10
TIPS FOR IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY
STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
NOTE: Fuel consumption and energy information of the Hybrid System are s\
hown
on the Entune™ Audio system screen or the navigation system.
The Hybrid Synergy Drive System utilizes a computer-controlled gasoline \
engine
and electric motor to provide the most efficient combination of power fo\
r the vehicle.
To conserve energy, when the brakes are applied the braking force genera\
tes
electricity which is then sent to the traction battery. In addition, the\
engine shuts off
when the vehicle is stopped. The benefits are better fuel economy, reduc\
ed vehicle
emissions and improved performance.
- Ensure tire pressures are maintained at levels specified in the Owner’\
s Manual.
- When possible, link trips to reduce engine cold starts.
- Avoid driving at speeds that are higher than necessary, especially on \
the highway.
- When possible, avoid sudden stops to maximize regenerative braking ene\
rgy.
- Minimize use of the air conditioning.
FEATURES/OPERATIONSHybrid Synergy Drive System
Auto lock/unlock
Automatic door locks can be programmed to operate in two different modes\
, or
turned OFF.
- Doors lock when shifting from Park.
- Doors lock when the vehicle speed is approximately 12 mph or higher.
- Doors unlock when shifting into Park.
- Doors unlock when the driver’s door is opened within 10 seconds aft\
er turning the “POWER” switch OFF.
Refer to the Owner’s Manual for more details.
(1) Depress the brake pedal and
press the “POWER” switch briefly
and firmly.
(2) The “READY” light will blink.
After a few seconds, when the
light remains steady and a beep
sounds, you may begin driving.
26
SAFETY AND EMERGENCY FEATURESStar Safety System
™
ENHANCED VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VSC)
Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control provides cooperative control of the A\
BS, TRAC,
VSC and EPS.
Enhanced VSC helps to maintain directional stability when loss of tracti\
on occurs
during a turn.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS)
ABS helps prevent brakes from locking up by “pulsing” brake pressu\
re to each
wheel. This limits brake lockup and helps provide directional control fo\
r the current
road conditions.
Toyota’s ABS sensors detect which wheels are locking up and limits wh\
eel lockup
by “pulsing” each wheel’s brakes independently. Pulsing release\
s brake pressure
repeatedly for fractions of a second. This helps the tires attain the tr\
action that
current road conditions will allow, helping you to stay in directional c\
ontrol.
BRAKE ASSIST (BA)
Brake Assist is designed to detect sudden or “panic” braking, and \
then add braking
pressure to help decrease the vehicle’s stopping distance. When there\
’s only a split
second to react, Brake Assist can add additional brake pressure more qui\
ckly than
just the driver alone can.
TRACTION CONTROL (TRAC)
VSC helps prevent loss of traction during cornering by reducing Hybrid S\
ystem
output, and Traction Control helps maintain traction on loose gravel and\
wet, icy, or
uneven surfaces by applying brake force to the spinning wheel(s).
Toyota’s TRAC sensors are activated when one of the drive wheels star\
ts to slip.
TRAC limits Hybrid System output and applies the brakes to the spinning \
wheel.
This transfers power to the wheels that still have traction to help keep\
you on track.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION (EBD)
Toyota’s ABS technology has Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD\
) to help
maintain control and balance when braking. Abrupt stops can cause a vehi\
cle to tilt
forward, reducing the braking power of the rear wheels. EBD responds to \
sudden
stops by redistributing brake force to enhance the braking effectiveness\
of all four
wheels. All new Toyota vehicles come standard with the Star Safety SystemTM, whi\
ch
combines Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), A\
nti-lock Braking
System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assis\
t (BA) and Smart
Stop Technology (SST).
Refer to the Owner’s Manual for more details and important information on limitations
to these systems.