tire pressure TOYOTA PRIUS 2009 2.G Owner's Manual

386 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect tire inflation pressure ma y 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 re filling, have it checked by your Toyota dealer.
■Instructions for checking tire inflation 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 mile or 1.5 km, you will get an accurate cold
tire inflation pressure reading.
●Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of the tire can be mi sleading. In addition, tire infla-
tion pressures that are even just a few pounds off can degrade ride
and handling.
●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.

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Maintenance and care
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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 resu lting 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 inflation pressure
Be sure to reinstall the tire valve caps.
Without the valve caps, dirt or mo isture 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.

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Maintenance and care
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■When replacing wheels
The wheels of your Toyota are equipped with tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters that allow the tire pressure warning system to
provide advanced warning in the event of a loss in tire inflation pressure.
Whenever wheels are replaced, the tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters must be installed. (
P. 376)
CAUTION
■When replacing wheels
●Do not use wheels that are a different size from those recommended in
the Owner’s Manual, as this may re sult in loss of handling control.
●Never use an inner tube in a leaking wheel which is designed for a
tubeless tire. Doing so may result in an accident, causing death or seri-
ous injury.
NOTICE
■Replacing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
●Because tire repair or replacement may affect the tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitters, make su re to have tires serviced by your
Toyota dealer. In addition, make sure to purchase your tire pressure
warning valves and transmitters at your Toyota dealer.
●Ensure that only genuine Toyota wheels are used on your vehicle.
Tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not work properly
with non-genuine wheels.

426 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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Have the malfunction repaired immediately.After taking the specified steps to correct the suspected problem,
check that the warning light turns off.
Warning lightWarning light/DetailsCorrection procedure
Open door warning light
(warning buzzer)
*2
A door or a back door is
not fully closed.
Check that all doors and the
back door are closed.
Low fuel level warning
light Remaining fuel
(Approximately 3.0 gal.
[11.4 L, 2.5 Imp.gal.] or
less) Refuel the vehicle.
Driver’s seat belt
reminder light (warning
buzzer)
*3
Warns the driver to fasten
his/her seat belt. Fasten the seat belt.
Front passenger’s seat
belt reminder light
(warning buzzer)
*3
Warns the front passen-
ger to fasten his/her seat
belt. Fasten the seat belt.
Tire pressure warning
light
When the light comes on:
Low tire inflation pressure.
Adjust the tire inflation
pressure.
When the light stays on
after blinking for 1 minute:
Malfunction in the tire
pressure warning system. Have the system checked
by your Toyota dealer.

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When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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■
Front passenger detection sensor and passenger seat belt reminder
If luggage is placed on the front passenger seat, the front passenger detec-
tion sensor may cause the warning light to flash, even if a passenger is not
sitting in the seat.
■
When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate level.
Pushing the tire pressure warning reset switch does not turn off the tire
pressure warning light.
■The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes
The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes such
as natural air leaks or tire inflation pressure changes caused by temper-
ature. In this case, adjusting the ti re inflation pressure will turn off the
warning light (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
The compact spare tire is not equipped with the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning light will
not turn off even though the flat tire is replaced with the spare tire.
Replace the spare tire with the repair ed tire and adjust the proper tire
inflation pressure. The ti re pressure warning light will turn off after a few
minutes.
■If the tire pressure warning system is inoperative
The tire pressure warning system will be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition be comes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If tires not equipped with tire pressure warning valves and transmit-
ters are used.
●If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters is
not registered in the tire pressure warning computer.
●If the tire inflation pressure is 73 psi (500 kPa, 5.1 kgf/cm2 or bar) or
higher.

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The tire pressure warning system may be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If electronic devices or facilities using similar radio wave frequencies
are nearby.
●If a radio set at similar frequencies 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, in particular around the
wheels or wheel housings.
●If non-genuine Toyota wheels are used (Even if you use Toyota
wheels, the tire pressu re warning system may not work properly with
some types of tires.).
●If tire chains are used.
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on after blinking for 1
minute frequently
If the tire pressure warning light comes on after blinking for 1 minute fre-
quently when the “POWER” switch is turned to ON mode, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.

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When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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CAUTION
■
When the power steering warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes heavier than usual when operating, firmly
hold and operate it using more force than usual.
■
If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
● Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire infla-
tion pressure immediately.
● If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pressure
adjustment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires. If the
tire is flat, change to the spare tire and have the flat tire repaired by the
nearest Toyota dealer.
● Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you
could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■
If a blowout or sudden air loss should occur
The tire pressure warning syste m may not activate immediately.

434 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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CAUTION
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label (tire and load information label). (If your vehicle has tires of a differ-
ent size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label [tire and load information label], you should determine the
proper tire inflation pr essure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS-ti re pressure warning system) that
illuminates a low tire pressure telltal e (tire pressure warning light) when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressu re telltale (tire pressure warning light) illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi ciency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) is not a sub-
stitute for proper tire main tenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illu mination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale (tire
pressure warning light).

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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CAUTION
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) malfunction indicator to indi
cate when the system is not operat-
ing properly. The TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunction indi-
cator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale (tire pressure
warning light). When the system det ects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute an d then remain continuously illumi-
nated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction indi cator is illumi-
nated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunctions may occur for a vari-
ety of reasons, including the installati on of replacement or alternate tires
or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS (tire pres-
sure warning system) malfunction te lltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alter-
nate tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) to
continue to function properly.
NOTICE
■Precaution when installing a different tire
When a tire of a different specification or maker is installed, the tire pres-
sure warning system may not operate properly.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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■The compact spare tire
●The compact spare tire is identifi
ed by the label “TEMPORARY USE
ONLY” on the tire sidewall.
Use the compact spare tire temporarily only in an emergency.
●Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure of the compact spare
tire. ( P. 468)
■Tread life
The compact spare tire can be used many times, if necessary. It has
tread life of up to 3000 miles (4800 km) depending on road conditions
and your driving habits. When treadwear indicators appear on the tire,
replace the tire. ( P. 375)
■When using the compact spare tire
As the compact spare tire is not equipped with the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter, low inflation pressure of the spare tire will not be
warned. Also, if you replace the compac t spare tire after the tire pressure
warning light comes on, the light remains on.
■ Compact spare tire
The compact spare tire saves space in your luggage compart-
ment, and its lighter weight helps to enhance fuel economy and
permits easier installation in case of a flat tire.
The compact spare tire is
designed for temporary emer-
gency use only.