169
4Driving
PRIUS c_U4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ............. 170
Cargo and luggage ........... 179
Vehicle load limits ............. 183
Trailer towing..................... 184
Dinghy towing ................... 185
4-2. Driving procedures Power (ignition) switch (vehicles without a
smart key system) ........... 186
Power (ignition) switch (vehicles with a
smart key system) ........... 190
EV drive mode .................. 197
Hybrid transmission........... 200
Turn signal lever................ 204
Parking brake .................... 205
4-3. Operating the ligh ts
and wipers
H eadlight switch ................ 206
Fog light switch ................. 210
Windshield wipers and washer ..................... 212
Rear window wiper and washer ..................... 216 4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap .......................... 219
4-5. Toyota Safety Sense C Toyota Safety Sense C ..... 223
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .... 229
LDA (Lane Departure Alert) .... 239
Automatic High Beam ....... 244
4-6. U sing the driving
s upport systems
Cruise control .................... 249
Rear view monitor system ............................ 253
Driving assist systems ...... 263
4-7. Driving tips Hybrid vehicle driving tips ....................... 269
Winter driving tips ............. 272
1714-1. Before driving
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■ When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. ( P. 263)
■ For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles are similar to conventional vehicles, and it
is necessary to refrain from activities such as sudden accelera tion. (P. 269)
■ Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
● Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
● Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the r ain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road sur-
face, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properl y.
■ Restraining the hybrid system o utput (Brake Override System)
● When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the
hybrid system output may be restrained.
● A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the
system is operating. ( P. 494)
■ Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control)
● When the following unusual operation is performed, the hybrid s ystem out-
put may be restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted (from R to D, D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to
R) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on
the multi-information display. (D includes B position) ( P. 494)
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed too much while the veh icle is in
reverse.
● While Drive-Start Control is being activated, your vehicle may have trouble
escaping from the mud or fresh snow. In such a case, deactivate TRAC
( P. 264) to cancel Drive-Start Control so that the vehicle may b ecome able
to escape from the mud or fresh snow.
Starting off on a steep uphill
1
2
3
1724-1. Before driving
PRIUS c_U■
Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following prec autions is recom-
mended:
● For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■ Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( P. 536)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the “READY”
indicator is illuminated. This prevents the vehicle from creepi ng.
■ When driving the vehicle
● Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the b rake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an ac cident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving t he
vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelera-
tor pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
● The driver should pay extra attention to pedestrians when the v ehicle is
powered only by the electric motor (traction motor). As there i s no engine
noise, the pedestrians may misjudge the vehicle’s movement.
● Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. Thes e hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearb y.
1994-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U■
Automatic cancelation of EV drive mode
When driving in EV drive mode, the gasoline engine may automati cally restart
in the following situations. When EV drive mode is canceled, a buzzer will
sound and the EV drive mode indicator will flash and go off.
● The hybrid battery (traction battery) becomes low.
The remaining battery level indicated in the energy monitor dis play is low.
( P. 110)
● Vehicle speed is high.
● The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly or the vehicle is on a hill etc.
■ Possible driving distance when driving in EV drive mode
EV drive mode’s possible driving distance ranges from a few hun dred meters
to approximately 1.3 miles (2 km). However, depending on vehicl e conditions,
there are situations when EV drive mode cannot be used.
(The distance that is possible depends on the hybrid battery [t raction battery]
level and driving conditions.)
■ Fuel economy
The hybrid system is designed to achieve the best possible fuel economy
during normal driving (using the gasoline engine and electric m otor [traction
motor]). Driving in EV drive mode more than necessary may lower fuel econ-
omy.
WARNING
■ Caution while driving
When driving in EV drive mode no engine noise is made. As such, pedestri-
ans, people riding bicycles or other people and vehicles in the surrounding
area may not be aware of the vehicle starting off or approachin g them.
Therefore, take extra care while driving even if the Vehicle Pr oximity Notifi-
cation System is active.
2014-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
*: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noises, set the shift lever in the D
position for normal driving.
Suitable for enhancing the fuel economy, because the torque cor re-
sponding to the accelerator pedal depression amount can be gene r-
ated more smoothly than it is in normal conditions and the oper ation
of the air conditioning system ( heating/cooling) will be minimized.
Eco drive mode
When Eco drive mode is turned on,
the “ECO MODE” indicator will
come on.
Pressing the Eco drive mode
switch again turns Eco drive mode
off.
