2012 TOYOTA MATRIX tow

406 5-1. Essential information
Emergency towingIf 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

5
When trouble arises
407
5-1. Essential information
Towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck
to prevent body damage.
Towing with a wheel-lift type truckFrom the front (2WD models) Release the parking brake.
From the front (AWD models) Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.

408 5-1. Essential information
From the rearAutomatic 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 towin g 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
409
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.

410 5-1. Essential information
NOTICE
■To prevent body damage when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.
■ To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and Active
Torque Control 4WD system (AWD models) when towing using a
wheel-lift type truck (vehicles with an automatic transmission)
■ To prevent damaging the vehicle wh en towing using a wheel-lift type
truck
● When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed.
● Vehicles with a manual transmission: Do not tow the vehicle when the
engine switch is in the “LOCK” position or the key is removed.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheel\
s
straight.
■ Recreational towing (behind motor home, etc.)
Vehicles with an automatic transmission: Never dinghy tow your vehicle to
prevent causing serious damage to the Active Torque Control 4WD system
(AWD models) and transmission. ( P. 181)
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from
the rear with the front wheels on the
ground. This may cause serious damage
to the transmission. If towing from the
rear, use a towing dolly.
AWD models: Never tow this vehicle with
any of the wheels on the ground. This
may cause serious damage to the trans-
mission and Active Torque Control 4WD
system. Use a towing dolly.

5
When trouble arises
431
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

436 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 syste m not be utilized fully, it may actu-
ally negatively effect t he 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 drivin g 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.

450 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.