1734-1. Before driving
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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. 265)
■ 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. 271)
■ 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. 497)
■ 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. 497)
• 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. 266) 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
1744-1. 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. 538)
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. Eve n
though the vehicle is equipped with the Acoustic Vehicle Alerti ng System,
drive with care as pedestrians in the vicinity may still not no tice the vehicle
if the surrounding area is noisy.
● 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 nearby.
225
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4-5. Toyota Safety Sense C
■PCS (Pre-Collision System)
P. 2 3 1
■LDA (Lane Departure Alert)
P. 2 4 1
■Automatic High Beam
P. 2 4 6
Toyota Safety Sense C
The Toyota Safety Sense C consis ts of the following drive assist
systems and contributes to a safe and comfortable driving expe-
rience:
Driving assist system
WARNING
■ Toyota Safety Sense C
The Toyota Safety Sense C is designed to operate under the assu mption
that the driver will drive safely, and is designed to help redu ce the impact to
the occupants and the vehicle in the case of a collision or ass ist the driver in
normal driving conditions.
As there is a limit to the degree of recognition accuracy and control perfor-
mance that this system can provide, do not overly rely on this system. The
driver is always responsible for paying attention to the vehicl e's surround-
ings and driving safely.
2324-5. Toyota Safety Sense C
PRIUS c_U■
Pre-collision braking
If the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is
extremely high, a buzzer will sound and the brakes are automati -
cally applied to help avoid the collision or reduce the impact of the
collision.
WARNING
■ Limitations of the pre-collision system
● The driver is solely responsible for safe driving. Always drive safely, taking
care to observe your surroundings.
Do not use the pre-collision system instead of normal braking o perations
under any circumstances. This system will not prevent collision s or lessen
collision damage or injury in every situation. Do not overly re ly on this sys-
tem. Failure to do so may lead to an accident, resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
● Although this system is designed to help avoid a collision or h elp reduce
the impact of the collision, its effectiveness may change according to vari-
ous conditions, therefore the system may not always be able to achieve
the same level of performance.
Read the following conditions carefully. Do not overly rely on this system
and always drive carefully.
• Conditions under which the system may operate even if there is no pos-
sibility of a collision: P. 236
• Conditions under which the system may not operate properly: P. 238
● Do not attempt to test the operation of the pre-collision syste m yourself
Depending on the objects used for testing (dummies, cardboard o bjects
imitating detectable objects, etc.), the system may not operate properly,
possibly leading to an accident.
■ Pre-collision braking
● When the pre-collision braking function is operating, a large a mount of
braking force will be applied.
● If the vehicle is stopped by the operation of the pre-collision braking func-
tion, the pre-collision braking function operation will be canceled after
approximately 2 seconds. Depress the brake pedal as necessary.
● The pre-collision braking function may not operate if certain o perations are
performed by the driver. If the accelerator pedal is being depressed
strongly or the steering wheel is being turned, the system may determine
that the driver is taking evasive action and possibly prevent t he pre-colli-
sion braking function from operating.
● In some situations, while the pre-collision braking function is operating,
operation of the function may be canceled if the accelerator pedal is
depressed strongly or the steering wheel is turned and the syst em deter-
mines that the driver is taking evasive action.
2424-5. Toyota Safety Sense C
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
■Before using the LDA system
Do not rely solely upon the LDA system. LDA is not a system which auto-
matically drives the vehicle or reduces the amount of attention that must be
paid to the area in front of the vehicle. The driver must alway s assume full
responsibility for driving safely by always paying careful atte ntion to the sur-
rounding conditions and operate the steering wheel to correct t he path of
the vehicle. Also, make sure to take adequate breaks when fatigued, such
as from driving for a long period of time.
Failure to perform appropriate driving operations and pay careful attention
may lead to an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
■ To avoid operating the LDA by mistake
When not using the LDA system, use the LDA switch to turn the s ystem off.
■ Preventing LDA system malfunctio ns and operations performed by
mistake
● Do not modify the headlights or place stickers, etc., on the su rface of the
lights.
● Do not modify the suspension etc. If the suspension etc. needs to be
replaced, contact your Toyota dealer.
● Do not install or place anything on the hood or grille. Also, d o not install a
grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar, etc.).
2654-6. Using the driving support systems
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PRIUS c_U
◆ECB (Electronically Controlled Brake System)
The electronically controlled system generates braking force corre-
sponding to the brake operation
◆ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the brakes are applied suddenl y,
or if the brakes are applied while driving on a slippery road surface
◆Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake p edal
is depressed when the system de tects a panic stop situation
◆VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or
turning on slippery road surfaces
◆TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from
spinning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
◆Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward movement of the vehicle when start -
ing on an uphill
◆EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to
turn the steering wheel
Driving assist systems
To keep driving safety and perf ormance, the following systems
operate automatically in respon se to various driving situations.
Be aware, however, that these systems are supplementary and
should not be relied upon too heav ily when operating the vehi-
cle.
2694-6. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
■The ABS does not operate effectively when
● The limits of tire gripping performance have been exceeded (suc h as
excessively worn tires on a snow covered road).
● The vehicle hydroplanes while driving at high speed on wet or s lick roads.
■ Stopping distance when the ABS is operating may exceed that of nor-
mal conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the vehicle’s stopping distance. Always
maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, espe cially in the
following situations:
● When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-covered roads
● When driving with tire chains
● When driving over bumps in the road
● When driving over roads with potholes or uneven surfaces
■ TRAC/VSC may not operate effectively when
Directional control and power may not be achievable while driving on slip-
pery road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in conditions where stability and p ower may be
lost.
■ Hill-start assist control does not operate effectively when
● Do not overly rely on hill-start assist control. Hill-start ass ist control may
not operate effectively on steep inclines and roads covered wit h ice.
● Unlike the parking brake, hill-start assist control is not inte nded to hold the
vehicle stationary for an extended period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehicle on an incline, as doing so may
lead to an accident.
■ When the TRAC/ABS/VSC are activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always drive carefully. Reckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular care when the indicator light flashes.
■ When the TRAC/VSC systems are turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed appropriate to the r oad condi-
tions. As these are the systems to help ensure vehicle stabilit y and driving
force, do not turn the TRAC/VSC systems off unless necessary.
271
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PRIUS c_U
4-7. Driving tips
◆Using Eco drive mode
When using Eco drive mode, the torque corresponding to the accel-
erator pedal depression amount can be generated more smoothly
than it is in normal conditions. In addition, the operation of the air
conditioning system (heating/coo ling) will be minimized, improving
the fuel economy. ( P. 203)
◆Use of Hybrid System Indicator
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by keeping the needle of H ybrid
System Indicator within Eco area. ( P. 110)
◆Shift lever operation
Shift the shift lever to D when stopped at a traffic light, or driving in
heavy traffic etc. Shift the shift lever to P when parking. When using
the N, there is no positive effe ct on fuel consumption. In the N, the
gasoline engine operates but e lectricity cannot be generated. A lso,
when using the air conditioning s ystem, etc., the hybrid battery
(traction battery) power is consumed.
◆Accelerator pedal/brake pedal operation
● Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid abrupt acceleration and
deceleration. Gradual accelerat ion and deceleration will make
more effective use of the electric motor (traction motor) witho ut
having to use gaso line engine power.
● Avoid repeated acceleration. Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (tracti on battery) power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be restored by driving with the
accelerator pedal slightly released.
◆When braking
Make sure to operate the brakes gently and in a timely manner. A
greater amount of electrical energy can be regenerated when slow-
ing down.
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological dri ving, pay attention to the fol-
lowing points: