light TOYOTA MATRIX 2009 E140 / 2.G Owner's Guide

88 1-7. Safety information
While pushing the child seat
down into the rear seat, allow the
shoulder belt to retract until the
child seat is securely in place.
After the shoulder belt has
retracted to a point where there is
no slack in the belt, pull the belt to
check that it cannot be extended.
■Forward facing ⎯ Convertible seat
Place the child seat on the seat
facing the front of the vehicle.
Run the seat belt through the
child seat and insert the plate
into the buckle. Make sure that
the belt is not twisted.
Fully extend the shoulder strap
and then allow it to retract
slightly into the ALR lock mode.
Lock mode allows the seat belt to
retract only.
STEP4
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

90 1-7. Safety information
Removing a child restraint installed with a seat belt
Push the release button and fully
retract the seat belt.
Installation with child restraint lower anchorages
Type A
Widen the gap between
the seat cushion and
seatback slightly.
Latch the hooks of the
lower straps onto the
anchors.
If the child restraint has a
top strap, the top strap
should be latched onto the
anchors.
For owners in Canada:
A symbol on a child restraint sys-
tem indicates the presence of a
lower connector system.
Canada only
STEP1
STEP2

91 1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
Type B
Widen the gap between
the seat cushion and
seatback slightly.
Latch the buckles onto
the anchors.
If the child restraint has a
top strap, the top strap
should be latched onto the
anchors.
For owners in Canada:
A symbol on a child restraint sys-
tem indicates the presence of a
lower connector system.
Canada only
STEP1
STEP2

93 1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■When installing a booster seat
Do not fully extend the shoulder belt to prevent the belt from going to ALR
lock mode: (→P. 42)
●ALR mode causes the belt to tighten only which could cause injury or dis-
comfort to the child.
●Do not allow the child to play with the seat belt or the child could be killed
or seriously injured.
■When installing a child restraint system
Follow the directions given in the child restraint system installation manual
and fix the child restraint system securely in place.
If the child restraint system is not correctly fixed in place, the child may be
seriously injured or even killed in the event of sudden braking or an accident.
●If the driver's seat interferes with the
child restraint system and prevents it
from being attached correctly, attach
the child restraint system to the right-
hand rear seat.
●Adjust the front passenger seat so that
it does not interfere with the child
restraint system.
●Only put a forward-facing or booster
child seat on the front seat when
unavoidable. When installing a forward-
facing or booster child seat on the front
passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible even if the “AIR BAG
OFF” indicator light is illuminated. Fail-
ing to do so may result in death or seri-
ous injury if the airbags deploy (inflate).

When driving2
95
2-1. Driving procedures .......... 96
Driving the vehicle.............. 96
Engine (ignition) switch .... 106
Automatic transmission .... 110
Manual transmission ........ 115
Turn signal lever .............. 117
Parking brake ................... 118
2-2. Instrument cluster.......... 119
Gauges and meters............. 119
Indicators and warning
lights .............................. 122
2-3. Operating the lights and
wipers ........................... 125
Headlight switch ............... 125
Fog light switch ................ 128
Windshield wipers and
washer ........................... 129
Rear window wiper and
washer ........................... 131
2-4. Using other driving
systems ........................ 132
Cruise control ................... 132
Driving assist systems ..... 1352-5. Driving information ........ 140
Cargo and luggage .......... 140
Vehicle load limits ............ 143
Winter driving tips ............ 144
Trailer towing ................... 148
Dinghy towing
(automatic
transmission) ................. 156
Dinghy towing
(manual transmission) ... 157

98 2-1. Driving procedures
Starting on a steep uphill
Automatic transmission
Firmly set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
Manual transmission
With the parking brake firmly set and the clutch pedal fully
depressed, shift the shift lever to 1.
Lightly depress the accelerator pedal at the same time as
gradually releasing the clutch pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the
windows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be
especially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road
surface, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended
to observe:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive slowly with the manual transmission in a high gear.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

99 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system (if equipped)
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of
brake system needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or when-
ever the parking brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Toyota
dealer perform the bedding down.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. (→P. 394)
■Normal characteristics after turning off the engine
Approximately five hours after the engine is turned off, you may hear sound
coming from under the vehicle for several minutes. This is because the fuel
evaporation leakage check is performed. It does not indicate a malfunction.
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle (vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine run-
ning. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident
that could result in death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the
vehicle only slightly, allowing you to depress the brake and accelerator
pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.

101 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
●Do not drive the vehicle off-road.
This is not a AWD vehicle designed for real off-road driving. Proceed with
all due caution if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road.
●Do not drive across river crossings or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic components to short circuit, damage
the engine or cause other serious damage to the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
●Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-
shifting or down-shifting, may cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an
accident.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in
an accident.
■When shifting the shift lever (vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine. If the vehicle is in any gear other than P (vehicles
with an automatic transmission) or N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly
and unexpectedly, and may cause an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.

102 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
●Vehicles with an automatic transmission: Always keep a foot on the brake
pedal while the engine is running to prevent an accident caused by the
vehicle moving.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun. Doing so may result in the following.
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and
plastic material of eye glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehi-
cle's electrical components.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P (vehicles with an
automatic transmission), stop the engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipe while the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off. Doing so may cause burns.
●Do not leave the engine running in an area with snow build-up, or where it
is snowing. If snowbanks build up around the vehicle while the engine is
running, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may lead
to death or a serious health hazard.
■Exhaust gases
Exhaust gases include harmful carbon monoxide (CO) that is colorless and
odorless. Inhaling exhaust gases may lead to death or a serious health haz-
ard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area, stop the engine. In a closed
area, such as a garage, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle.
This may lead to death or a serious health hazard.
●The exhaust should be checked occasionally. If there is a hole or crack
caused by corrosion, damage to a joint or abnormal exhaust noise, be
sure to have the vehicle inspected and repaired by your Toyota dealer.
Failure to do so may allow exhaust gases to enter the vehicle, resulting in
death or a serious health hazard.

108 2-1. Driving procedures
■Turning the engine switch from “ACC” to “LOCK”
■Steering lock release
■If the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (→P. 60)
■Key reminder buzzer
A buzzer sounds if the driver’s door is opened while the engine switch is in
the “LOCK” position to remind you to remove the key.
CAUTION
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver's seat. Do not depress the
accelerator while starting the engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■Caution when driving
Do not turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position while driving. If, in an
emergency, you must turn the engine off while the vehicle is moving, turn the
engine switch only to the “ACC” position.
Shift the shift lever to P (auto-
matic transmission) or N (man-
ual transmission).
(→P. 110, 115)
Push in the key and turn to the
“LOCK” position.STEP1
STEP2
When starting the engine, the engine
switch may seem stuck in the “LOCK”
position. To free it, turn the key while turn-
ing the steering wheel slightly in either
direction.