Procedures At An Accident Scene

• Preparation items

  Protective equipment (insulated gloves, rubber gloves*¹ , protective goggles, rubber boots for electrical purposes, solvent resistance apron*² , and gas mask*³ )

  *1: Used for processing electrolytic solution

  *2: Used for organic solvents

  *3: Used for organic gases

  Fire extinguisher (used for both oil fire and electric fire)

  Cloth, old towels (for wiping electrolytic solution)

  Insulated tools (10-mm socket, ratchet, extension, flat tip screwdriver)

  Insulating sheet

  Insulating tape

  Circuit tester

• Guidelines of procedures at an accident scene

  Do not touch the exposed wires until it becomes clear whether they are high voltage wires or not. When it is necessary or possible to touch them, make sure to wear insulated gloves and insulate the wires using insulating tape.

  When vehicle is on fire, extinguish a fire using a fire extinguisher. Attempting to extinguish a fire with a small amount of water may be more of a danger. Therefore, spray a large amount of water from a fire hydrant, or wait for arrival of firefighters.

  When the vehicle is submerged in water, do not touch the service disconnect plug and any other high voltage parts and wires, because there is a possibility of electrical shock. Perform work after completely pulling out the vehicle.

  Check for any leakage in the vicinity of HV battery.

  CAUTION:

  The HV battery electrolyte is a highly flammable liquid. Therefore, if adhesion or leakage of the liquid is found, never bring it close to fire. 

  • If a fire occurs by any chance, extinguish a fire using an electrical fire extinguisher. 
  • When using water to extinguish a fire, attempting to extinguish a fire with a small amount of water may be more of a danger. Therefore, wear protective implements such as rubber boots, and pour plenty of water on the fire from a fire hydrant, etc. 

  When the vehicle is damaged due to collision, stop the hybrid system in the following steps.

  1. Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
     NOTE:

     When the ignition switch cannot be turned to OFF, remove the fuse in engine compartment. 

  2. Wear insulated gloves and remove the service disconnect plug. Ref. to PRECAUTION/WARNING>WARNING (HYBRID SYSTEMS>SERVICE DISCONNECT PLUG .
• Guidelines of actions to take for leakage
  NOTE:

  • Grease or oil, except for the electrolyte contained in the Li-ion battery used for the HV battery, are the same as those for other than the hybrid model. 
  • The electrolyte of the Li-ion battery is an organic electrolyte composed mainly of carbonic acid ester, which is harmful to a human body. However, the high voltage battery is structured so that it does not leak a large amount of electrolyte in most cases, even if the battery is damaged. 

  Do not inhale the vapor generated from the electrolyte because doing so may cause nose and throat irritation. In addition, it is flammable, so immediately keep it away from fire.

If the electrolyte leaks, keep good ventilation and absorb it with a waste cloth or an old towel to collect in an enclosed container.