Get Driving -> 5-1. Before driving Guide for Toyota Prius 4 Door Fifth Generation (2023-2026)

239

5-1. Before driving

5-1.Before driving

2 If the parking brake is

released, set the parking

brake. (P.263)

Driving the vehic le

The following procedures

should be observed to

ensure safe driving:

3 Shift the shift position to P.

(P.257)

Check that the shift position indica-

tor shows P and the parking brake

indicator is illuminated.

Driving procedure

4 Press the power switch to

stop the hybrid system.

■ Starting the hybrid system

P.251

5 Slowly release the brake

pedal.

■ Driving

1 With the brake pedal

depressed, shift the shift

position to D.

6 Lock the door, making sure

that you have the electronic

key on your person.

Check that the shift position indica-

tor shows D.

If parking on a hill, block the wheels

as needed.

2 If the parking brake is set,

release the parking brake.

(P.263)

■ Starting off on a steep

uphill

5

1 Firmly depress the brake

pedal and shift the shift posi-

tion to D.

If the parking brake is in automatic

mode, the parking brake will be

released automatically. (P.264)

The hill-start assist control will be

activated.

3 Gradually release the brake

pedal and gently depress the

accelerator pedal to acceler-

ate the vehicle.

2 Set the parking brake.

(P.263)

3 Release the brake pedal and

gently depress the accelera-

tor pedal to accelerate the

vehicle.

■ Stopping

1 Depress the brake pedal.

2 If necessary, set the parking

brake.

4 Release the parking brake.

(P.263)

If the vehicle is to be stopped for an

extended period of time, shift the

shift position to P. (P.257)

■For electricity-saving and fuel-

efficient driving

■ Parking the vehicle

1 Depress the brake pedal to

stop the vehicle completely.

Understand the system characteris-

tics of the vehicle to use the func-

tions of the hybrid system. Also,

keep in mind that Plug-in Hybrid

Electric Vehicles are similar to con-

240

5-1. Before driving

ventional vehicles, and it is neces-

sary to refrain from activities such

as sudden acceleration. Refer to

“Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle driv-

ing tips”. (P.88)

releasing the accelerator pedal will

cause the “Stop” score to increase.

■Restraining the hybrid system

output (Brake Override System)

●When the accelerator and brake

pedals are depressed at the same

time, the hybrid system output

may be restrained.

■Driving in the rain

●Drive carefully when it is raining,

because visibility will be reduced,

the windows may become fogged-

up, and the road will be slippery.

●A warning message is displayed

on the multi-information display

while the system is operating.

●Drive carefully when it starts to

rain, because the road surface will

be especially slippery.

■Breaking in your new Toyota

To extend the life of the vehicle,

observing the following precautions

is recommended:

●Refrain from high speeds when

driving on an expressway in the

rain, because there may be a

layer of water between the tires

and the road surface, preventing

the steering and brakes from

operating properly.

●For the first 200 miles (300 km):

Avoid sudden stops.

●For the first 600 miles (1000 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.

■ECO Accelerator Guidance

(P.163)

It is easier to drive in an Eco-friendly

manner by driving while referring to

the ECO Accelerator Guidance dis-

play. Also, by using the ECO Accel-

erator Guidance it is easier to

■Operating your vehicle in a for-

eign country

increase the “Eco Score” evaluation.

●When starting off:

Comply with the relevant vehicle

registration laws and confirm the

availability of the correct fuel.

(P.601)

While staying within the ECO Accel-

erator Guidance range, gradually

depress the accelerator pedal and

accelerate to the desired speed. If

excessive acceleration is avoided,

the “Start” score will increase.

WARNING

Observe the following precau-

tions.

Failure to do so may result in

death or serious injury.

●When driving:

After accelerating to the desired

speed, release the accelerator

pedal and drive at a stable speed

within the ECO Accelerator Guid-

ance range. By keeping the vehicle

within the ECO Accelerator Guid-

ance range, the “Cruise” score will

increase.

■When starting the vehicle

Always keep your foot on the

brake pedal while stopped with

the “READY” indicator is illumi-

nated. This prevents the vehicle

from creeping.

