Page 44 of 596
441-1. For safe use
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● Do not allow a child to stand in front of
the SRS front passenger airbag unit or
sit on the knees of a front passenger.
● Do not allow the front seat occupants to
hold items on their knees.
● Do not lean against the door, the roof
side rail or the front, side and rear pil-
lars.
● Do not allow anyone to kneel on the
passenger seat toward the door or put
their head or hands outside the vehicle.
● Do not attach anything to or lean any-
thing against areas such as the dash-
board, steering wheel pad and lower
portion of the instrument panel.
These items can become projectiles
when the SRS driver, front passenger
and driver knee airbags deploy.
Page 45 of 596

451-1. For safe use
1
For safety and security
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● Do not hang coat hangers or other hard objects on the coat hooks. All of
these items could become projectiles and may cause death or serious
injury, should the SRS curtain shield airbags deploy.
● If a vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS driver knee airbag will
deploy, be sure to remove it.
● Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side
airbags and SRS seat cushion airbags inflate as they may interfere with
inflation of the SRS airbags. Such accessories may prevent the side air-
bags and seat cushion airbags from activating correctly, disable the sys-
tem or cause the side airbags and seat cushion airbags to inflate
accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
● Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS air-
bag components.
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
● Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS air-
bags have deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
●Do not attach anything to areas such as
a door, windshield glass, side door
glass, front or rear pillar, roof side rail
and assist grip.
● Vehicles without a smart key system:
Do not attach any heavy, sharp or hard
objects such as keys and accessories
to the key. The objects may restrict the
SRS driver knee airbag inflation or be
thrust into the driver’s seat area by the
force of the deploying airbag, thus caus-
ing a danger.
Page 46 of 596

461-1. For safe use
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have deployed, open a
door or window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do
so. Wash off any residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation.
● If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel
pad and front and rear pillar garnishes, are damaged or cracked, have
them replaced by your Toyota dealer.
● Do not place anything, such as a cushion, on the front passenger’s seat.
Doing so will disperse the passenger’s weight, which prevents the sensor
from detecting the passenger’s weight properly. As a result, the SRS front
airbags for the front passenger may not deploy in the event of a collisi\
on.
■ Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or per form any of the following modifications
without consulting your Toyota dealer. The SRS airbags may malfunction or
deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
● Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags.
● Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear
pillars or roof side rails.
● Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the
occupant compartment.
● Installation of a grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow plows or
winches.
● Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system.
● Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios and CD
players.
● Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability.
Page 50 of 596
501-1. For safe use
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)■
When to contact your Toyota dealer
In the following cases, the vehicle will require inspection and/or repair. Con-
tact your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
●Any of the SRS airbags have been inflated.
● The front of the vehicle is damaged or
deformed, or was involved in an acci-
dent that was not severe enough to
cause the SRS front airbags to inflate.
● A portion of a door or its surrounding
area is damaged or deformed, or the
vehicle was involved in an accident that
was not severe enough to cause the
SRS side and curtain shield airbags to
inflate.
● The pad section of the steering wheel,
dashboard near the front passenger air-
bag or lower portion of the instrument
panel is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.
● The seat cushion surface is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.
● The surface of the seats with the side
airbag is scratched, cracked or other-
wise damaged.
Page 58 of 596

581-1. For safe use
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
●It is recommended that children sit in the rear seats to avoid acci-
dental contact with the shift lever, wiper switch etc.
● Use the rear door child-protector lock or the window lock switch to
avoid children opening the door while driving or operating the
power window accidentally.
● Do not let small children operate equipment which may catch or
pinch body parts, such as the power window, hood, back door,
seats etc.
Safety information for children
Observe the following precautions when children are in the vehi-
cle.
Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child, until the
child becomes large enough to pr operly wear the vehicle’s seat
belt.
WARNING
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle, and never allow children to
have or use the key.
Children may be able to start the vehicle or shift the vehicle into neut\
ral.
There is also a danger that children may injure themselves by playing with
the windows or other features of the vehicle. In addition, heat build-up or
extremely cold temperatures inside the vehicle can be fatal to children.\
Page 62 of 596

