2012 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN stop start

225
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
2
When driving
Starting off on a uphill
Firmly set the parking brake with the brake pedal depressed,
and then shift the shift position to D.
Release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator
pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■Parking the vehicle
St op th e veh i cle co mp lete ly.
Set the parking brake. (→P. 2 5 5 )
Shift the shift position to P. (→P. 2 4 8 )
Check that the shift position indicator shows P. (→P. 2 4 5 )
Press the “POWER” switch to stop the hybrid system.
Slowly release the brake pedal.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key
on your person.
When parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

226
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control is available. (→P. 3 3 3 )
■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.
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To e x t e n d t h e l i f e o f t h e v e h i c l e , o b s e r v i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g p r e c a u t i o n s i s r e c -
ommended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
•Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
•Avoid sudden acceleration.
•Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.

228
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
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.
●Because there is no engine noise when the vehicle is being driven using
the electric motor, pedestrians in the vicinity may not notice the vehicle.
Even though the vehicle is equipped with the vehicle proximity notification
system, drive with care as pedestrians in the vicinity may still not notice
the vehicle if the surrounding area is noisy.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop 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 a forward driving position is
selected, or roll forward while the shift position is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the vehicle.

239
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
2
When driving
Check that the “READY” indicator is on.
If the “READY” indicator changes from a flashing light to a solid
light and the buzzer sounds, the hybrid system is starting nor-
mally.
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 gasoline engine starts or stops auto-
matically in accordance with the state of the vehicle.)
■Stopping the hybrid system
St op th e veh i cle co mp lete ly.
Set the parking brake. (→P. 2 5 5 )
Shift the shift position to P.
(→P. 2 4 8 )
Check that the shift position
indicator shows P. (→P. 2 4 5 )
Press the “POWER” switch.
The hybrid system will stop.
Slowly release the brake pedal and check that the indicator
on the “POWER” switch is off.
STEP 5
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5

243
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
2
When driving
■When the P position control system malfunctions
The “POWER” switch will not be able to be turned off. In such a case, the
switch can be turned off after applying the parking brake.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
■Ending display
When the “POWER” switch is turned off, each of the following will be dis-
played on the multi-information display, and will extinguish after approxi-
mately 30 seconds.
●The driving distance, driving time and consumption since the hybrid sys-
tem was started.
●The odometer
●The clock
CAUTION
■When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hybrid system while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal while starting the hybrid system under any cir-
cumstances.
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, press and hold the “POWER” switch for more than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in succession. (→P. 6 0 7 )
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.

270
2-2. Instrument cluster
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
When HV Mode
Charge area
Eco area
Power area
Hybrid Eco area
As shown below, the driving conditions of the vehicle can be con-
firmed by checking the status of the indicator bar.
*1: The images are examples only, and may vary slightly from actual condi-
tions.
*2: The gasoline engine will automatically stop and restart under various
conditions.
Hybrid System Indicator*1
Charge area:
Shows regenerative charging.
(→P. 3 9 )
Hybrid Eco area:
Shows that gasoline engine
power is not being used very
often.*2
Eco area:
Shows that the vehicle is
driven in Eco-friendly.
Power area:
Shows that the driving power
is more than the upper limit of
Eco driving (during full power
driving etc.).

328
2-4. Using other driving systems
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
Driving assist systems
To h e l p e n h a n c e d r i v i n g s a f e t y and performance, the following sys-
tems operate automatically in response to various driving situations.
Be aware, however, that these systems are supplementary and
should not be relied upon too heavily when operating the vehicle.
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the brakes are applied suddenly, or if
the brakes are applied while driving on a slippery road surface
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or turning
on slippery road surfaces
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from spin-
ning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel
■Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of the ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability when swerving on slippery road
surfaces by controlling steering performance.

330
2-4. Using other driving systems
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, VSC and
TRAC
●A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the hybrid
system is started, just after the vehicle begins to move, if the brake pedal
is depressed forcefully or repeatedly, or 1-2 minutes after the hybrid sys-
tem is stopped. This sound does not indicate that a malfunction has
occurred in any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are
operating. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
•Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
•A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
•The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
•The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.
■EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may
be heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS system
The effectiveness of the EPS system is reduced to prevent the system from
overheating when there is frequent steering input over an extended period of
time. The steering wheel may feel heavy as a result. Should this occur,
refrain from excessive steering input or stop the vehicle and turn the hybrid
system off. The EPS system should return to normal within 10 minutes.
■Electric power steering system warning light
→P. 5 4 0