2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C check engine light

TABLE OF CONTENTSIndex
4
3-6. Other interior featuresSun visors .......................... 329
Vanity mirrors ..................... 330
Outside temperature display .............................. 331
Power outlet ....................... 333
Seat heaters ....................... 334
Coat hooks ......................... 336
Floor mat ............................ 337
Luggage cover ................... 339
4-1. Maintenance and care Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior ........... 342
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ............ 345
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements .................... 348
General maintenance ......... 351
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs .......................... 355 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ....................... 356
Hood ................................... 360
Positioning a floor jack........ 362
Engine compartment .......... 364
12-volt battery ..................... 375
Tires.................................... 380
Tire inflation pressure ......... 388
Wheels................................ 392
Air conditioning filter ........... 395
Wireless remote control/ electronic key battery ....... 397
Checking and replacing fuses ................................. 400
Light bulbs .......................... 411
5-1. Essential information Emergency flashers ............ 424
If your vehicle needs to be towed ........................... 425
If you think something is wrong ............................ 430
4Maintenance and care
5When trouble arises

42
1-1. Hybrid system
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological driving, pay attention to the following
points:
■ Using Eco drive mode
P. 174
■Use of Hybrid System Indicator
By keeping Hybrid System Indicator within Eco area, more Eco-friendly
driving may be possible. ( P. 195)
■When braking the vehicle
Make sure to operate the brakes gently and in good time. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be retained when slowing down.
■Delays
Repeated acceleration and deceleration, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fuel consumption. Check traffic reports before
leaving and avoid delays as much as possible. When encountering a
delay, gently release the brake pedal to allow the vehicle to move for-
ward slightly while avoiding overuse of the accelerator pedal. Doing so
can help control excessive gasoline consumption.
■Highway driving
Control your speed and keep at a constant speed. Also, before stop-
ping at a toll booth or similar, allow plenty of time to release the acceler-
ator and gently apply the brakes. A greater amount of electrical energy
can be retained when slowing down.
■Air conditioning
Use the air conditioning only when necessary. Doing so can help con-
trol excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: In high temperatures, use the recirculated air mode. Doing
so will help to reduce the burden on the air conditioning and reduce fuel
consumption as well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine will not automatically cut out
until the gasoline engine and the interior of the vehicle are warm, it will
consume fuel. Also, fuel consumption can be improved by avoiding
overuse of the heater.

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.

153
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
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 acceleration, engine braking due to shift changing, or changes in
engine speed could 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.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.
■ If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Toyota dealer as soon
as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.

154 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
● Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
● In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on. Apply the
parking brake as necessary.
● If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
● Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■ When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehi-
cle's electrical components.
● Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.

158
2-1. Driving procedures
Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles without a smart key system)
■Starting the hybrid system
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Firmly depress the brake pedal.
Turn the engine switch to the
“START” position to start the
hybrid system.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the hybrid system is
completely started.
Check that the “READY” indicator is on.
If the “READY” indicator changes from a flashing light to a solid
light and a beep sound, the hybrid system is starting normally.
The vehicle will not move when the “READY” indicator is off.
The vehicle can move when the “READY” indicator is on even if
the engine is stopped. (The engine starts or stops automatically in
accordance with the state of the vehicle.)
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

163
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
Check that the “READY” indicator is on.
If the “READY” indicator changes from a flashing light to a solid
light and a beep sound, the hybrid system is starting normally.
The vehicle will not move when
the “READY” indicator is off.
The vehicle can move when the “READY” indicator is on even if
the engine is stopped. (The engine starts or stops automatically in
accordance with the state of the vehicle.)
■ Stopping the hybrid system
Stop the vehicle completely.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Set the parking brake. ( P. 177)
Press the “POWER” switch.
Slowly release the brake pedal and check that on the
multi-information display is off.
STEP5
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

176
2-1. Driving procedures
Tur n signal lever
■Turn signals can be operated when
Vehicles without a smart key system
The engine switch is in the “ON” position.
Vehicles with a smart key system
The “POWER” switch is in ON mode.
■ If the indicator flashes faster than usual
Check that a light bulb in the front or rear turn signal lights has not burned
out.
The turn signal lever can be used to show the following intentions
of the driver:
Right turn
Left turn
Lane change to the right
(push and hold the lever
partway)
The right hand signals will
flash until you release the
lever.
Lane change to the left
(push and hold the lever
partway)
The left hand signals will flash
until you release the lever.