brake TOYOTA PRIUS PHV 2012 Manual PDF

526 5-1. Essential information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
Emergency towingIf a tow truck is not available in
an emergency, your vehicle may
be temporarily towed using a
cable or chain secured to the
emergency towing eyelet(s).
This should only be attempted
on hard surfaced roads for short
distances at under 18 mph
(30 km/h).
A driver must be in the vehicle to
steer and operate the brakes.
The vehicle’s wheels, drive train,
axles, steering and brakes must
be in good condition.

528 5-1. Essential information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
Towing with a sling-type truckDo not tow with a sling-type truck
to prevent body damage.
Towing with a wheel-lift type truckFrom the front Release the parking brake.
From the rear Use a towing dolly under the
front wheels.

5
When trouble arises
529
5-1. Essential information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
Using a flat bed truck
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be
damaged.
■ Before emergency towing
Turn the “POWER” switch to ON mode.
Do not turn the “POWER” switch to ACCESSORY mode.
Shift the shift position to N.
Release the parking brake.
■ Emergency towing eyelet location
 P. 448
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

530 5-1. Essential information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
● Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains. Always
be cautious of the surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
● Do not turn the “POWER” switch off.
This may lead to an accident as the front wheels will be locked by the
parking lock.
● If the hybrid system is off, the power assist for the brakes and steering will
not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
■ Installing towing eyelets to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelets are installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelets may come loose during towing. This
may lead to accidents that cause serious injury or even death.

532
5-1. Essential information
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
■ Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air cond itioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● High engine coolant temperatur e warning light flashes or
comes on
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the hybrid system
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, s pongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor

5
When trouble arises
533
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a war ning light tur ns on or a war ning buzzer sounds
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle
may be dangerous.The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
*: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer:
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven at a speed of approximately 3 mph
(5 km/h) or more.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning light and warning buzzer (red
indicator)
*
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is
fully released, the system is operating normally.
Calmly perform the following actio ns if any of the warning lights
comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but then goes
off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the system.
However, if this continues to o ccur, have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer.

5
When trouble arises
535
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Failure to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The hybrid system;
• The electronic engine control system; or
• The electronic throttle control system
SRS warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
ABS warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS; or
• The brake assist system
Electric power steering syst em warning light (warn-
ing buzzer) Indicates a malfunction in the EPS system

536 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(Flashes)
(If equipped) Pre-collision system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the pre-collision system
The warning light will operate as follows, even when the
system is not malfunctioning:
• The light will flash quickly when the system is operating. (P. 335)
• The light will turn on when the pre-collision braking is disabled. ( P. 336)
• The light will turn on when the system cannot tempo- rarily be used. ( P. 551)
(Turns on) Slip indicator light
Indicates a malfunction in:
•VSC;
• TRAC; or
• Hill-start assist control
Flashes when the above systems and/or ABS are oper-
ating. ( P. 329)
Brake system warning light (yellow indicator) Indicates a malfunction in:
• The regenerative braking system; or
• The electronically controlled brake system

(Flashes)
(If equipped) Automatic headlight leveling system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the automatic headlight level-
ing system

(Flashes)
(If equipped) Cruise control indicator
Indicates a malfunction in the cruise control/dynamic
radar cruise control

(Flashes)
(If equipped) Radar cruise control indicator
Indicates a malfunction in the dynamic radar cruise con-
trol

542 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
■If the tire pressure warning light frequently comes on after blinking
for 1 minute
If the tire pressure warning light frequently comes on after blinking for 1
minute when the “POWER” switch is turned to ON mode, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
■ Customization
The vehicle speed linked seat belt reminder buzzer can be disabled.
(Customizable features  P. 639) However, Toyota recommends that the
seat belt reminder buzzer be operational to alert the driver and front passen-
ger when seat belts are not fastened.
CAUTION
■ If both the ABS and the brake system warning lights remain on
Stop your vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact your Toyota
dealer. The vehicle will become extremely unstable during braking, and the
ABS system may fail, which could cause an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
■ When the electric power steerin g system warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes heavier than usual when operating, hold
firmly and operate using more force than usual.

5
When trouble arises
543
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS PHV_OM_OM47818U_(U)
CAUTION
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause a loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as
soon as possible. Adjust the tire
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is pr obable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If a tire is flat, repair the flat ti re by using emergency tire puncture
repair kit.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate,
you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning syste m may not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label (tire and load information label). (If your vehicle has tires of a differ-
ent size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label [tire and load information label], you should determine the
proper tire inflation pr essure for those tires.)