TOYOTA PRIUS 2007 2.G Owners Manual

351
You may hear a motor sound in the en-
gine compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed with the hybrid system off.
When the hybrid system is started or
stopped, you may hear a sound coming
from the hybrid battery in the luggage
compartment. However, this does not indi-
cate any trouble.
If there is a problem somewhere in the
hybrid system, the hybrid system malfunc-
tion warning light will come on in place of
the “READY” light. If this happens, contact
your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Never start the hybrid system from
outside the vehicle, or an accident
may occur. Be sure to sit on the driv-
er seat, then start the system when
driving.
NOTICE
The hybrid system cannot be
started when the shift position is
“N”. Be sure to put it in “P” and
then start the system.
 If any warning light comes on (See
page 125 for details.) or the 12 volt
battery is disconnected, the hybrid
system may not start by pushing
the “POWER” switch. In that case,
push it once again. If the “READY”
light does not come on, contact
your Toyota dealer.
 When you start the hybrid system
at a lowered outside temperature, it
may take longer before the blinking
“READY” light changes to stay on.
40p002d
Before starting the hybrid system, be sure
to follow the instructions in “(a) Before
starting the hybrid system”.
Normal starting procedure
Insert the key and press the “POWER”
switch briefly and firmly with the brake
pedal depressed. The “READY” light starts
blinking. After a few seconds, the blinking
“READY” light remains on and two beeps
sound. (If the ambient temperature is low,
such as during winter driving conditions,
it may take time until the “READY” light
is on.)
The engine may not start even with the
“READY” light on.
(b) Turning on the hybrid
system (Using the key)

352
You may hear a motor sound in the en-
gine compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed with the hybrid system off.
When the hybrid system is started or
stopped, you may hear a sound coming
from the hybrid battery in the luggage
compartment. However, this does not indi-
cate any trouble.
If there is a problem somewhere in the
hybrid system, the hybrid system malfunc-
tion warning light will come on in place of
the “READY” light. If this happens, contact
your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Never start the hybrid system from
outside the vehicle, or an accident
may occur. Be sure to sit on the driv-
er seat, then start the system when
driving.
NOTICE
The hybrid system cannot be
started when the shift position is
“N”. Be sure to put it in “P” and
then start the system.
 If any warning light comes on (See
page 125 for details.) or the 12 volt
battery is disconnected, the hybrid
system may not start by pushing
the “POWER” switch. In that case,
push it once again. If the “READY”
light does not come on, contact
your Toyota dealer.
 When you start the hybrid system
at a lowered outside temperature, it
may take longer before the blinking
“READY” light changes to stay on.
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharp −edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage such
as a tire burst.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps
or travelling on a bumpy road. Other-
wise, the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and put the hybrid
transaxle “P”. If necessary, block the
wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you, and then
press the pedal lightly. If you do not
feel a normal braking force, the brakes
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake applied. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

353
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure the
parking brake is fully released and
the parking brake reminder light is
off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended with the “READY” light on.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating or
braking on a slippery surface. Sud-
den acceleration or engine braking,
could cause the vehicle to skid or
spin.
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has highspeed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be sure
to consult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are highspeed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes
are applied. Also, the parking brake
will not hold the vehicle securely.
Driving on a slippery road surface
Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be reduced, the windows 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 rain, because
there may be a layer of water between
the tires and the road surface, prevent-
ing the steering and brakes from oper-
ating properly.
Driving in the rain

354
CAUTION
Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering when driving on a slippery
road surface may cause tire slip-
page and reduce your ability to
control the vehicle, resulting in an
accident.
Sudden changes in engine speed,
such as sudden engine braking,
may cause the vehicle to skid, re-
sulting in an accident.
After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal to
make sure that the brakes are func-
tioning properly. Wet brake pads
may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on
only one side are wet and not func-
tioning properly, steering control
may be affected, resulting in an ac-
cident.
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded
after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause
serious damage to the vehicle.
NOTICE
Driving on a flooded road may cause
the engine to stall as well as cause
serious vehicle malfunctions such as
shorts in electrical components and
engine damage from water immersion.
In the event that you drive on a
flooded road and the vehicle is
flooded, be sure to have your Toyota
dealer check brake function, changes
in quantity and quality of engine oil,
transaxle fluid for the hybrid system,
etc. and lubricant condition for the
bearings and suspension joints (where
possible) and the function of all joints
and bearings.
Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection for engine coolant.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non−silicate, non −amine, non− nitrite,
and non− borate coolant with long −life
hybrid organic acid technology. (Coolant
with long −life hybrid organic acid
technology is a combination of low
phosphates and organic acids.)
See “Checking the coolant level” on page
406 for details of coolant type selection.
For the U.S.A.—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 50% coolant and
50% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −35 \bC
( − 31 \bF).
For Canada—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 55% coolant and
45% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −42 \bC
( − 44 \bF).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Winter driving tips

