brakes TOYOTA tC 2012 Owners Manual (in English)

151
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
■
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 Scion
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is rec-
ommended:
● For the first 200 miles (300 km): 
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■ Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( P. 418)

154 2-1. Driving procedures
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
CAUTION
●If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and
check that the back door is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehi-
cle can cause driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a
serious health hazard. Have the vehicle inspected by your Scion dealer
immediately.
● On vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not shift the shift lever to P
while the vehicle is moving. 
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle\

control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward. 
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle\

control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to D (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or
1 (vehicles with a manual transmission) while the vehicle is moving back-
ward. 
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle\

control.
● Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is
selected.
● During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 413
● Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill. 
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 177)

155
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
CAUTION
●
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,
resulting in death or serious injury.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
● 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
On vehicles with an automatic transmission, be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. 
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.

159
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
CAUTION
■
When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, you may accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire
due to engine overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leadin\
g to
death or a serious health hazard.
■ When braking
● 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 hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will 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 the braking distance will
increase. 
If this happens, do not continue to drive the vehicle. Have your brakes
fixed immediately.

208 2-4. Using other driving systems
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
■Adjusting the set speed
To change the set speed, operate the lever until the desired set speed
is obtained.
Increases the speed
Decreases the speed
Fine adjustment: Momentarily
move the lever in the desired
direction.
Large adjustment: Hold the
lever in the desired direction.
The set speed will be increased or decreased as follows:
Fine adjustment: By approximately 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time the
lever is operated.
Large adjustment: The set speed can be increased or decreased con-
tinually until the lever is released.
■ Canceling and resuming the constant speed control
Pulling the lever toward you
cancels the constant speed
control.
The speed setting is also can-
celed when the brakes are
applied or the clutch pedal
(manual transmission only) is
depressed.
Pushing the lever up
resumes the constant
speed control.
Resuming is available when
the vehicle speed is more
than approximately 25 mph
(40 km/h).

211
2-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
Driving assist systems
When the TRAC/VSC systems are operating
If the vehicle is in danger of slip-
ping or if any of the drive wheels
spins, the slip indicator light
flashes to indicate that the
TRAC/VSC systems are operat-
ing.
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following sys-
tems operate automatically in res ponse to various driving situations.
Be aware, however, that these systems are supplementary and
should not be relied upon too h eavily when operating the vehicle.
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the brakes are applied suddenly, or if
the brakes are applied while driving on a slippery road surface
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or turning
on slippery road surfaces
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from spin-
ning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel

223
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
■
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.
■ When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly and drive at a reduced speed suit-
able to the road conditions.
■ When parking the vehicle (in the winter time or in the cold
latitudes)
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P (automatic trans-
mission) or 1 or R (manual transmission) without setting the
parking brake. The parking brak e may freeze up, preventing it
from being released. If necessary , block the wheels to prevent
inadvertent sliding or creeping.

281
4-2. Maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal • The accelerator pedal should
move smoothly (without uneven
pedal effort or catching).
Automatic transmission “Park”
mechanism • When parked on a slope and the
shift lever is in P, is the vehicle
securely stopped?
Brake pedal • Does the brake pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appro- priate clearance from the floor?
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of free play?
Brakes • The vehicle should not pull to one
side when the brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effec- tively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get too close to the floor when the
brakes are applied.
Clutch pedal • Does the clutch pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the clutch pedal have appropriate clearance from the
floor?
• Does the clutch pedal have the correct amount of free play?

354 5-1. Essential information
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
Emergency towingIf a tow truck is not available in
an emergency, your vehicle may
be temporarily towed using a
cable or chain secured to the
emergency towing eyelet(s).
This should only be attempted
on hard surfaced roads for short
distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to
steer and operate the brakes.
The vehicle’s wheels, drive train,
axles, steering and brakes must
be in good condition.
For vehicles with an automatic
transmission, only the front tow-
ing eyelet may be used.

5
When trouble arises
359
5-1. Essential information
Scion_tC_U_(OM21041U)
CAUTION
■
Caution while towing
● Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains. Always
be cautious of the surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
● Vehicles without a smart key system: 
Do not turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position or remove the\
key. 
Vehicles with a smart key system: 
Do not turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch off. 
Doing so will lock the steering wheel and prevent operation, possibly caus-
ing an accident and resulting in death or serious injury.
● If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
■ Installing towing eyelets to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelets are installed securely. 
If not securely installed, towing eyelets may come loose during towing. This
may lead to accidents that cause serious injury or even death.