2004 Toyota Prius Owners Manual - Page 149

CAUTION Be careful when downshifting on a slippery surface. Abrupt shifting could cause the vehicle to skid or spin. (e) Backing up 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop. 2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the shift lever to the "R" position. You will hear beeps while the transaxle is in "R". When you shift the transaxle to "R" while driving, an alarm sounds and the transaxle is shifted to "N". (f) Parking 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop. 2. With the brake pedal pressed down, fully depress the parking brake pedal to apply the parking brake securely. 3. With the brake pedal pressed down, push the "P" position switch. If you press the "POWER" switch while stopping, the transaxle is automatically shifted to the "P" and the hybrid system is turned off. If the driver's door is opened when the transaxle is in "N", "D" or "B", beep sounds and a warning message appears on the multi−information display to warn you to shift the transaxle to "P". If you push the "P" position switch while driving, an alarm sounds and the transaxle is automatically shifted to "N". 25p004c NOTICE Be sure to put the hybrid transaxle in "P" when parking. In "N", the hybrid vehicle battery will not be charged even if the gasoline engine is running. You cannot start your vehicle if the transaxle is left in "N" for a long time because the hybrid vehicle battery will discharge. When shifting the transaxle from "P" on the slope, a large parking lock releasing noise will be generated. However, this does not indicate a malfunction. (d) Using engine braking To use engine braking, shift the shift lever to "B" position. During high speed driving, you may feel that deceleration by engine braking is less than that of a typical vehicle. Do not continue normal driving with the transaxle in "B" for a long time. This may cause decreased fuel economy. To prevent this, use "D" for normal driving. When you shift the transaxle to "B" from a position other than "D", an alarm sounds and the transaxle is automatically shifted to "N". 137