2013 TOYOTA PRIUS acc

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1-3. Opening, closing and locking the doors
1
Before driving
PRIUS_OM_OM47791U_(U)
CAUTION
■
Caution while driving
● Keep the back door closed while driving.
If the back door is left open, it may hit near-by objects while driving or lug-
gage may be unexpectedly thrown out, causing an accident.
In addition, exhaust gases may enter the vehicle, causing death or a seri-
ous health hazard. Make sure to close the back door before driving.
● Before driving the vehicle, make sure that the back door is fully closed. If
the back door is not fully closed, it may open unexpectedly while driving,
causing an accident.
● Never let anyone sit in the luggage compartment. In the event of sudden
braking, sudden swerving or a collision, they are susceptible to death or
serious injury.
■ When children are in the vehicle
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
● Do not leave children alone in the luggage compartment.
If a child is accidentally locked in the luggage compartment, they could
have heat exhaustion.
● Do not allow a child to open or close the back door.
Doing so may cause the back door to move unexpectedly, or cause the
child’s hands, head, or neck to be caught by the closing back door.

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1-3. Opening, closing and locking the doors
1
Before driving
PRIUS_OM_OM47791U_(U)
CAUTION
●
Do not pull on the back door damper stay to close the back door, and do
not hang on the back door damper stay.
Doing so may cause hands to be caught or the back door damper stay to
break, causing an accident.
● If a bicycle carrier or similar heavy object is attached to the back door, it
may suddenly shut again after being opened, causing someone’s hands,
head or neck to be caught and injured. When installing an accessory part
to the back door, using a genuine Toyota part is recommended.
●When closing the back door, take extra
care to prevent your fingers etc. from
being caught.
● When closing the back door, make sure
to press it lightly on its outer surface. If
the back door handle is used to fully
close the back door, it may result in
hands or arms being caught.

100 1-3. Opening, closing and locking the doors
PRIUS_OM_OM47791U_(U)
NOTICE
■Back door damper stays
The back door is equipped with damper stays that hold the back door in
place.
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause damage to the back door damper stay, resulting
in malfunction.
● Do not attach any foreign objects, such
as stickers, plastic sheets, or adhesives
to the damper stay rod.
● Do not touch the damper stay rod with
gloves or other fabric items.
● Do not attach any accessories other
than genuine Toyota parts to the back
door.
● Do not place your hand on the damper
stay or apply lateral forces to it.
Damper stays

103
1-4. Adjustable components (s
eats, mirrors, steering wheel)
1
Before driving
PRIUS_OM_OM47791U_(U)
■Active head restraints
Even small forces applied to the seatback may cause the head restraint to
move. Pushing up a locked head restraint forcibly may make the inner struc-
ture of the head restraint appear. This does not indicate a problem.
CAUTION
■Seat adjustment
● To reduce the risk of sliding under the lap belt during a collision, do not
recline the seat more than necessary.
If the seat is too reclined, the lap belt may slide past the hips and apply
restraint forces directly to the abdomen, or your neck may contact the
shoulder belt, increasing the risk of death or serious injury in the event of
an accident.
Adjustments should not be made while driving as the seat may unexpect-
edly move and cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
● After adjusting the seat, make sure that the seat is locked in position.
During
rear-end
collision
Inner
structure

114 1-4. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
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■Seat belt extender
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of injury in the event of
sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
Failing to do so may cause death or serious injury.
■Wearing a seat belt
● Ensure that all passengers wear a seat belt.
● Always wear a seat belt properly.
● Each seat belt should be used by one person only. Do not use a seat belt
for more than one person at once, including children.
● Toyota recommends that children be seated in the rear seat and always
use a seat belt and/or an appropriate child restraint system.
● To achieve a proper seating position, do not recline the seat more than
necessary. The seat belt is most effective when the occupants are sitting
up straight and well back in the seats.
● Do not wear the shoulder belt under your arm.
● Always wear your seat belt low and snug across your hips.
● When using the rear outside seat belts, make sure that the belt pass
through the guide.
If your seat belts cannot be fastened
securely because they are not long
enough, a personalized seat belt
extender is available from your Toyota
dealer free of charge.

116 1-4. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
PRIUS_OM_OM47791U_(U)
CAUTION
■When children are in the vehicle
Do not allow children to play with the seat belt. If the seat belt becomes
twisted around a child’s neck, it may lead to choking or other serious injuries
that could result in death.
If this occurs and the buckle cannot be unfastened, scissors should be used
to cut the belt.
■ Seat belt pretensioners
● Do not place anything, such as a cushion, on the front passenger’s seat.
Doing so will disperse the passenger’s weight, which prevents the sensor
from detecting the passenger’s weight properly. As a result, the seat belt
pretensioner for the front passenger’s seat may not activate in the event of
a collision.
● If the pretensioner has activated, the SRS warning light will come on. In
that case, the seat belt cannot be used again and must be replaced at
your Toyota dealer.
■ Adjustable shoulder anchor
Always make sure the shoulder belt is positioned across the center of your
shoulder. The belt should be kept away from your neck, but not falling off
your shoulder. Failure to do so could reduce the amount of protection in an
accident and cause death or serious injuries in the event of a sudden stop,
sudden swerve or accident. ( P. 1 1 2 )

117
1-4. Adjustable components (s
eats, mirrors, steering wheel)
1
Before driving
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CAUTION
■Seat belt damage and wear
● Do not damage the seat belts by allowing the belt, plate, or buckle to be
jammed in the door.
● Inspect the seat belt system periodically. Check for cuts, fraying, and loose
parts. Do not use a damaged seat belt until it is replaced. Damaged seat
belts cannot protect an occupant from death or serious injury.
● Ensure that the belt and plate are locked and the belt is not twisted.
If the seat belt does not function correctly, immediately contact your Toyota
dealer.
● Replace the seat assembly, including the belts, if your vehicle has been
involved in a serious accident, even if there’s no obvious damage.
● Do not attempt to install, remove, modify, disassemble or dispose of the
seat belts. Have any necessary repairs carried out by your Toyota dealer.
Inappropriate handling of the pretensioner may prevent it from operating
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.

118 1-4. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
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CAUTION
■Using a seat belt extender
● Do not wear the seat belt extender if you can fasten the seat belt without
the extender.
● Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a child restraint system
because the belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, increas-
ing the risk of death or serious injury in the event of an accident.
● The personalized extender may not be safe on another vehicle, when
used by another person, or at a different seating position other than the
one originally intended.
NOTICE
■When using a seat belt extender
When releasing the seat belt, press on the buckle release button on the
extender, not on the seat belt.
This helps prevent damage to the vehicle interior and the extender itself.