2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C tires

232 2-5. Driving information
CAUTION
■Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle being unable to be driven safely,
and may cause death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit specified for the tire chains being
used, or 30 mph (50 km/h), whichever is lower.
● Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
● Avoid sudden turns and braking, as use of chains may adversely affect
vehicle handling.
● Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that vehicle con-
trol is maintained.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from Toyota dealers or legiti-
mate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affects the opera-
tion of the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters.
■ Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not function correctly\
when tire chains are fitted.

Maintenance and care4
341
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior......... 342
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior.......... 345
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements .................. 348
General maintenance....... 351
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs........................ 355 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions .................... 356
Hood ................................ 360
Positioning a floor jack ..... 362
Engine compartment ........ 364
12-volt battery .................. 375
Tires ................................. 380
Tire inflation pressure ...... 388
Wheels ............................. 392
Air conditioning filter......... 395
Wireless remote control/ electronic key battery ..... 397
Checking and replacing fuses .............................. 400
Light bulbs........................ 411

354 4-2. Maintenance
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors • Do the doors operate smoothly?
Engine hood • Does the engine hood lock sys-
tem work properly?
Fluid leaks • There should not be any signs of
fluid leakage after the vehicle has
been parked.
Tires • Is the tire inflation pressure cor-
rect?
• The tires should not be dam- aged or excessively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the maintenance
schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
CAUTION
■ If the hybrid system is operating
Turn the hybrid system off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation
before performing maintenance checks.

380
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance sched-
ules and treadwear.
■Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear
indicators is shown by the
“TWI” or “” marks, etc.,
molded on the sidewall of
each tire.
Check spare tire condition
and pressure if not rotated.
■ Tire rotation
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same inter-
val as tire inspection.
Do not fail to initialize the tire
pressure warning system
after tire rotation.
■Tire pressure warning system
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure warning system
that uses tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect
low tire inflation pressure before serious problems arise.
(  P. 433)
Front

381
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
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 ID codes must be registered in the tire pressure warn-
ing computer and the tire pressure warning system must be initial-
ized. Have tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes
registered by your Toyota dealer. ( P. 382)
■ The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the fol-
lowing circumstances:
●When rotating front and rear tires which have different tire infla-
tion pressures
● When changing the tire size
When the tire pressure warning system is initialized, the current
tire inflation pressure is set as the benchmark pressure.
■ How to initialize the tire pressure warning system
Park the vehicle in a safe pl ace and turn the engine switch
(vehicles without a smart key system) or the “POWER” switch
(vehicles with a smart key system) off.
Initialization cannot be performed while the vehicle is moving.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire infla-
tion pressure level. ( P. 498)
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.
STEP1
STEP2

382 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Turn the engine switch to the “ON” position (vehicles without a
smart key system) or “POWER” switch to ON mode (vehicles
with a smart key system).
Press and hold the tire pressure
warning reset switch until the tire
pressure warning light blinks
slowly 3 times.
Vehicles without a smart key system: Wait for a few minutes
with the engine switch in the “ON” position and then turn the
engine switch to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Vehicles with a smart key system: Wait for a few minutes with
the “POWER” switch in ON mode and then turn the “POWER”
switch off.
Registering ID codes
The tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is equipped with a
unique ID code. When replacing a tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter, it is necessary to regi ster the ID code. Have the ID code
registered by your Toyota dealer.
STEP3
STEP4STEP4
■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, and 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.
STEP5

383
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■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 tire pressure warning light blinks for 1
minute and stays on to indicate a system malfunction.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even
if it has seldom or never been used or damage is not obvious.
■Routine tire inflation pressure checks
The tire pressure warning system doe s not replace routine tire inflation
pressure checks. Make su re to check tire inflation pressure as part of
your routine of daily vehicle checks.
■Low profile tires (vehicles with P195/50R16 tires)
Generally, low profile tire s will wear more rapidly and tire grip perfor-
mance will be reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when compared to
standard tires. Be sure to use snow tires or tire chains on snowy and/or
icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appropriate for road and weather
conditions.
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the replacement tire is greater than 1/2
of the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAW R) of either the front axle or the
rear axle, whichever is greater.
For the GAWR, see the Certification
Label. For the maximum load of the
tire, see the load limit at maximum cold
tire inflation pressure mentioned on the
sidewall of the tire. ( P. 503)

384 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Tire types
●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.
●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.
●Snow 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. 229)
■Initializing the tire pr essure warning system
Initialize the system with the tire infl ation pressure adjusted to the speci-
fied level.
■If the tread on snow tires wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.
■If you press the tire pressure warning reset switch accidentally
If initialization is performed, adjust the tire in flation pressure to the speci-
fied level and initialize the tire pressure warning system again.