2003 TOYOTA PRIUS steering wheel

102
(a) Power Steering System WarningLight
This light comes on when the power
steering control system fails.
If the vehicle starts moving on the decline
before the ignition is turned on, turning
the ignition switch to “ON” will light up
this light. At this time, you may feel the
steering wheel heavy.
If this occurs, stop your vehicle complete-
ly, turn the ignition switch to “ACC” or
“LOCK” and start the hybrid system again.
CAUTION
If this light comes on, take your ve-
hicle to the Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. In this case, you may feel
the heavy steering wheel maneuver-
ing. Drive your vehicle while gripping
the steering wheel firmly.
(b) Hybrid Vehicle Battery Warning Light
This light comes on in the following
cases.
a. The hybrid vehicle battery voltage
drops with the running mode selector lever
left in “N” position.
The system works properly if you put the
running mode selector lever to “P” position
and the light goes off.
b. The fuel tank is completely empty. (See
“Fuel gauge” in this section for instruc-
tions.)
c. The hybrid vehicle battery is dis-
charged.
If this light comes on with the “READY”
light on in case of c., stop your vehicle
in a safe place and contact your Toyota
dealer. (c) Hybrid System Warning Light ()
This light comes on if there is a problem
in the electric motor, inverter unit, hybrid
vehicle battery, etc.
If this light is on, stop your vehicle in a
safe place immediately and contact your
Toyota dealer.
Even if the hybrid system warning light
comes on, you could increase the speed
a little temporarily by depressing the ac-
celerator pedal. Immediately pull up your
vehicle at a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.

105
25p001c
“START”—The hybrid system is ready
to operate.
Turn the key to the “START” position and
hold the ignition switch at this position for
about a few seconds until the “READY”
light comes on and a beep sounds. (If the
ambient temperature is low such as during
winter conditions, it may take time until
the “READY” light is on.” The key will
return to the “ON” position when released.
Being different from ordinary vehicles, you
cannot start your vehicle with the running
mode selector lever in “N” position.
“ON”—The hybrid system starts to run
when the accelerator pedal is depressed
with the “READY” light and all accesso-
ries on.This is the normal driving position.
“ACC”—Accessories such as the radio
operate, but the hybrid system is off.
If you leave your key in the “ACC” posi-
tion for a while, put the running mode
selector lever in “P” position.
If you leave the key in the “ACC” or
“LOCK” position and open the driver’s
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
“LOCK”—The hybrid system is off and
the steering wheel is locked. The key
can be removed only at this position.
You must push in the key to turn it from
“ACC” to the “LOCK” position. The selec-
tor lever must be put in the “P” position
before pushing the key.
Vehicles with hybrid vehicle immobiliser
system–Once you remove the key, the hy-
brid vehicle immobiliser system is auto-
matically set. (See “Hybrid vehicle immobi-
liser system” on page 20 in Section 21.)
When starting the hybrid system, the key
may seem stuck at the “LOCK” position.
To free it, first be sure the key is pushed
all the way in, and then rock the steering
wheel slightly while turning the key gently.
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the “ACC” or
“ON” position for a long time when
the hybrid system is off. The auxiliary
battery will discharge.
Ignition switch with steering
lock51.

157
HYDRAULIC BRAKE
This brake system has 2 independent hy-
draulic circuits. If either circuit should fail,
the other will still work. However, the ped-
al will be harder to press, and your stop-
ping distance will be longer. Also, the
brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a
single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses brake fluid pres-
surized by the pump to powerassist the
brakes. If the brake booster fails during
driving, the brake system warning light
comes on and buzzer sounds continuous-
ly. In this case, the brakes may not work
properly. If they do not work well, depress
the brake pedal firmly. If the brake system
warning light comes on, immediately stop
your vehicle and contact your Toyota deal-
er.The brake system warning light may stay
on for about 60 seconds after the ignition
key is turned to the “ON” position. It is
normal if the light turns off after a while.
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly
may turn on the brake system warning
light and buzzer. It is normal if the light
turns off and the buzzer stops sounding
after a few seconds.
You may hear a small sound in the engine
compartment after the hybrid system is
started or the brake pedal is depressed
repeatedly. This is a pump pulsating
sound of the brake system, and it is not
a malfunction.
CAUTION
Do not pump the brake pedal if the
hybrid system is not operating.
Each push on the pedal uses up
your reserved brake fluid pressure.
Even if the power assist is com-
pletely lost, the brakes will still
work. But you will have to push the
pedal hard, much harder than nor-
mal. And your braking distance will
be longer.
ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
The antilock brake system is designed
to automatically help prevent lockup of
the wheels during a sudden braking or
braking on slippery road surfaces. This
assists in providing directional stab
ility
and steering performance of the vehicle
under these circumstances.
Effective way to press the ABS brake
pedal: When the antilock brake system
function is in action, you may feel the
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise.
In this situation, to let the antilock
brake system work for you, just hold the
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not
pump the brake in a panic stop. This
will result in reduced braking perfor-
mance.
The antilock brake system becomes op-
erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the
vehicle decelerates to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).

