Hidden RAV4 features most owners never find (2019 to 2026)

Quick picks

Which RAV4 you have matters for these steps

Now the RAV4 changed a lot for 2026, so I've split the steps by year wherever they differ. The 2019 to 2025 RAV4s are one generation, and the 2026 is the new generation.

And the RAV4 Hybrid and the gas RAV4 differ on a few features, like the fuel door and EV mode. If your RAV4 has an EV MODE button, it's a Hybrid or a Prime. Also, a lot of these settings live on the gauge screen behind the steering wheel. That gauge screen is 4.2, 7 or 12.3 inches depending on the year and trim. My digital speedometer guide shows which gauge screen you have and how to get into its settings.

Which settings you can change yourself, and which need the dealer

So most of the hidden settings on this page are ones you can change in your driveway in a minute or two. Only a few need a Toyota dealer.

Key fob, door and lock tricks

1. Hold the driver's door handle to unlock every door

Which RAV4s: every RAV4 with the smart key, which is every 2026 trim and most 2019 to 2025 trims. Basically, the smart key is the key fob you can leave in your pocket.

When you grab the driver's door handle normally, only the driver's door unlocks. But if you keep holding the driver's door handle for about 2 seconds, every door unlocks. That's handy when the kids are waiting to get in.

• Grabbing the front passenger's door handle unlocks every door right away.
• Right after you lock the RAV4, the doors won't unlock for 3 seconds.
• On a 2019 to 2025 RAV4, a Toyota dealer can change the 2-second hold to 1.5 or 2.5 seconds, or turn off the hold-to-unlock-every-door feature.
• On a 2026, a Toyota dealer can change how long you hold the driver's door handle, and can turn the hold-to-unlock-every-door feature off. Toyota's 2026 manual doesn't list the hold-time choices.

2. Make every door unlock at once, no dealer needed

Which RAV4s: every RAV4 with the smart key, 2019 to 2026.

Now from the factory, the first press of unlock on the key fob opens only the driver's door. A second press within 5 seconds unlocks the rest. And a quick grab of the driver's door handle unlocks only the driver's door, so you have to keep holding the driver's door handle about 2 seconds to unlock the rest. You can change both of these yourself, and it works the same on the 2019 to 2025 and the 2026.

To make one press of the key fob unlock every door: on the center touchscreen, go into the vehicle settings (Vehicle customize on a 2019 to 2025) and find the wireless remote control setting called Unlocking operation. Set Unlocking operation to unlock all doors in the first step.

To make grabbing the driver's door handle unlock every door, you can use the key fob buttons:

1. Turn the RAV4 off. The small light on the key fob should not be lit. On a 2026, do this inside the RAV4 or within about 3 feet of the RAV4.
2. Press and hold the lock button on the key fob.
3. While you keep holding lock, press and hold the unlock button too, for about 5 seconds.
4. Listen for the beeps from outside the car. 2 beeps means grabbing any door handle now unlocks every door. 3 beeps means the driver's door handle is back to unlocking only the driver's door.
5. To switch back, do the same steps again.

Keep in mind that if your RAV4 has an alarm, unlock the RAV4 with the key fob and open and close a door once after you make this change. Otherwise the alarm can go off. The door handle setting is also on the center touchscreen, in the same vehicle settings, where Toyota calls it Smart door unlocking.

3. Key fob battery-saving mode

On every RAV4 with the smart key, holding lock and pressing unlock twice stops the key fob from talking to the car, and the key fob's light flashes 4 times. I explain when to use battery-saving mode, and how to turn it off, in my car wash checklist.

4. Lowering the windows with the key fob: off from the factory

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, 2019 to 2026, but only after a Toyota dealer turns it on.

So a lot of "key fob hacks" lists say you can hold unlock on any Toyota key fob to roll the windows down. But on the RAV4, Toyota ships window lowering turned off. Toyota's 2019 to 2025 manuals list it as off from the factory, and the 2019 to 2026 manuals all say only a dealer can turn it on.

Once a dealer turns on window lowering, holding unlock on the key fob opens the side windows and the moonroof or panoramic roof. Turning the metal key toward unlock in the driver's door and holding it does the same thing. And something to note is that the key fob has no button to close the windows. The only way to close the windows from outside is to turn the metal key toward lock in the driver's door and hold it.

5. Change when the doors lock and unlock on their own

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, 2019 to 2026.

