TOYOTA GT86 2012 Owners Manual

311
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance schedules
and treadwear.
Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear indi-
cators is shown by the “TWI” or
“ ” marks, etc., molded on
the sidewall of each tire.
Check spare tire condition and
pressure if not rotated.
Tire rotation
Vehicles with an emergency tire puncture repair kit
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and help
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that tire rotation is car-
ried out approximately every
10000 km (6000 miles).
Front

312 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
FT86_EE
When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:
You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to
expose the fabric or bulges indicating internal damage
A tire goes flat repeatedly or cannot be properly repaired due to the size
or location of a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, consult with any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified and equipped professional.
Tire life
Any tires over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if
they have seldom or never been used or damage is not obvious.
If the tread on snow tires wears down 4 mm (0.16 in.)
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost.
Low profile tires (vehicles with 17-inch tires)
Generally, low profile tires will wear more rapidly and tire grip performance
will be reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when compared to standard tires.
Be sure to use snow tires or tire chains on snowy and/or icy roads and drive
carefully at a speed appropriate for road and weather conditions.
Vehicles with a spare tire of the same wheel type as the
installed tires
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and help
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that tire rotation is car-
ried out approximately every
10000 km (6000 miles).
Front

313 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
CAUTION
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 accident resulting
in death or serious injury.
Make sure to install 4 tires that are of the specified size, and that all 4 tires
are the same size, same maker, same brand and tread pattern.
Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended by Toyota.
Only use radial tires.
Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.
Do not use tires that have been used on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not know how they were used previously.
NOTICE
Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or pot holes.
These conditions may cause losses in tire air pressure, reducing the cush-
ioning ability of the tires. In addition driving on rough roads may cause dam-
age to the tires themselves, as well as the vehicle’s wheels and body.
Low profile tires and wheels (vehicles with 17-inch tires)
Low profile tires may cause greater damage than usual to the tire wheel
when receiving impact from the road surface. Therefore pay attention to the
following:
Be sure to use proper tire inflation pressure. If tires are under-inflated, they
may be damaged more severely.
Avoid pot holes, uneven pavement, curbs and other road hazards. Failure
to do so can lead to severe tire and wheel damage.
If tire pressures become low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.

314
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
FT86_EE
Tire inflation pressure
Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect tire inflation pressure may result in the following:
Reduced fuel efficiency
Reduced driving comfort and tire life
Reduced safety
Damage to the drive train
If a tire needs frequent refilling, have it checked by any authorized Toyota
dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
Instructions for checking tire pressure
When checking tire inflation pressure, observe the following:
Check only when the tires are cold.
If your vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours and has not been
driven for more than 1.5 km or 1 mile, you will get an accurate cold tire
inflation pressure reading.
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of the tire can be misleading. In addition, tire inflation
pressures that are even just a few pounds off can degrade ride and han-
dling.
Do not bleed or reduce tire inflation pressure after driving. It is normal for
the tire inflation pressure to be higher after driving.
Never exceed the vehicle capacity weight.
Passengers and luggage weight should be placed so that the vehicle is
balanced.
Make sure to maintain the proper tire inflation pressure. Tire inflation
pressure should be checked at least once per month. However,
Toyota recommends that tire inflation pressure be checked once
every two weeks. (P. 426)

315 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
CAUTION
Proper inflation is critical to save tire performance
Keep your tires properly inflated. Otherwise, the following conditions may
occur and result in an accident causing death or serious injury.
Excessive wear
Uneven wear
Poor handling
Possibility of blowouts resulting from overheated tires
Poor sealing of the tire bead
Wheel deformation and/or tire separation
A greater possibility of tire damage from road hazards
NOTICE
When inspecting and adjusting tire pressure
Be sure to reinstall the tire valve caps.
Without the valve caps, dirt or moisture could get into the valve and cause
air leakage, which could result in an accident. If the caps have been lost,
replace them as soon as possible.

316
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
FT86_EE
Wheels
If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily corroded, it should be replaced.
Otherwise, the tire may separate from the wheel or cause loss of
handling control.
Wheel selection
When replacing wheels, care should be taken to ensure that
they are equivalent to those removed in load capacity, diameter,
rim width, and inset
*.
Replacement wheels are available at any authorized Toyota
dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped profes-
sional.
*: Conventionally referred to as “offset”.
Toyota does not recommend using:
Wheels of different sizes or types
Used wheels
Bent wheels that have been straightened
Aluminum wheel precautions
Use only Toyota wheel nuts and wrenches designed for use
with your aluminum wheels.
When rotating, repairing or changing your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving 1600 km (1000 miles).
Be careful not to damage the aluminum wheels when using
tire chains.
Use only Toyota genuine balance weights or equivalent and a
plastic or rubber hammer when balancing your wheels.

317 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
CAUTION
When replacing wheels
Do not use wheels that are a different size from those recommended in the
Owner’s Manual, as this may result in loss of handling control.
Never use an inner tube in a leaking wheel which is designed for a tube-
less tire. Doing so may result in an accident, causing death or serious
injury.
When installing the wheel nuts
Never use oil or grease on the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
Oil and grease may cause the wheel nuts to be excessively tightened,
leading to bolt or disc wheel damage. In addition, the oil or grease can
cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel may fall off, causing an acci-
dent and resulting in death or serious injury. Remove any oil or grease
from the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
Be sure to install the wheel nuts with
the tapered ends facing inward. Install-
ing the nuts with the tapered ends fac-
ing outward can cause the wheel to
break and eventually cause the wheel
to come off while driving, which could
lead to an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
Tapered portion

318
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
FT86_EE
Air conditioning filter
The air conditioning filter must be changed regularly to maintain air
conditioning efficiency.
Removal method
Vehicles without a smart entry & start system
Turn the engine switch off.
Vehicles with a smart entry & start system
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch off.
Open the glove box. Slide off
the damper.
Push in each side of the glove
box to disconnect the claws.
Pull out the glove box and dis-
connect the lower claws.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4

319 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
Checking interval
Inspect and replace the air conditioning filter according to the maintenance
schedule. In dusty areas or areas with heavy traffic flow, early replacement
may be required. (For scheduled maintenance information, please refer to
the “Toyota Service Booklet” or “Toyota Warranty Booklet”.)
If air flow from the vents decreases dramatically
The filter may be clogged. Check the filter and replace if necessary.
NOTICE
When using the air conditioning system
Make sure that a filter is always installed.
Using the air conditioning system without a filter may cause damage to the
system.
Remove the filter cover.
Remove the air conditioning
filter and replace it with a new
one.
The “UP” marks shown on
the filter should be pointing up.
STEP 5
STEP 6

320
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
FT86_EE
Wireless remote control/electronic key batter y
Replace the battery with a new one if it is depleted.
You will need the following items:
Flathead screwdriver
Lithium battery CR2016 (vehicles without a smart entry & start
system), or CR1632 (vehicles with a smart entry & start sys-
tem)
Replacing the battery (vehicles without a smart entry & start
system)
Remove the cover.
To prevent damage to the key,
cover the tip of the screwdriver
with a rag.
To prevent the buttons from
being disassembled, face the
button surface downward.
Remove the module.
STEP 1
STEP 2