2007 TOYOTA PRIUS suspension

65
The seat belt pretensioners are controlled
by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag
sensor assembly consists of a safing sen-
sor and airbag sensor.
When the seat belt pretensioners are acti-
vated, an operating noise may be heard
and a small amount of non−toxic gas may
be released. This does not indicate that
a fire is occurring. This gas is normally
harmless.
Once the seat belt pretensioners have
been activated, the seat belt retractors
remain locked.
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open
the seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
airbag sensor or surrounding area or
wiring. Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may prevent the seat belt pre-
tensioners from activating correctly,
cause sudden operation of the system
or disable the system, which could
result in death or serious injury. Con-
sult your Toyota dealer about any re-
pair and modification.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can in-
terfere with proper operation of the
seat belt pretensioners in some
cases.
 Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile twoway radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
 Repairs on or near the front seat
belt retractor assemblies
 Modification of the suspension sys-
tem
 Modification of the front end struc-
ture
 Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end
 Repairs made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure or con-
sole
22p010a
This indicator comes on when the “IG
ON” mode is enabled. It goes off after
about 6 seconds. This means the seat
belt pretensioners are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors,
driver ’s seat position sensor, driver ’s seat
belt buckle switch, front passenger occu-
pant classification system, “AIRBAG ON”
indicator light, “AIRBAG OFF” indicator
light, front passenger ’s seat belt buckle
switch, seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
interconnecting wiring and power sources.
(For details, see “Service reminder indica-
tors and warning buzzers” on page 125.)

72
Do not modify or remove any wir-
ing. Do not modify, remove, strike
or open any components, such as
the steering wheel pad, steering
wheel, column cover, dashboard
near the front passenger airbag,
front passenger airbag cover, front
passenger airbag or airbag sensor
assembly. Doing so may prevent the
front airbag system from activating
correctly, cause sudden front air-
bags activation of the system or
disable the system, which could re-
sult in death or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious injury.
Consult your Toyota dealer about any
repair and modification.
If you wish to modify your vehicle for
a person with a physical disability,
consult your Toyota dealer. It may
dangerously interfere with the SRS
front airbags operation.NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can in-
terfere with proper operation of the
SRS front airbag system in some
cases.
 Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile twoway radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
 Modification of the suspension sys-
tem
 Modification of the front end struc-
ture
 Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end
 Repairs made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure, con-
sole, steering column, steering
wheel or dashboard near the front
passenger airbag
22p010a
This indicator comes on when the “IG
ON” mode is enabled. It goes off after
about 6 seconds. This means the SRS
front airbags are operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors,
driver ’s seat position sensor, driver ’s seat
belt buckle switch, front passenger occu-
pant classification system, “AIRBAG ON”
indicator light, “AIRBAG OFF” indicator
light, front passenger ’s seat belt buckle
switch, seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
interconnecting wiring and power sources.
(For details, see “Service reminder indica-
tors and warning buzzers” on page 125.)

80
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
SRS side airbag and curtain shield
airbag system in some cases.
Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile twoway radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
 Modification of the suspension sys-
tem
 Modification of the side structure of
the passenger compartment
 Repairs made on or near the con-
sole or front seat
22p010a
This indicator comes on when the “IG
ON” mode is enabled. It goes off after
about 6 seconds. This means the SRS
side airbags and curtain shield airbags
are operating properly. The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors,
driver ’s seat position sensor, driver ’s seat
belt buckle switch, front passenger occu-
pant classification system and indicator
light, front passenger occupant classifica-
tion system, “AIRBAG ON” indicator light,
“AIRBAG OFF” indicator light, front pas-
senger ’s seat belt buckle switch, seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, interconnecting
wiring and power sources. (For details,
see “Service reminder indicators and
warning buzzers” on page 125.)
If any of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction of the airbags
or seat belt pretensioners. Contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
The light does not come on when the
“IG
−ON” mode is enabled or remains
on for more than 6 seconds.
The light comes on while driving.
The SRS warning light and “AIRBAG OFF”
indicator light will come on if there is a
malfunction in the front passenger occu-
pant classification system.

319
INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR
TOYOTA
Information before driving your Toyota
Break−in period 320
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Fuel 320
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Fuel pump shut −off system 322
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Operation in foreign countries 322
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Three −way catalytic converters 323
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Engine exhaust cautions 324
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Facts about engine oil consumption 324
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Coolant heat storage system 326
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Iridium −tipped spark plugs 326
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Brake system 327
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Electric power steering system 331
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Brake pad wear limit indicators 331
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Your Toyota’s identification 332
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Theft prevention labels 333
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Suspension and chassis 333
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Tire information 334
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Vehicle load limits 344
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Cargo and luggage 344
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Types of tires 347
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SECTION 3

333
Theft prevention labels
Your new vehicle carries theft preven-
tion labels which are approximately 47
mm (1.85 in.) by 12 mm (0.47 in.).
The purpose of these labels is to reduce
the incidence of vehicle thefts by facilitat-
ing the tracing and recovery of parts from
stolen vehicles. The label is designed so
that once it is applied to a surface, any
attempt to remove it will result in destroy-
ing the integrity of the label. Transferring
these labels intact from one part to anoth-
er, will be impossible.
NOTICE
You should not attempt to remove the
theft prevention labels as it may vio-
late certain state or federal laws.
CAUTION
Do not modify the suspension/chassis
with lift kits, spacers, springs, etc. It
can cause dangerous handling charac-
teristics, resulting in loss of control.
Suspension and chassis

354
CAUTION
Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering when driving on a slippery
road surface may cause tire slip-
page and reduce your ability to
control the vehicle, resulting in an
accident.
Sudden changes in engine speed,
such as sudden engine braking,
may cause the vehicle to skid, re-
sulting in an accident.
After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal to
make sure that the brakes are func-
tioning properly. Wet brake pads
may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on
only one side are wet and not func-
tioning properly, steering control
may be affected, resulting in an ac-
cident.
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded
after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause
serious damage to the vehicle.
NOTICE
Driving on a flooded road may cause
the engine to stall as well as cause
serious vehicle malfunctions such as
shorts in electrical components and
engine damage from water immersion.
In the event that you drive on a
flooded road and the vehicle is
flooded, be sure to have your Toyota
dealer check brake function, changes
in quantity and quality of engine oil,
transaxle fluid for the hybrid system,
etc. and lubricant condition for the
bearings and suspension joints (where
possible) and the function of all joints
and bearings.
Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection for engine coolant.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non−silicate, non −amine, non− nitrite,
and non− borate coolant with long −life
hybrid organic acid technology. (Coolant
with long −life hybrid organic acid
technology is a combination of low
phosphates and organic acids.)
See “Checking the coolant level” on page
406 for details of coolant type selection.
For the U.S.A.—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 50% coolant and
50% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −35 \bC
( − 31 \bF).
For Canada—“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is a mixture of 55% coolant and
45% deionized water. This coolant pro-
vides protection down to about −42 \bC
( − 44 \bF).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Winter driving tips

393
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 413 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?