check engine TOYOTA PRIUS PLUS 2012 Owners Manual

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PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior ........... 382
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior ............ 387
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements..................... 390
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions ....................... 393
Hood ................................... 397
Positioning a floor jack ........ 400
Engine compartment........... 403
12-volt battery ..................... 413
Tires .................................... 419
Tire inflation pressure ......... 422
Wheels ................................ 425
Air conditioning filter ........... 427
Electronic key battery ......... 430
Checking and replacing
fuses ................................. 433
Light bulbs .......................... 4455-1. Essential information
Emergency flashers ........... 460
If your vehicle needs to be
towed ............................... 461
If you think something
is wrong............................ 468
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns
on or a warning
buzzer sounds.................. 469
If you have a flat tire
(vehicles with
spare tire) ......................... 482
If you have a flat tire
(vehicles without
a spare tire) ...................... 494
If the hybrid system
will not start ...................... 516
If you lose your keys .......... 518
If the electronic key does not
operate properly ............... 519
If the 12-volt battery is
discharged ....................... 522
If your vehicle overheats .... 528
If the vehicle becomes
stuck................................. 534
If your vehicle has
to be stopped in
an emergency .................. 536
4Maintenance and care5When trouble arises

59 1-1. Hybrid system
1
Before driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
Highway driving
Control your speed and keep at a constant speed. Also, before
stopping at a toll booth or similar, allow plenty of time to release
the accelerator and gently apply the brakes. A greater amount of
electrical energy can be retained when slowing down.
Air conditioning on/off
Switch the air conditioning ( ) to off when it is not needed.
Doing so can help control excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: In high temperatures, use the recirculated air mode.
Doing so will help to reduce the burden on the air conditioner
and reduce fuel consumption as well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine will not automatically cut
out until the gasoline engine and the interior of the vehicle are
warm, it will consume fuel. Also, fuel consumption can be
improved by avoiding overuse of the heater.
Checking tire inflation pressure
Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure frequently.
Improper tire inflation pressure can cause poor fuel consump-
tion.
Also, as snow tires can cause large amounts of friction, their use
on dry roads can lead to poor fuel consumption. Use a tire that is
appropriate for the season.

205 2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
When driving the vehicle
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident
that could result in death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the
vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and acceler-
ator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
Because there is no engine noise when the vehicle is being driven using
the electric motor, pedestrians in the vicinity may not notice the vehicle.
Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
Do not let the vehicle roll backward while a forward driving position is
selected, or roll forward while the shift position is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and
check that the back door is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehi-
cle can cause driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a
serious health hazard. Have the vehicle inspected by any authorized
Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped profes-
sional immediately.

207 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents,
resulting in death or serious injury.
Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
When driving on slippery road surfaces
Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
Abrupt changes from shift position D to B and rapid changes in the engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.
After driving through a puddle, depress the brake pedal to make sure that
the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in
an accident.
When changing the shift position
Be careful not to change the shift position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Changing the shift position to any positions other than P or N may cause the
vehicle to accelerate abruptly, causing an accident and resulting in death or
serious injury.
After changing the shift position, make sure to confirm the current shift posi-
tion displayed on the shift position indicator inside the meter.

208 2-1. Driving procedures
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
CAUTION
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear indicators)
Have any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and
equipped professional check and replace the brake pads as soon as possi-
ble.
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.
When the vehicle is stopped
Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any shift position other than P or N, the vehicle may
accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on. Apply the
parking brake as necessary.
If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
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.

213 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
NOTICE
When encountering flooded 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:
Engine stalling
Short in electrical components
Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be
sure to have any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly quali-
fied and equipped professional check the following:
Brake function
Changes in quantity and quality of engine oil, transmission fluid for the
hybrid system, etc.
Lubricant condition for the bearings and suspension joints (where possi-
ble), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
If the P position control system is damaged by flooding, it may not be possi-
ble to shift the shift position to P, or from P to other positions. When the shift
position cannot be changed from P to any other position, the front wheels
will lock, and you will be unable to tow the vehicle with the front wheels on
the ground, as the front wheels may be locked. In this case, transport the
vehicle with both front wheels or all four wheels lifted.

215 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
Check that the “READY” indicator is on.
If the “READY” indicator changes from a flashing light to a solid
light and the buzzer sounds, the hybrid system is starting nor-
mally.
The vehicle will not move when the “READY” indicator is off.
The vehicle can move when the “READY” indicator is on even if
the engine is stopped. (The gasoline engine starts or stops auto-
matically in accordance with the state of the vehicle.)
Stopping the hybrid system
Stop the vehicle completely.
Set the parking brake. (P. 234)
Shift the shift position to P. (P. 227)
Check that the shift position indicator shows P. (P. 224)
Press the “POWER” switch.
The hybrid system will stop.
Slowly release the brake pedal and check that the indicator
on the “POWER” switch is off.
STEP 4
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5

225 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
Shift position indicator
The position of the frame on the shift position indicator changes in
accordance with the current shift position.
When any shift position other than D or B is selected, the arrow toward
B and B position indicator disappear from the shift position indicator.
When selecting the shift position, make sure that the shift position has
been changed to the desired position by checking the shift position indica-
tor provided on the instrument cluster.
Shift position purpose
*: For good fuel economy and noise reduction, the D position should usu-
ally be used.
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*
BApplying moderate engine braking when driving
down hills or on steep slopes

244 2-2. Instrument cluster
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)As shown below, the driving conditions of the vehicle can be con-
firmed by checking the status of the indicator.
*1: The images are examples only, and may vary slightly from actual condi-
tions.
*2: The displayed status is intended as a guide, and may differ from the
actual status.
*3: The gasoline engine will automatically stop and restart under various
conditions.
Hybrid System Indicator statusDisplay*1
Charge area:
Shows regenerative charging.
*2 (P. 39)
Eco area:
Shows that the vehicle is driven in Eco-friendly.
Hybrid Eco area:
Shows that gasoline engine power is not being
used very often.
*3
Power area:
Shows that the driving power is more than the
upper limit of Eco driving (during full power driv-
ing etc.).

247 2-2. Instrument cluster
2
When driving
PRIUS +_OM_OM47821E_(EE)
Engine speed
On hybrid vehicles, engine speed is precisely controlled in order to help
improve fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust emissions etc.
There are times when the engine speed that is displayed may differ even
when vehicle operation and driving conditions are the same.
Brightness of the instrument cluster light
If the headlight switch is turned to ON while the surrounding area is dark, the
instrument cluster lights will dim.
When disconnecting and reconnecting 12-volt battery terminals
The average fuel consumption and cruising range will be reset.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the engine and its components
The engine may be overheating if the high coolant temperature warning light
comes on or flashes. In this case, immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place, and check the engine after it has cooled completely. (P. 528)
The trip information display at low temperatures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to warm up before using the liquid crystal
information display. At extremely low temperatures, the information display
monitor may respond slowly, and display changes may be delayed.