Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (2023 year). Manual in english - page 6

2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

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Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle

There may be no engine sound or vibration even though the vehicle is able to
move with the “READY” indicator is illuminated. For safety, apply the parking
brake and make sure to shift the shift position to P when parked.
The following sounds or vibrations may occur when the hybrid system is
operating and are not a malfunction.

●

Motor sounds may be heard from the engine compartment.

●

Sounds may be heard from the hybrid battery (traction battery) when the
hybrid system starts or stops.

●

Relay operating sounds such as a snap or soft clank will be emitted from the
hybrid battery (traction battery), behind the rear seats, when the hybrid sys-
tem is started or stopped.

●

Sounds from the hybrid system may be heard when the back door is open.

●

Sounds may be heard from the transmission when the gasoline engine
starts or stops, when driving at low speeds, or during idling.

●

Engine sounds may be heard when accelerating sharply.

●

Sounds may be heard due to regenerative braking when the brake pedal is
depressed or as the accelerator pedal is released.

●

Vibration may be felt when the gasoline engine starts or stops.

●

Cooling fan sounds may be heard from the air intake vents. (



P. 99)

■

Vehicle proximity notification system

In the following cases, the vehicle proximity notification system may be diffi-
cult for surrounding people to hear.

●

In very noisy areas

●

In the wind or the rain

Also, as the vehicle proximity notification system is installed on the front of
the vehicle, it may be more difficult to hear from the rear of the vehicle com-
pared to the front.

■

When “Proximity Notification System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer” is
displayed on the multi-information display

The vehicle proximity notification system may be malfunctioning. Have the
vehicle inspected by any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer immediately.

■

Maintenance, repair, recycling, and disposal

Contact any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any
reliable repairer regarding maintenance, repair, recycling and disposal. Do
not dispose of the vehicle yourself.

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WARNING

■

When using the hybrid battery (traction battery) charge mode

Observe the following precautions when using the hybrid battery (traction
battery) charge mode while parking.
Failure to do so may lead to death or serious health hazard, as the gasoline
engine operates when in the hybrid battery (traction battery) charge mode.

●

Do not stop the vehicle near flammable materials.

●

Do not use the hybrid battery (traction battery) charge mode in a closed
area where ventilation is insufficient, such as in a garage or area with
snow buildup.

2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

Plug-in hybrid system precautions

The illustration is an example for explanation and may differ from the
actual item.

Take care when handling the hybrid system, as it contains a high
voltage system (about 600V at maximum) as well as parts that
become extremely hot when the hybrid system is operating.
Obey the caution labels attached to the vehicle.

Caution label
Charging inlet
Service plug
Air conditioning compressor
Power control unit and DC/DC
converter

Electric motor (traction motor)
High voltage cables (orange)
Onboard traction battery char-
ger
Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery)

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2
3
4
5

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7
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There are air intake vents on both
sides of the rear seatback for the
purpose of cooling the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery). If the vents
are blocked, charging/discharg-
ing of the hybrid battery (traction
battery) may become limited.

When a certain level of impact is detected by the impact sensor, the
emergency shut off system blocks off the high voltage current and
stops the fuel pump to minimize the risk of electrocution and fuel leak-
age. If the emergency shut off system activates, your vehicle will not
restart. To restart the hybrid system, contact any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer.

A message is automatically displayed when a malfunction occurs in
the hybrid system or an improper operation is attempted.

If a warning message is shown on
the multi-information display, read
the message and follow the
instructions.

Hybrid battery (traction battery) air vents

Emergency shut off system

Hybrid warning message

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2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

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If a warning light comes on, a warning message is displayed or the 12-
volt battery is disconnected

The hybrid system may not start. In that case, try to start the system again. If
the “READY” indicator does not come on, contact any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer.

■

Running out of fuel

When the vehicle has run out of fuel and the hybrid system cannot be started,
refuel the vehicle with at least enough gasoline to make the low fuel level
warning light (



P. 662) go off. If there is only a small amount of fuel, the

hybrid system may not be able to start. (The standard amount of fuel is about
7.5 L [2.0 gal., 1.7 Imp.gal.], when the vehicle is on a level surface. This value
may vary when the vehicle is on a slope. Add extra fuel when the vehicle is
inclined.)

■

Electromagnetic waves

●

High voltage parts and cables on the hybrid vehicles incorporate electro-
magnetic shielding, and therefore emit approximately the same amount of
electromagnetic waves as conventional gasoline powered vehicles or home
electronic appliances.

●

Your vehicle may cause sound interference in some third party-produced
radio parts.

■

Effect of magnetic forces

If objects that generate strong magnetic forces, such as large speakers, are
placed inside the luggage compartment or installed nearby, the generated
magnetic forces may negatively affect the hybrid system.

