2003 TOYOTA MATRIX Owners Manual

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1812003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
Determine what kind of tires your ve-
hicle is originally equipped with.1. Summer tires
Summer tires are highspeed capab ility
tires best suited to highway driving under
dry conditions.
Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, sum-
mer tires are inadequate for driving on
snowcovered or icy roads. For driving on
snowcovered or icy roads, we recom-
mend using snow tires. If installing snow
tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2. All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
better traction in snow and to be adequate
for driving in most winter conditions, as
well as for use all year round.
All season tires, however, do not have
adequate traction performance compared
with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.
Also, all season tires fall short in accel-
eration and handling performance
compared with summer tires in highway
driving.CAUTION
Do not mix summer and all season
tires on your vehicle as this can
cause dangerous handling charac-
teristics, resulting in loss of con-
trol.
Do not use tire other than the
manufacturer ’s designated tires, and
never mix tires or wheels of the
sizes different from the originals.
Types of tires

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1822003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1832003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
STARTING AND DRIVING
Before starting the engine184
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to start the engine 184
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Tips for driving in various conditions 185
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fourwheel driving tips 186
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Winter driving tips 187
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . .
Dinghy towing 188
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . .
Trailer towing 189
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . .
How to save fuel and make your vehicle last longer 194
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 3

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1842003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
1. Check the area around the vehicle be-fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion height, head restraint
height and steering wheel angle.
3. Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all the side doors and back door. Close the glass hatch.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Manual transmission: Press the clutch
pedal to the floor and shift the trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in “P”. If you need to re-
start the engine while the vehicle is
moving, put the selector lever in “N”.
A starter safety device will prevent the
starter from operating if the selector
lever is in any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to
the floor until driving off. Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in “(a) Before crank-
ing”.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system in your
engine automatically controls the proper
airfuel mixture for starting. You can start
a cold or hot engine as follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator ped- al, crank the engine by turning the key
to “START”. Release it when the en-
gine starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10 se- conds, you are ready to drive.
If the weather is below freezing, let the
engine warm up for a few minutes before
driving.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce-
dure given in normal starting.
If the engine will not start...
See “If your vehicle will not start” on page
198 in Section 4.
Before starting the engine How to start the engine—
(a) Before cranking
(b) Starting the engine

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1852003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 se-
conds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
 Do not race a cold engine.
 If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharpedged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage result-
ing in tire bursts.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps
or travelling on a bumpy r oad. Other-
wise the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and place the transmis-
sion in “P” (automatic) or in first or
reverse (manual). If necessary, block
the wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
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 while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake applied. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1862003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking on
a slippery surface. Sudden accelera-
tion or engine braking, could cause
the vehicle to spin or skid.
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has highspeed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are highspeed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a
longer stopping distance, and it
may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the park-
ing brake will not hold the vehicle
securely.
If you need greater traction while driv-
ing on sand, mud or snow covered
roadways, use tire chains on the front
wheels.
Always check your brakes for effective-
ness immediately after driving across
sand, mud, or water.
If operating in adverse conditions
frequently, vehicle maintenance should
be increased. (See the separate
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.)
CAUTION
Observe the following tire instruc-
tions. Otherwise, an accident may oc-
cur resulting in death or serious inju-
ries.
Keep your tire pressure at the prop-
er level. (See “—Checking tire pres-
sure” on page 247 in Section 72.)
Do not use tires (including snow
tires) of different brands, sizes,
construction or tread patterns. (See
“—Checking and replacing tires” on
page 248 and “—Installing snow
tires and chains” on page 250 in
Section 72.)
Do not use tires with different tread
wear. To equalize the tire wear, ro-
tate tires at the appropriate interval.
(See “—Rotating tires” on page 249
in Section 72.)
Use the manufacturer ’s recom-
mended wheels. Do not use wheels
of different sizes and types. (See
“—Replacing wheels” on page 252
in Section 72.)
NOTICE
Do not attempt to go offroad in your
Toyota. It is not designed for offroad
use.
Fourwheel driving tips
(4WD models)

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1872003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection of engine coolant.
Your coolant must contain ethyleneglycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components. Use
“TOYOTA Long Life Coolant” or equivalent.
See page 244 in Section 72 for details
about coolant type selection.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
When it is extremely cold, we recommend
to use 60% solution for your Toyota, to
provide protection down to about 50C
(58 F). Do not use more than 70% solu-
tion for better coolant performance.
Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape
to provide enough power for winter start-
ing. Section 73 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge. Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 242 in Section 72 for recom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer oil in your vehicle during winter
months may cause harder starting. If you
are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Toyota dealer–he will be pleased to
help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock deicer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before
inserting it.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer ’s directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-
age your vehicle’s paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
“P” (automatic) or into first or reverse
(manual) and block the rear wheels. Do
not use the parking brake, or snow or
water accumulated in and around the
parking brake mechanism may freeze,
making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.
NOTICE
Do not use window scraper or deicer
when the plastic resin moon roof is
heavily coated with frost or ice. The
plastic resin moon roof is easily dam-
aged.
Winter driving tips

’03 MATRIX_U (L/O 0201)
1882003 MY COROLLA MATRIX_U (OM12767U)
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to your vehicle.
Your vehicle can be dinghy towed (with
four wheels on the ground) from the
front behind a motorhome.
CAUTION
Dinghy towing requires special equip-
ment and accessories. Please refer to
your service outlet of the motorhome
manufacture for the recommended
equipment.
NOTICE
Dinghy towing does not eliminate the
possibility of damage to your vehicle.
DINGHY TOWING TIPS
Before dinghy towing, be sure to ob-
serve the following in order to reduce
the damage to your vehicle.1. Put the shift lever in neutral.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the “ACC” position. Make sure the audio is turned
off and any item is not plugged into
the power outlet.
NOTICE
To avoid the locking of the steering
wheel, turn the ignition switch to the
“ACC” position.
3. Release the parking brake.
After dinghy towing, let the engine idle for
more than 3 minutes before driving the
vehicle.
Dinghy towing
(with automatic transmission) Dinghy towing
(with manual transmission)