2003 TOYOTA PRIUS tire pressure

158
Depressing the brake pedal on slippery
road surfaces such as on the manhole
cover, the steel plate under the construc-
tion, joints in the bridge, etc. on a rainy
day tends to activate the antilock brake
system.
You may hear a click or motor sound in
the engine compartment for a few seconds
when the engine is started or just after
the vehicle is started. This means that the
antilock brake system is in the self
check mode, and does not indicate a mal-
function.
When the antilock brake system is ac-
tivated, the following conditions may
occur. They do not indicate a malfunc-
tion of the system:
You may hear the antilock brake sys-
tem operating and feel the brake pedal
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-
hicle body and steering wheel. You
may also hear the motor sound in the
engine compartment even after the ve-
hicle is stopped.
At the end of the antilock brake sys-
tem activation, the brake pedal may
move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the antilock
brake system: Although the antilock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti
lock brake system on.
If tires grip performance exceeds its
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs
during high speed driving in the rain,
the antilock brake system does not
provide vehicle control.
Antilock brake system is not de-
signed to shorten the stopping dis-
tance: Always drive at the moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles without an
antilock brake system, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping dis-
tance in the following cases:
Driving on rough, gravel or snow
covered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.
Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The antilock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels’ turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed,
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.

170
Improving fuel economy is easyjust take
it easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See page
221 in Section 82 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stopandgo driving
wastes power.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on brake ped-
al. This causes premature wear, over-
heating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape . A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease, brakes not adjusted, etc.
all lower engine performance and con-
tribute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your ve-
hicle receives more frequent mainte-
nance.
CAUTION
Never turn off the hybrid system to
coast down hills. Your power steering
and brake booster will not function
without the hybrid system running.
Also, the emission control system op-
erates properly only when the hybrid
system is running.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer,
too127.

184
CAUTION
When lowering the vehicle, make
sure all portions of your body and
all other persons around will not be
injured as the vehicle is lowered to
the ground.
Have the wheel nuts tightened by
torque wrench at 103 N·m (10.5
kgf·lbf), as soon as possible after
changing wheels. Otherwise, the
nuts may loosen and the wheels
may fall off, which could cause a
serious accident.
9. Check the air pressure of the re-placed tire.
Adjust the air pressure to the specification
designated on page 243 in Section 9. If
the pressure is lower than specified, drive
slowly to the nearest Toyota dealer and fill
to the correct pressure.
Do not forget to reinstall the tire inflation
valve cap as dirt and moisture could get
into the valve core and possibly cause air
leakage. If the cap is missing, have a new
one put on as soon as possible.
10. Restow all the tools, jack and flat tire securely.
As soon as possible after changing
wheels, tighten the wheel nuts to the
torque specified on page 243 in Section
9 with a torque wrench. Have a technician
repair the flat tire and replace the spare
tire with it.
CAUTION
Before driving, make sure all the
tools, jack and flat tire are securely
in place in their storage location to
reduce the possibility of personal in-
jury during a collision or s udden
braking.
50p021
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck—
—From front
—From rear
(b) Using flat bed truck
—After changing wheels If your vehicle needs to be
towed—134.

201
If you are a skilled doityourself
mechanic, the Toyota service manuals are
recommended. Please be aware that
doityourself maintenance can affect your
warranty coverage. See ”Owner ’s Warranty
Information Booklet” or ”Owner ’s Manual
Supplement” for the details.
145.General maintenance
Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any
unusual noise, smell or vibration, you
should investigate the cause or take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer or a quali-
fied service shop immediately. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer or
the qualified service shop for their advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only where ade-
quate ventilation can be obtained if
you run the engine.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be performed
from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See
page 221 in Section 82 for additional
information.Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Section 82 for
additional information. When checking the
tires, make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires according to the mainte-
nance schedule. (For scheduled mainte-
nance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Own-
er ’s Manual Supplement”.) See page 223
in Section 82 for additional information.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has
been parked for a while. If you smell fuel
fumes or notice any leak, have the cause
found and corrected immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors and trunk operate
smoothly and all latches lock securely.
Make sure the engine hood secondary
latch secures the hood from opening when
the primary latch is released.

