
365
7Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)7-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 366
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 369
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 372
General maintenance........ 375
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ......................... 378
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ..................... 379
Hood ................................. 382
Positioning a floor jack ...... 384
Engine compartment ......... 385
12-volt battery ................... 394
Tires .................................. 398
Tire inflation pressure ....... 406
Wheels .............................. 409
Air conditioning filter.......... 411
Wireless remote control/ electronic key battery ...... 413
Checking and replacing fuses ............................... 416
Light bulbs......................... 420

3777-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors• Do the doors operate smoothly?
Engine hood• Does the engine hood lock system work prop-erly?
Fluid leaks• There should not be any signs of fluid leakageafter the vehicle has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire inflation pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or exces-sively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the maintenance schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Windshield wipers/rear
window wiper (if
equipped)
• The wiper blades should not show any signs
of cracking, splitting, wear, contamination or
deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the windshield/
rear window without streaking or skipping.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system is operating
Turn the hybrid system off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation
before performing maintenance checks.

379
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself ser vice precautions
If you perform maintenance by yourself, be sure to follow the
correct procedure as given in these sections.
ItemsCheck points
12-volt battery condition (P. 394) • Grease
• Conventional wrench
(for terminal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level (P. 391)
• FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake
fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine/power control
unit coolant level (P. 389)
• “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” or a similar
high quality ethylene glycol based non-sili-
cate, non-amine, non-nitrite and non-borate
coolant with long-life hybrid organic acid tech-
nology
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed
with 50% coolant and 50% deionized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed
with 55% coolant and 45% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil level (P. 386)• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses ( P. 416)• Fuse with same amperage rating as original
Light bulbs (P. 420)
• Bulb with same number and wattage rating as
original
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wrench
Radiator and condenser
(P. 391)
Tire inflation pressure
( P. 406)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source

3987-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear indica-
tors is shown by the “TWI” or “”
marks, etc., molded on the side-
wall of each tire.
Check spare tire condition and
pressure if not rotated.
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and extend
tire life, Toyota recommends that
tire rotation is carried out at the
same interval as tire inspection.
Do not fail to initialize the tire
pressure warning system after
tire rotation.
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses
tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect low tire infla-
tion pressure before serious problems arise.
If the tire pressure drops below a predetermined level, the driver is
warned by a warning light. ( P. 444)
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance sched-
ules and treadwear.
Checking tires
1
2
3
Tire rotation
Front
7 L U H S U H V V X U H Z D U Q L Q J V \ V W H P

3997-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)
◆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
warning computer and the tire pressure warning system must be
initialized. Have tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID
codes registered by your Toyota dealer. (P. 400)
◆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 place and turn the engine switch (vehi-
cles without a smart key system) or the “POWER” switch (vehi-
cles 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 inflation
pressure level. ( P. 497)
Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire infla-
tion pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will operate
based on this pressure level.
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 pres-
sure warning reset switch
until the tire pressure warn-
ing light blinks slowly 3 times.
1
2
3
4

4007-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)
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 register the ID code. Have the ID code
registered by your Toyota dealer.
■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 your Toyota dealer.
■Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is not reg-
istered, the tire pressure warning system will not work properly. After driv-
ing 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 does not replace routine tire inflation
pressure checks. Make sure 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 tires 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.
5

4017-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)■
Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the replacement tire is greater than 1/2
of the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) 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. Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, 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 install-
ing 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 com-
pared 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 originally 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. 241)
■If the tread on snow tires wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost. 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. 502)

4027-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U (OM52E68U)■
If the tire pressure warning system is not functioning
The tire pressure warning system will be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If tires not equipped with tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
are used
●If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters is not
registered in the tire pressure warning computer
●If the tire inflation pressure is 73 psi (500 kPa, 5.1 kgf/cm2 or bar) or
higher
The tire pressure warning system may be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If electronic devices or facilities using similar radio wave frequencies are
nearby
●If a radio set at a similar frequency is in use in the vehicle
●If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed
●If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehicle, particularly around the
wheels or wheel housings
●If non-genuine Toyota wheels are used (Even if you use Toyota wheels,
the tire pressure warning system may not work properly with some types
of tires.)
●If tire chains are used
■The initialization operation
●Make sure to carry out initialization after adjusting the tire inflation pres-
sure.
Also, make sure the tires are cold before carrying out initialization or tire
inflation pressure adjustment.
●If you have accidentally turned the power switch to off during initializa-
tion, it is not necessary to press the reset switch again as initialization
will restart automatically when the power switch has been turned to the
ON mode for the next time.
●If you accidentally press the reset switch when initialization is not neces-
sary, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level when the
tires are cold, and conduct initialization again.
■When the initialization of the tire pressure warning system has failed
Initialization can be completed in a few minutes. However, in the following
cases, the settings have not been recorded and the system will not oper-
ate 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 wa rning reset switch, the tire pressure
warning light does not blink 3 times.
●After driving for a certain period of time since the initialization has been
completed, the warning light comes on after blinking for 1 minute.