Page 58 of 640

58
1-1. Hybrid system
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(U)
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological driving, pay attention to the
following points:
■Using Eco drive mode
When using Eco drive mode, the torque corresponding to the
accelerator pedal depression amount can be generated more
smoothly than it is in normal conditions. In addition, the opera-
tion of the air conditioning system (heating/cooling) will be mini-
mized, improving th e fuel economy. (P. 206)
■ Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Eco-friendly driving is possible by keeping the Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( P. 226)
■ 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 slow-
ing 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 forward 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
stopping at a toll booth or similar, allow plenty of time to release
the accelerator and gently apply the brakes. A greater amount of
electrical energy can be reta ined when slowing down.
Page 59 of 640

59
1-1. Hybrid system
1
Before driving
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(U)
■
Air conditioning on/off
Switch the air conditioning ( ) to off when it is not needed.
Doing so can help control excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: In high temperatures, use the recirculated air mode.
Doing so will help to reduce t he burden on the air conditioner
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.
■ Checking tire inflation pressure
Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure frequently.
Improper tire inflation pressure can cause poor fuel consump-
tion.
Also, as snow tires can cause lar ge amounts of friction, their use
on dry roads can lead to poor fuel consumption. Use a tire that is
appropriate for the season.
■ Luggage
Carrying heavy luggage can lead to poor fuel consumption.
Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage. Installing a large roof rack
can also cause poor fuel consumption.
■ Warming up before driving
Since the gasoline engine starts up and cuts out automatically
when cold, warming up the engine is unnecessary. Moreover,
frequently driving s hort distances will ca use the engine to
repeatedly warm up, which can lead to poor fuel consumption.
Page 97 of 640

97
1-3. Opening, closing and locking the doors
1
Before driving
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(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 allow children to play in the luggage compartment.
If a child is accidentally locked in the luggage compartment, they could
have heat exhaustion or other injuries.
● 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.
Page 186 of 640

186 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(U)
CAUTION
●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 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,
however, power assist to the steering will be lost. This will make it more
difficult to steer smoothly, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way: P. 563
● 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. 204)
Page 189 of 640

189
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(U)
2
When driving
CAUTION
●
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
●Make sure to firmly apply the parking brake and shift the shift position to P.
Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move, or the vehicle to acceler-
ate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed. Also, when
leaving the vehicle, make sure to turn off the hybrid system and lock the
vehicle.
Sound or shuddering may not be noticed even when the hybrid vehicle is
ready to drive (when the “READY” indicator is illuminated).
● 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.
Page 191 of 640

191
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(U)
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the
shift lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or
fire due to hybrid system overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in
a poorly ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle,
leading to death or a serious health hazard.
■ When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
● If the electronically controlled assist function does not operate, do not fol-
low other vehicles closely and avoid downhill or sharp turns that require
braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
● The brake system consists of 2 or more individual hydraulic systems; if
one of the systems fails, the other(s) will still operate. In this case, the
brake pedal should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking
distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
Page 206 of 640
206 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(U)
■Selecting a driving mode
The following modes can be selected to suit driving conditions:
Eco drive mode
Suitable for improving the fuel economy, because the torque cor-
responding to the accelerator pedal depression amount can be
generated more smoothly than it is in normal conditions and the
operation of the air conditioning system (heating/cooling) will be
minimized.
When the “ECO MODE” switch is pressed, the “ECO MODE” indicator
comes on.
Power mode
Use when high levels of response and feeling are desirable,
such as when driving in mountainous regions or when overtak-
ing.
When the power mode switch is pressed, the power mode indicator
comes on.
Page 208 of 640

208 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47857U_DVD_(U)
■Operation of the air conditio ning system in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cooling operations and fan speed of the
air conditioning system to enhance fuel efficiency. ( P. 206) To improve air
conditioning performance, adjust the fan speed or turn off Eco drive mode.
■ For the shift positions
●When the “POWER” switch is off, the shift position cannot be changed.
● When the “POWER” switch is in ON mode (the hybrid system is not oper-
ating), the shift position can only be changed to N. The shift position will
be changed to N even if the shift lever is shifted to D or R and held in that
position.
● When the “READY” indicator is on, the shift position can be changed
from P to D, N or R.
● When the “READY” indicator is flashing, the shift position cannot be
changed from P to other position even if the shift lever is operated. Wait
until the “READY” indicator changes from a flashing to a solid light, and
then operate the shift lever again.
● The shift position can only be changed to B directly from D.
In addition, if an attempt is made to change the shift position by moving the
shift lever or by pressing the P position switch in any of the following situa-
tions, the buzzer will sound and the shifting operation will be disabled or the
shift position will automatically change to N. When this happens, select an
appropriate shift position.
● Situations where the shifting operation will be disabled:
• When an attempt is made to change the shift position from P to other
position by moving the shift lever without depressing the brake pedal.
• When an attempt is made to change the shift position from P or N to B by moving the shift lever.