Page 167 of 688

167
1-5. Adjustable components (s
eats, mirrors, steering wheel)
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
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.
Page 199 of 688

199
1-9. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
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 your Toyota dealer.
● 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 SRS front
airbags for the front passenger may not deploy in the event of a collision.
Page 200 of 688
200 1-9. Safety information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
CAUTION
■Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting your Toyota dealer. 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 a grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow plows,
winches
● Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system
● Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios and CD
players
● Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability
Page 206 of 688

206 1-9. Safety information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
CAUTION
■Front passenger occupant cl assification system precautions
● Do not recline the front passenger seatback so far that it touches a rear
seat. This may cause the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light to be illuminated,
which indicates that the passenger’s airbags will not deploy in the event of
a severe accident. If the seatback touches the rear seat, return the seat-
back to a position where it does not touch the rear seat. Keep the front\
passenger seatback as upright as possible when the vehicle is moving.
Reclining the seatback excessively may lessen the effectiveness of the
seat belt system.
● If an adult sits in the front passenger seat, the “AIR BAG ON” indicator
light is illuminated. If the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator is illuminated, ask the
passenger to sit up straight, well back in the seat, feet on the floor, and
with the seat belt worn correctly. If the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator still
remains illuminated, either ask the passenger to move to the rear seat, or
if that is not possible, move the front passenger seat fully rearward.
● When it is unavoidable to install a forward-facing child restraint system on
the front passenger seat, install the child restraint system on the front pas-
senger seat in the proper order. ( P. 212)
● Do not modify or remove the front seats.
● Do not kick the front passenger seat or subject it to severe impact. Other-
wise, the SRS warning light may come on to indicate a malfunction of the
detection system. In this case, contact your Toyota dealer immediately.
● Child restraint systems installed on the rear seat should not contact the
front seatbacks.
● Do not use a seat accessory, such as a cushion and seat cover, that cov-
ers the seat cushion surface.
● Do not modify or replace the upholstery of the front seat.
Page 233 of 688
233
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
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.
■ If you hear a squealing or scrapin g noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have your Toyota dealer check and replace the brake pads as soon as pos-
sible.
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.
Page 329 of 688
329
2-4. Using other
driving systems
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
2
When driving
CAUTION
■Handling the radar sensor
Observe the following to ensure the cruise control system can function effec-
tively.
Otherwise, the system may not function correctly and could result in an acci-
dent.
●Keep the sensor and grille cover clean at all times.
Clean the sensor and grille cover with a soft cloth so you do not mark or
damage them.
● Do not subject the sensor or surrounding area to a strong impact.
If the sensor moves even slightly off position, the system may become
inaccurate or malfunction. If the sensor or surrounding area is subject to a
strong impact, always have the area inspected and adjusted by your Toy-
ota dealer.
● Do not disassemble the sensor.
● Do not attach accessories or stickers to the sensor, grille cover or sur-
rounding area.
● Do not modify or paint the sensor and grille cover.
● Do not replace them with non-genuine parts.
Page 355 of 688
355
2-5. Driving information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
2
When driving
NOTICE
■
Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from Toyota dealers or legiti-
mate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affects the opera-
tion of the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters.
■ Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not function correctly
when tire chains are fitted.
Page 368 of 688

368 3-1. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47856U_(U)
■Window defogger feature
●Recirculated air mode may automatically switch to outside air mode in
situations where the windows need to be defogged.
● When the outside air temperature is low, it may take a while for the con-
densation to clear from the windshield.
● When is turned ON, the gasoline engine may operate depending
on driving conditions. After that, even if is turned OFF, the fan
does not stop and a state in which it is easy for the gasoline engine to
operate continues. After defogging the windows, press as neces-
sary to turn off the fan.
■ When is selected for the air outlets used
For your driving comfort, air flowing to the feet may be warmer than air flow-
ing to the upper body depending on the temperature setting.
■ Micro dust and pollen filter
●In order to prevent the windows from fogging up when the outside air is
cold, the following may occur.
• Outside air mode does not switch to recirculated air mode.
• The air conditioning system operates automatically.
• The operation cancels after 1 minute.
● In rainy weather, the windows may fog up. Press .
● Condensation may appear on the windows if this mode is used in abnor-
mally high levels of humidity.
● Pollen will be collected by the filter even when micro dust and pollen f\
ilter
mode is OFF.
■ Maintenance of the air conditioning filter
The air conditioning filter must be cleaned or changed regularly to maintain
air conditioning efficiency according to the maintenance schedule. In dusty
areas or areas with heavy traffic flow, early replacement may be required.
(For scheduled maintenance information, refer to the “Owner’s Manual Sup-
plement/ Scheduled Maintenance Guide”.)
When inspecting, cleaning and replacing the air conditioning filter, contact
your Toyota dealer.