4377-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U■
Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of t
he replacement tire is greater than 1/2
of the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of either the front axl e or the
rear axle, whichever is greater.
■Tire types
●Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to hi ghway
driving under dry conditions. Si nce summer tires do not have th e same
traction performance as snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow-covered or icy ro ads. For driving on snow-covered
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When install-
ing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
●All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide better traction in sno w and to
be adequate for driving in most winter conditions as well as fo r use
year-round. All season tires, however, do not have adequate tra ction
performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Al so, all
season tires fall short in acceleration and handling performanc e com-
pared with summer tires in highway driving.
●Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend us ing
snow tires. If you need snow tires, select tires of the same si ze, con-
struction and load capacity as t he originally installed tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make sure your snow
tires also have radial construct ion. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restrictions. Sno w tires
should be install ed on all wheels. ( P. 272)
■If the tread on snow tires wea rs down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost. 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. 5 4 6 )
4437-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
After completing the tire inflation pressure measurement and
adjustment, apply soapy water to the valve and check for leakage.
Put the tire valve cap back on.
■Tire inflation pressure check interval
You should check tire inflation p ressure every two weeks, or at least once
a month.
Do not forget to check the spare.
■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrec t tire inflation pressure may result in th e following:
●Reduced fuel economy
●Reduced driving comfort and poor handling
●Reduced tire life due to wear
●Reduced safety
●Damage to the drive train
If a tire needs frequent inflating , have it checked by your Toyota dealer.
■Instructions for checking tire inflation pressure
When checking tire inflation p ressure, 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 o nly 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 not reduce tire inflation pre ssure after
driving.
●Never exceed the vehicle capacity weight.
Passengers and luggage weight should be placed so that the vehi cle is
balanced.
5
6
4457-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
When replacing wheels, care should be taken to ensure that they are
equivalent to those removed in load capacity, diameter, rim wid th and
inset
*.
Replacement wheels are available at your Toyota dealer.
*: Conventionally referred to as “offset”.
Toyota does not recommend using the following:
● Wheels of different sizes or types
● Used wheels
● Bent wheels that hav e been straightened
● Use only Toyota wheel nuts and wrenches designed for use with
your aluminum wheels.
● When rotating, repairing or changi ng your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight afte r driving 1000 miles (1600 km).
● Be careful not to damage the aluminum wheels when using tire
chains.
● Use only Toyota genuine balance weights or equivalent and use a
plastic or rubber hammer w hen balancing your wheels.
■When replacing wheels
The wheels of your vehicle are equipped with tire pressure warn ing
valves and transmitters that allow the tire pressure warning sy stem to
provide advance warning in the event of a loss in tire inflatio n pressure.
Whenever wheels are replaced, tir e pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters must be installed. ( P. 434)
Wheels
If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily corroded, it should be
replaced. Otherwise, the tire may separate from the wheel or
cause a loss of handling control.
Wheel selection
Aluminum wheel pre cautions (if equipped)
534
PRIUS c_U
9-1.Specifications
*1: Unladen vehicles
*2: Without roof molding
*3: With roof molding
*4: P175/65R15 tires
*5: P195/50R16 tires
Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.)
Dimensions and weights
Overall length159.4 in. (4050 mm)*2
159.8 in. (4060 mm)*3
Overall width66.7 in. (1695 mm)*2
67.5 in. (1715 mm)*3
Overall height*157.3 in. (1455 mm)*2
58.7 in. (1490 mm)*3
Wheelbase
100.4 in. (2550 mm)
Tread
Front58.5 in. (1485 mm)*4
57.5 in. (1460 mm)*5
Rear58.1 in. (1475 mm)*4
57.1 in. (1450 mm)*5
Vehicle capacity weight
(Occupants + luggage) 845 lb. (380 kg)
5539-1. Specifications
9
Vehicle specifications
PRIUS c_U
Glossary of tire terminology
Tire related termMeaning
Cold tire inflation pres-
sure Tire pressure when the vehicle has been
parked for three hours or more, or has not
been driven more than 1 mile or 1.5 km under
that condition
Maximum inflation
pressure The maximum cold infla
ted pressure to which
a tire may be inflated, shown on the sidewall of
the tire
Recommended infla-
tion pressure Cold tire inflation pressure recommended by a
manufacturer
Accessory weight The combined weight (in excess of those stan-
dard items which may be replaced) of hybrid
transmission, power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats, radio and
heater, to the extent that these items are avail-
able as factory-insta
lled equipment (whether
installed or not)
Curb weight The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment, including th
e maximum capacity of
fuel, oil and coolant, and if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight optional
engine
Maximum loaded vehi-
cle weight The sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight
(d) Production options weight
Normal occupant
weight 150 lb. (68 kg) times the number of occupants
specified in the second column of Table 1
* that
follows
Occupant distribution Distribution of o
ccupants in a vehicle as speci-
fied in the third column of Table 1
* below
Production options
weight The combined weight of installed regular pro-
duction options weighing over 5 lb. (2.3 kg) in
excess of the standard items which they
replace, not previously considered in curb
weight or accessory weight, including heavy
duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy
duty battery, and special trim
5549-1. Specifications
PRIUS c_U
RimA metal support for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated
Rim diameter
(Wheel diameter) Nominal diameter of the bead seat
Rim size designation Rim diameter and width
Rim type designation The industry manufacturer's designation for a
rim by style or code
Rim width Nominal distan ce between rim flanges
Vehicle capacity
weight (Total load
capacity) The rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lb.
