
206
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
3-3. Adjusting the seats
Rear seats
Park the vehicle in a safe place.
Apply  the  parking  brake  firmly  ( P.  262)  and  shift  the  shift  position  to  P.
( P. 256)
Adjust  the  position  of  the  front  seat  and  the  angle  of the seatback.
(
P.   2 0 4 )
Depending on the position of the front seat, if the seatback is  folded back-
ward, it may interfere with the operation of the rear seat.
Lift  up  and  push  down  the  head  restraints  of  the  rear  outboard
seats, and lower the head rest raint of the rear center seat. 
(
P.   2 0 9 )
Stow the armrest of the rear seat if it is pulled out. ( P. 486)
This step is not necessary when operating the left side seat on ly.
The seatbacks can be folded down.
Before folding down the seatbacks
1
2
3
4 

PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
2073-3. Adjusting the seats
3
Operation of each component
Pull  the  seatback  lock  release
lever and fold the seatback down.
To  avoid  trapping  the  seat  belt
between the seat and the inside of
the  vehicle,  pass  the  seat  belt
inside the seat belt guide and then
return  the  seatback  securely  to
the locked position.
Folding down the seatbacks
Returning the rear seatbacks
Seat belt guide
WARNING
■ When folding the seatbacks down
Observe  the  following  precautions.  Failure  to  do  so  may  result  in  death  or
serious injury.
● Do not fold the seatbacks down while driving.
● Stop  the  vehicle  on  level  ground,  apply  the  parking  brake  firml y  and  shift
the shift position to P.
● Do not allow anyone to sit on a folded seatback or in the lugga ge compart-
ment while driving.
● Do not allow children to enter the luggage compartment.
● Do not operate the rear seat if it is occupied.
● Be  careful  not  to  get  feet  or  hands  caught  in  the  moving  parts  or  joints  of
the seats during operation.
● Do not allow children to operate the seat. 

227
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
4Driving
4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle ............. 228
Cargo and luggage ........... 239
Vehicle load limits ............. 242
Trailer towing..................... 243
Dinghy towing ................... 244
4-2. Driving procedures Power (ignition) switch ...... 245
EV drive mode .................. 252
Hybrid transmission........... 255
Turn signal lever................ 261
Parking brake .................... 262
4-3. Operating the lights  and wipers
Headlight switch ................ 263
AHB (Automatic High  Beam) ............................. 268
Fog light switch ................. 273
Windshield wipers and  washer ............................ 275
Rear window wiper and  washer ............................ 281 4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap .................................. 283
4-5. Using the driving support  systems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.0... 288
PCS (Pre-Collision  System)........................... 296
LTA (Lane Tracing  Assist) ............................. 307
RSA (Road Sign Assist) .... 322
Dynamic radar cruise  control with full-speed 
range............................... 326
Cruise control .................... 342
Driving mode select  switch .............................. 347
BSM  (Blind Spot Monitor) ........ 349
• The Blind Spot Monitor function ......................... 354
• The Rear Cross Traffic  Alert function ................. 357
Intuitive parking assist....... 362
Parking Support Brake  function ........................... 373
S-APGS (Simple  Advanced Parking 
Guidance System) .......... 386
Driving assist systems ...... 420
4-6. Driving tips Hybrid vehicle driving tips .................................. 427
Winter driving tips ............. 430 

228
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle
P.   2 4 5
With the brake pedal depressed , shift the shift position to D. 
(  P. 255)
Check that the shift position indicator shows D.
Release the parking brake. ( P.   2 6 2 )
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accele ra-
tor pedal to accelerate the vehicle. 
With the shift position in D , depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake. 
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift the shift
position to P. (
P. 256)
Stop the vehicl e completely.
Set the parking brake. ( P.   2 6 2 )
Shift the shift position to P. ( P. 256)
Check that the shift position indicator shows P.
Press the power switch to  stop the hybrid system.
Slowly release th e brake pedal.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on  your
person.
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
The  following  procedures  should  be  observed  to  ensure  safe
driving: 
Starting the hybrid system 
Driving
Stopping
Parking the vehicle
1
2
3
1
2
1
2
3
4
5
6 

PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
2294-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Firmly  set  the  parking  brake  with  the  brake  pedal  depressed,  and
then shift the shift position to D.
Release the brake ped al and gently depress the accelerator peda l.
Release the parking brake.
■ When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. ( P. 421)
■ 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. 427)
■ 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. 608)
■ “ECO Accelerator Guidance” (P. 130)
It is easier to drive in an Eco-friendly manner by driving whil e referring to the
“ECO  Accelerator  Guidance”  display.  Also,  by  using  the  “ECO  Accelerator
Guidance”, it is easier to increase the Eco score evaluation.
● When starting off:
While  staying  within  the  “ECO  Accelerator  Guidance”  range,  gradually
depress the accelerator pedal and accelerate to the desired spe ed. If exces-
sive acceleration is avoided, the “Eco-Start” score will increa se.
● When driving:
After  accelerating  to  the  desired  speed,  release  the  accelerato r  pedal  and
drive  at  a  stable  speed  within  the  “ECO Accelerator  Guidance”  range.  By
keeping the vehicle within the “ECO Accelerator Guidance” range, the “Eco-
Cruise” score will increase.
● When stopping:
When stopping the vehicle, early releasing the accelerator peda l will cause
the “Eco-Stop” score to increase.
Starting off on a steep uphill
1
2
3 

234
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may 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.
■ When the vehicle is stopped
● Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily. 
If  the  shift  position  is  in  any  position  other  than  P  or  N,  the   vehicle  may
accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
● 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. 

PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
2354-1. Before driving
4
Driving
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 con-
tainers  such  as  air  fresheners  on  the  instrument  panel  or  dashb oard. Adhe-
sive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.
● 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 position to P, stop the hybrid
system and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the “READY” indicator  is illumi-
nated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift position in P but the p arking brake is
not set, the vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an  accident.
● Do  not  touch  the  exhaust  pipe  while  the  “READY”  indicator  is  illuminated
or immediately after turning the hybrid system off. 
Doing so may cause burns. 

236
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
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  accidentally  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 assist function does not opera te, do not fol-
low  other  vehicles  closely  and  avoid  downhill  or  sharp  turns  th at  require
braking. 
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.
■ If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up  in the air, or
the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline com-
ponents or propel the vehicle forward or backward, causing an a ccident.