From the factory, the doors lock when you shift out of P and unlock when you shift into P. Toyota gives you a few other choices:

• Lock the doors once you reach about 12 mph instead.
• Unlock the doors when you open the driver's door, within about 45 seconds of turning the car off, instead of when you shift into P.
• Turn automatic locking off.

On a 2019 to 2025 RAV4, you change this on the center touchscreen. Tap Setup (or Vehicle, depending on the year), then Vehicle customize, then Door lock. On a 2026, the door lock setting is on the center touchscreen and saves to your driver profile. A Toyota dealer can also change it for you.

And on a 2023 to 2025 RAV4, the same menus have a few more "set it once" settings:

• How long before the RAV4 locks itself again if you unlock it and don't open a door. It's 60 seconds from the factory, and you can pick 30 or 120.
• How loud the lock beep is, from 1 to 7.
• Whether the hazard lights flash when you lock the car.

6. The hidden metal key and keyhole

Which RAV4s: every RAV4 with the smart key, 2019 to 2026.

So the key fob has a metal key tucked inside. Press the release on the key fob and pull the metal key out. Toyota's drawings show the keyhole at the end of the driver's door handle.

• To unlock: turn the metal key toward the back of the car. That unlocks the driver's door. Turn the metal key again within 5 seconds to unlock the other doors.
• If the key fob battery is dead: unlock the door with the metal key. Then, with the RAV4 in P and your foot on the brake, touch the Toyota logo side of the key fob to the start button on a 2019 to 2025 gas or Hybrid RAV4. On a 2021 to 2024 RAV4 Prime, touch the area behind the buttons on the Prime's key fob to the start button instead. On a 2026, hold the key fob over the key symbol in the bottom of the cup holder. The 2025 Plug-in Hybrid most likely works the same as the Prime, but a Toyota manual hasn't confirmed that. My key fob battery guide has every step.
• To lock the glove box: the same metal key locks the glove box, which is handy for valet parking. The glove box lock is in Toyota's later 2019 to 2022 manual, very likely the 2022, and in the 2023 to 2026 manuals. Toyota's early 2019 to 2020 manuals don't show a glove box lock.

And the key fob takes a CR2032 coin battery on every 2019 to 2025 gas and Hybrid RAV4 and every 2026 RAV4, Plug-in Hybrid included. The 2021 to 2024 RAV4 Prime is different. The Prime's bigger key fob takes a CR2450 coin battery, and a CR2032 won't fit in its place. The 2025 Plug-in Hybrid most likely takes the CR2450 too, but a Toyota manual hasn't confirmed that. Both links go to Energizer's own battery pages. My key fob battery guide shows how to swap the battery.

Cargo area tricks

7. The cargo floor has two heights and a rubber side

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, gas and Hybrid, 2019 to 2026.

Now the board that makes up the cargo floor isn't stuck in one spot. Basically, you can set it high or low, flip it over, or stand it up.

• Lower position, for more height: lift the tab, pull the board toward you to take it out, then set it into the lower groove. Toyota doesn't say how much room the lower position adds, but owners put it at about 2 to 3 inches.
• Upper position, for a flat bed: in the upper groove, the cargo floor sits level with the folded rear seatbacks. That's the one you want for sleeping in the back.
• Rubber side up: the underside of the board is hard resin. Toyota says you can flip the board resin side up, which is great for wet gear, muddy boots or a dog.
• Standing up: to get to the spare tire and tools, pull the tab, fold the board forward and drop its edge into the holes. The board then stands up on its own.

Keep in mind that Toyota says not to leave anything on the board while you move it. And some owners report the cargo floor sags under heavy loads. Those owners fix the sag with foam blocks under the board, or with a full-size spare tire in the well.

Something else to note is that RAV4s with a full-size spare or the JBL subwoofer may not have the lower position. Toyota's Hybrid manual shows the lower position, but it isn't confirmed for every 2019 to 2025 Hybrid trim.

8. The cargo cover stores under the floor

Which RAV4s: every 2019 to 2026 RAV4 that came with the pull-out cargo cover. Not every trim did.

So when you want the full cargo area, you don't have to leave the cargo cover in your garage. If you don't see a pull-out cover behind the back seats, your RAV4 likely didn't come with one.

1. Unhook the cargo cover and let it roll up.
2. Squeeze one end of the cargo cover and lift it out.
3. Open the cargo floor, and take out the two small side panels next to the spare tire well.
4. Drop the cargo cover's ends into the holders under those panels.
5. Put the side panels and the cargo floor back.

