187
“” switch: Use this switch to turn on
or off the rear window and outside rear
view mirror defoggers. (For details, see
page 110.)
CAUTION
Operate the switches with due care
while you are driving to avoid acci-
dents.
27p006a
If air flow control is not satisfactory, check
the instrument panel vents. The instrument
panel vents may be opened or closed as
shown.
Instrument panel vents
206
CAUTION
Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.
It contains carbon monoxide, which
is a colorless and odorless gas. It
can cause unconsciousness or even
death.
Make sure the exhaust system has
no holes or loose connections. The
system should be checked from
time to time. If you hit something,
or notice a change in the sound of
the exhaust, have the system
checked immediately.
Do not run the hybrid system in a
garage or enclosed area except for
the time needed to drive the vehicle
in or out. The exhaust gases cannot
escape, making this a particularly
dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the hybrid sys-
tem running. If it is unavoidable,
however, do so only in an uncon-
fined area and adjust the heating or
cooling system to force outside air
into the vehicle.
Keep the back door closed while
driving. An open or unsealed back
door may cause exhaust gases to
be drawn into the vehicle.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open and the back door closed.
Have the cause immediately located
and corrected.
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.
Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a
piston moves downwards in the cylin-
der. High negative pressure generated
when the vehicle is decelerating sucks
some of this oil into the combustion
chamber. This oil as well as some part
of the oil film left on the cylinder wall
is burned by the high temperature com-
bustion gases during the combustion
process.
Engine exhaust cautionsFacts about engine oil
consumption
221
Ti r e relat ed ter m
Meaning
Cold tire inflation pressuretire inflation pressure when the vehicl
e has been parked at least 3 hours or
more, or it has not been driven more t han 1.5 km or 1 mile under that condition
Maximum inflation pressurethe maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire may be inflated and shown
on the sidewall of the tire
Recommended inflation pressurecold tire inflation pressure recommended by a manufacturer
Accessory weight
the combined weight (in excess of those standard items which may be replaced)
of automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, pow-
er seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that these items are available as
factory−installed equipment (whether installed or not)
Curb weight
the weight of a motor vehicle with standard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so equipped, air conditioning and addi-
tional weight optional engine
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
t he sum of —
(a) curb weight;
(b) accessory weight;
(c) vehicle capacity weight; and
(d) production options weight
Normal occupant weight68 kg (150 lb.) times the number of occupants specified in the second column
of Table 1 that follows
—Glossary of tire terminology
234
Check the condition of the auxiliary
battery and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any auxiliary battery, so it must be in top
shape to provide enough power for winter
starting. Section 8−3 tells you how to
visually inspect the auxiliary battery. Your
Toyota dealer will be pleased to check the
level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 283 for recommended viscosity.
Leaving a heavy summer oil in your ve-
hicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota dealer.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de −icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
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 as washer fluid be-
cause it may damage your vehicle’s
paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, push the “P” position
switch and block the rear wheels. Do not
use the parking brake, for 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 extreme
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.
40p050b
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 ve-
hicle.
Dinghy towing
257
50p047a
2. Secure the towing eyelet to the hole onthe bumper by turning it clockwise.
50p048a
3. Tighten the towing eyelet securely bya wheel nut wrench.
CAUTION
When installing the eyelet on the ve-
hicle, be sure to tighten the eyelet
securely. If the eyelet is loose, it may
come off when being towed and re-
sult in death or serious injury.
You can purchase a new key at your
Toyota dealer if you can give them the
key number and master key.
Even if you lose only one key, contact
your Toyota dealer to make a new key. If
you lose all your master keys, you cannot
make new keys; the whole hybrid vehicle
immobilizer system must be replaced.
See the suggestion given in “Keys” on
page 18.
If your keys are locked in the vehicle and
you cannot get a duplicate, many Toyota
dealers can still open the door for you,
using their special tools. If you must
break a window to get in, we suggest
breaking the smallest side window be-
cause it is the least expensive to replace.
Be extremely cautious to avoid cuts from
the glass.
If you lose your keys
263
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommended
to maintain the original beauty of your
Toyota’s finish.
Apply wax once a month or if the vehicle
surface does not repel water well.1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be- fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a car −cleaning polish, fol-
lowed by a separate wax. Carefully fol-
low the manufacturer ’s instructions and
precautions. Be sure to polish and wax
the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
NOTICE
Always remove the plastic bumpers if
your vehicle is re painted and placed
in a high heat paint waxing booth.
High temperatures could damage the
bumpers.
CAUTION
Do not wash the vehicle floor with
water, or allow water to get onto
the floor when cleaning the vehicle
interior or exterior. Water may get
into audio components or other
electrical components above or un-
der the floor carpet (or mat) and
cause fire or malfunction; and it
may cause body corrosion.
Vehicles with side airbags:
Be careful not to splash water or
spill liquid on the floor. This may
prevent the side airbags from acti-
vating correctly, resulting in serious
injury.
Vinyl interior
The vinyl upholstery may be easily
cleaned with a mild soap or detergent
and water. First vacuum over the upholstery to re-
move loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or
soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the
vinyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few
minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt
and wipe off the soap with a clean damp
cloth. If all the dirt does not come off,
repeat the procedure. Commercial foam-
ing
−type vinyl cleaners are also available
which work well. Follow the manufacturer ’s
instructions.
NOTICE
Do not use solvent, thinner, gasoline
or window cleaner on the interior.
Carpets
Use a good foam type shampoo to
clean the carpets.
Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to remove
as much dirt as possible. Several types of
foam cleaners are available; some are in
aerosol cans and others are powders or
liquids which you mix with water to pro-
duce a foam. To shampoo the carpets,
use a sponge or brush to apply the foam.
Rub in overlapping circles.
Cleaning the interior
264
Do not apply water—the best results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible. Read the shampoo instructions
and follow them closely.
Seat belts
The seat belts may be cleaned with
mild soap and water or with lukewarm
water.
Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-
ing, check the belts for excessive wear,
fraying, or cuts.
NOTICE
Do not use dye or bleach on the
belts it may weaken them.
Do not use the belts until they be-
come dry.
Windows
The windows may be cleaned with any
household window cleaner.
NOTICE
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dows, be careful not to scratch or
damage the heater wires on the rear
window.
Air conditioning control panel, car au-
dio, instrument panel, console panel,
and switches
Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-
warm water then lightly wipe off dirt.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (sol-
vents, kerosene, alcohol, gasoline,
etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discol-
oring, staining or peeling of the
surface.
If you use cleaners or polishing
agents, make sure their ingredients
do not include the substances men-
tioned above.
If you use a liquid car freshener, do
not apply the liquid onto the ve-
hicle’s interior surfaces. It may con-
tain the ingredients mentioned
above. Immediately clean any spill
using the method mentioned above.
271
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts,
damage or excessive wear. See Sec-
tion 8
−2 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
maintenance schedule. (For sched-
uled maintenance information, please
refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment”.) See page 293 for additional
information.
Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip −offs that
indicate service is needed. Some impor-
tant clues are as follows:
Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A fluid leak under the vehicle (however,
water dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monoxide
leak. Drive with the windows open and
have the exhaust system checked im-
mediately.)
Flat −looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when driving
straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspension
movement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake pedal; pedal almost
touches floor; vehicle pulls to one side
when braking
Coolant temperature continually higher
than normal If you notice any of these clues, take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. It probably needs adjustment or
repair.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving with the ve-
hicle unchecked. It could result in se-
rious vehicle damage and possibly
personal injury.
Does your vehicle need
repairing?