621-1. For safe use
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
WARNING
■Child restraint precautions
● Do not allow the child to lean his/her head or any part of his/her body
against the door or the area of the seat, front and rear pillars or roof side
rails from which the SRS side airbags or SRS curtain shield airbags deploy
even if the child is seated in the child restraint system. It is dangerous if
the SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags inflate, and the impact
could cause death or serious injury to the child.
● Make sure you have complied with all installation instructions provided by
the child restraint manufacturer and that the system is properly secured. If
it is not secured properly, it may cause death or serious injury to the child
in the event of a sudden stop or an accident.
■ When children are in the vehicle
Do not allow children to play with the seat belt. If the seat belt becomes
twisted around a child’s neck, it may lead to choking or other serious injuries
that could result in death.
If this occurs and the buckle cannot be unfastened, scissors should be used
to cut the belt.
■ When the child restraint system is not in use
● Keep the child restraint system properly secured on the seat even if it is
not in use. Do not store the child restraint system unsecured in the pas-
senger compartment.
● If it is necessary to detach the child restraint system, remove it from the
vehicle or store it securely in the luggage compartment. This will prevent it
from injuring passengers in the event of sudden stop, sudden swerve or an
accident.
Page 72 of 596

721-1. For safe use
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
Exhaust gas precautions
Harmful substance to the human body is included in exhaust
gases if inhaled.
WARNING
Exhaust gases include harmful carbon monoxide (CO), which is colorless and
odorless. Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause exhaust gases enter the vehicle and may lead to
an accident caused by light-headedness, or may lead to death or a serious
health hazard.
■Important points while driving
● Keep the back door closed.
● If you smell exhaust gases in the vehicle even when the back door is
closed, open the windows and have the vehicle inspected at your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible.
■ When parking
● If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area or a closed area, such as a
garage, stop the hybrid system.
● Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and ensure that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
● Do not leave the hybrid system operating in an area with snow build-up, or
where it is snowing. If snowbanks build up around the vehicle while the
hybrid system is operating, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehi\
-
cle.
■ Exhaust pipe
The exhaust system needs to be checked periodically. If there is a hole or
crack caused by corrosion, damage to a joint or abnormal exhaust noise, be
sure to have the vehicle inspected and repaired by your Toyota dealer.
Page 77 of 596

771-2. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)■
Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sound or vibration even though the vehicle is able to
move with the “READY” indicator is illuminated. For safety, apply the parking
brake and make sure to shift the shift lever to P when parked.
The following sounds or vibrations may occur when the hybrid system is
operating and are not a malfunction:
●Motor sounds may be heard from the engine compartment.
● Sounds may be heard from the hybrid battery (traction battery) under t\
he
rear seats when the hybrid system starts or stops.
● Relay operating sounds such as a snap or soft clank will be emitted from the
hybrid battery (traction battery), under the rear seats, when the hybrid sys-
tem is started or stopped.
● Sounds from the hybrid system may be heard when the back door is open.
● Sounds may be heard from the transmission when the gasoline engine
starts or stops, when driving at low speeds, or during idling.
● Engine sounds may be heard when accelerating sharply.
● Sounds may be heard due to regenerative braking when the brake pedal is
depressed or as the accelerator pedal is released.
● Vibration may be felt when the gasoline engine starts or stops.
● Cooling fan sounds may be heard from the air intake vent on the side of the
lower part of the rear left seat.
■ Vehicle Proximity Notification System
In the following cases, the Vehicle Proximity Notification System sound may
be difficult for pedestrians, people ridi ng bicycles or other people and vehicles
in the surrounding area to hear:
● When there is a lot of noise in the vicinity
● When it is raining or during strong winds
● When in the area surrounding the rear of the vehicle, rather than in front of
the vehicle
■ Maintenance, repair, recycling, and disposal
Contact your Toyota dealer regarding maintenance, repair, recycling and dis-
posal. Do not dispose of the vehicle yourself.
■ Customization that can be co nfigured at Toyota dealer
Settings (e. g. the volume of Vehicle Proximity Notification System sound)
can be changed. (Customizable features: →P. 556)