2015 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID Owners Manual

225
1-9. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
CAUTION
■
Do not use a seat belt extender
If a seat belt extender is used when installing a child restraint system, the
seat belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause
death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the event of sud-
den braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
■ To correctly attach a child r estraint system to the anchors
When using the LATCH anchors, be sure that there are no foreign objects
around the anchors and that the seat belt is not caught behind the child
restraint system. Make sure the child restraint system is securely attached,
or it may cause death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the
event of a sudden braking, sudden swerve or accident.

226 1-9. Safety information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)

When driving2
227
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
2-1. Driving proceduresDriving the vehicle............ 228
Power (ignition) switch ..... 242
Hybrid transmission ......... 249
Turn signal lever .............. 259
Parking brake ................... 260
Horn ................................. 261
2-2. Instrument cluster Gauges and meters ......... 262
Indicators and warning lights .............................. 267
Multi-information display............................ 271
Head-up display ............... 290 2-3. Operating the lights and
windshield wipers
Headlight switch ............... 297
Fog light switch ................ 303
Windshield wipers and washer ........................... 305
Rear window wiper and washer ........................... 309
Headlight cleaner switch ............................. 312
2-4. Using other driving systems
Cruise control ................... 313
Dynamic radar cruise control ............................ 317
Driving assist systems ..... 333
Hill-start assist control ...... 338
PCS (Pre-Collision System).......................... 340
2-5. Driving information Cargo and luggage .......... 349
Vehicle load limits ............ 354
Winter driving tips ............ 355
Trailer towing ................... 360
Dinghy towing .................. 361

228
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driv-
ing:
■ Before starting the hybrid system
Check that the charging cable is disconnected. (P. 96)
■ Starting the hybrid system
P. 242
■ Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift position to D.
( P. 249)
Check that the shift position indicator shows D. ( P. 262)
Release the parking brake. (P. 260)
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. 252)
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 1
STEP 2

229
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
2
When driving
■
Parking the vehicle
Stop the vehicle completely.
Set the parking brake. ( P. 260)
Shift the shift position to P. ( P. 252)
Check that the shift position indicator shows P. ( P. 262)
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 4
STEP 5
STEP 6

230 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
Starting off on a uphillFirmly 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. 338)
■ 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

231
2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
2
When driving
■
Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( P. 621)
■ For efficient use
●Shift the shift position to D when driving.
In the N position, the gasoline engine operates but electricity cannot be
generated. The hybrid battery (traction battery) will discharge, requiring
unnecessary engine power to charge.
● Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effective use of the electric motor (traction
motor) without having to use gasoline engine power.
● Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes hybrid battery (traction battery) power,
resulting in poor acceleration. Battery power can be restored by driving
with the accelerator pedal slightly released.
● Shift the shift position to P when parking.
In the N position, the hybrid battery (traction battery) does not charge.
Leaving the shift position in the N position for an extended period of time
may discharge the hybrid battery (traction battery). The vehicle cannot
run if the hybrid battery (traction battery) is discharged.

232 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
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.