213
DOITYOURSELF MAINTENANCE
154.Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level214
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the coolant level 216
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the radiator and condenser 218
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking brake fluid 218
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .
Checking and replacing the air conditioning filter 219
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking tire pressure 221
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. .
Checking and replacing tires 222
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rotating tires 223
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . .
Installing snow tires and chains 224
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing wheels 225
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . .
Aluminum wheel precautions 226
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 8– 2

221
82p003
Keep your tire pressures at the proper
level.
The recommended cold tire pressures, tire
size and the vehicle capacity weight are
given on page 243 in Section 9. They are
also on the tire pressure label as shown.
You should check the tire pressures every
two weeks, or at least once a month. And
do not forget the spare!
Incorrect tire pressure may waste fuel,
reduce the comfort of driving, reduce
tire life and make your vehicle less safe
to drive.
If a tire frequently needs refilling, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Keep your tire pressure properly.
Otherwise, the following conditions
may occur and cause an accident re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
Low tire pressure (underinflation)—
Excessive wear
Uneven wear
Poor handling
Possibility of blowouts from over-
heated tire.
Poor sealing of the tire bead
Wheel deformation and/or tire sepa-
ration
High tire pressure (Overinflation)—
Poor handling
Excessive wear at the center of the
tire tread
A greater possibility of tire damage
from road hazards
The following instructions for checking
tire pressure should be observed:
The pressure should be checked
only when the tires are cold. If your
vehicle has been parked for at least 3
hours and has not been driven for
more than 1.5 km or 1 mile since, you
will get an accurate cold tire pressure
reading.
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of a tire can be mis-
leading. Besides, tire pressures that
are even just a few pounds off can
degrade ride and handling.
Take special care when adding air to
the compact spare tire. The smaller
tire size can gain pressure very quick-
ly. Add compressed air in small quanti-
ties and check the pressure often until
it reaches the specified pressure.
Do not bleed or reduce tire pressure
after driving. It is normal for the tire
pressure to be higher after driving.
Never exceed the vehicle capacity
weight. The passenger and luggage
weight should be located so that the
vehicle is balanced.
162.Checking tire pressure

224
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is usu-
ally caused by incorrect tire pressure, im-
proper wheel alignment, outofbalance
wheels, or severe braking.
CAUTION
Do not include a compact spare tire
when rotating the tires. It is designed
for temporary use only.
WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recommended
when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires.
SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select the same
size, construction and load capacity as
the original tires on your Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all
wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front w
heels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which could cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure
to install them in the same direction when
replacing.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires
incorrectly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
NOTICE
Do not attempt to use a tire chain on
the compact spare tire, as it may re-
sult in damage to the vehicles as well
as the tire.
Installing snow tires and
chains165.

243
HYBRID TRANSAXLE
Fluid capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):4.6 (4.9, 4.1)
Fluid type: “Toyota Genuine ATF Type TIV” or
equivalent BRAKES
Minimum pedal clearance when depressed
with the force of 196 N (20 kgf, 44 lbf)
with the traction motor running, mm (in.):
80 (3.15)
Pedal free play, mm (in.): 1 6 (0.04 0.24)
Parking brake adjustment when depressed
with the force of 294 N (30 kgf, 66 lbf): 5 8 clicks
Fluid type: SAE J1703 or FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3
STEERING
Wheel free play: Less than 30 mm (1.2 in.)
182.Tires
Tire size and pressure:Tire size kPa (kgf/cm2 or bar, psi)
Standard
Front P175/65R14 84S 240 (2.4, 35)
Rear
P175/65R14 84S 230 (2.3, 33)
Spare
T125/70D16 96M 420 (4.2, 60)
Wheel size: Standard 14 x 5 1/2JJ
Spare 16 x 4T
Wheel nut torque, N·m (kgf·m, ft·lbf): 103 (10.5, 76)
NOTE: For a complete information on tires (e.g. replacing tires or replacing
wheels), see ”Checking tire pres-
sure” through ”Aluminum wheel
precautions”, page 221 through
226 in Section 82.