■

Hybrid battery (traction battery) (lithium-ion battery)

The hybrid battery (traction battery) has a limited service life.
The hybrid battery (traction battery) capacity (the ability to hold a charge)
reduces with time and use in the same way as other rechargeable batteries.
The extent at which capacity reduces changes drastically depending on the
environment (ambient temperature, etc.) and usage conditions, such as how
the vehicle is driven and how the hybrid battery (traction battery) is charged.
This is a natural characteristic of lithium-ion batteries, and is not a malfunc-
tion. Also, even though the distance that can be driven in EV mode decreases
when the hybrid battery (traction battery) capacity reduces, vehicle perfor-
mance does not significantly become worse.
In order to reduce the possibility of the capacity reducing, follow the directions
listed on P. 152, “Capacity reduction of the hybrid battery (traction battery)”.

■

Starting the hybrid system in an extremely cold environment

When the hybrid battery (traction battery) is extremely cold (below approxi-
mately -30



C [-22



F]) under the influence of the outside temperature, it may

not be possible to start the hybrid system. In this case, try to start the hybrid
system again after the temperature of the hybrid battery increases due to the
outside temperature increase etc.

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Declaration of conformity

This model conforms to hydrogen emissions according to regulation ECE100
(Battery electric vehicle safety).

WARNING

■

High voltage precautions

The vehicle has high voltage DC and AC systems as well as a 12-volt sys-
tem. DC and AC high voltage is very dangerous and can cause severe
burns and electric shock that may result in death or serious injury.

●

Never touch, disassemble, remove or replace the high voltage parts,
cables or their connectors.

●

The hybrid system will become hot after starting as the system uses high
voltage. Be careful of both the high voltage and the high temperature, and
always obey the caution labels attached to the vehicle.

●

Never try to open the service plug
access hole located in the luggage
compartment. The service plug is used
only when the vehicle is serviced and is
subject to high voltage.

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2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

WARNING

■

Road accident cautions

Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of death or serious
injury:

●

Pull your vehicle off the road, apply the parking brake, shift the shift posi-
tion to P, and turn the hybrid system off.

●

Do not touch the high voltage parts, cables and connectors.

●

If electric wires are exposed inside or outside your vehicle, an electric
shock may occur. Never touch exposed electric wires.

●

Do not touch the battery if liquid is leaking from or adhering to it.
If electrolyte (carbonic-based organic electrolyte) from the hybrid battery
(traction battery) comes into contact with the eyes or skin, it could cause
blindness or skin wounds. In the unlikely event that it comes into contact
with the eyes or skin, wash it off immediately with a large amount of water,
and seek immediate medical attention.

●

If electrolyte is leaking from the hybrid battery (traction battery), do not
approach the vehicle.
Even in the unlikely event that the hybrid battery (traction battery) is dam-
aged, the internal construction of the battery will prevent a large amount of
electrolyte from leaking out. However, any electrolyte that does leak out
will give off a vapor. This vapor is an irritant to skin and eyes and could
cause acute poisoning if inhaled.

●

Do not bring burning or high-temperature items close to the electrolyte.
The electrolyte may ignite and cause a fire.

●

If a fire occurs in the hybrid vehicle, leave the vehicle as soon as possible.
Never use a fire extinguisher that is not meant for electric fires. Using even
a small amount of water may be dangerous.

●

If your vehicle needs to be towed, do so with front wheels raised. If the
wheels connected to the electric motor (traction motor) are on the ground
when towing, the motor may continue to generate electricity. This may
cause a fire. (



P. 652)

●

Carefully inspect the ground under the vehicle. If you find that liquid has
leaked onto the ground, the fuel system may have been damaged. Leave
the vehicle as soon as possible.

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WARNING

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Hybrid battery (traction battery)

●

Your vehicle contains a sealed lithium-ion battery.

●

Never resell, hand over or modify the hybrid battery. To prevent accidents,
hybrid batteries that have been removed from a disposed vehicle are col-
lected through any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer,
or any reliable repairer. Do not dispose of the battery yourself.
Unless the battery is properly collected, the following may occur, resulting
in death or serious injury:
• The hybrid battery may be illegally disposed of or dumped, and it is haz-

ardous to the environment or someone may touch a high voltage part,
resulting in an electric shock.

• The hybrid battery is intended to be used exclusively with your hybrid

vehicle. If the hybrid battery is used outside of your vehicle or modified
in any way, accidents such as electric shock, heat generation, smoke
generation, an explosion and electrolyte leakage may occur.
When reselling or handing over your vehicle, the possibility of an acci-
dent is extremely high because the person receiving the vehicle may
not be aware of these dangers.

