2004 TOYOTA PRIUS parking brake

232
You may hear a motor sound in the en-
gine compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed with the hybrid system off.
When the hybrid system is started or
stopped, you may hear a sound coming
from the hybrid vehicle battery in the lug-
gage compartment. However, this does not
indicate any trouble.
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
your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Never start the hybrid system from
outside the vehicle, or an accident
may occur. Be sure to sit on the driv-
er seat, then start the system when
driving.
NOTICE
The hybrid system cannot be
started when the shift position is
“N”. Be sure to put it in “P” and
then start the system.
 If any warning light comes on (See
page 117 for details.) or the auxilia-
ry battery is disconnected, the hy-
brid system may not start by push-
ing the “POWER” switch. In that
case, push it once again. If the
“READY” light does not come on,
contact your Toyota dealer.
 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, sharp −edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage such
as a tire burst.
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 hybrid
transaxle “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 applied. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

233
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure the
parking brake is fully released and
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 skid or
spin.
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has highspeed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be sure
to consult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are highspeed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes
are applied. Also, the parking brake
will not hold the vehicle securely.
Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection for engine coolant.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non−silicate, non −amine, non− nitrite,
and non− borate coolant with long −life
hybrid organic acid technology. (Coolant
with long −life hybrid organic acid
technology is a combination of low
phosphates and organic acids.)
See “Checking the coolant level” on page
284 for details of coolant type selection.
For the U.S.A.—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 50% coolant and
50% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −35 C
( − 31 F).
For Canada—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 55% coolant and
45% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −42 C
( − 44 F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Winter driving tips

234
Check the condition of the auxiliary
battery and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any auxiliary battery, so it must be in top
shape to provide enough power for winter
starting. Section 8−3 tells you how to
visually inspect the auxiliary battery. Your
Toyota dealer will be pleased to check the
level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 283 for recommended viscosity.
Leaving a heavy summer oil in your ve-
hicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota dealer.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de −icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer ’s directions for how
much to mix with water.NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute as washer fluid be-
cause it may damage your vehicle’s
paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, push the “P” position
switch and block the rear wheels. Do not
use the parking brake, for snow or water
accumulated 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 extreme
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.
40p050b
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.
Dinghy towing

239
CAUTION
Booster battery contains sulfuric
acid which is poisonous and corro-
sive. Wear protective safety glasses
when jump starting, and avoid spil-
ling acid on your skin, clothing, or
vehicle.
If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in your eyes, remove
any contaminated clothing and flush
the affected area with water imme-
diately. Then get immediate medical
attention. If possible, continue to
apply water with a sponge or cloth
while en route to the medical office.
The gas normally produced by a
battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and do
not smoke or light a match while
jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must
be 12 V. Do not jump start unless
you are sure that the booster bat-
tery is correct.
 After jump starting procedure, the
hybrid system may not start by
pushing the “POWER” switch. In
that case, push it once again. If the
“READY” light does not come on,
contact your Toyota dealer.
50p049
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE
1. Apply the parking brake and turn off the headlight switch and interior light.
2. Turn off the hybrid system and remove the key if inserted.
3. Open the hood and fuse block cover shown in the above illustration.

242
If your hybrid system stalls while driving...1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try starting the hybrid system again.
If the hybrid system will not start, see “If
your vehicle will not start” on page 238.
CAUTION
If the hybrid system is not operating,
the power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering and
braking will be much harder than usu-
al.
If your high coolant temperature warn-
ing light comes on, if you experience a
loss of power, or if you hear a loud
knocking or pinging noise, the hybrid
system has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure...
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Push the “P” position switch
and apply the parking brake. Turn off
the air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the hybrid
system. Wait until the steam subsides
before opening the hood. If there is no
coolant boiling over or steam, leave the
hybrid system running and make sure
the electric cooling fan is operating. If
it is not, turn the ignition off.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no
steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure.
3. Look for obvious coolant leaks from theradiator, hoses, and under the vehicle.
However, note that water draining from
the air conditioning is normal if it has
been used.
CAUTION
When the hybrid system is running,
keep hands and clothing away from
the moving fan and engine drive
belts.
4. If the coolant is leaking, stop the hy-brid system immediately. Call a Toyota
dealer for assistance.
5. If there are no obvious leaks, check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add
coolant to the reservoir while the hy-
brid system is running. Fill it about half
full.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to remove the radiator
cap when the hybrid system and ra-
diator are hot. Serious injury could
result from scalding hot fluid and
steam blown out under pressure.
If your hybrid system stalls
while driving If your vehicle overheats

243
6. After the coolant temperature hascooled to normal, again check the cool-
ant level in the reservoir. If necessary,
bring it up to half full again. Serious
coolant loss indicates a leak in the
system. You s hould have it checked as
soon as possible at your Toyota dealer.1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight line. Move cau-
tiously off the road to a safe place
well away from the traffic. Avoid
stopping on the center divider of
a highway. Park on a level spot
with firm ground.
2. Stop the hybrid system and turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Firmly set the parking brake.
4. Have everyone get out of the ve- hicle on the side away from traffic.
5. Read the following instructions thoroughly.CAUTION
When jacking, be sure to observe
the following to reduce the possi-
bility of personal injury:
Follow jacking instructions.
 Do not put any part of your
body under a vehicle sup-
ported by a jack. Personal inju-
ry may occu r.
 Do not start or run the hybrid
system while your vehicle is
supported by the j ack.
 Stop the vehicle at a level firm
ground, firmly set the parking
brake. Block the wheel diago-
nally opposite to the one being
changed if necessary.
If you have a flat tire—

254
50p021a
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck——From front
—From rear
(b) Using flat bed truck If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice. In consultation with them, have
your vehicle towed using either (a) or
(b).
Only when you cannot receive a towing
service from a Toyota dealer or com-
mercial tow truck service, tow your ve-
hicle carefully in accordance with the
instructions given in “—Emergency tow-
ing” on page 255.
Proper equipment will help ensure that
your vehicle is not damaged while being
towed. Commercial operators are generally
aware of the state/provincial and local
laws pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is
towed incorrectly. Although most operators
know the correct procedure, it is possible
to make a mistake. To avoid damage to
your vehicle, make sure the following pre-
cautions are observed. If necessary, show
this page to the tow truck driver. TOWING PRECAUTIONS:
Use a safety chain system for all towing,
and abide by the state/provincial and local
laws. The wheels and axle on the ground
must be in good condition. If they are
damaged, use a towing dolly.
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck
From front
—Release the parking brake.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care to en-
sure adequate ground clearance for
towing at the opposite end of the
raised vehicle. Otherwise, the under-
body of the towed vehicle will be
damaged during towing.
From rear—Use a towing dolly under the
front wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle from the rear
with the front wheels on the ground,
as this may cause serious damage to
the transmission.
(b) Using flat bed truck
If your vehicle needs to be
towed—

256
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing ve-
hicles. Avoid sudden starts or erratic
driving maneuvers which would place
excessive stress on the emergency
towing eyelet and towing cable or
chain. The eyelet and towing cable or
chain may break and cause serious
injury or damage.
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 hybrid transaxle in “N”. The
hybrid system must be in the “IG−ON”
mode.
In the following cases, as the front wheels
might be locked by means of the parking
lock mechanism, your vehicle cannot be
towed by another vehicle using a rope.
Have your vehicle carried with the front
wheels or all the wheels raised.
If the parking mechanism fails.
If the auxiliary battery is discharged.
CAUTION
If the hybrid system is not running,
the power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering and
braking will be much harder than usu-
al.
50p046a
1. Remove the towing eyelet as shown in the illustration.
—Installing towing eyelet