tires TOYOTA tC 2013 (in English) Owner's Manual

322 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
NOTICE
■Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or pot-
holes. 
These conditions may cause losses in tire inflation pressure, reducing
the cushioning ability of the tires. In addition, driving on rough roads may
cause damage to the tires themselves, as well as the vehicle’s wheels
and body.
■Low profile tires (P225/45R18 tires)
Low profile tires may cause greater damage than usual to the tire wheel
when sustaining impact from the road surface. Therefore, pay attention
to the following:
●Be sure to use proper tire inflation pressure. If tires are under-inflated,
they may be damaged more severely.
●Avoid potholes, uneven pavement, curbs and other road hazards. Fail-
ure to do so may lead to severe tire and wheel damage.
■If tire inflation pressure of each tire becomes low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.

325
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect ti
re 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 inflating, ha ve it checked by your Scion 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 or 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 pressure that is even just a few pounds off can affect ride quality
and handling.
●Do not reduce tire inflation pressure after driving. It is normal for the
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.

326 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
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 put the tire valve caps back on.
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 are lost,
replace them as soon as possible.

327
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
Wheels
If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily corroded, it should be
replaced.
Otherwise, the tire may separate from the wheel or cause a loss
of handling control.
■ Wheel selection
When replacing wheels, care shou ld be taken to ensure that
they are equivalent to those removed in load capacity, diameter,
rim width, and inset
*. 
Replacement wheels are available at your Scion dealer.
*: Conventionally referred to as “offset”.
Scion does not recommend using the following:
● Wheels of different sizes or types
● Used wheels
● Bent wheels that have been straightened
■ Aluminum wheel precautions
●Use only Scion wheel nuts and wrenches designed for use
with your aluminum wheels.
● When rotating, repairing or changing your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving 1000 miles (1600 km).
● Be careful not to damage the aluminum wheels when using
tire chains.
● Use only Scion genuine balance weights or equivalent and
use a plastic or rubber hammer when balancing your wheels.

329
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
CAUTION
■When installing the wheel nuts
●Never use oil or grease on the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.

Oil and grease may cause the wheel nuts to be excessively tightened,
leading to bolt or disc wheel damage. In addition, the oil or grease can
cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel may fall off, causing an
accident and resulting in death or serious injury. Remove any oil or
grease from the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
NOTICE
■Replacing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters (U.S.A.
only)
●Because tire repair or replacement may affect the tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitte rs, make sure to have tires serviced by your
Scion dealer or other qualified servic e shop. In addition, make sure to
purchase your tire pressure warning valves and transmitters at your
Scion dealer.
●Ensure that only genuine Scion wheels are used on your vehicle. 
Tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not work properly
with non-genuine wheels.
●Be sure to install the wheel nuts with
the tapered end faci ng inward. Install-
ing the nuts with the tapered end fac-
ing outward can cause wheel to
break and eventually cause a wheel
to come off while driving, which could
lead to an accident resulting in death
or serious injury.Tapered 
portion

5
When trouble arises
365
5-1. Essential information
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Cont act your Scion dealer as soon as
possible.
■ Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle 
(Water dripping from the air cond itioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● High engine coolant temperatur e warning light flashes or
comes on
● Low engine coolant temperature indicator comes on or does
not come on continuously
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, s pongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor

380 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
■If the tire pressure warning system is not functioning (U.S.A. only)
The system will be disabled in the following conditions:
(When the condition becomes 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.
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 a similar frequency 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, particularly around the
wheels or wheel housings.
●If non-genuine Scion wheels are used. (Even if you use Scion
wheels, the tire pressu re warning system may not work properly with
some types of tires.)
●If tire chains are used.

382 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
CAUTION
■When the electric power steerin g system warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy. 
If the steering wheel becomes heavier than usual when operating, hold
firmly and operate using more force than usual.
■
If the tire pressure warning light comes on (U.S.A. only)
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause a 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
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is pr obable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If a tire is flat, change it with the spare tire and have the flat tire
repaired by the nearest Scion 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 leakage should occur (U.S.A. only)
The tire pressure warning syste m may not activate immediately.

5
When trouble arises
383
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
CAUTION
■Maintenance of the tires (U.S.A. only)
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 pl
acard 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 th e 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 v ehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS-tire pressure warning system) that
illuminates a low tire pres sure telltale (tire pressure warning light) when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale (tire pre ssure 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 ti re pressure telltale (tire
pressure warning light).

384 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
tC_OM_OM21042U_(U)
CAUTION
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) malfunction indicator to indicate 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 detec ts 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 prev ent the TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS (tire pres-
sure warning system) malfunction tellt ale 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 (U.S.A. only)
When a tire of a different specification or maker is installed, the tire pres-
sure warning system may not operate properly.