1734-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
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 vehi-
cle.
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. 379, 394)
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may
cause the following serious damage to the vehicle:
Engine stalling
Short in electrical components
Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be
sure to have any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly quali-
fied and equipped professional check the following:
Brake function
Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, trans-
mission, etc.
Lubricant condition for the bearings and suspension joints (where possi-
ble), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
1744-1. Before driving
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load:
WARNING
Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compartment:
Receptacles containing gasoline
Aerosol cans
Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed properly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may result in items hitting the driver or pas-
sengers, possibly causing an accident.
Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever possible.
Do not stack anything in the luggage compartment higher than the seat-
backs.
Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations:
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
Secure all items in the occupant compartment.
When you fold down the rear seats, long items should not be place directly
behind the front seats.
Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed
for passengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts prop-
erly fastened. Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer death or seri-
ous bodily injury, in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an
accident.
Load and distribution
Do not overload your vehicle.
Do not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control
which may cause death or serious injury.
1774-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
“LOCK”
The steering wheel is locked and
the key can be removed. (The key
can be removed only when the
shift lever is in P.)
“ACC”
Some electrical components such
as the audio system can be used.
“ON”
All electrical components can be
used.
“START”
For starting the hybrid system.
If the hybrid system is stopped with the shift lever in a position other
than P, the power switch will not be turned off but instead be turned to
“ACC”. Perform the following procedure to turn the hybrid system off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P. (P. 188)
Turn the power switch to the “LOCK” position to stop the hybrid sys-
tem.
Changing power switch positions
1
2
3
4
When stopping the hybrid system with the shift lever in a posi-
tion other than P
1
2
3
1784-2. Driving procedures
Turning the key from “ACC” to “LOCK”
Shift the shift lever to P. (P. 188)
Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
P. 7 6
When the ambient temperature is low, such as during winter driving con-
ditions
When starting the hybrid system, the flashing time of the “READY” indicator
may be long. Leave the vehicle as it is until the “READY” indicator is steady
on, as steady means the vehicle is able to move.
If the hybrid system does not start
The immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (P. 82)
Contact any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified
and equipped professional.
When the steering lock cannot be released
If the “READY” indicator does not come on
In the event that the “READY” indicator does not come on even after perform-
ing the proper procedures for starting the vehicle, contact any authorized Toy-
ota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional
immediately.Push in the key and turn it to the
“LOCK” position.
When starting the hybrid system, the
power switch may seem stuck in the
“LOCK” position. To free it, turn the key
while turning the steering wheel slightly
left and right.
1
2
1834-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
If the hybrid system does not start
The immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (P. 82)
Contact any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified
and equipped professional.
Steering lock
After turning the power switch off and opening and closing the doors, the
steering wheel will be locked due to the steering lock function. Operating the
power switch again automatically cancels the steering lock.
When the steering lock cannot be released
Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from overheating, the motor may be sus-
pended if the hybrid system is turned on and off repeatedly in a short period
of time. In this case, refrain from operating the hybrid system. After about 10
seconds, the steering lock motor will resume functioning.
If the “READY” indicator does not come on
If the event that the “READY” indicator does not come on even after perform-
ing the proper procedures for starting the vehicle, contact any authorized Toy-
ota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional
immediately.
If the hybrid system is malfunctioning
P. 370 Check that the shift lever is securely set
in P. The hybrid system may not start if
the shift lever is displaced out of P. The
smart entry & start system indicator light
(green) will flash quickly.
The smart entry & start system indicator
light (green) will flash quickly.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Press the power switch while turning the
steering wheel left and right.
1844-2. Driving procedures
If the electronic key battery is depleted
P. 335
Operation of the power switch
When operating the power switch, one short, firm press is enough. If the
switch is pressed improperly, the hybrid system may not start or the power
switch mode may not change. It is not necessary to press and hold the
switch.
If attempting to restart the hybrid system immediately after turning the power
switch off, the hybrid system may not start in some cases. After turning the
power switch off, please wait a few seconds before restarting the hybrid sys-
tem.
If the smart entry & start system has been deactivated in a customized
setting
P. 413
WARNING
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
circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
Caution while driving
If a hybrid system failure occurs while the vehicle is moving, do not lock or
open the doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activa-
tion of the steering lock in this circumstance may lead to an accident, result-
ing 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
vehicle, press and hold the power switch for more than 3 seconds, or press
it briefly 3 times or more in succession. (P. 361)
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, 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.
213
4
4-5. Using the driving support
Driving
Driving assist systems
ECB (Electronically Controlled Brake System)
The electronically controlled system generates braking force corre-
sponding to the brake operation
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
TRC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from
spinning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
Hill-start assist control
Prevents the vehicle from rolling backward when starting on an
incline or slippery slope
EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to
turn the steering wheel
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following
systems operate automatically in response to various driving
situations. Be aware, however, that these systems are supple-
mentary and should not be relied upon too heavily when operat-
ing the vehicle.
2154-5. Using the driving support
4
Driving
Turning off both TRC and VSC systems
To turn the TRC and VSC systems off, press and hold the VSC OFF switch
for more than 3 seconds while the vehicle is stopped.
The “TRC OFF” indicator and the VSC OFF indicator will come on.
Press the switch again to turn the systems back on.
Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, TRC, VSC and
hill-start assist control systems
Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are oper-
ating. 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.
ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in the following cases, but it does not
indicate that a malfunction has occurred.
Operating sound heard from the engine compartment when the brake pedal
is operated.
Motor sound of the brake system heard from the front part of the vehicle
when the driver’s door is opened.
Operating sound heard from the engine compartment when one or two min-
utes passed after the stop of the hybrid system.
EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
Automatic reactivation of TRC and VSC systems
After turning the TRC and VSC systems off, the systems will be automatically
reactivated in the following situations:
When the power switch is turned off
If only the TRC system is turned off, the TRC will turn on when vehicle
speed increases
If both the TRC and VSC systems are turned off, automatic reactivation will
not occur when vehicle speed increases.