●When stopping:

When stopping the vehicle, early

241

5-1. Before driving

●Do not drive the vehicle over or

stop the vehicle near flammable

materials such as leaves, paper

or rags.

WARNING

■When driving the vehicle

●Do not drive if you are unfamil-

iar with the location of the brake

and accelerator pedals to avoid

depressing the wrong pedal.

The exhaust system and

exhaust gases can be

extremely hot. These hot parts

may cause a fire if there is any

flammable material nearby.

• Accidentally depressing the

accelerator pedal instead of the

brake pedal will result in sudden

acceleration that may lead to an

accident.

●During normal driving, do not

turn off the hybrid system. Turn-

ing the hybrid system off while

driving will not cause loss of

steering or braking control.

However, power assist for the

steering wheel may be lost mak-

ing it difficult to steer smoothly

before stopping the vehicle

depending on the remaining

charge in the 12-volt battery or

usage conditions. In this situa-

tion, you should pull over and

stop the vehicle as soon as it is

safe to do so.

• When backing up, you may twist

your body around, leading to a

difficulty in operating the pedals.

Make sure to operate the pedals

properly.

• Make sure to keep a correct

driving posture even when mov-

ing the vehicle only slightly. This

allows you to depress the brake

and accelerator pedals properly.

5

In the event of an emergency,

such as if it becomes impossible

to stop the vehicle in the normal

way: P.547

• Depress the brake pedal using

your right foot. Depressing the

brake pedal using your left foot

may delay response in an emer-

gency, resulting in an accident.

●Use engine braking (downshift)

to maintain a safe speed when

driving down a steep hill.

Using the brakes continuously

may cause the brakes to over-

heat and lose effectiveness.

(P.256)

●The driver should pay extra

attention to pedestrians when

the vehicle is powered only by

the electric motor (traction

motor). As there is no engine

noise, the pedestrians may mis-

judge the vehicle’s movement.

Even if the Acoustic Vehicle

Alerting System is operating,

drive with care as pedestrians in

the vicinity may still not notice

the vehicle if the surrounding

area is noisy.

●Do not adjust the position of the

steering wheel, the seat, inside

rear view mirror (if equipped),

Digital Rear-view Mirror (if

equipped) or outside rear view

mirrors while driving.

Doing so may result in a loss of

vehicle control.

●Always check that all passen-

gers’ arms, head or other parts

of their body are not outside the

vehicle.

242

5-1. Before driving

WARNING

■When shifting the shift posi-

tion

●Do not drive across a river or

through other bodies of water.

This may cause electric/elec-

tronic components to short cir-

cuit, damage the hybrid system

or cause other serious damage

to the vehicle.

●Do not let the vehicle roll back-

ward while a forward driving

position is selected, or roll for-

ward while the shift position is in

R.

Doing so may result in an acci-

dent or damage to the vehicle.

●Do not drive in excess of the

speed limit. Even if the legal

speed limit permits it, do not

drive over 85 mph (140 km/h)

unless your vehicle has high-

speed capability tires. Driving

over 85 mph (140 km/h) may

result in tire failure, loss of con-

trol and possible injury. Be sure

to consult a tire dealer to deter-

mine whether the tires on your

vehicle are high-speed capabil-

ity tires or not before driving at

such speeds.

●Do not shift the shift position to

P while the vehicle is moving.

Doing so can damage the trans-

mission and may result in a loss

of vehicle control.

●Do not shift the shift position to

R while the vehicle is moving

forward. Doing so can damage

the transmission and may result

in a loss of vehicle control.

●Do not shift the shift position to

a driving position while the vehi-

cle is moving backward. Doing

so can damage the transmis-

sion and may result in a loss of

vehicle control.

■When driving on slippery

road surfaces

●Sudden braking, acceleration

and steering may cause tire

slippage and reduce your ability

to control the vehicle.

●Changing the shift position to N

while the vehicle is moving will

disengage the hybrid system.

Regenerative braking is not

available with the hybrid system

disengaged.

●Sudden acceleration, engine

braking due to shifting, or

changes in engine speed could

cause the vehicle to skid, result-

ing in an accident.

