Gasoline-Electric Hybrid Vehicle Operation - Toyota PRIUS Emergency Response Manual

Gasoline-Electric Hybrid Vehicle Operation

The vehicle starts and becomes operational by turning the ignition key
to start just like any other typical automobile. However, the gasoline
engine does not idle like a typical automobile and will start and stop
automatically. It is important to recognize and understand the READY
indicator provided in the instrument cluster. When lit, it informs the
driver the vehicle is on and operational even though the gasoline engine
may be off and the engine compartment is silent.
Vehicle Operation

With the Prius, the gasoline engine may stop and start at any time while
the READY indicator is on.

Never assume the vehicle is shut off just because the engine is off.
Always look for the READY indicator status. The vehicle is shut off
when the READY indicator is off.

The vehicle may be powered by:
1. The electric motor only.
2. The gasoline engine only.
3. A combination of both the electric motor and the gasoline engine.
The vehicle computer determines the mode in which the vehicle operates
to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. The driver cannot
manually select the mode.
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Instrument Cluster READY Indicator
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