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2714-7. Driving tips
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
◆When braking
Make sure to operate the brakes gently and in a timely manner. A
greater amount of electrical energy can be regenerated when slow-
ing down.
◆Delays
Repeated acceleration and deceleration, as well as long waits at
traffic lights, will lead to bad fuel economy. Check traffic reports
before leaving and avoid delays as much as possible. When driving
in a traffic jam, gently release the brake pedal to allow the vehicle to
move forward slightly while avoi ding overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control excessive gasoline consumption.
◆Highway driving
Control and maintain the vehicle at a constant speed. Before stop-
ping at a toll booth or similar, allow plenty of time to release the
accelerator and gently apply the br akes. A greater amount of elec-
trical energy can be regenerated when slowing down.
◆Air conditioning
Use the air conditioning only when necessary. Doing so can help
reduce excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: When the ambient temperature is high, use the recircu-
lated air mode. Doing so will help to reduce the burden on the air
conditioning system and reduce fuel consumption as well.
In winter: Because the gasoline eng ine will not automatically cut out
until it and the interior of the vehi cle are warm, it will consume fuel.
Also, fuel consumption can be improved by avoiding overuse of the
heater.
◆Checking tire inflation pressure
Make sure to check the tire infl ation pressure frequently. Improper
tire inflation pressure can cause poor fuel economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause larg e amounts of friction, their use on
dry roads can lead to poor fuel economy. Use tires that are appro-
priate for the season.
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2754-7. Driving tips
4
Driving
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
■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 onl y. Do not install tire chains on the
rear tires.
●Install tire chains on front tires as tightly as possible. Retighten chains
after driving 1/4 ⎯ 1/2 mile (0.5 ⎯ 1.0 km).
●Install tire chains following the instructions provided with the tire chains.
WARNING
■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 size specified.
● Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
● Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120 km/h), regardless of the type of
snow tires being used.
● Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
■ 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 30 mph (50 km/h), 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 engine braking.
● Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that vehicle con-
trol is maintained.
Page 276 of 596
2764-7. Driving tips
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from Toyota dealers or legiti-
mate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affects the opera-
tion of the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters.
■ Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not function correctly
when tire chains are fitted.
Page 399 of 596
399
7Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)7-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 400
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 403
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 406
General maintenance........ 409
Emission inspection and maintenance
(I/M) programs ................ 412
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ..................... 413
Hood ................................. 416
Positioning a floor jack ...... 418
Engine compartment ......... 419
12-volt battery ................... 428
Tires .................................. 432
Tire inflation pressure ....... 441
Wheels .............................. 444
Air conditioning filter.......... 446
Wireless remote control/ electronic key battery ...... 448
Checking and replacing fuses ............................... 451
Light bulbs......................... 455
Page 411 of 596
4117-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
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.
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413
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service 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. 428) • Grease
• Conventional wrench
(for terminal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level
(→P. 425)
• 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. 423)
• “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. 420)• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses ( →P. 451)• Fuse with same amperage rating as original
Light bulbs (→P. 455)
• Bulb with same number and wattage rating as
original
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wrench
Radiator and condenser
(→P. 425)⎯
Tire inflation pressure
(→ P. 441)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Page 432 of 596
4327-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
Check if the treadwear indicators are showing on the tires. Also check
the tires for uneven wear, such as excessive wear on one side of the
tread.
Check the spare tire condition and pressure if not rotated.
New tread
Worn tread
Treadwear indicator
The location of treadwear indicators is shown by a “TWI” or “ Δ” mark,
etc., molded into the sidewall of each tire.
Replace the tires if the treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.
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.
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance sched-
ules and treadwear.
Checking tires
Tire rotation
1
2
3
Front
Page 433 of 596

4337-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U (OM52J11U)
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses
tire pressure warning valves and tr ansmitters 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. 480)
◆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 pr essure warning system must be
initialized. Have tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID
codes registered by your Toyota dealer. ( →P. 434)
◆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. 539)
Make sure to adjust the tire pressu re to the specified cold tire infla-
tion pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will operate
based on this pressure level.
Tire pressure warning system
1
2