# 2010 Toyota RAV4: How to engage 4WD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523 "2016-12-12T15:45:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/1 "2016-12-12T15:45:36Z")
Mrs. L.A. is a home health nurse, so she’s going to be out in the snow today. She hasn’t read the owner’s manual for her 2010 Toyota RAV4, and I don’t know where she put it. How do you engage 4WD? ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/2 "2016-12-12T15:53:13Z")
It’s not like a 4x4 truck, as in a F-series truck, where you have a transfer case to engage manually or the operator engages as they desire and then it’s always on regardless of speed. For vehicles like a Rav4, CRV, Element, etc, the 4WD/AWD capability engages automatically based on wheel-spin and then turns itself off. We have a Rav4 and if we had the Limited trim we could press a button to manually turn it on versus letting the car determine it needed 4WD based on wheel spin. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/3 "2016-12-12T15:54:42Z")
The 2010 Rav4 is AWD, so you don’t need to engage anything. It will kick in when it senses wheel slip. You can lock into 4WD apparently with a button but I suspect you shouldn’t do this if you’re unfamiliar with true 4wd operation. And it looks like it kicks out at 25 mph anyways. > **[2010 Rav4 4wd button lock](https://www.rav4world.com/threads/2010-rav4-4wd-button-lock.130650/)** > > Just bought a 2010 4-cyl RAV$ Limited Edition..thought it was AWD initially but then when I saw the lock button in the car I checked the lettering in the back again and it's a tilted 4 instead of A ..so it's a 4WD instead :wall > > Question is when do I... ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/4 "2016-12-12T15:58:05Z")
Thanks for the answers. I don’t drive the RAV4, so I’m unfamiliar with it. (FWIW, the ‘trim’ seems to be fairly basic. e.g., it has an old-school rear-view mirror, instead of the electronic one I have on the Prius.) I’m familiar with my '99 Jeep Cherokee, which has a lever for selecting 2WD, 4WD High, and 4WD Low. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/5 "2016-12-12T16:18:08Z")
Finally, something I am an expert in. I have that year and model. The transmission selector has two positions for ‘D’ (drive) side by side. The one to the left locks in full-time AWD while the one to the right is normal operating mode. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/6 "2016-12-12T16:20:50Z")
your Jeep has a “part time” system which can’t be used on dry pavement since the transfer case locks the front and rear axles together. Toyota’s “AWD” system usually operates as front-wheel drive, and a clutch system will send some amount of power to the rear wheels if the fronts lose traction. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/7 "2016-12-12T17:11:22Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > your Jeep has a “part time” system which can’t be used on dry pavement… Yes, I know. 😉 I found [this .pdf](http://www.rav4world.com/pdf/2006/2006_4wdsystem.pdf) file, which describes the RAV4 AWD system. It’s for 2006, but I’m sure it applies to 2010. I let the wife know that her AWD is automatic, and that if she gets stuck, she can use the Lock button. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/8 "2016-12-13T11:07:54Z")
Wouldn’t you just turn off traction control if you get into the situation that you are happy to fishtail along but its stopping because of traction control ? locking 4wd/AWD is for steep slopes or something… extreme conditions. Anyway, no worry about owners manuals … just get them from toyota. > **[Manuals & Warranties | Toyota Owners](https://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/warranty-owners-manuals)** > > Find everything you need to know about your owners manual from Toyota Owners. ---
**Author:** ![Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Last_Glacial_Maximum)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/9 "2016-12-14T02:55:48Z")
I have a 2010 RAV 4… Years ago, I specifically read the part in my owner’s manual that pertains to 4WD. To manually engage the 4WD, there is a button just to the right of the steering wheel. When the vehicle approaches around 22mph, the 4WD shuts off. If your RAV4 senses wheels starting to lose traction, the 4WD will engage automatically and disengage when not needed. . ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/10 "2016-12-14T19:20:31Z")
> [@Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](#): > > I have a 2010 RAV 4… > Years ago, I specifically read the part in my owner’s manual that pertains to > 4WD. > > To manually engage the 4WD, there is a button just to the right of the steering wheel. When the vehicle approaches around 22mph, the 4WD shuts off. > > If your RAV4 senses wheels starting to lose traction, the 4WD will engage automatically and disengage when not needed. > > . I also have the same, and there’s a manual button as described. I’ll note that the 4WD sensing is unreliable to the point of being useless, so I just use the manual button when I think it may help. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-toyota-rav4-how-to-engage-4wd/774523/11 "2016-12-15T15:30:57Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > Wouldn’t you just turn off traction control if you get into the situation that you are happy to fishtail along but its stopping because of traction control ? Yes, though most traction control systems can’t be fully disengaged anyway. And nothing in the OP suggests that **Mrs. LA** wants to do that.