2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C Owners Manual

145
1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■
When installing a booster seat
To prevent the belt from going into ALR lock mode, do not fully extend the
shoulder belt. ALR mode causes the belt to tighten only. This could cause
injury or discomfort to the child. ( P. 88)
■ When installing a child restraint system
Follow the directions given in the child restraint system installation manual
and fix the child restraint system securely in place.
If the child restraint system is not correctly fixed in place, the child or other
passengers may be seriously injured or even killed in the event of sudden
braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
●When a booster seat is installed, always ensure that the shoulder belt is
positioned across the center of the child’s shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from the child’s neck, but not so that it could fall off the child’s
shoulder. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury in the event
of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
● Ensure that the belt and plate are securely locked and the seat belt is not
twisted.
●If the driver’s seat interferes with the
child restraint system and prevents it
from being attached correctly, attach
the child restraint system to the right-
hand rear seat.
● Adjust the front passenger seat so that
it does not interfere with the child
restraint system.
● Only put a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front seat when unavoid-
able. When installing a forward-facing
child restraint system on the front pas-
senger seat, move the seat as far back
as possible even if the “AIR BAG OFF”
indicator light is illuminated. Failure to
do so may result in death or serious
injury if the airbags deploy (inflate).

146 1-8. Safety information
CAUTION
■When installing a child restraint system
●Shake the child restraint system left and right, and forward and backward
to ensure that it has been securely installed.
● After securing a child restraint system, never adjust the seat.
● Follow all installation instructions provided by the child restraint system
manufacturer.
● When a child restraint system with a top tether strap is installed, do not
install the head restraint. The head restraint may interfere with the top
tether strap preventing secure installation of the child restraint system.
● Make sure to properly store the removed head restraint in a secure place
when you use the child restraint system on the rear seat.
■ Do not use a seat belt extender
If a seat belt extender is used when installing a child restraint system, the
seat belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause
death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the event of sud-
den braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
■ To correctly attach a child r estraint system to the anchors
When using the LATCH anchors, be sure that there are no foreign objects
around the anchors and that the seat belt is not caught behind the child
restraint. Make sure the child restraint system is securely attached, or it may
cause death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the event of
sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
● When using the right side seat for the
child restraint system, do not sit in the
center seat. Seat belt function may be
impaired, such as being positioned
overly high or loose-fitting, which may
result in death or serious injury in the
event of sudden braking or an accident.

When driving2
147
2-1. Driving proceduresDriving the vehicle............ 148
Engine (ignition) switch .... 158
Power (ignition) switch ..... 162
EV drive mode ................. 170
Hybrid transmission ......... 173
Turn signal lever .............. 176
Parking brake ................... 177
Horn ................................. 178
2-2. Instrument cluster Gauges and meters ......... 179
Indicators and warning lights .............................. 182
Multi-information display............................ 185
2-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ............... 202
Fog light switch ................ 206
Windshield wipers and washer ........................... 208
Rear window wiper and washer ........................... 212 2-4. Using other driving
systems
Cruise control ................... 215
Driving assist systems ..... 219
Hill-start assist control ...... 222
2-5. Driving information Cargo and luggage .......... 224
Vehicle load limits ............ 228
Winter driving tips ............ 229
Trailer towing ................... 233
Dinghy towing .................. 234

148
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driv-
ing:
■ Starting the hybrid system
 P. 158, 162
■ Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D.
( P. 173)
Release the parking brake. ( P. 177)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■ Stopping
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift
the shift lever to P. ( P. 173)
■Parking the vehicle
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Shift the shift lever to P. ( P. 173)
Set the parking brake. ( P. 177)
Vehicles without a smart key system
Turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position to stop the
hybrid system.
Vehicles with a smart key system
Press the “POWER” switch to stop the hybrid system.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your
person.
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

149
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
Starting off on a steep uphill
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever
to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control is available. ( P. 222)
■ Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the
windows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
● Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be
especially slippery.
● Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road
surface, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■ Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation
to meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
● When the accelerator pedal is released
■ Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is rec-
ommended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

150 2-1. Driving procedures
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( P. 492)
■ For efficient use
●Shift the shift lever to D when driving.
In the N position, the gasoline engine operates but electricity cannot be
generated. The hybrid battery (traction battery) will discharge, requiring
unnecessary engine power to recharge.
● Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effective use of the electric motor (traction
motor) without having to use gasoline engine power.
● Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes hybrid battery (traction battery) power,
resulting in poor acceleration. Battery power can be restored by driving
with the accelerator pedal slightly released.
● Shift the shift lever to P when parking.
In the N position, the hybrid battery (traction battery) does not recharge.
Leaving the shift lever in the N position for an extended period of time
may discharge the hybrid battery. The vehicle cannot run if the hybrid
battery is discharged.

151
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the hybrid sys-
tem operating. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■ When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident
that could result in death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi- culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and acceler-
ator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
● The driver should pay extra attention to pedestrians when the vehicle is
powered only by the electric motor (traction motor). Because there is no
engine noise, the pedestrians may misjudge the vehicle’s movement.
● Do not drive the vehicle over or st op the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
● Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the 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 lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle\
control.

152 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
●Do not shift the shift lever 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 lever 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 lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
hybrid system. Engine braking is not available with the hybrid system dis-
engaged.
● 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. 486
● Use engine braking (shift position B) to maintain a safe speed when driv-
ing down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 174)
● Do not adjust the positions 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,
resulting in death or serious injury.
● Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their body
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.