9. Side storage boxes with a removable divider

Every 2019 to 2026 RAV4 has two small storage boxes in the cargo area's side walls. The divider inside one of those side boxes unclips and pops out, so that side box can hold longer things.

10. Fold-out cargo hooks

And every 2019 to 2026 RAV4 has small hooks in the cargo area that flip up to hold grocery bags. Fold the hooks back down when you're not using them, because Toyota warns a raised hook can hurt someone.

11. The emergency fuel door release on the Hybrid

Which RAV4s: every RAV4 Hybrid, 2019 to 2026. The gas RAV4 doesn't have it.

So the Hybrid has a sealed fuel tank. Basically, when you press the fuel door opener button, the RAV4 lets the pressure out of the tank first, so the fuel door takes a few seconds to pop open. That's normal.

But if the fuel door won't open at all, Toyota put a manual release in the cargo area:

1. Find the small cover on the cargo area's side wall. Toyota's drawing shows the cover on the same side as the fuel door, which is the passenger side.
2. Pry the cover off with a screwdriver wrapped in a rag, so you don't scratch anything.
3. Pull the lever behind the cover, and the fuel door opens.
4. Open the gas cap slowly and fill up slowly, because the tank may still have pressure in it.

Toyota says to use this lever only in an emergency. And on a 2019 to 2025 gas RAV4, there's no fuel door button at all. Instead, there's a fuel door lever on the floor next to the driver's seat.

12. The 1500-watt outlet in the cargo area

Which RAV4s: the 1500-watt outlet comes standard on the 2026 Hybrid Woodland, the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid Woodland and the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid XSE. The 2026 Plug-in Hybrid SE and GR SPORT don't have it, not even as an option. On the 2021 to 2025 RAV4 Prime, the 1500-watt outlet came with the Premium Package on the XSE.

So on a 2026 with the 120-volt, 1500-watt outlet, here's how to turn the outlet on:

1. Start the car so it shows READY, and set the parking brake.
2. Open the quick control screen on the center touchscreen.
3. Touch AC 120V to turn the outlet on. Touch it again to turn it off.

And something to note is that some sites say higher trims of the 2019 to 2025 gas RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid have a 1500-watt outlet. They don't. Most 2019 to 2025 gas and Hybrid RAV4s only have 12-volt outlets, at 120 watts total. The 2019 to 2024 gas Adventure, the 2020 to 2024 gas TRD Off-Road and the 2023 to 2025 RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition add a small 120-volt outlet in the cargo area, but that outlet is only good for 100 watts, so it's for phones and laptops. The 1500-watt outlet is only on the Prime XSE with the Premium Package and the 2026 RAV4s listed above. My RAV4 power outlet guide covers every outlet by year and trim and what each one can run. And if you camp, my cold-weather car camping guide and my 2026 Hybrid vs Plug-in guide go into what that outlet can run.

Seat and cabin tricks

13. The rear seats recline

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, 2019 to 2026.

So the back seats lean back a bit, and a lot of owners never find the recline. Each side of the 60/40 rear seat reclines on its own.

1. Pull the lever on the top outside corner of the rear seatback. It's the same lever that folds the seat.
2. Lean back until the seatback is where you want it, then let go of the lever.
3. When you put the seatback back up, make sure the red marking by the lever is hidden. That means the seat is locked.

Keep in mind that Toyota says not to recline too far, because the lap belt can slide up off the hips in a crash. And don't adjust the seat while the car is moving. A recline also changes how a car seat sits, so my three car seats guide is worth a look if you have kids.

And if you're folding the rear seats flat, push the rear headrests down, fold the middle armrest up, and slide the front seats forward so they don't block the seatbacks.

14. The rear seat reminder, and how to turn it off

Which RAV4s: the rear seat reminder is in Toyota's later 2019 to 2022 manual, very likely the 2022, and in every manual after that, including the 2026. Toyota's early 2019 to 2020 manuals don't have it.

Now the rear seat reminder is the beep and message that shows when you turn the car off. Basically, it goes off if a rear door was opened and closed in the 10 minutes before you started the car, or opened after you started the car. The beep and message last about 6 seconds.

And something important to note is that the rear seat reminder only watches the doors. It can't tell a child from a grocery bag or the dog. A rear door opened and closed within about 2 seconds may not count.

• 2023 to 2025: turn the rear seat reminder off in the settings on the gauge screen behind the steering wheel.
• 2026: turn the rear seat reminder off on the center touchscreen or the gauge screen.

