2010 TOYOTA PRIUS check engine

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PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting 
the vehicle’s exterior ......... 404
Cleaning and protecting 
the vehicle’s interior .......... 407
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance 
requirements ..................... 410
General maintenance.......... 412
Emission inspection 
and maintenance (I/M) 
programs........................... 415
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service 
precautions ....................... 416
Hood ................................... 420
Positioning a floor jack ........ 423
Engine compartment ........... 425
12 volt battery ..................... 436
Tires .................................... 441
Tire inflation pressure ......... 451
Wheels ................................ 455
Air conditioning filter............ 457
Electronic key battery.......... 460
Checking and replacing 
fuses ................................. 462
Light bulbs........................... 472 5-1. Essential information
Emergency flashers............ 486
If your vehicle needs 
to be towed....................... 487
If you think something is  wrong ............................... 493
Event data recorder ............ 494
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency If a warning light turns 
on or a warning buzzer 
sounds.............................. 496
If a warning message is 
displayed .......................... 508
If you have a flat tire ........... 524
If the hybrid system 
will not start ...................... 538
If you lose your keys........... 540
If the electronic key does 
not operate properly ......... 541
If the 12 volt battery is 
discharged........................ 543
If your vehicle overheats .... 548
If the vehicle becomes 
stuck ................................. 553
4Maintenance and care5When trouble arises

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
●
Do not let the vehicle roll backwards while the shift lever is in a driving
position, or roll forward while the shift lever is in “R”. 
Doing so may cause the hybrid system not to operate or lead to poor
brake and steering performance, resulting in an accident or damage to th\
e
vehicle.
● If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and
check that the back door is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehi-
cle can cause driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a
serious health hazard. Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
● Do not shift the shift position to "P" while the vehicle is moving. 
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle\

control.
● Do not shift the shift position to "R" while the vehicle is moving forward. 
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle\

control.
● Do not shift the shift position to "D" while the vehicle is moving backward. 
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle\

control.
● Moving the shift position to "N" while the vehicle is moving will disengage
the hybrid system. Engine braking is not available with the hybrid system
disengaged.
● During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid
system off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control,
but the power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more
difficult to steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. 
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 496
● Use engine braking (“B”) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a
steep hill. 
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 173)

156 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
CAUTION
●When stopped on an inclined surface, use the brake pedal and parking
brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or forward and causing
an accident.
● Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving. 
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents
that may result in death or serious injury.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their bod-
ies are not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) 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 high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■ When driving on slippery road surfaces
● Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
● Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-
shifting or down-shifting, may cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an
accident.
● After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in
an accident.
■ When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. 
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
NOTICE
■
If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually press the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
● It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
● The vehicle will make abnormal sounds.
● The vehicle will behave abnormally.
Replace a flat tire with a new one. ( P. 527)
■ When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may
cause the following serious damage to the vehicle.
● Engine stalling
● Short in electrical components
● Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be
sure to have your Toyota dealer check the following.
● Brake function
● Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid
system, transmission, etc.
● Lubricant condition for the bearings and suspension joints (where possi-
ble) and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.

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2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
Power (ignition) switch
Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic
key on your person starts the hybr id system or changes “POWER”
switch modes.
■ Starting the hybrid system
Check that the parking brake is set.
Sit in the driver’s seat and firmly depress the brake pedal.
The “POWER” switch indicator turns green.
Press the “POWER” switch.
The hybrid system can be
started from any mode.
After a few seconds, the
“READY” indicator comes on
with a beep sound.
The vehicle can move when
the “READY” indicator is on,
even if the engine is stopped.
STEP1
STEP2
ITO21P112
STEP3

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
■
Note for the entry function
 P. 50, 59
■ Leak detection pump
Several hours after the engine is turned off, you may hear a sound coming
from underneath the luggage compartment for several minutes. 
This is normal operation and does not indicate a malfunction.
CAUTION
■ When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hybrid system while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not press
the accelerator pedal while starting the hybrid system under any circum-
stances. 
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Stopping the hybrid system in an emergency
If you want to stop the hybrid system in an emergency while driving the vehi-
cle, push and hold the “POWER” switch for more than 3 seconds. 
However, do not touch the "POWER" switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. Turning the hybrid system off while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will \
be lost.
This will make it more difficult to steer and brake, so you should pull over
and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
NOTICE
■ To prevent 12 volt battery discharge
Do not leave the “POWER” switch in ACCESSORY or ON mode for long
periods if the hybrid system is not operating.
■ When starting the hybrid system
If the hybrid system becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently, have the 12
volt battery and electronic key battery checked immediately.

174 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
Changing shift ranges to “P” positionPush the “P” position switch with
the brake pedal pressed down.
The “P” position icon is displayed
on the instrument cluster, and the
indicator on the “P” position
switch comes on.
You can only shift to other posi-
tions from “P” when the brake
pedal is depressed.
When parking, check that the “P”
position icon is displayed on the
instrument cluster, and release
the brake pedal gently after
applying the parking brake.
ITO21P107
■Using engine brake
To use the engine braking, shift the shift lever to “B” position.
● During high speed driving, you may feel that deceleration by engine brak-
ing is less than that of a typical vehicle.
● Do not continue normal driving with the transmission in “B” for a long
time.
This may cause decreased fuel economy. To prevent this, use “D” for
normal driving.

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2-2. Instrument cluster
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When driving
PRIUS_U (OM47668U) U.S.A.
■
Hybrid System Indicator
Charge area
Eco area
Power area
Hybrid Eco area
As shown below, the driving condit ions of the vehicle can be con-
firmed by checking the status of the indicator bar.
Multi-information display*1Eco Driving Indicator Light
Charge area: 
Shows that energy is
being recovered via the
regenerative brake.
( P. 29)
On
Hybrid Eco area:

Shows that gasoline
engine power is not
being used very
often.
*2
Eco area: 
Shows that the vehicle
is being driven in an
environmentally friendly
(fuel efficient) manner.