The Toyota Rav4 check engine light is denoted with yellow light and an engine sign on the dashboard. The light comes on when to serve as an early means to communicate to the driver that, there is a problem somewhere in the car that is affecting or has the potential of causing harm to the engine.
Basic faults such as a loose gas cap, and a bad alternator can cause the light to come up. If the light comes on, the main cause has to be fixed first then the light should go off but it does not this article titled “Toyota Rav4 check engine light reset” comes in.
Toyota Rav4 Check Engine Light Reset
To reset the check engine light on your Rav4, park your car on a plane surface, open the bonnet, find the battery, and next remove the battery terminals and wait for about 5 minutes and replace them back. This method works very effectively, it is also a very simple method and does not require any serious technical knowledge.
If you do this the check engine light will automatically go off and would not show again except if there is another problem. The only downside to this method is that removing your battery terminals might affect your radio settings.
To avoid disrupting your radio settings and other configurations below is another method to reset check engine light that works for Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, and Toyota highlander. Follow the below method to reset the check engine light without missing the configuration.
- Park your car on a very plane surface
- Open the bonnet and locate the battery
- Next to the battery is a fuse box
- Open the fuse box
- Locate a 20 amp fuse labeled “EFI MAIN” and a 10 amp fuse labeled “ETCS”
- Pull both these fuses out of the box
- Wait a minute or two and plug them back in
After completing this process and replacing the fuse the check light should have disappeared. The ECM codes should now be cleared and the lights off.
Why is Toyota Rav4 Check Engine Light VSC and 4wd on
Toyota Rav4 Check Engine Light VSC and 4wd on is an indication that there is a problem with the vehicle’s computer system.
This can be due to various reasons like:
- A problem with the vehicle’s sensors or related wiring.
- An issue with the engine control unit.
- A problem with the transmission.
- The air conditioning system may be leaking refrigerant, or there could be a problem in the evaporator circuit.
Whatever it is, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible to avoid any further damage caused by this issue.
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Why is Rav4 Check Engine Light and AWD Light on
The light is on because the vehicle needs service. The check engine light and AWD light are both warning lights, not indicators of how the car is performing.
The check engine light may illuminate for a variety of reasons, but it does not necessarily indicate a problem with the car’s engine. It could be that the gas cap is loose, or that there is an issue with the emissions system.
The AWD light illuminates to warn drivers that their vehicle has been shifted into all-wheel-drive mode and to remind them to disengage it when they want to use front-wheel drive instead.
Toyota Rav4 Check Engine Light Codes
Like I mentioned before, checking the engine light is not a bad thing but the problem that triggers it. Below are some of the most common Rav4 check engine light codes.
| DTC No. | Detection Item | Trouble Areas. | MIL |
| P0010 | Camshaft Position “A” Actuator Circuit (Bank 1) | – Open or short in Oil Control Valve (OCV) circuit. | Comes on |
| P0011 | Camshaft Position “A” – Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Bank 1) | – Valve timing
– OCV – OCV filter. |
Comes on |
| P0012 | Camshaft Position “A” – Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 1) | – Same as DTC P0011 | Comes on |
| P0016 | Crankshaft Position -Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 1 Sensor A) | – Mechanical system (Timing chain has jumped tooth or chain stretched)
– ECM |
Comes on |
| P0031 | Oxygen (A/F) Sensor Heater Control Circuit Low (Bank 1 Sensor 1) | – Open in Air-Fuel Ratio (A/F) sensor heater circuit. | Comes on |
| P0032 | Oxygen (A/F) Sensor Heater Control Circuit High (Bank 1 Sensor 1) | – Short in A/F sensor heater circuit
– A/F sensor heater (sensor 1). |
Comes on |
| P0037 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Control Circuit Low (Bank 1 Sensor 2) | – Open in Heated Oxygen (HO2) sensor heater circuit
– HO2 sensor heater (sensor 2) |
Comes on |
| P0038 | Oxygen Sensor Heater Control Circuit High (Bank 1 Sensor 2) | – Short in HO2 sensor heater circuit
– HO2 sensor heater (sensor 2). |
Comes on |
Note, if the check engine light also called the malfunction indicator comes on, before your think about resetting the check engine light in Toyota RAV4, please run a diagnostic test. I try your Toyota RAV4 check engine light reset without fixing the problem, the light will remain.
You could as well stand the chance of causing more damage to your engine that might lead to expensive repairs. Remember, many problems can things can trigger the check engine light to be illuminated.
Among these reasons includes the following
- Transmission issues.
- Bad Spark Plugs.
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap.
- Ignition system faults.
- Old Battery.
- Computer output circuit issues.
- O2 Sensor.
- Emissions control issues.
- Fuel and air metering systems problems.
If you can recall I said the computer stores a trouble code from the onboard diagnosis system when the check engine light comes up. Well, these codes that the computer stores are called the OBD codes, when scanned they can be read and translated to understand why the check engine light is on.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean in a Toyota 4RAV?
The check engine light represented by a red and an engine sign is one among multiple onboard diagnostics systems in a car. Like in every Toyota car model, the check engine light is also present in other car manufacturers including Honda, Lexus, and others too.
If you are seeing a check engine light illuminated on your 4RAV dashboard you don’t need to panic just yet. Check engine warning light itself is not evil but what triggers the light to come up is what you should be concerned about.
Check engine light or malfunction indicator is nothing but an indication and warning sign of any form of malfunction in the engine bay. These malfunctions can be caused by little issues light a loose gas or radiator cap to as big as a blown head gasket.
Whenever the check engine light comes on, the onboard diagnostic system sends problem codes that are saved to the car’s computer system. These codes can be read using an OBD-II scanner tool.
You can as well refer to our OBD code blog category for a comprehensive list of OBD problem codes for Toyota 4RAV and their meaning. So check engine light can be a sign of a simple problem to a complex problem.
Can spark plug cause Toyota RAV4 Check Engine Light?
Failing spark plugs are very notorious at this. When the spark plugs in your car engine start failing, it produces not enough spark to ignite fuel and air in the combustion chamber for complete combustion.
When there is incomplete combustion, fuel residue can be stored in the catalytic converter. This can lead to a build-up of heat that can further lead to internal damages that can cause expensive repairs.
So the answer is yes, a failing spark plug can cause a check engine light to come up in a Toyota RAV4. If not cleaned or taken care of in time, it can lead to too many more problems.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light comes on only when there is a problem in the engine that affects its performance. When the problem is sensed by the car computer system, trouble codes are stored and the check engine light starts illuminating.
The trouble codes stored by the car computer can be read using an OBD scanner. The trouble code will then be translated to understand what the problem is actually.
When the problem is solved the Toyota RAV4 check engine light will reset itself. If the light does not stop showing up immediately, do not panic just continue driving, within the next few days it will disappear.
Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going functional, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your Toyota RAV4 light will go off after about 20-40 miles.
If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in so the light and code can be double-checked and reset. The real problem might have not been solved just yet.
Conclusion
Checking engine lights can be a frustrating experience. Even if you have a friend or family member who is knowledgeable about cars, the process of finding out what the problem is and how to fix it can be time-consuming.
The Toyota Rav4 has a number of systems that need to work in tandem in order for it to run efficiently and smoothly. If one goes down, then that will cause the check engine light to turn on. Some common reasons for this indicator flashing include issues with fuel efficiency, emissions systems, oxygen sensors, and combustion chambers.
To reset the check engine light, you will need to take off the battery cables and wait for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reconnect them and start your car. The check engine light should be off after this process. Be sure to keep an eye on it for at least 20-30 more minutes before assuming that it’s fixed.
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