
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. 

1734-1. Before driving
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
● During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turni ng the hybrid
system  off  while  driving  will  not  cause  loss  of  steering  or  bra king  control,
however,  power  assist  to  the  steering  will  be  lost.  This  will  m ake  it  more
difficult to steer smoothly, so you should pull over and stop t he vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way: P. 467
● Use  engine  braking  (shift  position  B)  to  maintain  a  safe  speed  when  driv-
ing down a steep hill. 
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat  and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 200)
● Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
● Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal sp eed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicl e has high-
speed  capability  tires.  Driving  over  85  mph  (140  km/h)  may  resu lt  in  tire
failure,  loss  of  control  and  possible  injury.  Be  sure  to  consult  a  tire  dealer
to  determine  whether  the  tires  on  your  vehicle  are  high-speed  c apability
tires or not before driving at such speeds. 

1744-1. Before driving
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
● Sudden  braking,  acceleration  and  steering  may  cause  tire  slippa ge  and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle.
● Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes  in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
● After  driving  through  a  puddle,  lightly  depress  the  brake  pedal  to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads m ay prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one  side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected.
■ When shifting the shift lever
● Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is i n a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
● Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss o f vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving f orward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss o f vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the ve hicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss o f vehicle
control.
● Shifting  the  shift  lever  to  N  while  the  vehicle  is  moving  will disengage  the
hybrid system. Engine braking is not available when N is select ed.
● Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pe dal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to any position other than P or N may  lead to unex-
pected  rapid  acceleration  of  the  vehicle  that  may  cause  an  acci dent  and
result in death or serious injury.
■ If you hear a squealing or scrap ing noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Toyota dealer  as soon
as possible. 
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It  is  dangerous  to  drive  the  vehicle  when  the  wear  limits  of  the  brake  pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded. 

1754-1. Before driving
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is stopped
● Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the shift lever is in any position other than P or N, the vehicle may accel-
erate suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
● Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long t ime. 
If  such  a  situation  cannot  be  avoided,  park  the  vehicle  in  an  o pen  space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
● In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away,  always keep
depressing  the  brake  pedal  while  stopped  with  the  “READY”  indic ator  is
illuminated, and apply the parking brake as necessary.
● If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent ac cidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the  brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
● Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped m ay cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby. 

1764-1. Before driving
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is parked
● Do  not  leave  glasses,  cigarette  lighters,  spray  cans,  or  soft  d rink  cans  in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas  may  leak  from  a  cigarette  lighter  or  spray  can,  and  may  le ad  to  a
fire.
• The  temperature  inside  the  vehicle  may  cause  the  plastic  lenses  and plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft  drink  cans  may  fracture,  causing  the  contents  to  spray  ov er  the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle's
electrical components.
● Do  not  leave  cigarette  lighters  in  the  vehicle.  If  a  cigarette  lighter  is  in  a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit acci dentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
● Do  not  attach  adhesive  discs  to  the  windshield  or  windows.  Do  n ot  place
containers  such  as  air  fresheners  on  the  instrument  panel  or  da shboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire  in the vehi-
cle.
● Do  not  leave  a  door  or  window  open  if  the  curved  glass  is  coate d  with  a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunligh t may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
● Always  apply  the  parking  brake,  shift  the  shift  lever  to  P,  stop  the  hybrid
system and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the “READY” indicator  is illumi-
nated. 
Sound or  shuddering may not be noticed  even when the hybrid veh icle  is
ready to drive (when the “READY” indicator is illuminated).
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the park ing brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an acci dent.
● Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “READY” indicator is i lluminated
or immediately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns. 

1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always  turn  the  hybrid  system  off.  Otherwise,  if  you  accidental ly  move  the
shift lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause  an accident or
fire due to hybrid system overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in
a  poorly  ventilated  area,  exhaust  gases  may  collect  and  enter  the  vehicle,
leading to death or a serious health hazard.
■ When braking
● When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this ma y cause
one  side  of  the  vehicle  to  brake  differently  than  the  other  sid e. Also,  the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
● If  the  electronically  controlled  brake  system  does  not  operate,   do  not  fol-
low other vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that  require brak-
ing.
In  this  case,  braking  is  still  possible,  but  the  brake  pedal  sh ould  be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance wi ll increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
● The  brake  system  consists  of  2  or  more  individual  hydraulic  systems;  if
one  of  the  systems  fails,  the  other(s)  will  still  operate.  In  t his  case,  the
brake  pedal  should  be  depressed  more  firmly  than  usual  and  the  braking
distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately. 
NOTICE
■ When driving the vehicle
● Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same tim e during
driving, as this may restrain the hybrid system output.
● Do  not  use  the  accelerator  pedal  or  depress  the  accelerator  and  brake
pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■ When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift the shift lever to P. F ailure to do so
may  cause  the  vehicle  to  move  or  the  vehicle  may  accelerate  sud denly  if
the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed. 

1814-1. Before driving
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
As  shown  in  the  example  above,  if  the  number  of  occupants
increases, the cargo and luggage load will be reduced  by an  amount
that  equals  the  increased  weight  due  to  the  additional  occupant s.  In
other  words,  if  an  increase  in  the  number  of  occupants  causes  a n
excess of the total load capacity  (combined weight of  occupants plus
cargo and luggage load), you must reduce the cargo and luggage  on
your vehicle. 
WARNING
■Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage  compart-
ment:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed pr operly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may result in items hitting t he driver or
passengers, possibly causing an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever poss i-
ble.
●Do  not  stack  cargo  and  luggage  in  the  luggage  compartment  highe r
than the seatbacks.
●Do not place cargo or luggage in  or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rea r seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover (if equipped)
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
●Secure all items  in the occupant compartment.
●When  you  fold  down  the  rear  seats,  long  items  should  not  be  pla ced
directly behind the front seats.
●Never  allow  anyone  to  ride  in  the  luggage  compartment.  It  is  no t
designed for passengers. They should ride in their seats with t heir seat
belts properly fastened.