2904-6. Driving tips
When driving in a traffic jam,
gently release the brake pedal
to allow the vehicle to move for-
ward slightly while avoiding
overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consump-
tion.
Control and maintain the vehicle
at a constant speed. Before
stopping at a toll booth or simi-
lar, allow plenty of time to
release the accelerator and gen-
tly apply the brakes. A greater
amount of electrical energy can
be regenerated when slowing
down.
Use the air conditioning only
when necessary. Doing so can
help reduce excessive gasoline
consumption.
In summer: When the ambient
temperature is high, use the
recirculated air mode. Doing so
will help to reduce the burden on
the air conditioning system and
reduce fuel consumption as
well.
In winter: Because the gasoline
engine will not automatically cut
out until it and the interior of the
vehicle are warm, it will con-
sume fuel. Also, fuel consump-
tion can be improved by avoiding overuse of the heater.
Make sure to check the tire infla-
tion pressure frequently.
Improper tire inflation pressure
can cause poor fuel economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause
large amounts of friction, their
use on dry roads can lead to
poor fuel economy. Use tires
that are appropriate for the sea-
son.
Carrying heavy luggage will lead
to poor fuel economy. Avoid car-
rying unnecessary luggage.
Installing a large roof rack will
also cause poor fuel economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts
up and cuts out automatically
when cold, warming up the
engine is unnecessary. More-
over, frequently driving short
distances will cause the engine
to repeatedly warm up, which
can lead to excess fuel con-
sumption.
Highway driving
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation
pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driv-
ing
2924-6. Driving tips
excess ice or snow that may
have accumulated on the
exterior lights, outside rear
view mirrors, windows, vehi-
cle’s roof, chassis, around the
tires or on the brakes.
Remove any snow or mud
from the bottom of your shoes
before getting in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly,
keep a safe distance between
you and the vehicle ahead, and
drive at a reduced speed suit-
able to road conditions.
Turn automatic mode of the
parking brake off. Otherwise,
the parking brake may freeze
and not be able to be
released automatically.
Also, avoid using the following as
the parking brake may operate
automatically, even if automatic
mode is off.
• Brake hold system
Park the vehicle and shift the
shift lever to P without setting
the parking brake. The park-
ing brake may freeze up, pre-
venting it from being released.
If the vehicle is parked without
setting the parking brake,
make sure to block the
wheels.
Failure to do so may be dan- gerous because it may cause
the vehicle to move unexpect-
edly, possibly leading to an
accident.
When the parking brake is in
automatic mode, release the
parking brake after shifting
the shift lever to P. ( P.186)
Turn off the power switch while
pressing the parking brake switch.
If the vehicle is parked without
setting the parking brake,
confirm that the shift lever
cannot be moved out of P.
If the vehicle is left parked
with the brakes damp in cold
temperatures, there is a pos-
sibility of the brakes freezing.
Tire chains cannot be mounted.
Snow tires should be used
instead.When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
Selecting tire chains
2944-6. Driving tips
When driving your vehicle
off-road, please observe the fol-
lowing precautions to ensure
your driving enjoyment and to
help prevent the closure of
areas to off-road vehicles:
Drive your vehicle only in
areas where off-road vehicles
are permitted to travel.
Respect private property. Get
owner’s permission before
entering private property.
Do not enter areas that are
closed. Honor gates, barriers
and signs that restrict travel.
Stay on established roads.
When conditions are wet,
driving techniques should be
changed or travel delayed to
prevent damage to roads.
■Additional information for
off-road driving
For owners in U.S. mainland,
Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information per-
taining to driving your vehicle
off-road, consult the following orga-
nizations.
●State and Local Parks and Recre-
ation Departments
●State Motor Vehicle Bureau
●Recreational Vehicle Clubs
●U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management
Off-road drivingWARNING
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe t he following pre-
cautions to minim ize the risk of
death, serious injury or damage to
your vehicle:
●Drive carefully when off the
road. Do not take unnecessary
risks by driving in dangerous
places.
●Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off-road. A
bad bump could jerk the wheel
and injure your hands. Keep
both hands and especially your
thumbs on the ou tside of the
rim.
●Always check your brakes for
effectiveness immediately after
driving in sand, mud, water or
snow.
●After driving through tall grass,
mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc.,
check that there is no grass,
bush, paper, rags, stone, sand,
etc. adhering or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such
matter from the underbody. If
the vehicle is used with these
materials trapped or adhering to
the underbody, a breakdown or
fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rug-
ged terrain, do not drive at
excessive speeds, jump, make
sharp turns, strike objects, etc.
This may cause loss of control
or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. You are
also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle’s suspension
and chassis.
2954-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
NOTICE
■To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-
age to the hybrid battery (traction
battery), hybrid s ystem or other
components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine com-
partment may cause severe
damage to the hybrid system.
Water entering the interior may
cause the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) stowed under the
rear seats to short circuit.
●Water entering the hybrid trans-
mission will cause deterioration
in transmission quality. The mal-
function indicator may come on,
and the vehicle may not be driv-
able.
●Water can wash the grease
from wheel bearings, causing
rusting and premature failure,
and may also enter the differen-
tials and hybrid transmission,
reducing the gea r oil’s lubricat-
ing qualities.
■When you drive through
water
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the riverbed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driv-
ing
●Sand and mud that has accu-
mulated around brake discs
may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system
components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection aft er each day of
off-road driving that has taken
you through rough terrain, sand,
mud, or water. For scheduled
maintenance information, refer
to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual
Supplement”.
