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4294-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
◆Checking tire inflation pressure
Make  sure  to  check  the  tire  inflation  pressure  frequently.  Improper
tire inflation pressure can cause poor fuel economy. 
Also, as snow tires can cause large amounts of friction, their use on
dry  roads can lead to poor  fuel economy. Use tires that are  app ro-
priate for the season.
◆Luggage
Carrying heavy luggage will lead  to poor fuel economy. Avoid carry-
ing unnecessary luggage. Installing  a large roof rack will also cause
poor fuel economy.
◆Warming up before driving
Since  the  gasoline  engine  starts  up  and  cuts  out  automatically
when  cold,  warming  up  the  engine  is  unnecessary.  Moreover,  fre-
quently  driving  short  distances  will  cause  the  engine  to  repeat edly
warm up, which can  lead to excess fuel consumption. 
     
        
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5-3. Using the storage features
■Stowing the luggage cover (except  vehicles with full-size spare
tire)
Open  the  deck  board  and
secure it with the grocery bag
hooks.
Store cover in the deck under
box.
Close the deck board.
1
2
WARNING
●Do not place anything on the luggage cover. In the event of sudden brak-
ing  or  turning,  the  item  may  go  flying  and  strike  an  occupant.  This  could
lead to an unexpected accident, resulting in death or serious i njury.
● Do  not  allow  children  to  climb  on  the  luggage  cover.  Climbing  o n  the  lug-
gage cover could result in damage to the luggage cover, possibl y causing
death or serious injury to the child.
● Make  sure  that  the  rear  edge  of  the  cover  is  laying  flat.  If  th e  cover  is
installed with the rear edge raised, the view from the rear win dow may be
obstructed, which could cause an accident.
● Make sure that seat belts are not caught up in the luggage cover. If a seat
belt  is  caught  up  in  the  cover,  it  may  not  be  able  to  restrain  passengers
properly.
3 
     
        
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6Maintenance and care
6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 496
Cleaning and protecting  the vehicle interior ........... 502
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 505
General maintenance........ 508
Emission inspection and  maintenance (I/M) 
programs......................... 511
6-3. Do-it-yourself  maintenance
Do-it-yourself service  precautions ..................... 512
Hood ................................. 515
Positioning a floor jack ...... 517
Engine compartment ......... 518
Tires .................................. 532
Tire inflation pressure ....... 542
Wheels .............................. 545
Air conditioning filter.......... 548
Cleaning the hybrid battery  (traction battery) air intake 
vent and filter .................. 551
Wiper insert  replacement .................... 556
Electronic key battery........ 560
Checking and replacing  fuses ............................... 563
Headlight aim .................... 566
Light bulbs......................... 568 
     
        
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6-2. Maintenance
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. 
     
        
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5136-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Tire inflation 
pressure 
( P. 542)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid
( P.   5 3 0 )• Water  or  washer  fluid  containing  antifreeze  (for  win-
ter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer fluid)
WARNING
The  engine  compartment  contains  many  mechanisms  and  fluids  that may
move suddenly, become hot, or become electrically energized. To avoid death
or serious injury, observe the following precautions.
■When working on the engine compartment
● Make sure that the “Accessory”, “Ignition ON” or mileage displa y 
( P. 116) on the main display and the “READY” indicator are both  off.
● Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan.
● Be  careful  not  to  touch  the  engine,  power  control  unit,  radiator,  exhaust
manifold,  etc.  right  after  driving  as  they  may  be  hot.  Oil  and  other  fluids
may also be hot.
● Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and r ags, in the
engine compartment.
● Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel. Fuel fumes
are flammable.
● Be extremely cautious when working on the 12-volt battery. It c ontains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
■ When working near the electric  cooling fans or radiator grille
Be sure the power switch is off.
With the power switch in ON mode, the electric cooling fans may  automati-
cally start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature
is high. ( P. 524)
■ Safety glasses
Wear  safety  glasses  to  prevent  flying  or  falling  material,  fluid  spray,  etc.
from getting in your eyes.
ItemsParts and tools 
     
        
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6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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. 595)
The  compact  spare  tire  is  not  equipped  with  a  tire  pressure  warning
valve and transmitter.
◆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. 535)
◆Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■The tire pressure warning system  must be initialized when the
tire inflation pressu re is changed such a s when changing trav-
elling speed or  load weight.
When the tire pressure warning sy stem is initialized, the current tire
inflation pressure is set  as the benchmark pressure.
Tire pressure warning system 
     
        
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PRIUS_OM_OM47E09U_(U)
5356-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
■How to initialize the tire pressure warning systemPark the vehicle in a s afe place and turn the power switch 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. 672)
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.
Turn the power switch to ON mode.
Switch the multi-informatio n display to the   screen. 
(  P. 151)
Press    or    of  the  meter  control  switches, select 
(“Vehicle Settings”), and then press  .
Press    or    of  the  meter  contro l  switches,  select  “Mainte-
nance System”, a nd then press  .
Press    or    of  the  meter  cont rol  switches,  select  “TPMS”,
and then press  .
Press and hold  .
When  initialization  com-
pletes,  a  message  is  dis-
played  on  the  multi-
information  display  and  the
tire  pressure  warning  light
illuminates.
◆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.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Until Complete
9 
     
        
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6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■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.
■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.
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.   6 7 8 )
BTO62EP049