●Do not shift the shift position

with the accelerator pedal

depressed. Changing the shift

position to any positions other

than P or N may lead to unex-

pected rapid acceleration of the

vehicle that may cause an acci-

dent and result in death or seri-

ous injury.

After changing the shift position,

make sure to confirm the cur-

rent shift position displayed on

the shift position indicator inside

the meter.

●After driving through a puddle,

lightly depress the brake pedal

to make sure that the brakes

are functioning properly. Wet

brake pads may prevent the

brakes from functioning prop-

erly. If the brakes on only one

side are wet and not functioning

properly, steering control may

be affected.

243

5-1. Before driving

■When the vehicle is parked

WARNING

●Do not leave glasses, cigarette

lighters, spray cans, or soft

drink cans in the vehicle when it

is in the sun.

Doing so may result in the fol-

lowing:

■If you hear a squealing or

scraping noise (brake pad

wear limit indicators)

Have the brake pads checked and

replaced by your Toyota dealer as

soon as possible.

• Gas may leak from a cigarette

lighter or spray can, and may

lead to a fire.

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.

• The temperature inside the

vehicle may cause the plastic

lenses and plastic material of

glasses to deform or crack.

■When the vehicle is stopped

• Soft drink cans may fracture,

causing the contents to spray

over the interior of the vehicle,

and may also cause a short cir-

cuit in the vehicle’s electrical

components.

●Do not depress the accelerator

pedal unnecessarily.

If the shift position is in any

position other than P or N, the

vehicle may accelerate sud-

denly and unexpectedly, caus-

ing an accident.

●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

accidentally when luggage is

loaded or the seat is adjusted,

causing a fire.

5

●In order to prevent accidents

due to the vehicle rolling away,

always keep depressing the

brake pedal while stopped with

the “READY” indicator is illumi-

nated, and apply the parking

brake as necessary.

●Do not attach adhesive discs to

the windshield or windows. Do

not place containers such as air

fresheners on the instrument

panel or dashboard. Adhesive

discs or containers may act as

lenses, causing a fire in the

vehicle.

●If the vehicle is stopped on an

incline, in order to prevent acci-

dents caused by the vehicle roll-

ing forward or backward, always

depress the brake pedal and

securely apply the parking

brake as needed.

●Do not leave a door or window

open if the curved glass is

coated with a metallized film

such as a silver-colored one.

Reflected sunlight may cause

the glass to act as a lens, caus-

ing a fire.

●Avoid revving or racing the

engine.

Running the engine at high

speed while the vehicle is

stopped may cause the exhaust

system to overheat, which could

result in a fire if combustible

material is nearby.

244

5-1. Before driving

WARNING

●If the electronically controlled

brake system does not operate,

do not follow other vehicles

closely and avoid hills or sharp

turns that require braking.

●Always apply the parking brake,

shift the shift position to P, stop

the hybrid system and lock the

vehicle.

Do not leave the vehicle unat-

tended while the “READY” indi-

cator is illuminated.

If the vehicle is parked with the

shift position in P but the park-

ing brake is not set, the vehicle

may start to move, possibly

leading to an accident.

In this case, braking is still pos-

sible, but the brake pedal

should be depressed more

firmly than usual. Also, the brak-

ing distance will increase. Have

your brakes fixed immediately.

●The brake system consists of 2

or more individual hydraulic sys-

tems; if one of the systems fails,

the other(s) will still operate. In

this case, the brake pedal

●Do not touch the exhaust pipes

while the “READY” indicator is

illuminated or immediately after

turning the hybrid system off.

Doing so may cause burns.

should be depressed more

firmly than usual and the brak-

ing distance will increase. Have

your brakes fixed immediately.

■When taking a nap in the

vehicle

Always turn the hybrid system off.

Otherwise, if you accidentally shift

the shift position or depress the

accelerator pedal, this could

cause an accident or fire due to

hybrid system overheating. Addi-

tionally, if the vehicle is parked in

a poorly ventilated area, exhaust

gases may collect and enter the

vehicle, leading to death or a seri-

ous health hazard.

NOTICE

■When driving the vehicle

●Do not depress the accelerator

and brake pedals at the same

time during driving, as this may

restrain the hybrid system out-

put.

●Do not use the accelerator

pedal or depress the accelera-

tor and brake pedals at the

same time to hold the vehicle on

a hill.

