2012 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUS Owners Manual

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Maintenance and care
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CAUTION
Emergency measures regarding electrolyte
If electrolyte gets in your eyes
Flush your eyes with clean water for at least 15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention. If possible, continue to apply water with a sponge or
cloth while traveling to the nearest medical facility.
If electrolyte gets on your skin
Wash the affected area thoroughly. If you feel pain or burning, get medical
attention immediately.
If electrolyte gets on your clothes
It can soak through clothing on to your skin. Immediately take off the cloth-
ing and follow the procedure above if necessary.
If you accidentally swallow electrolyte
Drink a large quantity of water or milk. Get emergency medical attention
immediately.
When replacing the 12-volt battery
Use a 12-volt battery designed for this vehicle. Failure to do so may cause
gas (hydrogen) to enter the passenger compartment, causing a fire or explo-
sion.
For replacement of the 12-volt battery, contact any authorized Toyota dealer
or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.

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CAUTION
When disconnecting the 12-volt battery
NOTICE
When recharging the 12-volt battery
Never recharge the 12-volt battery while the hybrid system is operating.
Also, be sure all accessories are turned off.
Do not disconnect the negative (-) termi-
nal on the body side as shown. The dis-
connected negative (-) terminal may
touch the positive (+) terminal, which may
cause a short and result in death or seri-
ous injury.

419
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Maintenance and care
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Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance schedules
and treadwear.
Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear indi-
cators 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 help
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that you rotate tires
approximately every 10000 km
(6000 miles).
Front

420 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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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 cannot be properly repaired due to the size
or location of a cut or other damage.
If you are not sure, consult with any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified and equipped professional.
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.
If the tread on snow tires wears down below 4 mm (0.16 in.)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.

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Maintenance and care
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CAUTION
When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to parts of the drive train as well as dan-
gerous handling characteristics, which may lead to an accident resulting in
death or serious injury.
Do not mix tires of different makes, models or tread patterns.
Also, do not mix tires of remarkably different treadwear.
Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended by Toyota.
Do not mix differently constructed tires (radial, bias-belted or bias-ply
tires).
Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.
Do not use tires that have been used on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not know how they were used previously.
NOTICE
Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or potholes.
These conditions may cause losses in tire inflation pressure, reducing the
cushioning ability of the tires. In addition, driving on rough roads may cause
damage to the tires themselves, as well as the vehicle’s wheels and body.
If tire inflation pressure of each tire becomes low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.

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Tire inflation pressure
Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect tire inflation pressure may 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 any authorized Toyota
dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
Make sure to maintain the proper tire inflation pressure. Tire inflation
pressure should be checked at least once per month. However,
Toyota recommends that tire inflation pressure be checked once
every two weeks. (P. 550)

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Maintenance and care
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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 1.5 km or 1 mile, you will get an accurate cold tire
inflation pressure reading.
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of the tire can be misleading. In addition, tire inflation
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 infla-
tion 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.

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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 resulting 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 moisture 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.