158
Depressing the brake pedal on slippery
road surfaces such as on the manhole
cover, the steel plate under the construc-
tion, joints in the bridge, etc. on a rainy
day tends to activate the antilock brake
system.
You may hear a click or motor sound in
the engine compartment for a few seconds
when the engine is started or just after
the vehicle is started. This means that the
antilock brake system is in the self
check mode, and does not indicate a mal-
function.
When the antilock brake system is ac-
tivated, the following conditions may
occur. They do not indicate a malfunc-
tion of the system:
You may hear the antilock brake sys-
tem operating and feel the brake pedal
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-
hicle body and steering wheel. You
may also hear the motor sound in the
engine compartment even after the ve-
hicle is stopped.
At the end of the antilock brake sys-
tem activation, the brake pedal may
move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the antilock
brake system: Although the antilock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti
lock brake system on.
If tires grip performance exceeds its
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs
during high speed driving in the rain,
the antilock brake system does not
provide vehicle control.
Antilock brake system is not de-
signed to shorten the stopping dis-
tance: Always drive at the moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles without an
antilock brake system, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping dis-
tance in the following cases:
Driving on rough, gravel or snow
covered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.
Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The antilock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels’ turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed,
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.

166
1. Check the area around the vehicle be-fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, head restraint height and steering
wheel angle.
3. Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts.
When you get in the vehicle, check
whether the “READY” light is on or
not.
CAUTION
Your vehicle does not produce any
noise or vibration when the vehicle is
ready to start with the “READY” light
on. Be careful not to start the vehicle
abruptly by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal inadvertently.
40p001b
1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces- sories.
3. Put the running mode selector lever in ”P”.
4. Depress the brake pedal and hold it to the floor until driving off.
40p002a
Before starting the hybrid system, be sure
to follow the instructions in “(a) Before
starting the hybrid system”.
Normal starting procedure
Turn and hold the ignition switch to
“START” with the brake pedal depressed.
The “READY” light starts blinking. After a
few seconds, the blinking “READY” light
remains on and a beep sounds. (If the
ambient temperature is low, such as dur-
ing winter driving conditions, it may take
time until the “READY” light is on.) Then
release your hand from the ignition switch.
Before starting the hybrid
system121. How to start the hybrid
system— (a) Before starting
the hybrid system122.
( b ) Tu rn in g on th e hyb rid
system

169
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the selector lever into
“P” and block the rear wheels. Do not use
the parking brake, or snow or water accu-
mulated in and around the parking brake
mechanism may freeze, making it hard to
release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.
40p050
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to your ve-
hicle.
40p003a
Toyota does not recommend towing a
trailer with your Toyota. It is not de-
signed for trailer towing.
125.Dinghy towing Trailer towing126.

170
Improving fuel economy is easyjust take
it easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See page
221 in Section 82 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stopandgo driving
wastes power.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on brake ped-
al. This causes premature wear, over-
heating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape . A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease, brakes not adjusted, etc.
all lower engine performance and con-
tribute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your ve-
hicle receives more frequent mainte-
nance.
CAUTION
Never turn off the hybrid system to
coast down hills. Your power steering
and brake booster will not function
without the hybrid system running.
Also, the emission control system op-
erates properly only when the hybrid
system is running.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer,
too127.

186
50p035a
Front
50p028b
Rear
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tempo-
rarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to emergency towing eyelet in-
side of front bumper. Use extreme
caution when towing vehicles.
The front towing eyelet is provided in the
trunk. (For the front towing eyelet storage
location, see “—Required tools and spare
tire” on page 179.)
NOTICE
Only use specified towing eyelet;
otherwise your vehicle may be dam-
aged.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer
it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hardsurfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. Avoid sudden starts or er-
ratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress on the
emergency towing eyelet and towing
cable or chain. The eyelet and tow-
ing cable or chain may break and
cause serious injury or damage.
In case of installing the front eyelet
on the vehicle, be sure to tighten
in the front eyelet securely. If the
tightening is loose, it may come off
when towing and result in death or
serious injury to the passenger in
the front vehicle or damage to that
vehicle.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifically
intended for use in towing vehicles.
Securely fasten the cable or chain to
the towing eyelet provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the selector lever in “N”. The key
must be in “ACC” (hybrid system off) or
“ON” (hybrid system on).
135.—Emergency towing