tires TOYOTA MATRIX 2012 E140 / 2.G Owners Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTSIndex
4
3-5. Using the interior lightsInterior lights list ................. 296
• Interior light ...................... 297
• Personal/interior lights...... 298
• Personal lights ................. 299
3-6. Using the storage features List of storage features....... 300
• Glove box ......................... 301
• Console box ..................... 301
• Cup holders ...................... 302
• Bottle holders ................... 304
• Auxiliary boxes ................. 305
3-7. Other interior features Sun visors .......................... 307
Vanity mirrors ..................... 308
Clock .................................. 309
Ashtrays ............................. 310
Cigarette lighter .................. 311
Power outlet ....................... 312
Grocery bag hook............... 314
Seatback table ................... 316
Floor mat ............................ 317
Luggage compartment feature .............................. 318
Compass ............................ 325 4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior ........... 330
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ............ 333
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements .................... 336
General maintenance ......... 338
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs .......................... 341
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions ....................... 342
Hood ................................... 346
Positioning a floor jack........ 348
Engine compartment .......... 351
Tires.................................... 365
Tire inflation pressure ......... 374
Wheels................................ 378
Air conditioning filter ........... 381
Key battery ......................... 383
Checking and replacing fuses ................................. 385
Light bulbs .......................... 394
4Maintenance and care

7
Tires
●Rotation
● Replacement
● Inflation pressure
● Information
P. 365
P. 424
P. 467
P. 473
Back door P. 36Doors P. 31
Fuel filler door P. 64
Rear turn signal lights P. 129
Rear window defoggerP. 193

: If equipped
Stop/tail and rear side
marker lights
P. 138
Rear window wiper  P. 146
License plate lights P. 138

108 2-1. Driving procedures
Starting on a steep uphillAutomatic 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.
■ Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation
to meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
● When the accelerator pedal is released
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

112 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
●When stopped on an inclined surface, use the brake pedal and parking
brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or forward and causing
an accident.
● Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving. Doing so may result in a loss of
vehicle control that can cause accidents that may result in death or serious
injury.
● Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their bod-
ies are not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
● 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.

115
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
When braking the vehicle
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously. Braking distance
increases when the brakes are wet, and may cause one side of the vehicle
to brake differently than the other side. Also the parking brake may not
securely hold the vehicle.
● If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid downhills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but it will require more force on the
pedal than usual. Braking distance may also increase.
● Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
● The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems: If one of the
systems fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal
should be depressed more firmly than usual and braking distance
becomes longer.
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
■ If the vehicle becomes stu ck or bogged (AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels recklessly when any of the tires is up in the air, or
stuck in sand or mud, etc. This may damage the drive system components
or propel the vehicle forward (or in another direction) and cause an accident.

155
2-4. Using other
driving systems
2
When driving
■If the slip indicator light comes on
There is a malfunction in the TRAC and VSC systems. Contact your Toyota
dealer and have your Toyota inspected.
■ EPS system oper ation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may
be heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■ Reduced effectiveness of EPS system
The effectiveness of the EPS system is reduced to prevent the system from
overheating when there is frequent steering input over an extended period of
time. The steering wheel may feel heavy as a result. Should this occur,
refrain from excessive steering input or stop the vehicle and turn the engine
off. The EPS system should return to normal within 10 minutes.
CAUTION
■ABS does not operate effectively when
●Tires with inadequate gripping ability are used (such as excessively worn
tires on a snow covered road).
● The vehicle hydroplanes while driving at high speed on the wet or slick
road.
■ Stopping distance when the ABS is operating may exceed that of nor-
mal conditions
ABS is not designed to shorten the vehicle's stopping distance. Always
maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you in the following situ-
ations.
● When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-covered roads
● When driving with tire chains
● When driving over bumps in the road
● When driving over roads with potholes or uneven roads
■ TRAC may not operate effectively when
Directional control and power may not be achievable while driving on slip-
pery road surfaces, even if the TRAC system is operating.
Do not drive the vehicle in conditions where stability and power may be lost.

156 2-4. Using other driving systems
CAUTION
■When VSC is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always drive carefully. Reckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular care when the indicator light flashes.
■ When TRAC and VSC are off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed appropriate to the road condi-
tions. As these are systems to ensure vehicle stability and driving force, do
not turn off TRAC and VSC unless necessary.
■ Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the same size, brand, tread pattern and total
load capacity. In addition, make sure that the tires are inflated to the recom-
mended tire pressure level.
The ABS and VSC systems will not function correctly if different tires are fit-
ted on the vehicle.
Contact your Toyota dealer for further information when replacing tires or
wheels.
■ Handling of tires and suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or modifying the suspension will affect
the driving assist systems, and may cause the system to malfunction.
■ Active Torque Control 4WD system
●The AWD system of this vehicle is intended to ensure driving stability on
normal roads. It is not designed for use in demanding situations such as
rally driving.
● Take care when driving on slippery road surfaces.

161
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before driving
the vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a manner appropri-
ate to the prevailing weather conditions.
■ Pre-winter preparations
●Use fluids that are appropriate to the prevailing outside tem-
peratures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have a service technician inspect the level and specific grav-
ity of battery electrolyte.
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set
of tire chains for the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains
match the size of the tires.
■Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following according to the driving conditions.
●Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is
frozen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice.
Wipe away the water immediately to prevent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of th e climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents
in front of the windshield.
● Remove any ice that has accumu lated on the vehicle chassis.
● Periodically check for and remove any excess ice or snow
that may have accumulated in the wheel well or on the
brakes.

162 2-5. Driving information
Selecting tire chainsSnow chains can be mounted on 16- and 17-inch tires. They cannot
be mounted on 18-inch tires. Use the correct snow chain size when
mounting the snow chains . Chain size is regulated for each tire size.
Side chain: 0.12 in. (3 mm) in diameter
0.39 in. (10 mm) in width
1.18 in. (30 mm) in length
Cross chain: 0.16 in. (4 mm) in diameter
0.55 in. (14 mm) in width
0.98 in. (25 mm) in length
Regulations on the use of snow chains
● Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary according to loca-
tion and type of road. Always check local regu lations before install-
ing chains.
● Install the chains on the front tires.
● Retighten the chains after drivi ng 1/4 - 1/2 mile (0.5 - 1.0 km).
■When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly and drive at a reduced speed suit-
able to road conditions.
■ When parking the vehicle
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P (automatic trans-
mission), 1 or R (manual transmission) without setting the park-
ing brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from
being released. If necessary, block the wheels to prevent inad-
vertent sliding or creeping.

163
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
■
Snow chain installation (vehicl es with 16-inch and 17-inch tires)
Observe the following precautions when installing and removing chains.
● Install and remove tire chains in a safe location.
● Install tire chains on the front tires only. Do not install tire chains on rear
tires.
● Install tire chains following the instructions provided in the accompanying
manual.
CAUTION
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failing to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and cause death or
serious injury.
●Use tires of the size specified for your vehicle.
● Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
● Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120 km/h), regardless of the type of
snow tires being used.
● Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
■ Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failing to do so may result in the vehicle being unable to be driven safely,
and may cause death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit specified for the tire chains being
used or 30 mph (50 km/h), whichever is lower.
● Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
● Avoid sudden turns and braking, as use of chains may adversely affect
vehicle handling.
● Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that vehicle con-
trol is maintained.