
4137-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
PRIUS c_U
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to one side whenthe brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get too close to the floor when the brakes are applied.
Head restraints
(Adjustable type)• Do the head restraints move smoothly andlock securely?
Hybrid transmission
“Park” mechanism• When parked on a slope and the parkingbrake is on, is the vehicle securely stopped?
Indicators/buzzers• Do the indicators and buzzers function prop-erly?
Lights• Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake
• Does the parking brake lever operate nor-mally?
• When parked on a slope and the parking
brake is on, is the vehicle securely stopped?
Seat belts• Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
Seats• Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steering wheel rotate smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correctamount of free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds com-
ing from the steering wheel.
ItemsCheck points

4147-2. Maintenance
PRIUS c_U
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 inflati on 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 ve ntilation
before performing maintenance checks.

4367-3. 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. 483)
◆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. 437)
◆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. 543)
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
1
2

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.

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.

4467-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
PRIUS c_U
WARNING
■Proper inflation is critical to save tire performance
Keep your tires properly inflated.
If the tires are not properly in flated, the following conditions may occur
which could lead to an accident r esulting in death or serious injury:
●Excessive wear
●Uneven wear
●Poor handling
●Possibility of blowouts resulting from overh eated 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 ed ges in the road, etc.)
NOTICE
■When inspecting and adjusti ng 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 pressu re.