15. The sun visor slides out to the side

On RAV4s that have the visor extender, flip the sun visor down, unhook the sun visor, and swing it over to the side window. Then slide the extender back to cover more of the side window.

16. The console tray, and the 2026 two-way lid

• 2019 to 2025: on RAV4s with the console tray, the tray inside the center console lifts out and stores in the bottom of the console box.
• 2026: the console lid opens from the driver's side or the passenger's side. A small indicator turns red when the lid is unlocked. To make the lid a tray, stop the car and press the buttons on both sides of the lid at once. Then lift the lid off, turn it over and put it back.

17. The seat belt height adjuster

On every 2019 to 2026 RAV4, the front shoulder belts move up and down. Press the button on the shoulder belt anchor beside your shoulder, and slide the anchor up or down until the belt sits comfortably across your shoulder.

18. The 2026 driver's seat that slides back when you get out

Which RAV4s: 2026 RAV4s with the driver's memory seat.

So Toyota calls this the power easy access system. Basically, when you shift into P and turn the car off, the driver's seat slides back to give you room to get out. When you turn the car on and buckle up, the seat moves back to where it was.

You can set the power easy access system to Full, Partial or Off, on the center touchscreen or the gauge screen. Each driver's choice saves to their own driver profile. 2019 to 2025 RAV4s don't have this, but my memory seat guide covers what those years do have.

19. Front-seat-only airflow

On RAV4s with automatic climate control, the S-FLOW system sends air only to the front seats when nobody's in the back. I explain S-FLOW and its button in my heated steering wheel and de-icer guide.

20. Interior light and headlight timers

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, 2019 to 2026.

• Interior lights: the interior lights wait 15 seconds before turning off. On the center touchscreen, you can change that wait to 7.5 seconds, 30 seconds, or off.
• Headlights: in AUTO, the headlights stay on 30 seconds after the doors close. You can change that to 60 or 90 seconds, or off, on the center touchscreen. The same menu sets how sensitive the light sensor is.
• 2026: the 2026 adds settings for the interior welcome and goodbye lighting, and for how bright the interior lights are overall.

Driving tricks

21. The automatic parking brake

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, 2019 to 2026.

So the electric parking brake has an automatic mode. In automatic mode, the parking brake sets itself when you shift into P and lets go when you shift out of P.

• To turn automatic mode on: with the car stopped, pull up and hold the parking brake switch until it beeps and a message shows on the gauge screen.
• To turn automatic mode off: with your foot on the brake, push down and hold the parking brake switch until it beeps.

Now in freezing weather, a set parking brake can freeze. So the Morozov Automotive video below suggests leaving automatic mode off in the cold and chocking a wheel instead. Toyota's 2023 to 2026 manuals give the same tip, to turn automatic mode off when the parking brake could freeze. My RAV4 winter prep guide covers the rest of the frozen-part fixes. And Toyota's manual also says that in an emergency, you can pull and hold the parking brake switch while driving to slow the car.

22. Brake Hold, so you can take your foot off the brake at a light

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, 2019 to 2026.

So Brake Hold keeps the RAV4 stopped after you let go of the brake pedal. It's really helpful in stop-and-go traffic, because you're not holding the pedal down at every red light.

1. Fasten your seat belt and close the driver's door, or Brake Hold won't turn on.
2. Press the Brake Hold button. A green light comes on.
3. Stop with the brake pedal and let go. A yellow HOLD light shows, and the RAV4 holds itself.
4. Press the gas pedal to go.

If you sit for more than about 3 minutes, the RAV4 sets the parking brake on its own and beeps. To turn Brake Hold off while it's holding, press the brake pedal firmly and press the button.

And keep in mind that owners say Brake Hold has to be turned on again every time you start the car. Toyota's manual doesn't say this outright. On the 2026, Brake Hold also works in P and, on the electronic shifter, in D, B, S or N. On the 2026, you can also stop the parking brake from setting itself. Just hold the Brake Hold button until the green light goes off, before you turn the car off.

23. EV mode, and the cold-start trick

Which RAV4s: every RAV4 Hybrid, 2019 to 2026. The Prime and the 2026 Plug-in Hybrid have their own EV modes.

So the EV MODE button makes the Hybrid drive on the battery only. Toyota says it's meant for quiet early mornings, late nights and parking garages. And Toyota says EV mode only goes "a few hundred meters to approximately 0.6 mile (1 km)."

Now here's the trick. When the engine is cold, the gas engine starts on its own shortly after you start the car. But if you press EV MODE right after READY shows, before the engine kicks on, you can creep out of the garage on electric.

