2009 TOYOTA MATRIX parking brake

157
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
Dinghy towing (manual transmission)
Towing your vehicle with 4 wheels on the ground
To prevent damage to your vehicle, perform the following procedures
before towing.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Switch to the “ACC” position. (→P. 106)
Ensure that the audio system and other powered devices have been
turned off.
Release the parking brake.
After towing, leave the engine in idle for at least 3 minutes before
driving the vehicle.
■Necessary equipment and accessories
Specialized equipment and accessories are required for dinghy towing. Con-
tact the service branch of the motor home manufacturer regarding recom-
mended equipment.
Your vehicle can be dinghy towed in a forward direction (with 4
wheels on the ground) behind a motor home.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

276 4-2. Maintenance
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal• Moves smoothly (without uneven
pedal effort or catching)?
Automatic transmission “Park”
mechanism• Can the vehicle be held securely
on an incline with the shift lever in
P?
Brake pedal• Moves smoothly?
• Does it have appropriate clear-
ance and correct amount of free
play?
Brakes• Not pull to one side when
applied?
• Loss of brake effectiveness?
• Spongy feeling brake pedal?
• Pedal almost touches floor?
Clutch pedal • Moves smoothly?
Head restraints• Move smoothly and lock
securely?
Indicators/buzzers • Function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake• Moves smoothly?
• Can hold the vehicle securely on
an incline?
Seat belts• Does the seat belt system oper-
ate smoothly?
• Are the belts undamaged?
Seats• Do the seat controls operate
properly?
Steering wheel• Moves smoothly?
• Has correct free play?
• No strange noises?

287 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■When raising your vehicle
Make sure to observe the following to reduce the possibility of death or seri-
ous injury.
●Do not use the jack that was supplied with your vehicle.
●Do not put any part of your body or get underneath the vehicle supported
only by the floor jack.
Always use automotive jack stands on a solid, level surface.
●Do not start the engine while the vehicle is supported by the floor jack.
●Stop the vehicle on level firm ground, firmly set the parking brake and put
the shift lever in P (automatic transmission) or R (manual transmission).
●Make sure to set the floor jack properly at the jack point.
Raising the vehicle with an improperly positioned floor jack will damage
the vehicle and may cause the vehicle to fall off the floor jack.
●Do not raise the vehicle while someone is in the vehicle.
●When raising the vehicle, do not place any objects on top of or underneath
the floor jack.
●Lift up the vehicle using a floor jack
such as the one shown in the illustra-
tion.

344 5-1. Essential information
■Emergency towing procedure
Release the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” (engine off) or “ON” (engine
running) position.
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains.
●If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

5
When trouble arises
345 5-1. Essential information
Towing with a sling-type truck
Towing with a wheel-lift type truck from the front
2WD models
Release the parking brake.
NOTICE
■To prevent body damage
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.

352
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds...
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle may be dangerous.
The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
*: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer: The buzzer sounds to indicate that
the parking brake is still engaged (with the vehicle having reached a speed
of 3 mph [5 km/h]).
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)*
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system
This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is fully
released the system is operating normally.
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights turn
on or flash. If a light turns on or flashes, but then turns off, this does
not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the system.

362
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you have a flat tire
Remove the flat tire and replace it with the spare provided.
■Before jacking up the vehicle
●Stop the vehicle on a hard, flat surface.
●Set the parking brake.
●Shift the shift lever to P (automatic transmission) or R (manual
transmission).
●Stop the engine.
●Turn on the emergency flashers.
■Location of the spare tire, jack and tools
Spare tireJack
Wheel
nut
wrench
Jack
handle

5
When trouble arises
377
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P (automatic transmission)
If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your foot on the brake, there
may be a problem with the shift lock system (a system to prevent
accidental operation of the shift lever). Have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer.
The following steps may be used as an emergency measure to
ensure that the shift lever can be shifted.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” position.
Depress the brake pedal.
Pry the cover up with a flat-
head screwdriver or equiva-
lent.
Press the shift lock override
button.
The shift lever can be shifted
while the button is pressed.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5