2012 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUS steering

165 1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the SRS airbags.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts
properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.
The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause
death or serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag.
Since the risk zone for the driver’s airbag is the first 50 - 75 mm (2 - 3 in.)
of inflation, placing yourself 250 mm (10 in.) from your driver airbag pro-
vides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the
center of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 250
mm (10 in.) away now, you can change your driving position in several
ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat.
Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 250 mm
(10 in.) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, simply
by reclining the back of the seat somewhat. If reclining the back of your
seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a firm, non-
slippery cushion, or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air-
bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended above, while still maintaining
control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instrument
panel controls.

168 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Do not hang coat hangers or hard objects on the coat hooks. All of these
items could become projectiles and may cause death or serious injury,
should the SRS curtain shield airbags deploy.
If a vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS knee airbags will deploy,
be sure to remove it.
Do not attach anything to or lean any-
thing against areas such as the dash-
board, steering wheel pad and lower
portion of the instrument panel.
These items can become projectiles
when the SRS driver, front passenger
and knee airbags deploy.
Do not attach anything to areas such as
a door, windshield glass, side door
glass, front or rear pillar, roof side rail,
and assist grip. (Except for the speed
limit sticker P. 503)

169 1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side
airbags inflate as they may interfere with inflation of the airbags. Such
accessories may prevent the side airbags from activating correctly, disable
the system or cause the side airbags to inflate accidentally, resulting in
death or serious injury.
Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS air-
bag components.
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS air-
bags have deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have deployed, open a
door or window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do
so. Wash off any residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation.
If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel
pad and front and rear pillar garnishes, are damaged or cracked, have
them replaced by any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional.

170 1-8. Safety information
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional. The SRS airbags may malfunction or
deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags
Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear
pillars or roof side rails
Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the
occupant compartment
Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars or kan-
garoo bar etc.)
Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system
Installation of electronic devices such as an RF transmitter radio and CD
players
Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability

203 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
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.
When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control is available. (P. 304)
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 extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is rec-
ommended:
For the first 300 km (200 miles):
Avoid sudden stops.
For the first 1600 km (1000 miles):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

206 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
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. 536
Use engine braking (shift position B instead of shift position D) 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. 224)

207 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
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.
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.
Abrupt changes from shift position D to B and rapid changes in the engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.
After driving through a puddle, 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 changing the shift position
Be careful not to change the shift position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Changing the shift position to any positions other than P or N may cause the
vehicle to accelerate abruptly, causing an accident and resulting in death or
serious injury.
After changing the shift position, make sure to confirm the current shift posi-
tion displayed on the shift position indicator inside the meter.

212 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
NOTICE
When driving the vehicle
Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain driving torque.
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for
an extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
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 depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire. (P. 482, 494)