Keep in mind EV mode turns off if the battery gets low, or if you drive faster, press hard on the gas, or climb a hill. It also won't turn on when the system is too hot or too cold, while the engine is warming up, or with the windshield defogger on. And Toyota says using EV mode more than you need to can lower your fuel economy. So it's best saved for the garage and the driveway. My RAV4 Hybrid drive modes guide explains each EV mode message and why EV mode shuts off.

24. Snow mode

Snow mode is on the 2019 to 2025 gas AWD RAV4 and the 2026 Hybrid AWD and Plug-in Hybrid, but not the 2019 to 2025 Hybrid. My RAV4 in snow guide has the full table by year.

25. The rear wiper wipes once when you back up

And on every 2019 to 2026 RAV4, if the front wipers are on and you shift into R, the rear wiper wipes once. A Toyota dealer can change that so the rear wiper keeps running, or turn it off.

Dash and screen tricks

26. Trip A and B, and the mpg that resets at every fill-up

Which RAV4s: every RAV4, 2019 to 2026.

• Trip A and Trip B: press the ODO TRIP button on the gauge cluster to step through the odometer, Trip A and Trip B. The 12.3-inch gauge screen has an ODO TRIP button too. To reset Trip A or Trip B, press and hold the ODO TRIP button while that trip is showing.
• Tank Average, on the 7-inch gauge screen: in the gauge screen settings, you can set the fuel economy to Total Average, Trip Average or Tank Average. Tank Average starts over at every fill-up, so you never have to reset it.
• On the 12.3-inch gauge screen (2023 to 2025): you can pick average fuel economy "after starting" or "since the function was reset." You can also set Trip A and Trip B to show distance, average speed or total time.

So if you log every tank, Tank Average is the one to pick. My digital speedometer guide walks through getting into the gauge screen settings on each screen size.

27. Fast mode on the wireless charger

Which RAV4s: RAV4s with the wireless charger, from Toyota's later 2019 to 2022 manual, very likely the 2022, through 2026. Toyota's early 2019 to 2020 manuals don't mention fast mode.

1. Put your phone on the wireless charger so it starts charging.
2. Press the charger's power button 3 times.
3. The light flashes green and orange when fast charging is working.

Fast mode stops once the phone is full, so you redo it the next time. Toyota lists the iPhone 8 and newer at 7.5 watts, and phones that meet the Qi EPP standard at up to 10 watts.

Maintenance tricks

28. The wiper service position

The 2026 has a wiper service position for changing the blades, and I go through it in my rain-sensing wipers guide. On a 2019 to 2025 RAV4, you just lift the wiper arms, driver's side first. Then put the passenger side back down first.

29. The Hybrid battery's air intake vent

So every RAV4 Hybrid has a vent with a filter that lets the hybrid battery breathe. If dog hair or dust clogs the vent, your mpg can drop, and the car shows "Maintenance Required for Traction Battery Cooling Parts." Basically, cleaning the vent means taking out a clip and the vent cover with a Phillips screwdriver, then vacuuming the filter. My Hybrid battery life guide has more on why this vent matters.

Two more 2026 features worth knowing

• Digital Key: on the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid XLE Premium, Woodland, XSE and Limited and the Plug-in Hybrid Woodland and XSE, your phone can be your key. The Hybrid LE, the Hybrid SE, the Plug-in SE and the GR SPORT don't have Digital Key. You add the Digital Key to your Apple, Google or Samsung wallet, and you can share it with up to five other drivers. Digital Key needs an active Remote Connect trial or plan. A phone with ultra-wideband (UWB) unlocks the RAV4 as you walk up, and a phone that only has NFC can still unlock the RAV4 when you tap the phone on the driver's door handle, and start it when you tap the reader on the dash. My Digital Key guide has the setup steps.
• Safe Exit Assist: the 2026 warns you before you open a door into passing traffic or a bike.

More hidden features I explain in their own guides

• Remote start from the key fob, on the RAV4s that have it: my key fob remote start guide.
• Setting the power liftgate's opening height, and the kick sensor: my power liftgate guide.
• Extra 360 camera views: my 360 camera guide.
• The garage door opener in the digital rearview mirror: my digital rearview mirror guide.
• Turning off Parking Support Brake (PKSB), the system that brakes on its own while you're parking: my PKSB guide.

Videos worth watching about hidden RAV4 features

And if you'd like to see some of these features in action, these are the most useful videos on them. You can play each video right here on the page, and I've put a quick summary under each one.