2011 TOYOTA CAMRY tires

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
When replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters must also be installed.
When new tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are
installed, new tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes
must be registered in the tire pre ssure warning computer and the tire
pressure warning system must be initialized. Have tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter ID codes registered by your Toyota
dealer. ( P. 390)
Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■ The tire pressure warning system must be initialized when
inflation the tire pressure is changed (such as when changing
traveling speed or load weight.)
When the tire pressure warning syst em is initialized, the current tire
inflation pressure is set as the pressure benchmark.
■ How to initialize the tire pressure warning system
Park the vehicle in a safe place and turn the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch or the engine switch OFF.
While the vehicle is moving, in itialization is not performed.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire infla-
tion pressure level. ( P. 497)
Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire
inflation pressure level. The ti re pressure warning system will
operate based on this pressure level.
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to IGNITION ON
mode (vehicles with smart key sy stem) or engine switch to the
“ON” position (vehicles without smart key system).
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

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Maintenance and care
■When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to
expose the fabric or bulges indicating internal damage
●A tire goes flat repeatedly or c
annot be properly repaired due to the
size or location of a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, consult with your Toyota dealer.
■Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is not
registered, the tire pre ssure warning system will not work properly. After
driving for about 20 minutes, the ti re pressure warning light comes on
after blinking for 1 minute to indicate a system malfunction.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even
if they have seldom or never been used or damage is not obvious.
■If the tread wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm) on snow tires
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost.
■If you push the tire pressure warning reset switch accidentally
If initialization is performed, adjust t he tire inflation pressure to the speci-
fied level and initialize the tire pressure warning system again.

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Maintenance and care
■Tire types
1 Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway
driving under dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tire s, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on snow-covered
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When
installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2 All season tires All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to
be adequate for driving in most winter conditions, as well as for use
year round. All season tires, however, do not have adequate traction
performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Also,
all season tires fall short in acceleration and handling performance
compared with summer tires in highway driving.
3Snow tires For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend using
snow tires. If you need snow tires, select tires of the same size, con-
struction and load capacity as the or iginally installed tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make sure your snow
tires also have radial construction. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restrictions. Snow tires
should be installed on all wheels. ( P. 183)
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the tire pressure warning sy stem with the tire inflation pressure
adjusted to the specified level.

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Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to parts of the drive train, as well as
dangerous handling characteristics, which may lead to an accident
resulting in death
or serious injury.
●Do not mix tires of different ma kes, models or tread patterns.
Also, do not mix tires of remarkably different treadwear.
●Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended by Toyota.
●Do not mix differently constructed ti res (radial, bias-belted or bias-ply
tires).
●Do not mix summer, all season and winter tires.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not press the tire pressure warnin g reset switch without first adjusting
the tire inflation pressure to the spec ified level. Otherwise, the tire pres-
sure warning light may not come on ev en if the tire inflation pressure is
low, or it may come on when the tire inflation pressure is actually normal.

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NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing tires, wheels, tire pressure warning valves,
transmitters and tire valve caps
●When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter, contact your Toyota dealer as the tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter may be damaged if not handled correctly.
● When replacing tire valve caps, do not use tire valve caps other than those
specified. The cap may become stuck.
■
To avoid damage to the tire pressure warning valves and transmit-
ters
When a tire is repaired with liquid se alants, the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter may not operate properly. If a liquid sealant is
used, contact your Toyota dealer or other qualified service shop as soon
as possible. Make sure to replace the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter when replacing the tire. ( P. 389)
■Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or pot-
holes.
These conditions may cause losses in tire air pressure, reducing the
cushioning ability of the tires. In addition driving on rough roads may
cause damage to the tires themselves, as well as the vehicle’s wheels
and body.
■If tire inflation pressures become low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.

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Maintenance and care
■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect ti
re inflation pressure ma y result in the following:
●Reduced fuel efficiency
●Reduced driving comfort and tire life
●Reduced safety
●Damage to the drive train
If a tire needs frequent re filling, have it checked by your Toyota dealer.
■Instructions for checking tire inflation pressure
When checking tire inflation pressure, observe the following:
●Check 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 mile or 1.5 km, you will get an accurate cold
tire inflation pressure reading.
●Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of the tire can be mi sleading. In addition, tire infla-
tion pressures that are even just a few pounds off can degrade ride
and handling.
●Do not bleed or reduce tire inflation pressure after driving. It is normal
for the tire inflation pressure to be higher after driving.
●Never exceed the vehicle capacity weight.
Passengers and luggage weight should be placed so that the vehicle
is balanced.

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CAUTION
■Proper inflation is critical to save tire performance
Keep your tires properly inflated. Otherwise, the following conditions
may occur and result in an accident causing death or serious injury.
●Excessive wear
●Uneven wear
●Poor handling
●Possibility of blowouts resu lting from overheated tires
●Poor sealing of the tire bead
●Wheel deformation and/or tire separation
●A greater possibility of tire damage from road hazards
NOTICE
■When inspecting and adjusting tire inflation pressure
Be sure to reinstall the tire valve caps.
Without the valve caps, dirt or mo isture could get into the valve and
cause air leakage, which could result in an accident. If the caps have
been lost, replace them as soon as possible.

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Maintenance and care
Wheels
If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily corroded, it should be
replaced. Otherwise, the tire may separate from the wheel or
cause loss of handling control.
■Wheel selection
When replacing wheels, care should be taken to ensure that
they are equivalent to those removed in load capacity, diameter,
rim width, and inset*.
Replacement wheels are available at your Toyota dealer.
*
: Conventionally referred to as “offset”.
Toyota does not recommend using:
●Wheels of different sizes or types
● Used wheels
● Bent wheels that have been straightened
■ Aluminum wheel precautions
●Use only Toyota wheel nuts and wrenches designed for use
with your aluminum wheels.
● When rotating, repairing or changing your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving 1000 miles (1600 km).
● Be careful not to damage the aluminum wheels when using
tire chains.
● Use only Toyota genuine bal ance weights or equivalent and
use a plastic or rubber hammer when balancing your wheels.