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1-5. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
Pre-collision seat belts (front seats of vehicles with pre-collision
system)
If the system determines that a collision is unavoidable, the front seat
belts will retract before the collision. ( oP.   3 4 0 )
■Emergency locking retractor (ELR)
The retractor will lock the belt during a sudden stop or on impact. It may also
lock if you lean forward too quickly. A slow, easy motion will allow the belt to
extend so that you can move around fully.
■Automatic locking retractor (ALR)
When  a  passenger’s  shoulder  belt  is  completely  extended  and  then
retracted  even  slightly,  the  belt  is  locked  in  that  position  and  cannot  be
extended. This feature is used to hold the child restraint system (CRS) firmly.
To   f r e e   t h e   b e l t   a g a i n ,   f u l l y   r e t r a c t   t h e   b e l t   a n d   t h e n   p u l l   t h e   b e l t   o u t   o n c e
more. ( oP.   2 1 3 ) 
     
        
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163
1-5. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
■Child seat belt usage
The seat belts of your vehicle were principally designed for persons of adult
size. 
●Use  a  child  restraint  system  appropriate  for  the  child,  until  the  child
becomes large enough to properly wear the vehicle’s seat belt. ( oP.   2 0 8 )
●When  the  child  becomes  large  enough  to  properly  wear  the  vehicle’s
seat belt, follow the instructions on P. 160 regarding seat belt usage.
■Replacing the belt after the pretensioner has been activated
If  the  vehicle  is  involved  in  multiple  collisions,  the  pretensioner  will  activate
for the first collision, but will not activate for the second or subsequent colli-
sions.
■Seat belt extender
If  your  seat  belts  cannot  be  fastened
securely  because  they  are  not  long
enough,  a  personalized  seat  belt
extender  is  available  from  your  Toyota
dealer free of charge. 
     
        
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164
1-5. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
CAUTION
Observe  the  following  precautions  to  reduce  the  risk  of  injury  in  the  event  of
sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
Failing to do so may cause death or serious injury.
■Wearing a seat belt
●Ensure that all passengers wear a seat belt.
●Always wear a seat belt properly.
●Each seat belt should be used by one person only. Do not use a seat belt
for more than one person at once, including children.
●To y o t a   r e c o m m e n d s   t h a t   c h i l d r e n   b e   s e a t e d   i n   t h e   r e a r   s e a t   a n d   a l w a y s
use a seat belt and/or an appropriate child restraint system.
●To   a c h i e v e   a   p r o p e r   s e a t i n g   p o s i t i o n ,   d o   n o t   r e c l i n e   t h e   s e a t   m o r e   t h a n
necessary.  The  seat  belt  is  most  effective  when  the  occupants  are  sitting
up straight and well back in the seats.
●Do not wear the shoulder belt under your arm.
●Always wear your seat belt low and snug across your hips.
●When  using  the  rear  outside  seat  belts,  make  sure  that  the  belt  pass
through the guide. 
     
        
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168
1-5. Adjustable components (seats, mirrors, steering wheel)
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
CAUTION
■Using a seat belt extender
●Do  not  wear  the  seat  belt  extender  if  you  can  fasten  the  seat  belt  without
the extender.
●Do  not  use  the  seat  belt  extender  when  installing  a  child  restraint  system
because the belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, increas-
ing the risk of death or serious injury in the event of an accident.
●The  personalized  extender  may  not  be  safe  on  another  vehicle,  when
used  by  another  person,  or  at  a  different  seating  position  other  than  the
one originally intended.
NOTICE
■When using a seat belt extender
When  releasing  the  seat  belt,  press  on  the  buckle  release  button  on  the
extender, not on the seat belt.
This helps prevent damage to the vehicle interior and the extender itself. 
     
        
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197
1-9. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with considerable force, and
can cause  death  or  serious injury especially if  the front passenger  is very
close to the airbag. The front passenger seat should be as far from the air-
bag  as  possible  with  the  seatback  adjusted,  so  the  front  passenger  sits
upright.
●Improperly  seated  and/or  restrained infants  and  children  can  be  killed  or
seriously injured by a deploying airbag. An infant or child who is too small
to  use  a  seat  belt  should  be  properly  secured  using  a  child  restraint  sys-
tem. Toyota strongly recommends that all infants and children be placed in
the  rear  seats  of  the  vehicle  and  properly  restrained.  The  rear  seats  are
safer for infants and children than the front passenger seat. ( oP.   2 0 8 )
●If  the  seat  belt  extender  has  been  con-
nected to the front seat belt buckles but
the  seat  belt  extender  has  not  also
been  fastened  to  the  latch  plate  of  the
seat  belt,  the  SRS  front  airbags  will
judge  that  the  driver  and  front  passen-
ger  are  wearing  the  seat  belt  even
though  the  seat  belt  has  not  been  con-
nected.  In  this  case,  the  SRS  front  air-
bags  may  not  activate  correctly  in  a
collision,  resulting  in  death  or  serious
injury in the event of a collision. Be sure
to  wear  the  seat  belt  with  the  seat  belt
extender. 
     
        
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203
1-9. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
Condition  and  operation  in  the  front  passenger  occupant
classification system
■Adult*1
■Child*4 or child restraint system*5
Indicator/
warning light
“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” 
indicator lights
“AIR BAG 
ON”
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light
Off*2
or 
flashing*3
Devices
Front passenger airbag
Activated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag in the front passen-
ger side
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
Indicator/
warning light
“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” 
indicator lights
“AIR BAG 
OFF”*6
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light
Off*2
or 
flashing*3
Devices
Front passenger airbag Deactivated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
ActivatedCurtain shield airbag in the front passen-
ger side
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner 
     
        
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1-9. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
*1:The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a
smaller adult sits in the front passenger seat, the system may rec-
ognize him/her as a child depending on his/her physique and pos-
ture.
*2:In the event the front passenger is wearing a seat belt.
*3:In the event the front passenger does not wear a seat belt.
*4:When a larger child who has outgrown a child restraint system
sits  in  the  front  passenger  seat,  the  system  may  recognize  him/
her as an adult depending on his/her physique or posture.
*5:Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on the front pas-
senger  seat.  A  forward-facing  child  restraint  system  should  only
be installed on the front passenger seat when it is unavoidable. 
( oP.   2 0 8 )
*6:In case the indicator light is not illuminated, consult this manual
on how to install the child restraint system properly. ( oP.   2 1 3 )
*7:In the event of a side collision.
*8:In the event of a frontal collision. 
     
        
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1-9. Safety information
1
Before driving
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47A11U_(U)
CAUTION
■Front passenger occupant classification 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  SRS  airbags  for  the  front  passenger  will  not  acti-
vate  in  the  event  of  a  severe  accident.  If  the  seatback  touches  the  rear
seat,  return  the  seatback  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. ( oP.   2 1 3 )
●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
front  passenger  occupant  classification  system.  In  this  case,  contact  your
To y o t a   d e a l e r   i m m e d i a t e l y.
●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.