●

If your vehicle is disposed of without the hybrid battery having been
removed, there is a danger of serious electric shock if high voltage parts,
cables and their connectors are touched. In the event that your vehicle
must be disposed of, the hybrid battery must be disposed of by any autho-
rized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer
or a qualified service shop. If the hybrid battery is not disposed of properly,
it may cause electric shock that can result in death or serious injury.

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2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

NOTICE

■

Hybrid battery (traction battery) air vents

●

Make sure not to block the air intake vent with anything, such as a seat
cover, plastic cover, or luggage. If the vents are blocked, the charging/dis-
charging of the hybrid battery (traction battery) may become limited.

●

When dust etc. has accumulated in the air intake vent, clean it with a vac-
uum cleaner to prevent the vent from clogging.

●

Do not wet or allow foreign substances to enter the air vents as this may
cause a short circuit and damage the hybrid battery (traction battery).

●

Do not carry large amounts of water such as water cooler bottles in the
vehicle. If water spills onto the hybrid battery (traction battery), the battery
may be damaged. Have the vehicle inspected by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer.

●

A filter is installed to the air intake vent. When the filter remains noticeably
dirty even after cleaning the air intake vent, filter cleaning or replacement
is recommended. When cleaning the filter, refer to P. 573.

■

Notice about fuel

●

For plug-in hybrid vehicles, fuel may remain in the tank for a long time and
undergo changes in quality depending on the how the vehicle is used.
Refuel at least 20 L (5.3 gal., 4.4 Imp.gal.) of fuel every 12 months (refuel
a total of at least 20 L [5.3 gal., 4.4 Imp.gal.] over a 12-month period), as
this may affect components of the fuel system or the gasoline engine.

●

If the vehicle has not been refueled for a certain amount of time and it is
possible that the quality of the fuel remaining in the tank has changed, “No
new fuel has been added recently. Please refuel” is displayed on the multi-
information display when the power switch is turned to ON mode. If the
message is displayed, refuel the vehicle immediately.

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Plug-in hybrid vehicle driving tips

◆

Using EV mode and HV mode effectively

Primarily using EV mode when driving in cities and using HV mode
when driving on highways (or freeways) can help conserve fuel and
electricity. (



P. 88)

◆

Using EV City mode

When using EV City mode, the motor output is limited and the oper-
ation of the gasoline engine can be minimized. Therefore, the vehi-
cle can be driven with only electric motor (traction motor) in city
areas, etc. (



P. 88)

◆

Using Eco drive mode

When using Eco drive mode, the torque corresponding to the accel-
erator pedal depression amount can be generated more smoothly
than it is in normal conditions. In addition, the operation of the air
conditioning system (heating/cooling) will be minimized, improving
fuel and electricity economy. (



P. 418)

◆

Use of Hybrid System Indicator

Eco-friendly driving is possible by keeping the Hybrid System Indi-
cator within Eco area. (



P. 226)

◆

Shift position operation

Shift the shift position to D when stopped at a traffic light, or driving
in heavy traffic etc. Shift the shift position to P when parking. When
using the N, there is no positive effect on fuel consumption. In the
N, the gasoline engine operates but electricity cannot be gener-
ated. Also, when using the air conditioning system, etc., the hybrid
battery (traction battery) power is consumed.

For economical and ecological driving, pay attention to the fol-
lowing points:

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2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

◆

Accelerator pedal/brake pedal operation

●

Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid abrupt acceleration and
deceleration. Gradual acceleration and deceleration will make
more effective use of the electric motor (traction motor) without
having to use gasoline engine power.

●

Avoid repeated acceleration. Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (traction battery) power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be restored by driving with the
accelerator pedal slightly released.

◆

When braking

Make sure to operate the brakes gently and a timely manner. A
greater amount of electrical energy can be regenerated when slow-
ing down.

◆

Delays

Repeated acceleration and deceleration, as well as long waits at
traffic lights, will lead to high fuel and electricity consumption.
Check traffic reports before leaving and avoid delays as much as
possible. When driving in a traffic jam, gently release the brake
pedal to allow the vehicle to move forward slightly while avoiding
overuse of the accelerator pedal. Doing so can help control exces-
sive electricity and fuel consumption.

◆

Highway driving

●

Control and maintain the vehicle at a constant speed. 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 regenerated when slowing down.

●

Electricity consumption will increase significantly when driving at
high speeds in EV mode. If there will be a long distance to the
next external charging point after leaving a freeway, it is recom-
mended to drive in HV mode while on the freeway and change to
EV mode after leaving the freeway.

