Did the window look like either of these?
Image

Does the air conditioning work when the car is stopped?

With the car parked and on, go toward the front of the car. Can you hear the cooling fans cycle on and off?

If the above answers are NO, with the car off, look at the cooling fans under the hood. There should be a plug connected to the fans. There is a chance that the fans are not plugged in as some repair instructions (particularly the VSC recall) require the fans to be disconnected. Sometimes the tech forgets to re-connect them (even though the work instructions tell them to plug in the fans and to check them 3 times).

Check your coolant level in both the reservoirs under the hood. Make sure they are between Low and Full. The one on the right when facing the car is the hybrid coolant. The left is the radiator overflow. If hybrid coolant is low, there is a leak. The most likely source of the leak is the hybrid coolant radiator which is small and is behind an opening on the driver side front way down close to the pavement. Sometimes a small stone gets thrown and hits the radiator.
 
#6 ·
Did the window look like either of these?
View attachment 222476
Does the air conditioning work when the car is stopped?

With the car parked and on, go toward the front of the car. Can you hear the cooling fans cycle on and off?

If the above answers are NO, with the car off, look at the cooling fans under the hood. There should be a plug connected to the fans. There is a chance that the fans are not plugged in as some repair instructions (particularly the VSC recall) require the fans to be disconnected. Sometimes the tech forgets to re-connect them (even though the work instructions tell them to plug in the fans and to check them 3 times).

Check your coolant level in both the reservoirs under the hood. Make sure they are between Low and Full. The one on the right when facing the car is the hybrid coolant. The left is the radiator overflow. If hybrid coolant is low, there is a leak. The most likely source of the leak is the hybrid coolant radiator which is small and is behind an opening on the driver side front way down close to the pavement. Sometimes a small stone gets thrown and hits the radiator.
Thanks. The 2nd illustration could be like what I saw. I checked the radiator overflow and tried to fill it but it was full. I'll look for the plug.
 
#10 ·
Time to go thru the maintenance and common sense

When towing, use premium fuel.

Do a drain/refill on the transmission and rear differential. Use a synthetic. Ravenol, Amsoil. Redline, HPL... have great ATFs. I use the Ravenol T-ws.

Since towing is severe/special service, I'd change coolants now. Coolant levels need to be checked when cold and kept to the full line.

Verify oil level often and keep it to the full mark too.

30k..... I'd change the engine air filter if it hasn't been changed.

Also, make sure the battery air filter is clean.

The power of the DIY car wash..... clean all the bugs/leaves from the front/radiator... prior to each tow trip.

If the above doesn't help, I'd consider a preemptive strike on the thermostat or coolant bypass valve.

And yes, when towing at high altitudes, you will be in the slow lane. Let the speeders pass when possible.

Altitude sucks the life out of a vehicle. Even my powerstroke f-350 was in the slow lane when towing in the mountains..... had to keep boost below 20psi, oil temp at 250F, trans temp at 210F, hope and pray, while pissing of the speeders, otherwise all thermal h@ll broke lose. The slow lane sucks but this is where you are when towing.

Don't assume a tow rating is for high altitude or continuous up the continental divide capable. It isn't.