■When braking

●When the brakes are wet, drive

more cautiously.

■Avoiding damage to vehicle

parts

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.

●Do not turn the steering wheel

fully in either direction and hold

it there for an extended period

of time.

Doing so may damage the

power steering.

●When driving over bumps in the

road, drive as slowly as possible

to avoid damaging the wheels,

underside of the vehicle, etc.

245

5-1. Before driving

If the shift control system is dam-

aged by flooding, it may not be

possible to shift the shift position

to P, or from P to other positions.

In this case, contact your Toyota

dealer.

NOTICE

■If you get a flat tire while driv-

ing

A flat or damaged tire may cause

the following situations. Hold the

steering wheel firmly and gradu-

ally depress the brake pedal to

slow down the vehicle.

■When parking the vehicle

Always set the parking brake, and

shift the shift position to P. Failure

to do so may cause the vehicle to

move or the vehicle may acceler-

ate suddenly if the accelerator

pedal is accidentally depressed.

●It may be difficult to control your

vehicle.

●The vehicle will make abnormal

sounds or vibrations.

●The vehicle will lean abnor-

Sudden start restraint

control (Drive-Start Con-

trol [DSC])

mally.

Information on what to do in case

of a flat tire (P.574)

■When encountering flooded

When the following unusual

operation is performed with the

accelerator pedal depressed,

the hybrid system output may be

restrained.

roads

Do not drive on a road that has

flooded after heavy rain, etc.

Doing so may cause the following

serious damage to the vehicle:

5

●Engine stalling

 When the shift position is

●Short in electrical components

shifted to R^*.

●Engine damage caused by

water immersion

 When the shift position is

shifted from P or R to forward

In the event that you drive on a

flooded road and the vehicle is

flooded, be sure to have your

Toyota dealer check the following:

drive shift position such as D^*.

When the system operates, a mes-

sage appears on the multi-informa-

tion display. Read the message

and follow the instruction.

●Brake function

●Changes in quantity and quality

of oil and fluid used for the

engine, transmission, tran-

saxle, etc.

*

: Depending on the situation, the

shift position may not be

changed.

●Lubricant condition for the bear-

ings and suspension joints

(where possible), and the func-

tion of all joints, bearings, etc.

■Drive-Start Control (DSC)

●When the TRAC is turned off

(P.425), sudden start restraint

control also does not operate. If

your vehicle have trouble escap-

ing from the mud or fresh snow

246

5-1. Before driving

due to sudden start restraint con-

trol operation, deactivate TRAC

(P.425) so that the vehicle may

become able to escape from the

mud or fresh snow.

Cargo and luggage

Take notice of the following

information about storage

precautions, cargo capacity

and load:

WARNING

■Things that must not be car-

ried in the luggage compart-

ment

The following things may cause a

fire if loaded in the luggage com-

partment:

●Receptacles containing gaso-

line

●Aerosol cans

■Storage precautions

Observe the following precau-

tions.

Failure to do so may prevent the

pedals from being depressed

properly, may block the driver’s

vision, or may result in items hit-

ting the driver or passengers, pos-

sibly causing an accident.

●Stow cargo and luggage in the

luggage compartment when-

ever 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 properly

fastened.

247

5-1. Before driving

Capacity and distribution

WARNING

●Do not place cargo or luggage

Cargo capacity depends on the

total weight of the occupants.

in or on the following locations.

• At the feet of the driver

(Cargo capacity) = (Total load

capacity) - (Total weight of occu-

pants)

• On the front passenger or rear

seats (when stacking items)

• On the luggage cover

• On the instrument panel

• On the dashboard

Steps for Determining Correct

Load Limit 

●Secure all items in the occupant

(1) Locate the statement “The

combined weight of occupants

and cargo should never exceed

XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your

vehicle’s placard.

compartment.

NOTICE

■If luggage is loaded on the

roof (vehicles with solar

charging system)

(2) Determine the combined

weight of the driver and passen-

gers that will be riding in your

vehicle.

Observe the following precau-

tions. Failure to observe them

could lead to the solar roof being

damaged, or the roof rack falling

off.