3346-1. Maintenance and care
6-1.Maintenance and care
Working from top to bottom,
liberally apply water to the
vehicle body, wheel wells and
underside of the vehicle to
remove any dirt and dust.
Wash the vehicle body using
a sponge or soft cloth, such
as a chamois.
For hard-to-remove marks,
use car wash soap and rinse
thoroughly with water.
Wipe away any water.
Wax the vehicle when the
waterproof coating deterio-
rates.
If water does not bead on a clean
surface, apply wax when the vehi-
cle body is cool.
■Automatic car washes
●Before washing the vehicle:
• Fold the mirrors
• Turn off the power back door (if equipped)
Start washing from the front of the
vehicle. Extend the mirrors before
driving.
■High pressure car washes
As water may ent er the cabin, do
not bring the nozzle tip near the gaps around the doors or perimeter
of the windows, or spray these
areas continuously.
■When using a car wash
If the door handle becomes wet
while the electronic key is within the
effective range, the door may lock
and unlock repeatedly. In that case,
follow the following correction pro-
cedures to wash the vehicle:
●Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2
m) or more separate from the
vehicle while the vehicle is being
washed. (Take care to ensure that
the key is not stolen.)
●Set the electronic key to bat-
tery-saving mode to disable the
smart key system. ( P.130)
●If you need to release the parking
brake, turn off the brake hold sys-
tem, shift the shift lever to N, then
release the parking brake and set
the power switch to ACC.
( P.186)
■Wheels and wheel ornaments
●Remove any dirt immediately by
using a neutral detergent.
●Wash detergent off with water
immediately after use.
●To protect the paint from damage,
make sure to obs erve the follow-
ing precautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such
as after driving or parking in hot
weather
■Brake pads and calipers
Rust may form if the vehicle is
parked with wet brake pads or disc
rotors, causing them to stick. Before
parking the vehicle after it is
washed, drive slo wly and apply the
brakes several times to dry the
parts.
Cleaning and protect-
ing the vehicle exte-
rior
Perform cleaning in a man-
ner appropriate to each
component and its material.
Cleaning instructions
3366-1. Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the
windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away
from the windshield, pull the driver
side wiper arm upward first, and
repeat for the passenger side.
When returning the wipers to their
original position, do so from the
passenger side first.
■When using a high pressure
car wash
●When washing the vehicle, do
not spray the came ra or its sur-
rounding area directly with a
high pressure washer. Shock
applied from high pressure
water may cause the device to
not operate normally.
●Do not spray water directly on
the radar which is equipped
behind the emblem. Otherwise
it may cause the device to be
damaged.
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close
to boots (rubber or resin manu-
factured cover), connectors or
the following parts. The parts
may be damaged if they come
into contact with high-pressure
water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
●Keep the cleaning nozzle at
least 11.9 in. (30 cm) away from
the vehicles bod y. Otherwise
resin section, such as moldings
and bumpers, may be deformed
and damaged. Also, do not con-
tinuously hold the nozzle in the
same place.
●Do not spray the lower part of
the windshield continuously. If
water enters the air conditioning
system intake located near the
lower part of the windshield, the
air conditioning system may not
operate correctly.
●Do not wash the underside of
the vehicle using a high pres-
sure car washer.
3426-2. Maintenance
General maintenance
Listed below are the general
maintenance items that
should be performed at the
intervals specified in the
“Owner’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It
is recommended that any
problem you notice should
be brought to the attention
of your Toyota dealer or
qualified service shop for
advice.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system is operat-
ing
Turn the hybrid system off and
ensure that there is adequate
ventilation before performing
maintenance checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
12-volt batteryCheck the connec-
tions. ( P.356)
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
( P.354)
Engine/power
control unit
coolant
Is the
engine/power con-
trol unit coolant at
the correct level?
( P.352)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at
the correct level?
( P.350)
Exhaust sys-
temThere should not
be any fumes or
strange sounds.
Radiator/con-
denser
The radiator and
condenser should
be free from for-
eign objects.
( P.353)
Washer fluid
Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
( P.355)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator
pedal
The accelerator
pedal should move
smoothly (without
uneven pedal effort
or catching).
Hybrid trans-
mission “Park”
mechanism
When parked on a
slope and the shift
lever is in P, is the
vehicle securely
stopped?
ItemsCheck points
3436-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have
appropriate
clearance from
the floor?
( P.449)
• Does the brake pedal have the
correct amount
of free play?
( P.449)
Brakes
• The vehicle
should not pull to
one side when
the brakes are
applied.
• The brakes should work
effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel
spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get
too close to the
floor when the
brakes are
applied.
Head
restraints
Do the head
restraints move
smoothly and lock
securely?
Indica-
tors/buzzersDo the indicators
and buzzers func-
tion properly?
LightsDo all the lights
come on?
ItemsCheck points
Parking brake
• Does the park-ing brake oper-
ate normally?
• When parked on a slope and the
parking brake is
on, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
Seat belts
• Do the seat belts operate
smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be
damaged.
Seats
Do the seat con-
trols operate prop-
erly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steer-ing wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steer- ing wheel have
the correct
amount of free
play?
• There should not be any strange
sounds coming
from the steer-
ing wheel.
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
DoorsDo the doors oper-
ate smoothly?
Engine hood
Does the engine
hood lock system
work properly?
ItemsCheck points