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7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
WARNING
■When replacing wheels
●Do not use wheels that are a different size from those recommended in
the Owner’s Manual, as this may result 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.
■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 sure 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.
●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.Tapered
portion
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8
When trouble arises
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you think something is wrong
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air co nditioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● High coolant temperature warning light flashes or comes on
● Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the hybrid system
● Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, spon gy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor
If you notice any of the follow ing symptoms, your vehicle proba-
bly needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms
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4968-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47887U_(U)
WARNING
■If both the ABS and the brake system warning lights remain on
Stop your vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact your Toyota
dealer. The vehicle will become extremely unstable during braking, and the
ABS system may fail, which could cause an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
■ When the electric power steerin g system warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes heavie r than usual when operating, hold
firmly and operate using more force than usual.
■
If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause a loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If a tire is flat, change it with th e spare tire and have the flat tire
repaired by the nearest Toyota dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate,
you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning system may not activate immediately.
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4978-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47887U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
WARNING
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label (tire and load information label). (If your vehicle has tires of a dif-
ferent size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label [tire and load information label], you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS-ti re pressure warning system) that
illuminates a low tire pre ssure telltale (tire pressure warning light) when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warning light) illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi ciency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s hand ling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pres sure warning system) is not a sub-
stitute for proper ti re maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached
the level to trigger illumina tion of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale (tire
pressure warning light).
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS (tire pressure warn-
ing system) malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunc-
tion indicator is combined with the lo w tire pressure telltale (tire pressure
warning light). When the system dete cts a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illumi-
nated. This sequence will continue up on subsequent vehicle start-ups
as long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction indicator is illu-
minated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunctions may occur for a vari-
ety of reasons, including the installati on of replacement or alternate tires
or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS (tire pres-
sure warning system) malfunction te lltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alter-
nate tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) to
continue to function properly.
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4988-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47887U_(U)
NOTICE
■To ensure the tire pressure warning system operates properly
Do not install tires with different specifications or makers, as the tire
pressure warning system may not operate properly.
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PRIUS v_OM_OM47887U_(U)
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you have a flat tire
●Stop the vehicle on a hard, flat surface.
● Set the parking brake.
● Shift the shift position to P.
● Stop the hybrid system.
● Turn on the emergency flashers. ( P. 480)
Your vehicle is equipped with a spare tire. The flat tire can be
replaced with the spare tire.
For details about tires: P. 4 4 1
WARNING
■If you have a flat tire
Do not continue driving with a flat tire.
Driving even a short distance with a fl at tire can damage the tire and the
wheel beyond repair, which could result in an accident.
Before jacking up the vehicle
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5208-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47887U_(U)
WARNING
■Using the tire jack
Observe the following precautions.
Improper use of the tire jack may cause the vehicle to suddenly fall off
the jack, leading to death or serious injury.
●Do not use the tire jack for any purpose other than replacing tires or
installing and removing tire chains.
●Only use the tire jack that comes with this vehicle for replacing a flat
tire.
Do not use it on other vehicles, and do not use other tire jacks for
replacing tires on this vehicle.
●Put the jack properly in its jack point.
●Do not put any part of your body und er the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack.
●Do not start the hybrid system or drive the vehicle while the vehicle is
supported by the jack.
●Do not raise the vehicle while someone is inside.
●When raising the vehicle, do not put an object on or under the jack.
●Do not raise the vehicle to a height greater than that required to
replace the tire.
●Use a jack stand if it is necessary to get under the vehicle.
●When lowering the vehicle, make su re that there is no-one near the
vehicle. If there are people nearby, warn them vocally before lowering.
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5238-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS v_OM_OM47887U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
Chock the tires.
For vehicles with 16 inch
wheels, remove the wheel
ornament using the wrench.
To prevent damage, cover the tip
of the wrench with a rag.
Slightly loosen the wheel nuts
(one turn).
Replacing a flat tire
1
Flat tireWheel chock positions
FrontLeft-hand sideBehind the rear right-hand side tire
Right-hand sideBehind the rear left-hand side tire
RearLeft-hand sideIn front of the front right-hand side tire
Right-hand sideIn front of the front left-hand side tire
2
3