Page 238 of 740

238
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
NOTICE
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. D oing so may
cause the following serious damage to the vehicle:
● Engine stalling
● Short in electrical components
● Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle i s flooded, be
sure to have your Toyota dealer check the following:
● Brake function
● Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the e ngine, hybrid
transmission, etc.
● Lubricant  condition  for  the  bearings  and  suspension  joints  (whe re  possi-
ble), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
If the shift control system is damaged by flooding, it may not  be possible to
shift the shift position to P, or from P to other positions. Wh en the shift posi-
tion  cannot  be  changed  from  P  to  any  other  position,  the  front  wheels  will
lock, and you will be unable to tow the vehicle with the front wheels on the
ground, as the front wheels may be locked. In this case, transp ort the vehi-
cle with both front wheels or all four wheels lifted. ( P. 584) 
     
        
        Page 421 of 740
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
4214-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
◆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
◆E-Four (Electronic On-Demand  AWD system) (AWD models)
Automatically  switches  from  fron t-wheel  drive  to  all-wheel  drive
(AWD)  according  to  the  driving  conditions,  helping  to  ensure  re li-
able  handling  and  stability.  Ex amples  of  conditions  where  the  s ys-
tem will switch to AWD are when  cornering, going uphill, starting off
or accelerating, and when the road surface is slippery due to s now,
rain, etc.
The  slip  indicator  light  will  flash
while  the  TRAC/VSC/ABS  sys-
tems are operating.
When the TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are operating 
     
        
        Page 537 of 740

PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
5376-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
■Tire types
●Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway
driving under dry conditions. Si nce summer tires do not have th e same
traction  performance  as  snow  tires,  summer  tires  are  inadequate  for
driving  on  snow-covered  or  icy  ro ads.  For  driving  on  snow-covered
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When  install-
ing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
●All season tires
All  season  tires  are  designed  to  provide  better  traction  in  sno w  and  to
be  adequate  for  driving  in  most  winter  conditions  as  well  as  fo r  use
year-round.  All  season  tires,  however,  do  not  have  adequate  tra ction
performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Al so, all
season  tires  fall  short  in  acceleration  and  handling  performanc e  com-
pared with summer tires in highway driving.
●Snow tires
For  driving  on  snow-covered  roads  or  icy  roads,  we  recommend  us ing
snow  tires.  If  you  need  snow  tires,  select  tires  of  the  same  si ze,  con-
struction  and  load  capacity  as  t he  originally  installed  tires. Since  your
vehicle  has  radial  tires  as  original  equipment,  make  sure  your  snow
tires  also  have  radial  construct ion.  Do  not  install  studded  tires  without
first  checking  local  regulations  for  possible  restrictions.  Sno w  tires
should be install ed on all wheels. ( P. 430)
■If the tread on snow tires wea rs down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.
■Low profile tires (vehicl es with 215/45R17 tires)
Generally,  low  profile  tires  will  wear  more  rapidly  and  tire  gr ip  perfor-
mance  will  be  reduced  on  snowy  and /or  icy  roads  when  compared  to
standard tires.
Be  sure  to  use  snow  tires  or  tire  chains  on  snowy  and/or  icy  roads  and
drive carefully at a speed approp riate for road and weather conditions. 
     
        
        Page 589 of 740
5897-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
7
When trouble arises
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
2WD models
AWD models
Be  sure  to  transport  the  vehicle  with  the
front wheels raised or with all four wheels
raised  off  the  ground.  If  the  vehicle  is
towed  with  the  front  wheels  contacting
the  ground,  the  drivetrain  and  related
parts may be damaged or electricity gen-
erated by the operation of the motor may
cause  a  fire  to  occur  depending  on  the
nature of the damage or malfunction.
Be  sure  to  transport  the  vehicle  with  all
four  wheels  raised  off  the  ground.  If  the
vehicle  is  towed  with  the  tires  contacting
the ground, the drivetrain or related parts
may  be  damaged,  the vehicle  may  fly off
the  truck,  or  electricity  generated  by  the
operation  of  the  motor  may  cause  a  fire
to  occur  depending  on  the  nature  of  the
damage or malfunction. 
     
        
        Page 643 of 740

6437-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
7
When trouble arises
WARNING
■When using the compact spare tire (if equipped)
●Remember that the spare tire provided is specifically designed for use
with your vehicle. Do not use yo ur spare tire on another vehicle.
●Do not use more than one compact spare tire simultaneously.
●Replace the spare tire with a st andard tire as soon as possible .
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and  shift-
ing operations that cause sudden engine braking.
■When the compact spare tire is attached (if equipped)
The vehicle speed may not be co rrectly detected, and the following sys-
tems may not operate correctly:
Also,  not  only  can  the  following  system  not  be  utilized  fully, but  it  may
even negatively affect the  drive-train components:
• E-Four (Electric Four wheel drive system)
*
*
: If equipped
■Speed limit when using the co mpact spare tire (if equipped)
Do not drive at speeds in excess of 50 mph (80 km/h) when a com pact
spare tire is installed on the vehicle.
The compact spare tire is not designed for driving at high spee ds. Fail-
ure to observe this precaution ma y lead to an accident causing death or
serious injury.
■After using the tools and jack
Before driving, make sure all t he tools and jack are securely i n place in
their storage locatio n to reduce the possibility of personal in jury during a
collision or su dden braking.
• ABS & Brake assist
• VSC
•TRAC
• EPS
• AHB (Automatic High Beam)
*
• PCS (Pre-Collision System)*
• LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)*
• Dynamic  radar  cruise  control
with full-speed range
*
• Cruise control*
• BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)*
• Intuitive parking assist*
• Parking Support Brake function*
• S-APGS (Simple Advanced Parking Guidance System)
*
• Rear view monitor system
• Navigation system
*