2012 TOYOTA MATRIX tires

376 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect tire 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.

377
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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.

378
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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.

380 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
NOTICE
■Replacing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
●Because tire repair or replacement may affect the tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitters, make sure to have tires serviced by your
Toyota dealer or other qualified service shop. In addition, make sure to
purchase your tire pressure warning valves and transmitters at your
Toyota dealer.
●Ensure that only genuine Toyota wheels are used on your vehicle.
Tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not work properly
with non-genuine wheels.

5
When trouble arises
411
5-1. Essential information
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
■ Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air cond itioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● Engine coolant temperature g auge needle continually points
higher than normal
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, s pongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor

420 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■If the tire pressure warning system is inoperative
The tire pressure warning system will be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If tires not equipped with tire pressure warning valves and transmit-
ters are used.
●If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters is
not registered in the tire pressure warning computer.
●If the tire inflation pressure is 73 psi (500 kPa, 5.1 kgf/cm2 or bar) or
higher.
The tire pressure warning system may be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If electronic devices or facilities using similar radio wave frequencies
are nearby.
●If a radio set at similar frequencies is in use in the vehicle.
●If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed.
●If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehicle, in particular around the
wheels or wheel housings.
●If non-genuine Toyota wheels are used. (Even if you use Toyota
wheels, the tire pressu re warning system may not work properly with
some types of tires.)
●If tire chains are used.
■If the tire pressure warning light frequently comes on after blinking
for 1 minute
If the tire pressure warning light comes on after blinking for 1 minute fre-
quently when the engine switch is turned to the “ON” position, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
■ Customization that can be co nfigured at Toyota dealer
The vehicle speed linked seat belt reminder buzzer can be disabled.
(Customizable features P. 485) However, Toyota recommends that the
seat belt reminder buzzer be operational to alert the driver and front passen-
ger that the seat belts are not fastened.

5
When trouble arises
421
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
CAUTION
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as
soon as possible. Adjust the tire
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is pr obable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If the tire is flat, change to the spare tire and have the flat tire repaired
by the nearest Toyota dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate,
you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning syste m may not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label (tire and load information label). (If your vehicle has tires of a differ-
ent size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label [tire and load information label], you should determine the
proper tire inflation pr essure for those tires.)

422 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
CAUTION
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS-ti re pressure warning system) that
illuminates a low tire pressure telltal e (tire pressure warning light) when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressu re telltale (tire pressure warning light) illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi ciency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's hand ling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) is not a sub-
stitute for proper ti re maintenance, an d it is the driver's responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illu mination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale (tire
pressure warning light).
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) malfunction indicator to indi cate when the system is not operat-
ing properly. The TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunction indi-
cator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale (tire pressure
warning light). When the system det ects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute an d then remain continuously illumi-
nated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction indi cator is illumi-
nated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunctions may occur for a vari-
ety of reasons, including the installati on of replacement or alternate tires
or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS (tire pres-
sure warning system) malfunction te lltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alter-
nate tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) to
continue to function properly.