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Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available in an emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency
towing eyelet. This should only be attempted on hard surfaced roads
for short distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in
good condition.
Emergency towing procedure
Ta k e o u t t h e t o w i n g e y e l e t . ( oP. 5 7 4 )
Remove the eyelet cover using a
flathead screwdriver.
To p r o t e c t t h e b o d y w o r k , p l a c e a
rag between the screwdriver and
the vehicle body as shown in the
illustration.
Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by
hand.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
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Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut
wrench or hard metal bar.
Securely attach a cable or chain to the towing eyelet.
Ta k e c a r e n o t t o d a m a g e t h e v e h i c l e b o d y.
Enter the vehicle being towed and start the hybrid system.
If the hybrid system does not start, turn the “POWER” switch to ON
mode.
Shift the shift position to N and release the parking brake.
STEP 4
■While towing
If the hybrid system is off, the power assist for the brakes and steering will
not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench
Wheel nut wrench is installed under the left front seat. ( oP. 4 5 4 )
STEP 5
STEP 6
STEP7
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5-1. Essential information
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If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
■Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●High engine coolant temperature warning light flashes or
comes on
■Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
●Excessive tire squeal when cornering
●St rang e noises re la te d to the suspension system
●Pinging or other noises related to the hybrid system
■Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
●Appreciable loss of power
●Ve h i c l e p u l l s h e a v i l y t o o n e s i d e w h e n b r a k i n g
●Ve h i c l e p u l l s h e a v i l y t o o n e s i d e w h e n d r i v i n g o n a l e v e l r o a d
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a war ning light tur ns on or a war ning buzzer sounds
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle
may be dangerous.
The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
To y o t a d e a l e r .
*:Parking brake engaged warning buzzer:
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven at a speed of approximately 3 mph
(5 km/h) or more.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning light and warning buzzer (red
indicator)*
•Low brake fluid
•Malfunction in the brake system
This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is
fully released, the system is operating normally.
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights
comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but then goes
off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the system.
However, if this continues to occur, have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer.
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Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Failure to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
•The hybrid system;
•The electronic engine control system; or
•The electronic throttle control system
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
•The SRS airbag system;
•The front passenger occupant classification system; or
•The seat belt pretensioner system
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
•The ABS; or
•The brake assist system
Electric power steering system warning light (warn-
ing buzzer)
Indicates a malfunction in the EPS system
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Warning lightWarning light/Details
(Flashes)
(If equipped)
Pre-collision system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the pre-collision system
The warning light will operate as follows, even when the
system is not malfunctioning:
•The light will flash quickly when the system is operating.
( oP. 3 4 0 )
•The light will turn on when the pre-collision braking is
disabled. ( oP. 3 4 1 )
•The light will turn on when the system cannot tempo-
rarily be used. ( oP. 5 5 6 )
(Turns on)
Slip indicator light
Indicates a malfunction in:
•VSC;
•TRAC; or
• Hill-start assist control
Flashes when the above systems and/or ABS are oper-
ating. ( oP. 3 3 4 )
Brake system warning light (yellow indicator)
Indicates a malfunction in:
•The regenerative braking system; or
•The electronically controlled brake system
(Flashes)
(If equipped)
Automatic headlight leveling system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the automatic headlight level-
ing system
(Flashes)
(If equipped)
Cruise control indicator
Indicates a malfunction in the cruise control/dynamic
radar cruise control
(Flashes)
(If equipped)
Radar cruise control indicator
Indicates a malfunction in the dynamic radar cruise con-
trol
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
■If the tire pressure warning light frequently comes on after blinking
for 1 minute
If the tire pressure warning light frequently comes on after blinking for 1
minute when the “POWER” switch is turned to ON mode, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
■Customization
The vehicle speed linked seat belt reminder buzzer can be disabled.
(Customizable features oP. 6 4 7 ) H o w e v e r , To y o t a r e c o m m e n d s t h a t t h e
seat belt reminder buzzer be operational to alert the driver and front passen-
ger when seat belts are not fastened.
CAUTION
■If both the ABS and the brake system warning lights remain on
Stop your vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact your Toyota
dealer. The vehicle will become extremely unstable during braking, and the
ABS system may fail, which could cause an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
■When the electric power steering system warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes heavier than usual when operating, hold
firmly and operate using more force than usual.
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CAUTION
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause a loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If a tire is flat, repair the flat tire by using emergency tire puncture
repair kit.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate,
you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning system may not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label (tire and load information label). (If your vehicle has tires of a differ-
ent size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label [tire and load information label], you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)