Toyota Prius Warning Lights
The Most Common Toyota Prius Symbols
These are the most common dashboard symbols that you will see in your Toyota Prius. Click on one to see more information or scroll further down to see the link to the owner's manual where you can find even more symbols.
Can't see the warning light you are looking for? Check the official manual:
View Owner's Manual
- Manufacturer: Toyota
- Data Source: Owner's Manual
About the Prius
Initially, after its release in 1997, the Prius was offered as a 4-door subcompact sedan.
In 2003 the model moved into its second generation and was offered as a compact 5-door hatchback only.
For both of these generations, the Prius has been built on the MC platform, which during its lifetime was used under the Corolla and Matrix too.
Afterward, during its move to the third generation, the car was moved onto the "New MC Platform" which was used across not only Toyota models but now Lexus ones too.
This third-generation Prius was launched in 2009 and not only was it more aerodynamic but also more environmentally friendly being constructed with an increasing number of natural materials.
In 2016 the car was moved onto a new platform once again, the more generic TNGA: GA-C - the same smaller chassis under the C-HR and the Lexus UX.
This lighter chassis along with improvements to the aerodynamics of the body once again led to an even better fuel economy.
When the Prius debuted during the later part of the 1990s it was seen as the first mainstream hybrid car.
Honda did attempt their own line around the same time but failed to garner the attention and reputation that Toyota won with this line.
Celebrities and journalists quickly adopted the car thanks to its amazing fuel economy provided by the mild-hybrid energy capturing technology onboard - leading to further free publicity for the Prius.
Unfortunately with all of those new features built into the car a new range of warning lights had the ability to present themselves to the driver.
Understanding the meaning of these Prius dashboard symbols can be difficult as they aren't always easy to identify at first.
With the guide on this page, you can cross-reference them with our explanations after finding them in our visual guide.
Common Prius Warning Lights
When driving a Toyota Prius you may find that the ABS warning light appears on the instrument cluster in front of you.
You may also find that the ABS module has shut off completely to avoid it interrupting the natural braking of the car to reduce the chance of an incident.
Driving with the ABS switched off can be dangerous and in many countries be against the law.
The cause of the ABS malfunctioning in the first place may be down to contaminants in the brake fluid wearing away at moving parts.
Seek assistance from a trained Toyota mechanic as soon as possible and avoid driving the car as much as possible.
You may also find a battery warning appearing in your Prius at certain points along its life.
This signifies that there is an issue with the battery, the alternator (the component that charges the battery from the engine rotation) or the wiring connecting everything up.
You could try charging the battery up using a mains charger (especially if the car has been sitting idle for a while) to see if that helps solves the battery warning light.
Otherwise, you may need to seek help from a professional mechanic to diagnose the problem further.
Another common issue for the Toyota Prius we see is the appearance of all warning lights being on at the same time.
This can be down to an electrics fault (possibly caused by condensation leaking into the car's systems) or maybe even a low/unhealthy battery.
