Page 417 of 596
4177-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
Pull the hood lock release lever.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Pull up the auxiliary catch lever
and lift the hood.
Hold the hood open by inserting
the supporting rod into the slot.
Hood
Release the lock from the inside of the vehicle to open the hood.
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4277-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
Disconnect the claws and
remove the service cover.
Remove the reservoir cap.
Add brake fluid slowly while checking the fluid level.
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause a dangerous loss o f braking effi-
ciency. Use only newly opened brake fluid.
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3
WARNING
■ When filling the reservoir
Take care as brake fluid can harm your hands and eyes and damag e
painted surfaces.
If fluid gets on your hands or in your eyes, flush the affected area with clean
water immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, see a doctor.
NOTICE
■ If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as t he brake pads
wear out or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilling, there may be a serio us problem.
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4317-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U■
After recharging/reconnecting the 12-volt battery (vehicles wit h a smart
key system)
● Unlocking the doors using the smart key system may not be possi ble imme-
diately after reconnecting the 12-volt battery. If this happens, use the wire-
less remote control or the mechanical key to lock/unlock the do ors.
● Start the hybrid system with the power switch in ACCESSORY mode . The
hybrid system may not start with the power switch turned off. However, the
hybrid system will operate normally from the second attempt.
● The power switch mode is recorded by the vehicle. If the 12-vol t battery is
reconnected, the vehicle will return the power switch mode to t he status it
was in before the 12-volt battery was disconnected. Make sure t o turn off
the power before disconnect the 12-volt battery. Take extra car e when con-
necting the 12-volt battery if the power switch mode prior to d ischarge is
unknown.
If the system will not start even after multiple attempts, contact your Toyota
dealer.
WARNING
■ Chemicals in the 12-volt battery
The 12-volt battery contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric a cid 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 w ith 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 ba ttery.
● 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 charg e the 12-
volt battery in a garage or closed room where there is insuffic ient ventila-
tion.
Page 434 of 596

4347-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U
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 dri ver is
warned by a warning light. ( P. 480)
◆Installing tire pressure warn ing valves and transmitters
When replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves an d
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 I D
codes registered by your Toyota dealer. ( P. 435)
◆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 in fla-
tion pressures
● When changing the tire size
When the tire pressure warning sy stem 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 power switch (vehi-
cles without a smart key system) or the power switch (vehicles
with a smart key system) off.
Initialization cannot be perfo rmed while the vehicle is moving.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire i nflation
pressure level. ( P. 541)
Make sure to adjust the tire pre ssure to the specified cold tire infla-
tion pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will oper ate
based on this pr essure level.
Tire pressure warning system
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Page 435 of 596
4357-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
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Turn the power 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.
Vehicles without a smart key syst em: Wait for a few minutes with
the power switch in the “ON” position and then turn the power
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 wit h a
unique ID code. When replacing a tire pressure warning valve an d
transmitter, it is necessary to register the ID code. Have the ID code
registered by your Toyota dealer.
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Page 436 of 596

4367-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U
■When to replace your vehicle's tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●The treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.
●You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough t o
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 press ure warning valve and transmitt er is not reg-
istered, the tire pressure warni ng system will not work properly. A f t e r d r i v -
ing for about 20 minutes, the tire pressure warning light blink s for 1
minute and stays on to indi cate a system malfunction.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified techni cian even
if it has seldom or never been u sed 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 chec k 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 gr ip 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 sno wy and/or
icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appropriate for road a nd weather
conditions.
Page 439 of 596
4397-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U■
When the initializati
on of the tire pressure warning system has failed
Initialization can be completed i n a few minutes. However, in the following
cases, the settings have not been record ed and the system will not oper-
ate properly. If repeated attempts to record tire inflation pre ssure settings
are unsuccessful, have the vehicl e inspected by your Toyota dealer.
●When operating the tire pressure warning reset switch, the tire pressure
warning light does not blink 3 times.
●After driving for a certain period of time since the initializa tion has been
completed, the warning light comes on after blinking for 1 minute.
■Tire pressure warning system certification
For vehicles sold in the U.S.A. and Puerto Rico
For vehicles sold in Canada
Page 440 of 596

4407-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
■When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to parts of the drive train as well as
dangerous handling characteristics, which may lead to an accide nt
resulting in death o r serious injury.
●Do not mix tires of different ma kes, models or tread patterns.
Also, do not mix tires of re markably different treadwear.
●Do not use tire sizes other th an those recommended by Toyota.
●Do not mix differently constructed tires (radial, bias-belted o r bias-ply
tires).
●Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.
●Do not use tires that have b een used on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not kn ow how they were used previous ly.
●Do not tow if your vehicle has a compact spare tire installed.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not operate the tire pressure warning reset switch without first
adjusting the tire inflation pressure to the specified level. O therwise, the
tire pressure warning light may not come on even if the tire in flation
pressure is low, or it may come on when the tire inflation pres sure is
actually normal.