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◆

Air conditioning

●

Turn the “A/C” switch (

) off when it is not needed. Doing

so can help reduce excessive electricity and fuel consumption.
In summer: When the ambient temperature is high, use the recir-
culated air mode. Doing so will help to reduce the burden on the
air conditioning system and reduce electricity and fuel consump-
tion as well.
In winter: Avoid excessive and unnecessary use of the heater.
Usage of the seat heaters is effective. (



P. 539)

●

Using the Remote Air Conditioning System (



P. 535) while the

charging cable is connected to the vehicle can reduce electricity
consumption immediately after starting off by operating air condi-
tioning mainly using electricity from an external power source.

●

When setting the charging schedule, selecting the start time set-
ting mode and setting “Climate Prep” to “On” can reduce electric-
ity consumption immediately after starting off by operating air
conditioning before charging is completed. (if equipped)
(



P. 166)

◆

Checking tire inflation pressure

Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure frequently. If there is
improper tire inflation pressure in the tires, the EV driving range will
become shorter, and fuel consumption when in HV mode will
increase.
Also, as snow tires can cause large amounts of friction, their use on
dry roads can lead to increased fuel and electricity consumption.

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2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

◆

Luggage

Carrying heavy luggage will lead to poor fuel economy. Avoid carry-
ing unnecessary luggage. Installing a large roof rack will also cause
poor fuel economy.

◆

Warming up before driving

Since the gasoline engine starts up and cuts out automatically,
warming up is not necessary.

◆

While warming up the engine

The hybrid system output may be restrained.

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EV driving range

The value displayed on the multi-information display etc. (



P. 215,

231, 238, 255) is estimated from the following information.

●

The amount of hybrid battery (traction battery) charge currently
remaining

●

The electricity consumption (the estimated distance that can be
driven in EV mode per unit of electrical energy) based on the
recorded value

●

Past air conditioning system electricity consumption amount

The electricity consumption varies depending on how the vehicle is
driven. The vehicle automatically records the electricity consumption
when being charged and uses the electricity consumption for estimat-
ing the EV driving range. Therefore, the EV driving range displayed
when the hybrid battery (traction battery) is fully charged may differ
from the previous EV driving range depending on how the vehicle was
driven.
The EV driving range may change significantly with each charging
until the electricity consumption based on the recorded value is stable
(for approximately the first month or two). However, this does not indi-
cate a malfunction.
When the air conditioning system is turned on, the EV driving range
(with using the air conditioning system) is estimated based on the past
air conditioning electricity consumption amount considering that the
electricity consumption may become higher.

The EV driving range displayed on the multi-information display
etc. shows the reference distance that EV driving (driving using
only the electric motor) is possible, and the actual distance that
can be driven may differ from that displayed.

Even if the EV driving range is displayed, EV driving may be can-
celed and both gasoline engine and electric motor are used depend-
ing on the situation. (



P. 94)

Displayed value

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2-1. Plug-in hybrid system

The distance that can be driven in EV mode varies significantly
depending on how the vehicle is driven, road conditions, the weather,
the outside temperature, usage conditions of electrical components
and the number of occupants.
The distance that can be driven in EV mode can be extended if the fol-
lowing is performed:

●

Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front and avoid unnec-
essary acceleration and deceleration

●

Accelerate and decelerate the vehicle as smoothly as possible

●

Drive at moderate speeds as much as possible and maintain a con-
stant speed

●

Set the air conditioning to a moderate temperature and turn the “A/C”

switch (

) off when it is not needed

●

Use tires of the specified size and maintain the specified tire pres-
sure

●

Use the EV/HV mode selection switch to drive in HV mode when
driving on a highway
Electricity consumption will increase substantially when driving on a
highway in EV mode.

●

Do not add unnecessary weight to the vehicle

The following indicate that charging has been carried out properly.

●

The charging indicator turns off

●

The Hybrid battery (traction battery) status indicators illuminate for
approximately 15 seconds. (



P. 113)

●

“Charging Complete” is displayed on the multi-information display
when starting off (



P. 149)

Regardless of the type of power source or whether the charging
schedule function is used, charging is completed if the above can be
confirmed.
Charging-related messages:



P. 187

Tips for extending the EV driving range

Display when charging is completed

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2-2. Charging

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Charging equipment

: The number of equipped charging cables may differ depending on the tar-

get region.

This vehicle features equipment for connecting to an external
power source.

Charging equipment and names

Charging inlet
Charging inlet light
Caution label/identification label
Charging port lid
(



P. 112, 131)

Charging indicator (



P. 115)

Charging connector lock
switch (



P. 134)

Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) status indicator
(



P. 113)

Charging cable

(



P. 116)

Charging port

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