
483
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
8-1. Essential information
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an
emergency
Steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet and firmly depress it.
Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort
required to slow the vehicle.
Shift the shift position to N.
If the shift position is shifted to N
After slowing down, stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Stop the hybrid system.
If the shift position cannot be shifted to N
Keep depressing the brake pedal with both feet to reduce vehicle
speed as much as possible.
To stop the hybrid system,
press and hold the power
switch for 2 consecutive sec-
onds or more, or press it briefly
3 times or more in succession.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Only in an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop
the vehicle in the normal way, stop the vehicle using the follow-
ing procedure:
1
2
3
4
3
Press and hold for 2 seconds or more,
or press briefly for 3 times or more
4
WARNING
■If the hybrid system has to be turned off while driving
Power assist for the steering wheel will be lost, making the steering wheel
heavier to turn. Decelerate as much as possible before turning off the hybrid
system.
5

4878-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
Securely attach cables or chains to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
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.
■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 in luggage compartment. (P. 522)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
■While towing
●When towing using cables or chains, avoid sudden starts, etc. which place
excessive stress on the towing eyelet, cables or chains. The towing eyelet,
cables or chains may become damaged, broken debris may hit people and
cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the power switch off.
This may lead to an accident as the front wheels will be locked by the
parking lock.
■Installing towing eyelet to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelet is installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelet may come loose during towing.
5
6
7
Be sure to transport the vehicle with the
front wheels raised or with all four wheels
raised off the ground. If the vehicle is
towed with the front wheels contacting
the ground, the drivetrain and related
parts may be damaged or electricity gen-
erated by the operation of the motor may
cause a fire to occur depending on the
nature of the damage or malfunction.

489
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you think something is wrong
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●High coolant temperature warning light flashes or comes on
●Changes in exhaust sound
●Excessive tire squeal when cornering
●Strange noises related to the suspension system
●Pinging or other noises related to the hybrid system
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
●Appreciable loss of power
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle proba-
bly needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms

490
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on or a warning
buzzer sounds
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.
Warning light and warning buzzer list
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning light and warning buzzer (red
indicator)
*1
Indicates that:
• The brake fluid level is low; or
• The brake system is malfunctioning
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer. Continuing to drive the vehi-
cle may be dangerous.
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.
Brake system warning light (yellow indicator)
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The regenerative brake system; or
• The electronically controlled brake system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
Charging system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
(If equipped)
Low engine oil pressure warning light
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
(If equipped)
Hybrid system warning light (warning buzzer)
Indicates a malfunction in the hybrid system
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.

4918-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
(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
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS; or
• The brake assist system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
Electric power steering system warning light (warning
buzzer)
Indicates a malfunction in the EPS system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
(Flashes)
(If equipped)
PCS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the pre-collision system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
The warning light will operate as follows, even when the
system is not malfunctioning:
• The light will come on when the TRAC and VSC are
turned off. (P. 249)
• The light will come on when the pre-collision system is
turned off. (P. 254)
• The light will flash when the system cannot temporarily
be used.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions

4928-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
Slip indicator light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The VSC system;
• The TRAC system; or
• The hill-start assist control system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
The light will flash when the above systems and/or ABS
are operating.
(If equipped)
Parking lock system warning light (warning buzzer)
Indicates a malfunction in the shift control system
• In this situation, there is a possibility that the parking
lock mechanism will not work. When parking, park the
vehicle on a flat surface and apply the parking brake
securely.
• The power switch may not be turned off. If this happens,
applying the parking brake will enable the switch to be
turned off.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
(If equipped)
Parking lock system warning message (warning buzzer)
Indicates a malfunction in the shift control system when
the vehicle is stopped
• In this situation, there is a possibility that the parking
lock mechanism will not work. When parking, park the
vehicle on a flat surface and apply the parking brake
securely.
• The power switch may not be turned off. If this happens,
applying the parking brake will enable the switch to be
turned off.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
(If equipped)
LED headlight warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the LED headlights
The LED headlights will not normally illuminate when
there is a malfunction, however they may be able to illu-
minate depending on the nature of the problem.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions

4958-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
*1: Brake system warning buzzer:
When there is a possible problem that could affect braking performance,
the warning light will come on and a warning buzzer will sound.
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.
*2: Open door warning buzzer:
The open door warning buzzer sounds to alert one or more of the doors is
not fully closed (with the vehicle having reached a speed of 3 mph [5 km/h]).
*3: Seat belt buzzer:
The seat belt warning buzzer sounds to alert the driver and/or front pas-
senger that their seat belts are not fastened. If the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened, the buzzer will sound for 6 seconds once the power switch is
turned to ON mode. If the vehicle reaches a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h),
the buzzer will sound once. If the seat belt is still unfastened after 30 sec-
onds, the buzzer will sound intermittently for 10 seconds. Then, if the seat
belt is still unfastened, the buzzer will sound in a different tone for 20 more
seconds.
Tire pressure warning light
When the light comes on:
Low tire inflation pressure such as
• Natural causes (P. 497)
• Flat tire (P. 521)
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified
level.
The light will turn off after a few minutes. In case
the light does not turn off even if the tire inflation
pressure is adjusted, have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer.
When the light comes on after blinking for 1 minute:
Malfunction in the tire pressure warning system
(P. 497)
Have the system checked by your Toyota dealer.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions

4988-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47B12U_(U)
WARNING
■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.
■
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, change it with the spare tire and have the flat tire
repaired by the nearest Toyota dealer.
●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.