Tips For Driving In Various Conditions - Toyota 2001 Prius Owner's Manual

When the ignition switch is turned to on
or off, you may hear a sound coming from
the hybrid vehicle battery in the trunk.
However, this does not indicate
trouble.
NOTICE
The "READY" light does not come on
when the selector lever is put in a
position other than "P". Depress the
brake pedal and put the selector lever
in "P" and turn the ignition switch to
"START" again.
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
Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
When you start the hybrid system at
a lowered outside temperature, it may
take longer before the
"READY" light changes to stay on.
Tips for driving in various
conditions
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
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This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
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any
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 result-
ing in tire bursts.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
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wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and put the selector le-
ver into "P". If necessary, block the
wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
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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
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake pulled. If they still do not
blinking
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
Before driving off, make sure the
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parking brake is fully released and
that the parking
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
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tended with the "READY" light on.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
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pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
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reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Be careful
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braking on a slippery surface. Sud-
den acceleration or engine braking,
while lightly
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
CAUTION
brake reminder
overheating, needless
when accelerating or
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