engine TOYOTA PRIUS PLUS 2012 Owner's Guide

4Maintenance and care
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4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior ......... 382
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior .......... 387
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements................... 390
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions ..................... 393
Hood ................................. 397
Positioning a floor jack ...... 400
Engine compartment......... 403
12-volt battery ................... 413
Tires .................................. 419
Tire inflation pressure ....... 422
Wheels .............................. 425
Air conditioning filter ......... 427
Electronic key battery ....... 430
Checking and replacing
fuses ............................... 433
Light bulbs ........................ 445

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CAUTION
When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the engine compartment. Doing so may
cause the electrical components etc. to catch fire.
Precautions regarding the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe until it has cooled
sufficiently, as touching a hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.
When cleaning the windshield
When the upper part of the windshield where the raindrop sensor is
located is touched by hand
When a wet rag or similar is held close to the raindrop sensor
If something bumps against the windshield
If you directly touch the raindrop sensor body or if something bumps into
the raindrop sensor
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wip-
ers may operate unexpectedly in the fol-
lowing situations, and may result in hands
being caught or other serious injuries and
cause damage to the wiper blades.
OFF

391 4-2. Maintenance
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Maintenance and care
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Where to go for service?
In order to maintain your vehicle in the best possible condition, Toyota rec-
ommends that all repairs and service operations be carried out by autho-
rized Toyota dealers or repairers or other duly qualified and equipped
professionals. For repairs and services covered by your warranty, please
visit an authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, who will use genuine Toyota
parts in repairing any difficulties you may encounter. There can also be
advantages in utilizing authorized Toyota dealers or repairers for non-war-
ranty repairs and services, as members of the Toyota network will be able to
expertly assist you with any difficulties you may encounter.
Your Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped
professional will perform all of the scheduled maintenance on your vehicle
reliably and economically due to their experience with Toyota vehicles.
Does your vehicle need repair?
Be on the alert for changes in performance and sounds, and visual tip-offs
that indicate service is needed. Some important clues are:
Engine missing, stumbling or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A fluid leak under the vehicle (However, water dripping from the air condi-
tioning system after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may indicate a dangerous carbon mon-
oxide leak. Drive with the windows open and have the exhaust system
checked immediately.)

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Flat-looking tires, excessive tire squeal when cornering, uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when driving straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspension movement
Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling brake pedal, pedal almost
touches the floor, vehicle pulls to one side when braking
Engine coolant temperature continually higher than normal
If you notice any of these clues, take your vehicle to any authorized Toyota
dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional as
soon as possible. Your vehicle may need adjustment or repair.
CAUTION
If your vehicle is not properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in serious damage to the vehicle and
possible serious injury or death.
Handling of the 12-volt battery
12-volt battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and
lead compounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hands
after handling. (P. 413)

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Maintenance and care
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself ser vice precautions
If you perform maintenance by yourself, be sure to follow the correct
procedure as given in these sections.
ItemsParts and tools
12-volt battery condition
(P. 413)• Grease
• Conventional wrench
(for terminal clamp bolts)
Engine/power control unit coolant
level (P. 408)
• “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or a similar high quality ethylene
glycol-based non-silicate, non-
amine, non-nitrite and non-borate
coolant with long-life hybrid
organic acid technology
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
is pre-mixed with 50% coolant
and 50% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding cool-
ant)

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ItemsParts and tools
Engine oil level (P. 404)
• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or
equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding
engine oil)
Fuses (P. 433)• Fuse with same amperage rating
as original
Light bulbs (P. 445)
• Bulb with same number and watt-
age rating as original
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wrench
Radiator and condenser
(P. 410)
Tire inflation pressure (P. 422)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid (P. 4 1 1 )
• Water or washer fluid containing
antifreeze (for winter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding
water or washer fluid)

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Maintenance and care
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CAUTION
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 indicator on the “POWER” switch 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 rags, in the
engine compartment.
Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel. Fuel fumes
are flammable.
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 auto-
matically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant tempera-
ture is high. (P. 410)
Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc. from
getting in your eyes.

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NOTICE
If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive engine wear
due to dirt in the air.
If the brake fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads
wear or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilling, it may indicate a serious problem.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
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Engine compartment
12-volt battery
P. 413
Engine coolant reservoir
(P. 408)
Engine oil level dipstick
(P. 404)
Engine oil filler cap
(P. 405)
Power control unit coolant
reservoir (P. 408)Fuse box (P. 433)
Radiator (P. 410)
Condenser (P. 410)
Electric cooling fans
Washer fluid tank (P. 4 1 1 )

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Engine oil
With the engine at operating temperature and turned off, check the oil
level on the dipstick.
Checking the engine oil
Park the vehicle on level ground. After warming up the engine
and turning off the hybrid system, wait more than 5 minutes
for the oil to drain back into the bottom of the engine.
Holding a rag under the end, pull
the dipstick out.
Wipe the dipstick clean.
Flat dipstick: Reinsert the dipstick fully.
Non-flat dipstick: Reinsert the
dipstick fully with its protruding
areas ( in the illustration)
pointing towards the engine.
Holding a rag under the end, pull the dipstick out and check
the oil level.
Wipe the dipstick and reinsert it fully.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6