Page 319 of 818

3175-1. Before driving
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
5
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 may cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
● If the electronically controlled assist function does not operate, do not fol-
low other vehicles closely and avoid downhill or sharp turns that require
braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will 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 this case, the
brake pedal should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking
distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
Page 322 of 818

3205-1. Before driving
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load.
WARNING
■ Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compartment:
● Receptacles containing gasoline
● Aerosol cans
■ Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent t he pedals from being depressed properly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may re sult in items hitting the driver or pas-
sengers, possibly causing an accident.
● Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever possible.
● Do not stack cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment higher than
the seatbacks.
● When you fold down the rear seats, long items should not be placed
directly behind the front seats.
● Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed
for passengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts prop-
erly fastened.
● Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
● Secure all items in the occupant compartment.
■ Load and distribution
● Do not overload your vehicle.
● Do not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deteriorati on of steering or braking control
which may cause death or serious injury.
Page 329 of 818

3275-2. Driving procedures
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
5
Driving
■Meter display
When the power switch is turned off, each display will turn off as follows.
● The shift position indicator will turn off after approximately 2 seconds.
● The multi-information display, clock, etc. will turn off after approximately 30
seconds.
(Each display will also turn off immediately if a door is locked before 30 sec-
onds has elapsed.)
■ If the smart entry & start system has been deactivated in a customized
setting
P. 696
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hybrid system while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not
depress the accelerator pedal while starting the hybrid system under any
circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Stopping the hybrid system in an emergency
● If you want to stop the hybrid system in an emergency while driving the
vehicle, press and hold the power switch for more than 2 seconds, or
press it briefly 3 times or more in succession. ( P. 649)
However, do not touch the power switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. Turning the hybrid system off while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, however, power assist to the steering will be
lost. This will make it more difficult to steer smoothly, so you should pull
over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
● If the power switch is operated while the vehicle is running, a warning
message will be shown on the multi-information display and a buzzer
sounds.
● When restarting the hybrid system after an emergency shutdown while
driving, press the power switch. When restarting the hybrid system after
stopping the vehicle, change the shift position to P and then press the
power switch.
Page 335 of 818

3335-2. Driving procedures
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
5
Driving
■When a message related to shift operations is displayed on the multi-
information display
When the shift position does not switch due to a mistaken operation, system
conditions, etc., or when the attempted shift operation is invalid, a message
indicating the correct operation or the reason why switching cannot be per-
formed is shown on the multi-information display. In these cases, follow the
instructions and retry the operation.
■ Customization
Settings (e.g. reverse warning buzzer) can be changed.
(Customizable features: P. 726)
WARNING
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
Do not accelerate or shift the shift position suddenly.
Sudden changes in engine braking may cause the vehicle to spin or skid,
resulting in an accident.
■ Shift lever and P position switch
● Do not remove the shift lever knob or use anything but a genuine Toyota
shift lever knob. Also, do not hang anything on the shift lever.
Doing so could prevent the shift lever from returning to position, causing
unexpected accidents to occur when the vehicle is in motion.
● Do not press the P position switch while the vehicle is moving.
If the P position switch is pressed when driving at very low speeds (for
example, just before the vehicle stops), the vehicle may stop suddenly
when the shift position switches to P, which could lead to an accident.
● In order to prevent the shift position from accidentally being changed, do
not touch the shift lever or P position switch when not using them.
Page 336 of 818

3345-2. Driving procedures
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction battery) charge
If the shift position is in N, the hybrid battery (traction battery) will not be
charged. To help prevent the battery fr om discharging, avoid leaving the N
position selected for an extended period of time.
■ Situations where shift control system malfunctions are possible
If any of the following situations occurs, shift control system malfunctions
are possible.
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place on level ground, apply the park-
ing brake, and then contact any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota autho-
rized repairer, or any reliable repairer.
● When the warning message indicating the shift control system appears on
the multi-information display.
● The display indicates that no shift position is selected for more than a few
seconds.
■ Notes regarding shift lever and P position switch operation
Avoid repeatedly operating the shift lever and P position switch in quick suc-
cession.
The system protection function may activate and it will not be temporarily
possible to shift the shift position other than P. If this happens, please wait
for approximately 20 seconds before attempting to change the shift position
again.
■ When exiting the vehicle (driver’s seat only)
Check that the shift position indicator shows P and that the parking brake is
set before opening the door and exiting the vehicle.
Page 338 of 818
3365-2. Driving procedures
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
Parking brake
To set the parking brake, fully
depress the parking brake pedal
with your left foot while depress-
ing the brake pedal with your right
foot.
(Depressing the pedal again
releases the parking brake.)
■ Parking the vehicle
P. 309
■ Parking brake engaged warning buzzer
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven with the parking brake engaged.
“Release Parking Brake” is displayed on the multi-information display (with
the vehicle reached a speed of 5 km/h [3 mph]).
■ Usage in winter time
P. 517
Operating instructions
NOTICE
■Before driving
Fully release the parking brake.
Driving the vehicle with the parking brake set will lead to brake components
overheating, which may affect braking performance and increase brake
wear.
Page 343 of 818

3415-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
5
Driving
AHS (Adaptive High-beam System)
●Adjusts the brightness and illuminated area of the high beams
according to the vehicle speed.
● Operates the variable high
beams so that the area around
vehicles ahead is partially not
illuminated while all other areas
continue to be illuminated with
the high beams.
The variable high beams help opti-
mize forward visibility while reduc-
ing the dazzling effect on the
drivers of vehicles ahead.
● Adjusts the intensity of the high beams, while driving on a curve, so
that the area in the direction that the vehicle is turning will be illumi-
nated more brightly than other areas.
● Adjusts the distance that the low beams are projected according to
the distance to a preceding vehicle.
The Adaptive High-beam System uses a front camera located
behind the upper portion of the windshield to assess the bright-
ness of the lights of vehicles ahead, streetlights, etc., and auto-
matically controls the headlight light distribution as necessary.
Illuminated area of the high beams
Illuminated area of the low beams
WARNING
■ Limitations of the Adaptive High-beam System
Do not rely on the Adaptive High-beam System. Always drive safely, taking
care to observe your surroundings and turning the high beam on or off man-
ually if necessary.
■ To prevent incorrect operation of the Adaptive High-beam system
Do not overload the vehicle.
Page 352 of 818

3505-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Prius Plug-in Hybrid_OM_OM47F38E_(EE)
WARNING
■Caution regarding the use of windshield wipers in AUTO mode
The windshield wipers may operate unexpectedly if the sensor is touched or
the windshield is subject to vibration in AUTO mode. Take care that your fin-
gers etc. do not become caught in the windshield wipers.
■ Caution regarding the use of washer fluid
When it is cold, do not use the washer fluid until the windshield becomes
warm. The fluid may freeze on the windshield and cause low visibility. This
may lead to an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■ When the windshield is dry
Do not use the wipers, as they may damage the windshield.
■ When the washer fluid tank is empty
Do not operate the switch continually as the washer fluid pump may over-
heat.
■ When a nozzle becomes blocked
In this case, contact any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer.
Do not try to clear it with a pin or other object. The nozzle will be damaged.
■ To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
Do not leave the wipers on longer than necessary when the hybrid system
is off.