2003 TOYOTA PRIUS heating

98
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion, or remains on.
The light comes on while you are driv-
ing.
A warning light turning on briefly during
operation does not indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If the “ABS” warning light remains on
together with the brake system warn-
ing light, immediately stop your ve-
hicle at a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
In this case, not only the antilock
brake system will fail but also the
vehicle will become extremely unsta-
ble during braking.
Either of the following conditions may
occur, but does not indicate the mal-
function:
The light may stay on for about 60
seconds after the ignition key is turned
to the “ON” position. It is normal if it
turns off after a while.
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly
may turn on the light. It is normal if
it turns off after a few seconds.
(j) SRS Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ACC” or
“ON” position. After about 6 seconds,
the light will go off. This means the
system of the airbag and front seat belt
pretensioners are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side airbag sensors, front seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, warning light, in-
terconnecting wiring and power sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in
the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turn to the “ACC” or
“ON” position or remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving. (k) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the doors
are completely closed.
(l) Low Fuel Level Indicator Light
This light blinks when the fuel level in the
tank becomes very low. Fill up the tank
as soon as possible.
At the first blinking of the light, the mes-
sage appears on the display to remind the
driver to fill fuel.
Contact your Toyota dealer in the fol-
lowing cases:
All the segments blink.
The “E” mark and the segments indi-
cating remaining fuel blink.
(m) High Coolant Temperature Warning Light
The light operates to warn that the hybrid
system is almost over heating.
The light will come on when the ignition
key is turned to the “ON” position. After
a few seconds, the light will go off.
If it comes on while you are driving, stop
the vehicle and check your hybrid system.
For detailed instructions, see “If your ve-
hicle overheats” on page 176 in Section
5.

99
NOTICE
Continued driving with the light on
could result in the overheating of hy-
brid system.
(n) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver ’s door with
the ignition key in the “ACC” or “LOCK”
position.
(o) Shift position reminder buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the driver ’s door
is opened in the following conditions:
The hybrid system is on.
The parking brake is applied.
The selector lever is in a position other
than “P”.CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDICA-
TORS (except the low fuel level indica-
tor light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open one of the doors. The open door warning light should
come on.
3. Close the door. The open door warning light should go
off.
4. Turn the ignition key to “ACC”. The SRS warning light should come on.
It goes off after about 6 seconds.
5. Turn the ignition key to “START”. At this time, all the bulbs are checked in
selfdiagnosis mode.
All the service reminder indicators ex-
cept the open door warning light and
SRS warning light should come on. The
“ABS” warning light goes off after a
few seconds. There may be the case that the “ABS”
warning light stays on for about 60 sec-
onds after the ignition key is turned to the
“ON” position. It is normal if it goes out
after a while.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, have it checked by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible.

137
“AUTO” position (for fan speed)
For automatic operation of the air condi-
tioning, turn the fan speed selector knob
to “AUTO” position.
In the automatic operation mode, the air
conditioning selects the most suitable fan
speed according to the temperature.
You may use manual controls if you want
to select your own settings.
Fan speed selector
Turn the knob to adjust the fan speed—to
the right to increase, to the left to de-
crease.
In automatic operation, you do not have
to adjust the fan speed unless you desire
another fan speed mode.
Temperature selector
Turn the knob to adjust the temperature
to the right to warm and then to the left
to cool.
27p002
Air flow selector
Turn the knob to select the vents used for
air flow.1. Panel— Air flows mainly from the
instrument panel vents.
2. Bilevel— Air flows from both the floor
vents and the instrument panel vents.
3. Floor— Air flows mainly from the floor
vents.
4. Floor/Windshield— Air flows mainly
from the floor vents and windshield
vents.
This position allows the air intake to
select FRESH automatically. This is to
clean up the front view more quickly. If you want to return the setting to RE-
CIRCULATE mode, press the air intake
selector button once again.
Press the “A/C” and “MAX” button for
dehumidified heating or cooling. This
setting clears the front view more
quickly.
5. Windshield— Air flows mainly from the
windshield vents.
Turning the air flow selector to the
windshield position turns on the defog-
ging function with the purpose of clear-
ing the front view.
This position allows the air intake to
select FRESH automatically. This is to
clean up the front view more quickly.
If you want to return the setting to RE-
CIRCULATE mode, press the air intake
selector button once again.
For details about air flow selector settings,
see “Air flow selector settings” on page
140.

