2006 TOYOTA PRIUS Owners Manual

409
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect ve-
hicle handling and tire life. Wheels
can get out of balance with regular
use and should therefore be balanced
occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the
air valve should also be repl
aced
w i t h a new on e.
82p104a
To equalize tire wear and help ex-
tend tire life, Toyota recommends
that you rotate your tires accord-
ing to the maintenance schedule.
(For scheduled maintenance infor-
mation, please refer to the “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Own-
er’s Manual Supplement”.)
However, the most appropriate tim-
ing for tire rotation may vary ac-
cording to your driving habits and
road surface conditions.
The wheel assemblies must be ro-
tated as illustrated above. When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire infla-
tion pressure, improper wheel align-
ment, out
−of −balance wheels, or se-
vere braking.
CAUTION
Do not include a compact spare
tire when rotating the tires. It is
designed for temporary use only.
Rotating tires

410
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 tires of
the same size, construction and load
capacity as the originally installed tires.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
CAUTION
Do not use snow tires other than the
manufacturer ’s recommended size, as
this may cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in loss of
control. Otherwise, an accident may
occur resulting in death or serious
injuries.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all
wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front wheels
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.
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of road, so always check local reg-
ulations before installing chains.
Use SAE Class “S” type radial tire chains,
with the exception of radial cable chains
or V−bar type chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the front tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the rear tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5 1.0 km (1/4
1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care-
fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove
the covers before putting on the chains.
Installing snow tires and
chains

411
CAUTION
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer ’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may
cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or lockedwheel
braking, as use of chains may ad-
versely affect vehicle handling.
When driving with chains installed,
be sure to drive carefully. Slow
down before entering curves to
avoid losing control of the vehicle.
Otherwise an accident may occur.
NOTICE
Do not attempt to use a tire chain on
the compact spare tire, as it may re-
sult in damage to the vehicle as well
as the tire.
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion, the
wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace a damaged wheel,
the tire may slip off the wheel or cause
loss of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re-
placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset.
This must be observed on compact spare
tire, too.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may
adversely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odom-
eter calibration, stopping ability, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clear-
ance, and tire or snow chain clearance to
the body and chassis.Replacement with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub-
jected to rough treatment or high mileage
and could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened may
have structural damage and therefore
should not be used. Never use an inner
tube in a leaking wheel which is designed
for a tubeless tire.
Replacing wheels

412
When installing aluminum w
heels,
check that the wheel nuts are tight
after driving your vehicle the first 1600
km (1000 miles).
If you have rotated, repaired, or
changed your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving
1600 km (1000 miles).
When using tire chains, be careful not
to damage the aluminum wheels.
Use only Toyota wheel nuts and
wrench designed for your aluminum
wheels.
When balancing your wheels, use only
Toyota balance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber hammer.
As with any wheel, periodically check
your aluminum wheels for damage. If
damaged, replace immediately.
Aluminum wheel precautions

413
DOITYOURSELF MAINTENANCE
Electrical components
Checking 12 volt battery condition414
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 volt battery recharging precautionss 416
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking and replacing fuses 416
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Adding washer fluid 418
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . .
Replacing light bulbs 418
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .
SECTION 8– 3

414
CAUTION
12 VOLT BATTERY PRECAUTIONS
When the 12 volt battery must be re-
placed, use the Prius designated bat-
tery.
The 12 volt battery produces flam-
mable and explosive hydrogen gas.
Do not cause a spark from the bat-
tery with tools.
Do not smoke or light a match near
the battery.
The electrolyte contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid.
Avoid contact with eyes, skin or
clothes.
Never ingest electrolyte.
Wear protective safety glasses when
working near the battery.
Keep children away from the bat-
tery.
EMERGENCY MEASURES
If electrolyte gets in your eyes,
flush your eyes with clean water
and get immediate medical atten-
tion. If possible, continue to apply
water with a sponge or cloth while
en route to the medical office.
If electrolyte gets on your skin,
thoroughly wash the contact area. If
you feel pain or burn, get medical
attention immediately.
If electrolyte gets on your clothes,
there is a possibility of its soaking
through to your skin, so immediate-
ly take off the exposed clothing and
follow the procedure above, if nec-
essary.
If you accidentally swallow electro-
lyte, drink a large quantity of water
or milk. Follow with milk of magne-
sia, beaten raw egg or vegetable
oil. Then go immediately for emer-
gency help.
83p035
Open the back door. Remove the lug-
gage storage box and 12 volt battery
cover.
If the back door does not open, see “If
you cannot operate back door opener” on
page 376.
Checking 12 volt battery
condition—
—Precautions —Checking 12 volt battery
exterior

415
83p001c
Terminals
Ground
cableHold−down clamp
Check the battery for corroded or loose
terminal connections, cracks, or loose
holddown clamp.
a. If the battery is corroded, wash it off with a solution of warm water and bak-
ing soda. Coat the outside of the termi-
nals with grease to prevent further cor-
rosion.
b. If the terminal connections are loose, tighten their clamp nuts—but do not
overtighten.
c. Tighten the hold− down clamp only
enough to keep the battery firmly in
place. Overtightening may damage the
battery case.
NOTICE
 Be sure the hybrid system and all
accessories are off before perform-
ing maintenance.
 When checking the battery, remove
the ground cable from the negative
terminal (“–” mark) first and rein-
stall it last.
 Be careful not to cause a short cir-
cuit with tools.
 Take care no solution gets into the
battery when washing it.
If the 12 volt battery is disconnected or
run down, the power window and back
door may not operate automatically and
the jam protection function will not func-
tion correctly and does not open the back
door after you reconnect, replace or re-
charge the battery. In any of these cases,
you should normalize each system. To
normalize them, see “Power windows” on
page 43 and “Back door” on page 42.
Before you disconnect the 12 volt battery,
confirm the shift position is “P” and apply
the parking brake completely. After you reconnect the 12 volt battery,
shift the shift lever to “N” and confirm the
shift position is “N” when the “IG
−ON”
mode is enabled.
After connecting the cables, the hybrid
system may not start by pushing the
“POWER” switch. In that case, push it
once again.

416
During recharging, the battery is pro-
ducing hydrogen gas.
Therefore, before recharging:1. If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect
the ground cable.
2. Make sure the power switch on the recharger is off when connecting the
charger cables to the battery and when
disconnecting them.
CAUTION
Always charge the battery in an un-
confined area. Do not charge the
battery in a garage or closed room
where there is not sufficient ventila-
tion.
Only do a slow charge (3.5A or
less). Charging at a quicker rate is
dangerous. The battery may ex-
plode, causing personal injuries.
NOTICE
Never recharge the battery with the
hybrid system on. Also, be sure all
accessories are turned off.
83p003
Type A
Type B
Type C Good Blown
Good Blown
Good Blown
12 volt battery recharging
precautions
Checking and replacing fuses