
801-3. Hybrid system
PRIUS c_U■
Sounds and vibrations sp ecific to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sound or vibration even though the vehic le is able to
move with the “READY” indicator is illuminated. For safety, app ly 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  sy stem  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  the
rear seats when the hybrid system starts or stops.
● Relay operating sounds such as a snap or soft clank will be emi tted 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.
■ Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System
In  the  following  cases,  the Acoustic  Vehicle Alerting  System  so und  may  be
difficult for pedestrians, people riding 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, recyc ling and dis-
posal. Do not dispose of the vehicle yourself. 

821-3. Hybrid system
PRIUS c_U
There  is  an  air  intake  vent  on  the
side  of  the  lower  part  of  the  rear
left seat for the purpose of cooling
the  hybrid  battery  (traction  bat-
tery).  When  the  air  intake  vent  is
blocked,  the  battery  operations
will  be  restricted  and  cause  a
decline in fuel consumption.
When  a  certain  level  of  impact is  detected  by  the  impact  sensor ,  the
emergency shut off system blocks  the high voltage current and stops
the fuel pump to minimize the ri sk of electrocution and fuel leakage. If
the emergency shut off system activates, your vehicle will not  restart.
To restart the hybrid system , contact your Toyota dealer.
A  message  is  automatically  displ ayed  when  a  malfunction  occurs  in
the hybrid system  or an improper operation is attempted.
If a warning message is shown on
the  multi-information  display,  read
the  message  and  follow  the
instructions. ( P. 488)
Hybrid battery (traction battery) air intake vent
Emergency shut off system
Hybrid warning message 

871-3. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
PRIUS c_U
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction  battery) air intake vent
● Do not place objects that will block the air intake vent. When  the air intake
vent  is  blocked,  the  battery  operations  will  be  restricted  and  cause  a
decline in fuel consumption.
● Clean  the  air  intake  vent  regularly  to  prevent  the  hybrid  batte ry  (traction
battery) from overheating.
● Do  not  get  water  or  foreign  materials  in  the  air  intake  vent  as   this  may
cause a short circuit and damage the hybrid battery (traction b attery).
● Do  not  carry  large  amounts  of  water  such  as  water  cooler  bottle s  in  the
vehicle. If water spills onto the hybrid battery (traction batt ery), the battery
may be damaged. Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota deale r.
● There  is  a  filter  installed  to  the  air  intake  vent.  When  the  fi lter  remains
noticeably  dirty  even  after  cleaning  the  air  intake  vent,  filte r  cleaning  or
replacement  is  recommended.  For  information  regarding  filter  cl eaning  or
replacement, contact your Toyota dealer.
● If  “MAINTENANCE  REQUIRED  FOR  TRACTION  BATTERY  COOLING
PARTS  SEE  OWNER’S  MANUAL”  is  shown  on  the  multi-information  dis -
play, the air intake vent and filter may be clogged. Refer to P . 404 for infor-
mation on how to clean the air intake vent. 

2034-2. 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.  376)  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 

4047-1. Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
To  prevent  the  hybrid  battery  (traction  battery)  air  intake  vent  from
becoming clogged, cl ean it periodically.
■Cleaning the air intake vent
Remove  any  dust  and  clogs
from  the  air  intake  vent  with  a
vacuum cleaner, etc.
The  air  intake  vent  has  a  filter
behind the air intake vent cover.
If  “MAINTENANCE  REQUIRED  FOR  TRACTION  BATTERY
COOLING  PARTS  SEE  OWNER’S  MANUAL”  is  displayed  on  the
multi-information display, the  filter may be clogged. Remove th e air
intake vent cover and clean the filter.
■Cleaning the air intake vent filter
The  air  intake  vent  filter  is
located  below  the  rear  seat
cushion on the left side.
Remove the 2 clipsPush  in  the  center  part  of
the clips
Remove the clips
Cleaning the hybrid battery (traction battery) air intake vent
1
1
2 

