2012 TOYOTA PRIUS Owners Manual

449
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■Tire inflation pressure check interval
You should check tire inflation pressure every two weeks, or at least
once a month.
Do not forget to check the spare.
■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect ti
re 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 inflating, 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 or 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 pressure that is even just a few pounds off can affect ride quality
and handling.
●Do not reduce tire inflation pressure after driving. It is normal for 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.

450 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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 put the tire valve caps back on.
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 are lost,
replace them as soon as possible.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Wheels
If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily corroded, it should be
replaced. Otherwise, the tire may separate from the wheel or
cause a 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 the following:
● 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 balance weights or equivalent and a
plastic or rubber hammer when balancing your wheels.

452 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■When replacing wheels
The wheels of your vehicle are equipped with tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters that allow the tire pressure warning system to
provide advance warning in the event of a loss in tire inflation pressure.
Whenever wheels are replaced, tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters must be installed. (P. 438)
CAUTION
■When replacing wheels
●Do not use wheels that are a different size from those recommended in
the Owner’s Manual, as this may resu lt in a loss of handling control.
●Never use an inner tube in a leaking wheel which is designed for a
tubeless tire. Doing so may result in an accident, causing death or seri-
ous injury.
■When installing the wheel nuts
●Never use oil or grease on the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
Oil and grease may cause the wheel nuts to be excessively tightened,
leading to bolt or disc wheel damage. In addition, the oil or grease can
cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel may fall off, causing an
accident and resulting in death or serious injury. Remove any oil or
grease from the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
●Be sure to install the wheel nuts with
the tapered ends facing inward.
Installing the nuts with the tapered
ends facing outward can cause the
wheel to break and eventually cause
the wheel to come off while driving,
which could lead to an accident
resulting in death or serious injury.
ITI41P007
Ta p e r e d
portion

453
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■Use of defective wheels prohibited
Do not use cracked or deformed wheels.
Doing so could cause the tire to leak air during driving, possibly causing
an accident.
NOTICE
■Replacing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
●Because tire repair or replacement may affect the tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitters, make su
re 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.

454
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Electronic key batter y
Replace the battery with a new one if it is depleted.
■You will need the following items:
●Flathead screwdriver
● Lithium battery CR1632
■ Replacing the battery
Take out the mechanical key.
Remove the cover.
To prevent damage, cover the
tip of the screwdriver with a
rag.
Remove the depleted battery.
Insert a new battery with the
“+” terminal facing up.
When installing, reverse the steps listed.
STEP 1
STEP 2
ITO43P194
STEP 3
STEP 4

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■
Use a CR1632 lithium battery
●Batteries can be purchased at your Toyota dealer, local electrical appli-
ance shops or camera stores.
● Replace only with the same or equivalent type recommended by the
manufacturer.
● Dispose of used batteries according to local laws.
■ If the electronic key battery is depleted
The following symptoms may occur:
●The smart key system and wireless remote control will not function prop-
erly.
● The operational range will be reduced.
CAUTION
■Removed battery and other parts
Keep away from children. These parts are small and if swallowed by a child,
they can cause choking. Failure to do so could result in death or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■For normal operation after replacing the battery
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents:
●Always work with dry hands.
Moisture may cause the battery to rust.
● Do not touch or move any other component inside the remote control.
● Do not bend either of the battery terminals.

456
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Checking and replacing fuses
If any of the electrical components do not operate, a fuse may have
blown. If this happens, check and replace the fuses as necessary.
Turn the “POWER” switch off.
Vehicles with Solar Ventilation Sy stem: Turn the Solar Ventilation
System off and make sure not to operate the Remote Air Condi-
tioning System.
Open the fuse box cover.
Engine compartment
Push the tab in and lift the lid
off.
When closing, first hook the lid
onto the two rear tabs.
Left side instrument panelRemove the lid.
After a system failure, see “Fuse layout and amperage rat-
ings” ( P. 459) for details about which fuse to check.
STEP 1
STEP 2
ITO43P127
STEP 3