Page 58 of 644

58
1-1. Hybrid system
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_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. 207)
■ Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Eco-friendly driving is possible by keeping the Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( P. 227)
■ 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 103 of 644
103
1
1-4. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
Before driving
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_DVD_(U)
Rear seats
Before folding down the seatbacksPark the vehicle in a safe place.
Apply the parking brake firmly and shift the shift position to P.
(P. 208)
Adjust the position of the front seat and the angle of the seat-
back. (
P. 100)
Depending on the position of the front seat, if the seatback is folded
backward, it may interfere with the operation of the rear seat.
Stow the buckle of the seat belts.
Lower the head restraint of the rear seat. (
P. 106)
Vehicles with an armrest: Stow the armrest of the rear seat if it
is pulled out. ( P. 377)
This step is not necessary when operating the driver’s side seat only.
The seatbacks can be folded down.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
Page 105 of 644

105
1-4. Adjustable components (s
eats, mirrors, steering wheel)
1
Before driving
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_DVD_(U)
CAUTION
■When folding the seatbacks down
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
●Do not fold the seatbacks down while driving.
● Stop the vehicle on level ground, set the parking brake and shift the shift
position to P.
● Do not allow anyone to sit on a folded seatback or in the luggage compart-
ment while driving.
● Do not allow children to enter the luggage compartment.
■ After returning the seatback to the upright position
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
●Check that the seat belts are not twisted or caught in the seatback.
●Make sure that the seatback is securely
locked in position by lightly pushing it
back and forth.
If the seatbacks is not securely locked,
the red marking will be visible on the
seatback lock release button. Make
sure that the red marking is not visible.
Page 181 of 644

When driving2
181
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_DVD_(U)
2-1. Driving proceduresDriving the vehicle............ 182
Power (ignition) switch ............................. 195
EV drive mode ................. 202
Hybrid transmission ......... 205
Turn signal lever .............. 214
Parking brake ................... 215
Horn ................................. 216
2-2. Instrument cluster Gauges and meters ......... 217
Indicators and warning lights .............................. 222
Multi-information display............................ 226
Head-up display ............... 246 2-3. Operating the lights and
windshield wipers
Headlight switch ............... 253
Fog light switch ................ 259
Windshield wipers and washer ........................... 261
Rear window wiper and washer ........................... 265
Headlight cleaner switch ............................. 268
2-4. Using other driving systems Cruise control ................... 269
Dynamic radar cruise control ............................ 273
LKA (Lane-Keeping Assist) ............................ 290
Driving assist systems ..... 301
Hill-start assist control ...... 306
PCS (Pre-Collision System).......................... 308
2-5. Driving information Cargo and luggage .......... 317
Vehicle load limits ............ 322
Winter driving tips ............ 323
Trailer towing ................... 328
Dinghy towing .................. 329
Page 182 of 644

182
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_DVD_(U)
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driv-
ing:
■ Starting the hybrid system
P. 195
■ Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift position to D.
( P. 205)
Check that the shift position indicator shows D. ( P. 217)
Release the parking brake. (P. 215)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■ Stopping
With the shift position in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle will be stopped for an extended period of time,
shift the shift position to P. ( P. 208)
■Parking the vehicle
Stop the vehicle completely.
Set the parking brake. ( P. 215)
Shift the shift position to P. ( P. 208)
Check that the shift position indicator shows P. ( P. 217)
Press the “POWER” switch to stop the hybrid system.
Slowly release the brake pedal.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key
on your person.
When parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6
Page 183 of 644

183
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_DVD_(U)
2
When driving
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. 306)
■ 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 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• 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
Page 185 of 644

185
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_DVD_(U)
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the hybrid sys-
tem operating. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■ When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident
that could result in death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi- culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and acceler-
ator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
● Because there is no engine noise when the vehicle is being driven using
the electric motor, pedestrians in the vicinity may not notice the vehicle.
Even though the vehicle is equipped with the vehicle proximity notification
system, drive with care as pedestrians in the vicinity may still not notice
the vehicle if the surrounding area is noisy.
● Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
● Do not let the vehicle roll backward while a forward driving position is\
selected, or roll forward while the shift position is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
Page 186 of 644

186 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS_OM_OM47A17U_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. 569
● 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. 205)