(68 kg) times the vehicle's designated seating
capacity
Vehicle maximum load
on the tire The load on an individual tire that is deter-
mined by distributing to each axle its share of
the maximum loaded vehicle weight, and
dividing by two
Vehicle normal load on
the tire The load on an individual tire that is deter-
mined by distributing to each axle its share of
curb weight, accessory weight, and normal
occupant weight (distributed in accordance
with Table 1
* below), and dividing by two
Weather side The surface area of the rim not covered by the
inflated tire
Bead The part of the tire that is made of steel wires,
wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim
Bead separation A breakdown of the bond between compo-
nents in the bead
Bias ply tire A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at alternate
angles substantially less than 90 degrees to
the centerline of the tread
Carcass The tire structure, except tread and sidewall
rubber which, when inflated, bears the load
Chunking The breaking away of pieces of the tread or
sidewall
Cord The strands forming the plies in the tire
Tire related termMeaning
5559-1. Specifications
9
Vehicle specifications
PRIUS c_U
Cord separationThe parting of cords from adjacent rubber
compounds
Cracking Any parting within the tread, sidewall, or inner-
liner of the tire extending to cord material
CT A pneumatic tire with an inverted flange tire
and rim system in which the rim is designed
with rim flanges pointed radially inward and
the tire is designed to fit on the underside of
the rim in a manner that encloses the rim
flanges inside the air cavity of the tire
Extra load tire A tire designed to operate at higher loads and
at higher inflation pressures than the corre-
sponding standard tire
Groove The space between two adjacent tread ribs
Innerliner The layer(s) forming the inside surface of a
tubeless tire that contains the inflating medium
within the tire
Innerliner separation The parting of the inner
liner from cord material
in the carcass
Intended outboard
sidewall (a) The sidewall that contains a whitewall,
bears white lettering, or bears manufac-
turer, brand, and/or model name molding
that is higher or deeper than the same
molding on the other sidewall of the tire,
or
(b) The outward facing sidewall of an asym- metrical tire that has a particular side that
must always face outward when mounted
on a vehicle
Light truck (LT) tire A tire designated by its manufacturer as pri-
marily intended for use on lightweight trucks or
multipurpose pa
ssenger vehicles
Load rating The maximum load that a tire is rated to carry
for a given inflation pressure
Maximum load rating The load rating for a tire at the maximum per-
missible inflation pressure for that tire
Maximum permissible
inflation pressure The maximum cold inflation pressure to which
a tire may be inflated
Tire related termMeaning
5569-1. Specifications
PRIUS c_U
Measuring rimThe rim on which a tire is fitted for physical
dimension requirements
Open splice Any parting at any junction of tread, sidewall,
or innerliner that ext
ends to cord material
Outer diameter The overall diameter of an inflated new tire
Overall width The linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an infla
ted tire, including ele-
vations due to labeling, decorations, or protec-
tive bands or ribs
Passenger car tire A tire intended for use on passenger cars,
multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks,
that have a gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of 10,000 lb. or less.
Ply A layer of rubber-coated parallel cords
Ply separation A parting of rubber compound between adja-
cent plies
Pneumatic tire A mechanical device made of rubber, chemi-
cals, fabric and steel or other materials, that,
when mounted on an automotive wheel, pro-
vides the traction and contains the gas or fluid
that sustains the load
Radial ply tire A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at substantially 90
degrees to the centerline of the tread
Reinforced tire A tire designed to operate at higher loads and
at higher inflation pressures than the corre-
sponding standard tire
Section width The linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an inflated tire, excluding ele-
vations due to labeling, decoration, or protec-
tive bands
Sidewall That portion of a tire between the tread and
bead
Sidewall separation The parting of the rubber compound from the
cord material in the sidewall
Tire related termMeaning