2012 TOYOTA YARIS HYBRID Owners Manual

337 2-5. Driving information
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When driving
YARIS_F (including HV)_WE_52C79E
CAUTION
Secure all items in the occupant compartment, as they may shift and injure
someone during sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
Vehicles with a rear seat: When you fold down the rear seats, long items
should not be place directly behind the front seats.
Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed
for passengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts prop-
erly fastened. Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer death or seri-
ous bodily injury, in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an
accident.
Load and distribution
Do not overload your vehicle.
Do not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control
which may cause death or serious injury.

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Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before driving
the vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a manner appropri-
ate to the prevailing weather conditions.
Pre-winter preparations
Use fluids that are appropriate to the prevailing outside tem-
peratures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
• Power control unit coolant (hybrid vehicle)
Except hybrid vehicle: Have a service technician inspect the
condition of the battery.
Hybrid vehicle: Have a service technician inspect the condi-
tion of the 12-volt battery.
Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set
of tire chains for the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that their wear
level is not noticeably different with each other. Also make sure that
chains match the size of the tires.
Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following according to the driving conditions:
Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is
frozen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice.
Wipe away the water immediately to prevent it from freezing.
To ensure proper operation of the climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents
in front of the windshield.

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When driving
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Check for and remove any excess ice or snow that may have
accumulated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s roof, chassis,
around the tires or on the brakes.
Remove any snow or mud from the bottom of your shoes
before getting in the vehicle.
When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a safe distance between you
and the vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced speed suitable to
road conditions.
When parking the vehicle (in the winter time or in the cold
latitudes)
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P (vehicles with a
hybrid transmission or a Multidrive), E, M or R (vehicles with a
multi-mode manual transmission), and 1 or R (vehicles with a
manual transmission) without setting the parking brake. The
parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from being released.
If necessary, block the wheels to prevent inadvertent sliding or
creeping.

340 2-5. Driving information
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Selecting tire chains
Use the correct tire chain size when mounting the tire chains.
Chain size is regulated for each tire size.
Side chain
Except 175/65R14 tires: 3 mm
(0.12 in.) in diameter
175/65R14 tires: 4 mm (0.16
in.) in diameter
Cross chain
Except 175/65R14 tires: 4 mm
(0.16 in.) in diameter
175/65R14 tires: 5 mm (0.20
in.) in diameter
Regulations on the use of tire chains
Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary depending on loca-
tion and type of road. Always check local regulations before installing
chains.
Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions when installing and removing chains:
Install and remove tire chains in a safe location.
Install tire chains on the front tires only. Do not install tire chains on the
rear tires.
Install tire chains on front tires as tightly as possible. Retighten chains
after driving 0.5  1.0 km (1/4  1/2 mile).
Install tire chains following the instructions provided with the tire chains.
If wheel ornaments are used, they will be scratched by the chain band,
so remove the ornaments before putting on the chains. (P. 585)

341 2-5. Driving information
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When driving
YARIS_F (including HV)_WE_52C79E
CAUTION
Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and cause death or
serious injury.
Use tires of the specified size.
Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
Do not drive at speeds in excess of the speed limit or the speed limit spec-
ified for the snow tires being used.
Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
Do not use tires of noticeably different wear level.
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 50 km/h (30 mph), whichever is lower.
Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shifting
operations that cause sudden to engine braking.
Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that vehicle con-
trol is maintained.

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Trailer towing (hybrid vehicle)
Toyota does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Toy-
ota also does not recommend the installation of a tow hitch or the
use of a tow hitch carrier for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your
vehicle is not designed for trailer towing or for the use of tow hitch
mounted carriers.

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When driving
YARIS_F (including HV)_WE_52C79E
Trailer towing (except hybrid vehicle [except for South Africa])
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger carrying vehicle.
Towing a trailer will have an adverse effect on handling, perfor-
mance, braking, durability, and fuel consumption. Your safety and
satisfaction depend on the proper use of correct equipment and cau-
tious driving habits. For your safety and the safety of others, do not
overload the vehicle or trailer.
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in
accordance with the trailer’s characteristics and operating condi-
tions.
Toyota warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction caused by
towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
Ask your local authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional, for further details before tow-
ing, as there are additional legal requirements in some countries.
Weight limits
Check the allowable towing capacity, GVM (Gross Vehicle
Mass), MPAC (Maximum Permissible Axle Capacity), and per-
missible drawbar load before towing. (P. 654)
Towing hitch/bracket
Toyota recommends the use of the Toyota hitch/bracket for your
vehicle. Other products of a suitable nature and comparable
quality may also be used.

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Important points regarding trailer loads
Total trailer weight and permissible drawbar load
Total trailer weight
Weight of the trailer itself plus the
trailer load should be within the
maximum towing capacity.
Exceeding this weight is danger-
ous.
(P. 654)
When towing a trailer, use a fric-
tion coupler or friction stabilizer
(sway control device).
Permissible drawbar load
Allocate the trailer load so that
the drawbar load is greater than
25 kg (55.1 lb.) or 4% of the tow-
ing capacity. Do not let the draw-
bar load exceed the indicated
weight. (P. 654)