138
27p003a
Air intake selector
Press the button to select the air source.1. Recirculate— Recirculates the air inside
the vehicle.
2. Fresh— Draws outside air into the sys-
tem.
The air intake selector button is used to
switch the air intake FRESH mode that
draws outside air into the system and RE-
CIRCULATED mode that recirculates the
air inside vehicle.
To turn the air source to RECIRCULATED
mode, press the button. The indicator will
come on. To turn the air source to FRESH
mode, press the button again. The indica-
tor will go off. To prevent fogging up of the windshield,
the air intake mode may change automati-
cally to FRESH depending on the condi-
tion of the air conditioning system.
2way air intake control
To improve fuel economy, “Fresh” mode
control changes when the air intake se-
lector is set in “Fresh” mode on the
following conditions:
When the maximum heating is needed
with the air flow in “Floor” or “Floor/
Windshield”, fresh air flows in the up-
per compartment, while air is recircu-
lated in the lower compartment.
When cooling is needed, both fresh
and recirculate modes turns on.
27p004b
Air conditioning onoff buttons
To turn on the air conditioning, push
the “A/C” button.
1. Turning off the air conditioning
Push the “A/C” button to turn off the air
conditioning. 2. Economical and environmentfriendly cooling
Usually use the air conditioning with the
“A/C” button on. If you push the button
again, the air conditioning turns off.

141

If following another vehicle on a dusty
road, or driving in windy and dusty
conditions, it is recommended that the
air intake selector be temporarily set to
RECIRCULATE, which will close off the
outside passage and prevent outside
air and dust from entering the vehicle
interior.
Heating
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed—
“AUTO”
Temperature— To the desired
temperature
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—FLOOR
Air conditioning—OFF
For quick heating, select recirculated
air for a few minutes. To keep the
windows from fogging, select fresh af-
ter the vehicle interior has been
warmed.
Press the “MAX” button on for dehu-
midified heating.
Choose “Floor/Windshield” air flow to
heat the vehicle interior while defrost-
ing or defogging the windshield. Air conditioning
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed—
“AUTO”
Temperature— To the desired
temperature
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—PANEL
Air conditioning—“A/C” ON
For quick cooling, move the air intake
selector to recirculate for a few min-
utes.
Ventilation
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed— “AUTO”
Temperature— To the desired
temperature
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—PANEL
Air conditioning—OFF

154
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, take your
vehicle in for a checkup as soon
as possible. Remember, your Toyota
dealer knows your vehicle and its
threeway catalytic converter and
Toyota HC adsorber and catalyst
system best.
 To ensure that the threeway cata-
lytic converter and Toyota HC ad-
sorber and catalyst system and the
entire emission control system op-
erate properly, your vehicle must
receive the periodic inspections re-
quired by the Toyota Maintenance
Schedule. For scheduled mainte-
nance information, refer to the
”Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
”Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.
 Do not apply coating agent such as
for antirust undercoating to the
exhaust pipe (especially to the ac-
tuator to valve).CAUTION
Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.
It contains carbon monoxide, which
is a colorless and odorless gas. It
can cause unconsciousness or even
death.
Make sure the exhaust system has
no holes or loose connections. The
system should be checked from
time to time. If you hit something,
or notice a change in the sound of
the exhaust, have the system
checked immediately.
Do not run the hybrid system in a
garage or enclosed area except for
the time needed to drive the vehicle
in or out. The exhaust gases cannot
escape, making this a particularly
dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the hybrid sys-
tem running. If it is unavoidable,
however, do so only in an uncon-
fined area and adjust the heating or
cooling system to force outside air
into the vehicle.
Keep the trunk lid closed while
driving. An open or unsealed trunk
lid may cause exhaust gases to be
drawn into the vehicle.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open and the trunk lid closed. Have
the cause immediately located and
corrected.
110.Engine exhaust cautions

167
When the ignition switch is turned to on
or off, you may hear a sound coming from
the hybrid vehicle battery in the trunk.
However, this does not indicate any
trouble.
NOTICE
The “READY” light does not come on
when the selector lever is put in a
position other than “P”. Depress the
brake pedal and put the selector lever
in “P” and turn the ignition switch to
“START” again.
If there is a problem somewhere in the
hybrid system, the hybrid system malfunc-
tion warning light will come on in place of
the “READY” light. If this happens, contact
Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
When you start the hybrid system at
a lowered outside temperature, it may
take longer before the blinking
“READY” light changes to stay on.
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharpedged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage result-
ing in tire bursts.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps
or travelling on a bumpy road. Other-
wise, the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and put the selector le-
ver into “P”. If necessary, block the
wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you, and then
press the pedal lightly. If you do not
feel a normal braking force, the brakes
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake pulled. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure the
parking brake is fully released and
that the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended with the “READY” light on.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating or
braking on a slippery surface. Sud-
den acceleration or engine braking,
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
Tips for driving in various
conditions123.

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.