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PRIUS_OM_OM47B89U_(U)
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Instructions for checking tire inflation pressure
When checking tire inflation pressure, observe the following:
●Check only when the tires are cold.
If your vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours or has not been
driven for more than 1 mile or 1.5 km, you will get an accurate cold tire
inflation pressure reading.
●Always use a tire pressure gauge.
It is difficult to judge if a tire is properly inflated based only on its appear-
ance.
●It is normal for the tire inflation pressure to be higher after driving as
heat is generated in the tire. Do no t reduce tire inflation pressure after
driving.
●Never exceed the vehicle capacity weight.
Passengers and luggage weight should be placed so that the vehicle is
balanced.
WARNING
■Proper inflation is critical to save tire performance
Keep your tires properly inflated.
If the tires are not properly inflated, the following conditions may occur
which could lead to an accident resulting in death or serious injury:
●Excessive wear
●Uneven wear
●Poor handling
●Possibility of blowouts resu lting from overheated tires
●Air leaking from between tire and wheel
●Wheel deformation and/or tire damage
●Greater possibility of tire damage while driving (due to road hazards,
expansion joints, sharp edges in the road, etc.)
NOTICE
■When inspecting and adjusting tire inflation pressure
Be sure to put the tire valve caps back on.
If a valve cap is not installed, dirt or moisture may get into the valve and
cause an air leak, resulting in decreased tire inflation pressure.
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PRIUS_OM_OM47B89U_(U)
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■When replacing wheels
The wheels of your vehicle are equipped with tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters that allow the tire pressure warning system to
provide advance warning in the event of a loss in tire inflation pressure.
Whenever wheels are replaced, tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters must be installed. ( →P. 620)
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 leak ing 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.
●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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8When trouble arises
8-1. Essential informationEmergency flashers .......... 664
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an
emergency ...................... 665
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be towed ......................... 666
If you think something is wrong .............................. 672
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer
sounds ............................ 673
If a warning message is displayed......................... 684
If you have a flat tire (vehicles with
spare tire)........................ 691
If you have a flat tire (vehicles without
spare tire)........................ 705
If the hybrid system will not start ........................... 724
If the electronic key does not operate properly........ 726
If the 12-volt battery is discharged ...................... 729
If your vehicle overheats ... 735
If the vehicle becomes stuck ............................... 740
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PRIUS_OM_OM47B89U_(U)
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
6768-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS_OM_OM47B89U_(U)
Master warning lightA buzzer sounds and the warning light comes on and
flashes to indicate that the master warning system has
detected a malfunction.
→ P. 684
Tire pressure warning light
When the light comes on:
Low tire inflation pressure such as
• Natural causes ( →P. 680)
• Flat tire ( →P. 691, 705)
→ Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified
level.
The light will turn off af ter a few minutes. In case
the light does not turn off even if the tire inflation
pressure is adjusted, have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer.
When the light comes on after blinking for 1 minute:
Malfunction in the tire pressure warning system
( → P. 680)
→ Have the system checked by your Toyota dealer.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
6808-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS_OM_OM47B89U_(U)■
When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Inspect the appearance of the tire to
check that the tire is not punctured.
If the tire is punctured: → P. 691, 705
If the tire is not punctured:
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate level. Initial-
izing the tire pressure warning syst em will not turn off the tire pressure
warning light.
■The tire pressure warning light may come on due to natural causes
The tire pressure warning light may come on due to natural causes such
as natural air leaks and tire inflat ion pressure changes caused by tem-
perature. In this case, adjusting the ti re inflation pressure will turn off the
warning light (afte r a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
Vehicles with compact spare tire: Th e compact spare tire is not equipped
with a tire pressure warning valve and transmitter. If a tire goes flat, the
tire pressure warning light will not tu rn off even though the flat tire has
been replaced with the spare tire. Repl ace the spare tire with the repaired
tire and adjust the tire inflation pr essure. The tire pressure warning light
will go off after a few minutes.
Vehicles with full-size spare tire: The spare tire is also equipped with a tire
pressure warning valve and transmitter. The tire pressure warning light
will turn on if the tire inflat ion pressure of the spare ti re is low. If a tire goes
flat, the tire pressure warning light will not turn off even though the flat tire
has been replaced with the spare tire. Replace the spare tire with the
repaired tire and adjust the tire inflation pressure. The tire pressure warn-
ing light will go off after a few minutes.
■Conditions that the tire pressure warning system may not function
properly
→ P. 6 2 4
■If the tire pressure warning light frequently comes on after blinking
for 1 minute
If the tire pressure warning light frequently comes on after blinking for
1 minute when the power switch is tu rned to ON mode, have it checked
by your Toyota dealer.
■ Warning buzzer
In some cases, the buzzer may not be heard due to being in a noisy location
or audio sound.
6818-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS_OM_OM47B89U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
WARNING
■When the electric power steerin g system warning light comes on
When the light comes on yellow, the assist to the power steering is
restricted. When the light comes on red, the assist to the power steering is
lost and handling operations of the steering wheel become extremely
heavy. When steering wheel operations are heavier than usual, grip the
steering wheel firmly and operate it 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.
●Vehicles with spare tire: If the tire pressure warning light comes on
even after tire inflation pressure adjustment, it is probable that you
have a flat tire. Check the tires. If a tire is flat, change it with the spare
tire and have the flat tire repaired by the nearest Toyota dealer.
●Vehicles with emergency tire puncture repair kit: If the tire pressure
warning light comes on even after ti re inflation pressure adjustment, it
is probable that you have a flat tire . Check the tires. If a tire is flat,
repair the flat tire by using emer gency tire puncture repair kit.
●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.
6828-2. Steps to take in an emergency
PRIUS_OM_OM47B89U_(U)
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 pressure 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 illumination 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 detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illumi-
nated. This sequence w ill continue upon subsequ ent 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 installation 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.