
4387-3. 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. 

4397-3. 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. 274)
■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 8 ) 

4407-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U■
If the tire pressure warning system is not functioning
The  tire  pressure  warning  syst
em  will  be  disabled  in  the  follow ing  condi-
tions:
(When the condition  becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If  tires  not  equipped  with  tire  pressure  warning  valves  and  tra nsmitters
are used
●If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmit ters is not
registered in the tire pr essure warning computer
●If  the  tire  inflation  pressure  is  70  psi  (480  kPa,  4.9  kgf/cm2  or  bar)  or
higher
The tire pressure warning system may be disabled in the followi ng condi-
tions:
(When the condition  becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If electronic devices or facilitie s using similar radio wave frequencies are
nearby
●If a radio set at a similar frequency is in use in the vehicle
●If a window tint that affects the  radio wave signals is installed
●If  there  is  a  lot  of  snow  or  ice  on  the  vehicle,  particularly  around  the
wheels or wheel housings
●If non-genuine Toyota wheels are  used (Even if you use Toyota wheels,
the tire pressure warning system may not work properly with som e types
of tires.)
●If tire chains are used
■The initialization operation
●Make sure to carry out initializ ation after adjusting the tire inflation pres-
sure.
Also, make sure the tires are co ld before carrying out initialization or tire
inflation pressure adjustment.
●If  you  have  accidentally  turned  the  power  switch  to  off  during  initializa-
tion,  it  is  not  necessary  to  press  the  reset  switch  again  as  in itialization
will restart automatically when  the power switch has been turned to the
ON mode for th e next time.
●If you accidentally press the reset switch when initialization  is not neces-
sary,  adjust  the  tire  inflation  pressure  to  the  specified  level   when  the
tires are cold, and cond uct initialization again. 

4417-3. 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 

4427-3. 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. 

4437-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
NOTICE
■Repairing  or  replacing  tires,  wheels,  tire  pressure  warning  valves,
transmitters and tire valve caps
●When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning
valves  and  transmitters,  contact  your  Toyota  dealer  as  the  tire pres-
sure  warning  valves  and  transmitters  may  be  damaged  if  not  hand led
correctly.
●When  replacing  tire  valve  caps,  do  not  use  tire  valve  caps  othe r  than
those specified. The cap may become stuck.
■To avoid damage to the tire pressure warning valves and transmi t-
ters
When  a  tire  is  repaired  with  liqui d  sealants,  the  tire  pressure  warning
valve  and  transmitter  may  not  operate  properly.  If  a  liquid  sea lant  is
used, contact your Toyota dealer  or other qualified service shop as soon
as  possible.  Make  sure  to  replac e  the  tire  pressure  warning  valve  and
transmitter when replacing the tire. ( P.   4 3 6 )
■Driving on rough roads
Take  particular  care  when  drivi ng  on  roads  with  loose  surfaces  or  pot-
holes.
These  conditions  may  cause  losses  in  tire  inflation  pressure,  reducing
the  cushioning  ability  of  the  t ires.  In  addition,  driving  on  ro ugh  roads
may  cause  damage  to  the  tires  themselves,  as  well  as  the  vehicl e’s
wheels and body.
■Low profile tires (vehicles  with P195/50R16 tires)
Low profile tires may cause gre ater damage than usual to the tire wheel
when sustaining impact from the road surface. Therefore, pay at tention
to the following:
●Be sure to use proper tire inflation pressure. If tires are und er-inflated,
they may be damaged more severely.
●Avoid potholes, uneven pavement, curbs and other road hazards.  Fail-
ure to do so may l ead to severe tire and wheel damage.
■If tire inflation pressure of e ach tire becomes low while drivi ng
Do not continue driving, or your t ires and/or wheels may be ruined. 

4447-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U
The  recommended  cold  tire  infla-
tion pressure and tire size are dis-
played  on  the  tire  and  loading
information label. (P. 543)
Tire valve
Tire pressure gauge
Remove the tire valve cap.
Press the tip of the tire press ure gauge onto the tire valve.
Read the pressure using  the gauge gradations.
If the tire inflation pressure is not at the recommended level,  adjust
the pressure. 
If you add too much air, press the center of the valve to defla te.
Tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure
Inspection and adjustment procedure
1
2
1
2
3
4 

4457-3. 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