TOYOTA PRIUS PRIME 2023 Owners Manual

2415-1. Before driving
5
Driving
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.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the
brake pedal will result in sudden
acceleration that may lead to an
accident.
• 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.
• 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.
●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 drive the vehicle over or
stop the vehicle near flammable
materials such as leaves, paper
or rags.
The exhaust system and
exhaust gases can be
extremely hot. These hot parts
may cause a fire if there is any
flammable material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not
turn off the hybrid system. Turn-
ing the hybrid s ystem 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.
In the event of an emergency,
such as if it be comes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal
way:  P.547
●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)
●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 resu lt 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.

2425-1. Before driving
WARNING
●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 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.
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration
and steering may cause tire
slippage and reduce your ability
to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine
braking due to shifting, or
changes in engine speed could
cause the vehicle to skid, result-
ing in an accident.
●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.
■When shifting the shift posi-
tion
●Do not let the vehicle roll back-
ward while a fo rward 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 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.
●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.
●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.

2435-1. Before driving
5
Driving
WARNING
■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.
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 shift position is in any
position other than P or N, the
vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, caus-
ing an accident.
●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.
●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.
●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.
■When the vehicle is parked
●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:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may
lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic
lenses and plastic material of
glasses to deform or crack.
• 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 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.
●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.
●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.

2445-1. Before driving
WARNING
●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.
●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.
■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.
■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
brake system does not operate,
do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp
turns that require braking.
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
should be depressed more
firmly than usual and the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
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.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle
parts
●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.

2455-1. Before driving
5
Driving
When the following unusual
operation is performed with the
accelerator pedal depressed,
the hybrid system output may be
restrained.
When the shift position is
shifted to R
*.
 When the shift position is
shifted from P or R to forward
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.
*: Depending on the situation, the
shift position may not be
changed.
■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
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.
●It may be difficult to control your
vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal
sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnor-
mally.
Information on what to do in case
of a flat tire ( P.574)
■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 your
Toyota dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality
of oil and fluid used for the
engine, transmission, tran-
saxle, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the bear-
ings and suspension joints
(where possible), and the func-
tion of all joints, bearings, etc.
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.
■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.
Sudden start restraint
control (Drive-Start Con-
trol [DSC])

2465-1. 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.

2475-1. Before driving
5
Driving
Cargo capacity depends on the
total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load
capacity) - (Total weight of occu-
pants)
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit 
(1) Locate the statement “The
combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your
vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined
weight of the driver and passen-
gers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and passen-
gers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(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.)
(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.
WARNING
●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.
NOTICE
■If luggage is loaded on the
roof (vehicles with solar
charging system)
Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to observe them
could lead to the solar roof being
damaged, or the roof rack falling
off.
●Do not install a roof rack which
interferes with the solar roof.
●Do not load luggage directly
onto the solar roof.
Capacity and distribution

2485-1. 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)
Toyota does not recommend
towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle is not designed for
trailer towing.
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) ( P.600) 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
*2 lb. (kg) - A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb.
(kg)
*1: A = Weight of people
*2: B = Total load capacity
*3: C = Available cargo and luggage load
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:
C lb. (kg) - D*4 lb. (kg) = E*5 lb.
(kg)
*4: D = Additional weight of people
*5: E = Available cargo and luggage load
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.
WARNING
■Capacity and distribution
●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.
Calculation formula for
your vehicle
A
B

2495-1. Before driving
5
Driving
■Total load capacity and seating
capacity
These details are also described on
the tire and loading information
label. ( P.532)
Vehicle load limits
Vehicle load limits include
total load capacity, seating
capacity, towing capacity
and cargo capacity.
 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.
 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.
WARNING
■Overloading the vehicle
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.

2505-1. Before driving
Trailer 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.
Dinghy towing
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.