2011 TOYOTA MATRIX emergency towing

144 2-4. Using other driving systems
■Automatic cruise control cancelation
Cruise control will stop maintaining the vehicle speed in any of the following
situations.
●Actual vehicle speed falls more than approximately 10 mph (16 km/h)
below the preset vehicle speed.
At this time, the memorized set speed is not retained.
●Actual vehicle speed is below approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
●VSC is activated.
■If the cruise control indicator light flashes
Press the “ON-OFF” button once to deactivate the system, and then press
the button again to reactivate the system.
If the cruise control speed cannot be set or if the cruise control cancels
immediately after being activated, there may be a malfunction in the cruise
control system. Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
■To avoid operating the cruise control by mistake
Switch the cruise control off using the “ON-OFF” button when not in use.
■Situations unsuitable for cruise control
Do not use cruise control in any of the following situations.
Doing so may result in loss of control and could cause an accident resulting
in death or serious injury.
●In heavy traffic
●On roads with sharp bends
●On winding roads
●On slippery roads, such as those covered with rain, ice or snow
●On steep hills
Vehicle speed may exceed the set speed when driving down a steep hill.
●When your vehicle is towing a trailer or during emergency towing

392 5-1. Essential information
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available, in an emergency your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency
towing eyelet. This should only be attempted on hard surfaced roads
for short distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in
good condition.
1.8 L 4-cylinder (2ZR-FE) engine
Towing eyelet
2.4 L 4-cylinder (2AZ-FE) engine
Towing eyelet

394 5-1. Essential information
From the rear
Automatic transmission: Use a
towing dolly under the front
wheels.
Manual transmission: We recom-
mend to use a towing dolly under
the front wheels.
When not using a towing dolly,
turn the engine switch to the
“ACC” position and shift the shift
lever to N.
Using a flat bed truck
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be
damaged.
■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.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

5
When trouble arises
395 5-1. Essential information
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 eyelet and the cables or chains. Always
be cautious of the surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
●If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.

418 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Lower the vehicle.
Firmly tighten each nut two or
three times in the order shown in
the illustration.
Tightening torque:
76 ft•lbf (103 N•m, 10.5 kgf•m)
Stow the flat tire, tire jack and all tools.
Stowing the flat tire
Vehicles with aluminum wheel:
Before stowing the flat tire,
remove the center wheel orna-
ment by pushing from the
reveres side.
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP1

5
When trouble arises
423 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
CAUTION
■When the spare tire is attached
The vehicle speed may not be correctly detected, and the following sys-
tems may not operate correctly:
●ABS & Brake assist
●VSC
●TRAC
Also, not only can the following system not be utilized fully, it may actu-
ally negatively effect the drive-train components:
●Active Torque Control 4WD system (if equipped)
■When stowing the flat tire
●
Make sure the rear seats are in their original position.
●Secure it using a tire tie-down belt. Otherwise, the flat tire may fly out
in case of the sudden braking or an accident, resulting in death or seri-
ous injury.
NOTICE
■Do not drive the vehicle with a flat tire
Do not continue driving with a flat tire.
Driving even a short distance with a flat tire can damage the tire and the
wheel beyond repair.
■Be careful when driving over bumps with the compact spare tire
installed on the vehicle
The vehicle becomes lower when driving with the compact spare tire
compared to when driving with standard tires. Be careful when driving
over uneven road surfaces.
■Driving with tire chains and the compact spare tire
Do not fit tire chains to the compact spare tire.
Tire chains may damage the vehicle body and adversely affect driving
performance.

5
When trouble arises
437 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
NOTICE
■To avoid damaging the transmission and other components
●Avoid spinning the wheels and do not rev the engine.
●If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may
require towing to be freed.

491 Alphabetical index
Child-protectors ........................ 30
Cleaning
Exterior ................................. 316
Interior .................................. 319
Seat belts ............................. 320
Clock ........................................ 295
Compass .................................. 311
Condenser ............................... 344
Console box............................. 287
Cooling system
Engine overheating .............. 433
Cruise control .......................... 141
Cup holder ............................... 288
Curtain shield airbags .............. 71
Customizable features ............ 472
Daytime running light
system ................................... 136
Defogger
Rear window......................... 179
Side mirror ............................ 179
Dimension ................................ 442
Dinghy towing .................. 167,168
Display
Trip meter ............................. 129
Do-it-yourself maintenance .... 328
Doors
Door lock .......................... 26, 29
Door windows ......................... 57
Side mirrors ............................ 55
Driver's seat belt reminder
light ........................................ 404Driving
Break-in tips ..........................106
Correct posture .......................69
Procedures ............................104
Winter driving tips..................154
Electric power steering ...........145
Emergency flashers
Switch....................................390
Emergency, in case of
If a warning light turns on ......401
If the engine will not start ......425
If the shift lever cannot be
shifted from P......................426
If the vehicle has a
discharged battery ..............428
If the warning buzzer
sounds ................................401
If you have a flat tire .............411
If you lose your keys .............427
If you think something is
wrong ..................................397
If your vehicle becomes
stuck ...................................436
If your vehicle has to be
stopped in an emergency ...438
If your vehicle needs to be
towed ..................................391
If your vehicle overheats .......433
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