355
Check the condition of the 12 volt bat-
tery and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any 12 volt battery, so it must be in top
shape to provide enough power for winter
starting. Section 8−3 tells you how to
visually inspect the 12 volt battery. Your
Toyota dealer will be pleased to check the
level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 405 for recommended viscosity.
Leaving a heavy summer oil in your ve-
hicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota deal-
er—they will be pleased to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de −icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer ’s directions for how
much to mix with water.NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-
age your vehicle’s paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, push the “P” position
switch and block the rear wheels. Do not
use the parking brake, for snow or water
accumulated in and around the parking
brake mechanism may freeze, making it
hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During extreme
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.40p050b
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground. This may cause
serious damage to your vehicle.
Dinghy towing

356
40p003b
Toyota does not recommend towing a
trailer with your Toyota. Toyota also
does not recommend the installation of
a tow hitch or the use of a tow hitch
carrier for a wheelchair, scooter, bi-
cycle, etc. Your Toyota is not designed
for trailer towing or for the use of tow
hitch mounted carriers.Improving fuel economy is easy
−just take
it easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See page
409 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop−and− go driving
wastes power.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on brake ped-
al. This causes premature wear, over-
heating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape . A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease, brakes not adjusted, etc.
all lower engine performance and con-
tribute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your ve-
hicle receives more frequent mainte-
nance.
Trailer towing How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too

357
CAUTION
Never turn off the hybrid system to
coast down hills. Your power steering
and brake booster will not function
without the hybrid system running.
Also, the emission control system op-
erates properly only when the hybrid
system is running.

358

359
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
In case of an emergency
If your vehicle will not start360
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If your hybrid system stalls while driving 364
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If your vehicle overheats 364
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
If you have a flat tire 365
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . .
If your vehicle needs to be towed 376
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you lose your keys 379
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .
If you cannot operate back door opener 380
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 5

360
Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting
procedure given in “How to start the
hybrid system” on page 350 and that you
have sufficient fuel. Also check whether
the other keys will start the hybrid
system. If they work, your key may be
broken. Have the key checked at your
Toyota dealer. If none of your keys work,
there may be a malfunction in the hybrid
vehicle immobilizer system. Call your
Toyota dealer. (See “Keys” on page 20.)
If the instrument cluster dims or the
instrument cluster display turns off
with the hybrid system on—1. Check that the 12 volt battery terminals are tight and clean.
2. If the 12 volt battery terminals are O.K., the 12 volt battery is discharged.
You may try jump starting. See “(b)
Jump starting” for further instructions.
NOTICE
Hybrid vehicles cannot be push
started.
If the instrument cluster is shown in
appropriate brightness when the hybrid
system is in the “IGON” mode—
The hybrid vehicle system is suspected to
be faulty. Contact your Toyota dealer. If the 12 volt battery is discharged, the
hybrid system can be started by jump
starting. Depending on the vehicle con-
dition, the engine may not start.
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might re-
sult from battery explosion, acid burns,
electrical burns, or damaged electronic
components, these instructions must be
followed precisely.
If the 12 volt battery is discharged, you
cannot access to the 12 volt battery in the
luggage compartment because the back
door cannot be opened. Use the exclusive
jump starting terminal in the engine
compartment. For details, see “JUMP
STARTING PROCEDURE” on page 361.
NOTICE
If the 12 volt battery is discharged
with the transaxle in “P”, your vehicle
cannot be moved unless the front
wheels are raised. This is because the
front wheels are locked by means of
the parking lock mechanism.
If you are unsure about how to follow this
procedure, we strongly recommend that
you seek the help of a competent qualified
technician or towing service.
If your vehicle will not start—
(a) Simple checks
(b) Jump starting