■ Operation of the air conditioning system in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cooling operations and fan speed of the
air conditioning system to enhance fuel efficiency. ( P. 374) To improve air
conditioning performance, adjust the temperature setting or fan speed, or turn
off Eco drive mode.
■ When the accelerator p edal is depressed while the shift position is in N
A buzzer will sound to inform the driver that the shift positio n is in N.
Shift position purpose
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*
BPosition for engine braking
Selecting Eco drive mode
2084-3. Operating the lights and wipers
PRIUS c_U
■Daytime running light system
●The daytime running lights illuminate using the same lights as the headlights
and illuminate darker than the headlights.
● Type A: To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers during daytime
driving, the daytime running lights turn on automatically when all of the fol-
lowing conditions are met. (The daytime running lights are not designed for
use at night.)
• The hybrid system is started
• The parking brake is released
• The headlight switch is in the or position
The daytime running lights remain on after they illuminate, even if the parking
brake is set again.
● Type B: To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers during daytime
driving, the daytime running lights turn on automatically when all of the fol-
lowing conditions are met. (The daytime running lights are not designed for
use at night.)
• The hybrid system is started
• The parking brake is released
• The headlight switch is in the or position
The daytime running lights remain on after they illuminate, even if the parking
brake is set again.
● For the U.S.A.: Daytime running lights can be turned off by ope rating the
switch.
● Compared to turning on the headlights, the daytime running ligh t system
offers greater durability and consumes less electricity, so it can help improve
fuel economy.
■ Automatic light off system
Vehicles without a smart key system
● When the headlights are on: The headlights and tail lights turn off 30 sec-
onds after the power switch is turned to the “ACC” or “LOCK” po sition and a
door is opened and closed. (Vehicles with a wireless remote con trol: The
lights turn off immediately if on the key is pressed after all the doors
are locked.)
● When only the tail lights are on: The tail lights turn off automatically if the
power switch is turned to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position and the driver’s door
is opened.
To turn the lights on again, turn the power switch to “ON” posi tion, or turn the
light switch off once and then back to or .
If any of the doors or trunk lid is kept open, the lights automatically turn off
after 20 minutes.
219
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
4-4. Refueling
●Vehicles without a smart key system:
Turn the power switch to the “LOCK” poison and ensure that all the
doors and windows are closed.
Vehicles with a smart key system:
Turn the power switch off and ensure that all the doors and win -
dows are closed.
● Confirm the type of fuel.
■Fuel types
P. 543
■ Fuel tank opening for unleaded gasoline
To help prevent incorrect fueling, your vehicle has a fuel tank opening that
only accommodates the special nozzle on unleaded fuel pumps.
■ If the fuel level gauge is malfunctioning
The malfunction indicator lamp may illuminate if the fuel level gauge is mal-
functioning. (A malfunction may be detected and the malfunction indicator
lamp may illuminate erroneously in some situations, such as whe n the vehicle
is refueled repeatedly when the fuel tank is nearly full.)
Opening the fuel tank cap
Perform the following steps to open the fuel tank cap:
Before refueling the vehicle
2204-4. Refueling
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
■When refueling the vehicle
Observe the following precautions while refueling the vehicle. Failure to do
so may result in death or serious injury.
● After exiting the vehicle and before opening the fuel door, tou ch an
unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity. It is important to
discharge static electricity before refueling because sparks re sulting from
static electricity can cause fuel vapors to ignite while refuel ing.
● Always hold the grips on the fuel tank cap and turn it slowly t o remove it.
A whooshing sound may be heard when the fuel tank cap is loosen ed.
Wait until the sound cannot be heard before fully removing the cap. In hot
weather, pressurized fuel may spray out the filler neck and cause injury.
● Do not allow anyone that has not discharged static electricity from their
body to come close to an open fuel tank.
● Do not inhale vaporized fuel.
Fuel contains substances that are harmful if inhaled.
● Do not smoke while refueling the vehicle.
Doing so may cause the fuel to ignite and cause a fire.
● Do not return to the vehicle or touch any person or object that is statically
charged.
This may cause static electricity to build up, resulting in a p ossible ignition
hazard.
■ When refueling
Observe the following precautions to prevent fuel overflowing f rom the fuel
tank:
● Securely insert the fuel nozzle into the fuel filler neck.
● Stop filling the tank after the fuel nozzle automatically click s off.
● Do not top off the fuel tank.
NOTICE
■Refueling
Do not spill fuel during refueling.
Doing so may damage the vehicle, such as causing the emission c ontrol
system to operate abnormally or damaging fuel system components or the
vehicle's painted surface.