5

(3) Subtract the combined

weight of the driver and passen-

gers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.

●Do not install a roof rack which

interferes with the solar roof.

(4) The resulting figure equals

the available amount of cargo

and luggage load capacity.

For example, if the “XXX”

amount equals 1400 lbs. and

there will be five 150 lb passen-

gers in your vehicle, the amount

of available cargo and luggage

load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 -

750 (5  150) = 650 lbs.)

●Do not load luggage directly

onto the solar roof.

(5) Determine the combined

weight of luggage and cargo

being loaded on the vehicle.

That weight may not safely

exceed the available cargo and

luggage load capacity calcu-

lated in Step 4.

248

5-1. Before driving

(6) If your vehicle will be towing

a trailer, load from your trailer

will be transferred to your vehi-

cle. Consult this manual to

determine how this reduces the

available cargo and luggage

load capacity of your vehicle.

(P.249)

When 2 people with the com-

bined weight of A lb. (kg) are rid-

ing in your vehicle, which has a

total load capacity (vehicle

capacity weight) of B lb. (kg),

the available amount of cargo

and luggage load capacity will

be C lb. (kg) as follows:

B^*2lb. (kg) - A^*1lb. (kg) = C^*3lb.

(kg)

Toyota does not recommend

towing a trailer with your vehicle.

Your vehicle is not designed for

trailer towing.

*1

:A = Weight of people

*2

:B = Total load capacity

*3

WARNING

:C = Available cargo and luggage

load

■Capacity and distribution

In this condition, if 3 more passen-

gers with the combined weight of D

lb. (kg) get on, the available cargo

and luggage load will be reduced E

lb. (kg) as follows:

●Do not exceed the maximum

axle weight rating or the total

vehicle weight rating.

●Even if the total load of occu-

pant’s weight and the cargo

load is less than the total load

capacity, do not apply the load

unevenly. Improper loading may

cause deterioration of steering

or braking control which may

cause death or serious injury.

C lb. (kg) - D^*4lb. (kg) = E^*5lb.

(kg)

*4

:D = Additional weight of people

*5

:E = Available cargo and luggage

load

Calculation formula for

your vehicle

As shown in the example above,

if the number of occupants

increases, the cargo and lug-

gage load will be reduced by an

amount that equals the

increased weight due to the

additional occupants. In other

words, if an increase in the num-

ber of occupants causes an

excess of the total load capacity

(combined weight of occupants

plus cargo and luggage load),

you must reduce the cargo and

luggage on your vehicle.

A

Cargo capacity

B

Total load capacity (vehicle

capacity weight) (P.600)

249

5-1. Before driving

Vehicle load limits

WARNING

■Overloading the vehicle

Vehicle load limits include

total load capacity, seating

capacity, towing capacity

and cargo capacity.

Do not overload the vehicle. It

may not only cause damage to

the tires, but also degrade steer-

ing and braking ability, resulting in

an accident.

 Total load capacity (vehicle

capacity weight): P.600

Total load capacity means the

combined weight of occu-

pants, cargo and luggage.

 Seating capacity: P.600

Seating capacity means the

maximum number of occu-

pants whose estimated aver-

age weight is 150 lb. (68 kg)

per person.

5

 Towing capacity

Toyota does not recommend

towing a trailer with your vehi-

cle.

 Cargo capacity

Cargo capacity may increase

or decrease depending on the

weight and the number of

occupants.

■Total load capacity and seating

capacity

These details are also described on

the tire and loading information

label. (P.531)

250

Trailer towing

5-1. Before driving

Dinghy towing

Toyota does not recom-

mend towing a trailer with

your vehicle. Toyota also

does not recommend the

installation of a tow hitch or

the use of a tow hitch carrier

for a wheelchair, scooter,

bicycle, etc. Your vehicle is

not designed for trailer tow-

ing or for the use of tow

hitch mounted carriers.

Your vehicle is not designed

to be dinghy towed (with 4

wheels on the ground)

behind a motor home.

NOTICE

■To avoid serious damage to

your vehicle

Do not tow your vehicle with 4

wheels on the ground.

Driving -> 5-1. Before driving for Your Toyota Prius 4 Door Fifth Generation (2023-2026)

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