How to Replace the Battery in a RAV4

by Kyle McBride

The Toyota RAV4 -- which stands for "recreational active vehicle with four-wheel drive" even though it came standard with front-wheel drive in the 2013 trim levels -- was a crossover SUV introduced to North America in 1995. According to the Toyota sales summary released in January, 2014, 218,249 RAV4s were sold in the U.S. in 2013 -- an increase of 27 percent over 2012. Replacing the battery in the 2013 RAV4, or the auxiliary battery in the hybrid model, require the same procedure, and both are mounted in the engine compartment behind the front bumper cover.

Step 1

Set the parking brake and put the transmission in "Park." Turn off the engine and remove the ignition key. Install the memory-saver according to the manufacturer's instructions. Wait at least six minutes after the key is turned off before disconnecting the battery.

Step 2

Remove the nine clips on the radiator support cover and remove the cover. Disconnect the negative battery cable, and then disconnect the positive cable. Disconnect the two wire harness clamps. Remove the nut and bolt from the battery clamp, and remove the clamp. Remove the battery.

Step 3

Install the battery and the battery clamp. Install the clamp nut and bolt -- tighten the nut to 43 inch-pounds and the bolt to 12 foot-pounds. Connect the two wire harness clamps. Connect the positive battery cable, then the negative cable. Tighten the cable nuts to 35 inch-pounds