2015 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID maintenance

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■
Chemicals in the 12-volt battery
The 12-volt battery contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid and may
produce hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive. To reduce the risk
of death or serious injury, take the following precautions while working on or
near the 12-volt battery:
●Do not cause sparks by touching the 12-volt battery terminals with tools.
● Do not smoke or light a match near the 12-volt battery.
● Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothes.
● Never inhale or swallow electrolyte.
● Wear protective safety glasses when working near the 12-volt battery.
● Keep children away from the 12-volt battery.
■ Where to safely charge the 12-volt battery
Always charge the 12-volt battery in an open area. Do not charge the 12-volt
battery in a garage or closed room where there is insufficient ventilation.
■ How to charge the 12-volt battery
Only perform a slow charge (5 A or less). The 12-volt battery may explode if
charged at a quicker rate.

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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 ca\
use
gas (hydrogen) to enter the passenger co mpartment, causing a fire or explo-
sion.
For replacement of the 12-volt battery, contact your Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
■ When charging the 12-volt battery
Never charge the 12-volt battery while the hybrid system is operating. Also,
be sure all accessories are turned off.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance sched-
ules and treadwear.
■Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear
indicators is shown by the
“TWI” or “” marks, etc.,
molded on the sidewall of
each tire.
■ Tire rotation
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same inter-
val as tire inspection.
Do not fail to initialize the tire
pressure warning system
after tire rotation.
Front

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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. 484)
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.
■ 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. 542)

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Maintenance and care
■
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. 627)
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.
Press and hold the tire pressure
warning reset switch until the tire
pressure warning light blinks
slowly 3 times.
Wait for a few minutes with th e “POWER” switch in ON mode
and then turn the “POWER” switch off.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5

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Registering ID codesThe 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 regi ster 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 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 sure to check tire inflation pressure as part of
your routine of daily vehicle checks.

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Maintenance and care
■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. Since 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. 355)
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. 633)

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■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 the tire in flation 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.