2002 TOYOTA PRIUS battery

6
CAUTION
When your vehicle or bat-
tery needs to be disposed
of, be sure to consult your
Toyota dealer. Hybrid ve-
hicle batteries must be
collected through Toyota
dealers. If your vehicle is
disposed of without dis-
mantling, someone could
receive an electric shock
by touching the high volt-
age parts of the hybrid ve-
hicle battery. If the battery
is not disposed of proper-
ly, its contents can cause
death or serious injury.

7
Hybrid vehicle battery
Hybrid vehicle battery has a limit-
ed service life. Call your Toyota
dealer for information concerning
recycling or disposal of hybrid ve-
hicle battery and your vehicle.
CAUTION

8
Precautions for useof hybrid vehicle
The vehicle has both high voltage
DC and AC systems as well as a
12volt system. DC and AC high
voltage are both very dangerous
and can cause death or serious inju-
ry, severe burns and electric shock.
In order to avoid personal in-
juries, do not touch the high
voltage cables (orange col-
ored) and their connectors.
Follow the caution labels at-
tached to the high voltage
parts.
Do not remove or replace the
high voltage parts such as
the inverter unit (located in
the engine compartment), hy-
brid vehicle battery (located
between rear seat and trunk),
etc.
Do not touch the service plug
located in the left side trim
of the trunk without hybrid
system technical training.
(See “Precautions for use” on
page 12 in Section 12.) This
component is provided to dis-
able the high voltage system
in case of servicing at a To-
yota dealer.

10
If an accident occurs
Pull your Toyota off the road,
put the selector lever in “P”
and remove the ignition key.
In order to avoid personal in-
juries, do not touch any high
voltage wirings and their con-
nectors, and high voltage
parts (inverter unit, hybrid ve-
hicle battery, etc.).
If some exposed electric wir-
ings are protruding inside or
outside of your Toyota, an
electric shock may occur.
Never touch the electric wir-
ings.
If fluid leaks or gets in some
parts of the vehicle, never
touch it because it may be
electrolyte (strong alkali) from
the hybrid vehicle battery. If
it gets into your skin or eyes,
wash off immediately with a
large amount of water, if pos-
sible, boric acid solution, and
get immediate medical atten-
tion in order to help avoid
serious injury.
If a vehicle fire occurs, extin-
guish it using a fire extin-
guisher for the exclusive use
on electric fires. Or, use a
large amount of water to pre-
vent flammable gas from be-
ing generated from the batter-
ies.
When your Toyota needs to
be towed, do it with the front
wheels raised. For details on
towing, see “If your vehicle
needs to be towed” on page
180 in Section 5.

12
CAUTION
High Voltage
Your vehicle is equipped with
cables connected to parts of
the vehicle subject to high volt-
age (about 300 V). There are
some other parts which reach
high temperatures when you are
driving. Never touch battery
cables (wrapped in orangecol-
ored harnesses) and their con-
nector since high voltages are
applied and they are dangerous.
Caution labels are applied to
these parts to identify them.
Carefully observe the instruc-
tions on these caution labels.
00p001

6
Tail light indicator light
Output control warning light
∗1
Cruise control indicator light∗3
Running mode position indicator light
Driving ready light
Hybrid system warning light
∗2
Power steering warning light∗2
Hybrid vehicle battery warning light∗2
∗1: For details, see ”Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers— —Instrument cluster” on page 91 in Section 2 −4.
∗
2: For details, see “Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers— —Multi −information display” on page 97 in Section
2 −4.
∗
3: If this light flashes, see ”Cruise control” on page 107 in
Section 2 −5.

8
Toyota hybrid system combines the
gasoline engine and the electric motor
power to improve the fuel economy
largely and minimize the emissions as
well as to provide higher power perfor-
mance than the ordinary gasolinepow-
ered vehicles.
Depending on the driving condition, the
vehicle runs on the best combination of;
Gasoline engine power
Electric motor power generated by
the gasoline engine
Electric motor power of the hybrid
vehicle battery
Furthermore, the energy is effectively used
in the following ways:
When stopping the vehicle, the gaso-
line engine is automatically stopped.
When decreasing the speed by apply-
ing the brakes, electricity converted
from the turning force of the wheels is
stored in the hybrid vehicle battery.
(This is called regenerative brake.) Since the battery is charged by the
gasoline engine as needed, it does not
require charging from the outside like
an electric vehicle.
In this way, greatly improved fuel economy
and reduced emissions are attained.
If you do not use the vehicle for a long
time, the hybrid vehicle battery will dis-
charge and the battery condition is liable
to decline.
Basic operations are described below. Be-
sides, Toyota hybrid system performs vari-
ous controls depending on the operating
condition, such as at the time of hybrid
system starting, at the time of charging
should be required, at the time of the air
conditioning is in use, etc.
Toyota hybrid system
Toyota hybrid system
operating condition

9
12p016a
Electric power
in use
When starting or backing up, etc., the
gasoline engine efficiency worsens, so
the vehicle runs on electric power from
hybrid vehicle battery.
12p017a
Gasoline power
in use
During normal driving, the vehicle runs
mainly on gasoline power. However, the
electric motor, using electric power gener-
ated by the gasoline engine, makes up for
any deficiency of gasoline power.
The vehicle controls the optimum ratio of
the gasoline and electric power to help
save energy more effectively.
12p018a
Electric and gasoline
power in use
When driving at full throttle, electric
power is further applied from the hybrid
vehicle battery. Vehicle performance impro-
ves.