2012 TOYOTA PRIUS flat tire

Maintenance and care4
395
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior ......... 396
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior .......... 399
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements .................. 402
General maintenance....... 405
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs........................ 409
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions .................... 410
Hood ................................ 413
Positioning a floor jack ..... 416
Engine compartment ........ 419
12-volt battery .................. 431
Tires ................................. 437
Tire inflation pressure ...... 447
Wheels ............................. 451
Electronic key battery....... 454
Checking and replacing fuses .............................. 456
Light bulbs........................ 467

408 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.

411
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
ItemsParts and tools
Engine oil level (
P. 420)
• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or
equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses (P. 456)• Fuse with same amperage rating
as original
Light bulbs (P. 467)
• Bulb with same number and watt-
age rating as original
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wrench
Radiator and condenser
(P. 426)
Tire inflation pressure ( P. 447)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid ( P. 429)
• Water or washer fluid containing
antifreeze (for winter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer fluid)

438 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmittersWhen 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 regi stered 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. 440)
■ 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. 499)
The compact spare tire is not equipped with a tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter.

439
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■ 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 “POWER” switch
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. 569)
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 “POWER” switch to ON mode.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

441
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
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, 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.
■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 17-inch 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.

442 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■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.
■Tire types
●Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway
driving under dry conditions. Sinc e 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. 317)
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. 575)

443
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■Initializing the tire pressure 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 t he tire inflation pressure to the speci-
fied level and initialize the tire pressure warning system again.
■When initialization of the tire pressure warning system has failed
Initialization can be completed in a few minutes. However, in the follow-
ing cases, the settings have not been recorded and the system will not
operate properly. If repeated attempts to record tire inflation pressure
settings are unsuccessful, have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
●When operating the tire pressure warning reset switch, the tire pres-
sure warning light doe s not blink 3 times.
●After carrying out the initialization procedure, the tire pressure warn-
ing light blinks for 1 minute then stays on after driving for 20 minutes.