4067-1. Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
Start  the  hybrid  system  and  check  that  “MAINTENANCE
REQUIRED FOR TRACTION BATTERY COOLING PARTS SEE
OWNER’S  MANUAL”  is  no  longer  displayed  on  the  multi-infor-
mation display.
It  may  take  approximately  20  minu tes  for  the  warning  message  to
disappear  after  the  hybrid  syste m  is  started.  If  the  warning  mes-
sage  does  not  disappear  even  th ough  the  filter  has  been  cleaned,
have the vehicle inspect ed by your Toyota dealer.
■Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least  twice a year to
maintain the quality of the vehicle's interior.
■ Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. U se a sponge
or  brush  to  apply  the  foam.  Rub  in  overlapping  circles.  Do  not  use  water.
Wipe dirty surfaces and let them dry. Excellent results are obt ained by keep-
ing the carpet as dry as possible.
■ Air intake vent maintenance
●If  the  vehicle  is  driven  with  the  air  intake  vent  clogged,  the  hybrid  battery
(traction battery) may overheat and the fuel consumption may in crease.
● Depending on the conditions under which the vehicle is used, th e air intake
vent may need to be cleaned more regularly.
■ Seat belts
Clean  with  mild  soap  and  lukewarm  water  using  a  cloth  or  sponge .  Also
check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cut s.
■ Cleaning the air intake vent filter
●Improper  handling  of  the  air  intake  vent  cover  and  filter  may  result  in  dam-
age to them. If you have any concerns about cleaning the filter , contact your
Toyota dealer.
● If  the  vehicle  is  driven  with  the  air  intake  vent  filter  clogged,  the  hybrid  bat-
tery (traction battery) may overheat and the fuel consumption m ay increase.
● Depending on the conditions under which the vehicle is used, th e air intake
vent filter may need to be cleaned more regularly.
6 

4077-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U■
If  “MAINTENANCE  REQUIRED  FO R  TRACTION  BATTERY  COOLING
PARTS  SEE  OWNER’S  MANUAL”  is  displayed  on  the  multi-information
display
● It is possible the air intake vent or filter is clogged due to  accumulated dust.
Clean the air intake vent and filter, referring to the cleaning  method.
● When  continuously  driven  in  this  state,  the  hybrid  battery  (traction  battery)
may  overheat,  which  may  lead  to  the  driving  distance  by  the  ele ctric  motor
getting  shorter,  the  fuel  consumption  worsening,  and  causing  da mage.
Clean the air intake vent periodically to prevent dust, etc., f rom collecting in
the air intake vent or filter.
● If the massage in the multi-information display does not turn off, even if the
air intake vent is cleaned, have the vehicle inspected at your  Toyota dealer.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
● Do  not  splash  or  spill  liquid  in  the  vehicle,  such  as  on  the  floor,  in  the
hybrid battery (traction battery) air vents, and in the luggage compartment.
Doing so may cause the hybrid battery, electrical components, etc. to mal-
function or catch fire.
● Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle i nterior wet. 
( P. 41) 
An  electrical  malfunction  may  cause  the  airbags  to  deploy  or  no t  function
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Cleaning the interior (esp ecially instrument panel)
Do  not  use  polish  wax  or  polish  cleaner.  The  instrument  panel  m ay  reflect
off the  windshield, obstructing  the driver's  view  and  leading  t o  an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.
■ When cleaning the hybrid batte ry (traction battery) air intake vent/filter
● Do not use water or other liquids to clean the air intake vent/ filter. If water
is  applied  to  the  hybrid  battery  (traction  battery)  or  other  co mponents,  a
malfunction or fire may occur.
● When the air intake vent cover, located below the rear seat cus hion on the
left  side  is  to  be  removed,  make  sure  to  turn  the  power  switch  off  to  stop
the hybrid system. 

4177-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
Washer fluid (P. 430)
• Water  or  washer  fluid  containing  antifreeze
(for winter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer
fluid)
WARNING
The  engine  compartment  contains  many  mechanisms  and  fluids  that may
move suddenly, become hot, or become electrically energized. To avoid death
or serious injury, observe the following precautions:
■When working on the engine compartment
● Vehicles without a smart key system: Make sure that the power s witch is in
the “LOCK” position and the “READY” indicator is off.
Vehicles  with  a  smart  key  system:  Make  sure  that  the  indicator  on  the
power switch and the “READY” indicator are both off.
● Keep  hands,  clothing  and  tools  away  from  the  moving  fan  and  eng ine
drive belt.
● Be  careful  not  to  touch  the  engine,  power  control  unit,  radiator,  exhaust
manifold,  etc.  right  after  driving  as  they  may  be  hot.  Oil  and  other  fluids
may also be hot.
● Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and r ags, in the
engine compartment.
● Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel. Fuel fumes
are flammable.
■ When working near the electric  cooling fan or radiator grille
Vehicles  without  a  smart  key  system:  The  electric  cooling  fan  m ay  keep
rotating  for  about  3  minutes  even  after  the  power  switch  is  tur ned  to  the
“LOCK” position.
With  the  power  switch  in  the  “ON”  position,  the  electric  coolin g  fan  may
automatically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant tem-
perature  is  high.  Be  sure  the  power  switch  is  in  the  “LOCK”  position  when
working near the electric cooling fan or radiator grille.
Vehicles  with  a  smart  key  system: The  electric  cooling  fan  may  keep  rotat-
ing for about 3 minutes even after the power switch is off.
With  the  power  switch  in  ON  mode,  the  electric  cooling  fan  may  automati-
cally start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature
is high. Be sure the power switch is off when working near the  electric cool-
ing fan or radiator grille.
ItemsCheck points