brake TOYOTA YARIS HATCHBACK 2013 Owner's Guide

184 2-5. Driving information
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CAUTION
■Trailer towing precautions
● Follow all the instructions described in this section. Failure to do so could
cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
● Exceeding the towing capacity, GVWR or GAWR can cause an accident
resulting in death or serious personal injuries.
■ To avoid accident or injury
● Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) or the posted towing speed limit, which-
ever is lower. As instability (swaying) of the towing vehicle-trailer combina-
tion increases as speed increases, exceeding 45 mph (72 km/h) may
cause loss of control.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue load capacities.
● Never load more weight in the back than in the front of the trailer. About
60% of the load should be in the front half of the trailer, and the remaining
40% in the rear.
● Do not use cruise control when you are towing.
● Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes too
frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced
braking efficiency.
● Do not tow the vehicle with the compact spare tire installed.

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Dinghy towing (vehicles with a manual transmission)
Towing your vehicle with 4 wheels on the groundTo prevent damage to your vehicle, perform the following procedures
before towing: Shift the shift lever to N.
Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” position.
Ensure that the audio system and other powered devices are turned
off.
Release the parking brake.
After towing, leave the engine in idle for at least 3 minutes before
driving the vehicle.
■Necessary equipment and accessories
Specialized equipment and accessories are required for dinghy towing. Con-
tact the service branch of the motor home manufacturer regarding recom-
mended equipment. Your vehicle can be dinghy towed in a forward direction (with 4
wheels on the ground) behind a motor home.

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4-2. Maintenance
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General maintenance
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
Battery Check the battery fluid and
connections. (
→P. 250)
Brake fluid Is the brake fluid at the correct
level? (
→P. 249)
Engine coolant Is the engine coolant at the
correct level? (
→P. 247)
Engine oil Is the engine oil at the correct
level?
(→ P. 244)
Exhaust system There should not be any fumes or
strange sounds.
Radiator/condenser The radiator and condenser
should be free from foreign
objects.
(→ P. 248)
Washer fluid Is there sufficient washer fluid?
(→ P. 253)
Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be
performed at the intervals specified in the “Owner’s Warranty
Information Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement/Scheduled
Maintenance Guide”. It is recommended that any problem you notice
should be brought to the attention of your Toyota dealer or qualified
service shop for advice.

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Maintenance and care
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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?
(→ P. 350)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of free play?
(→ P. 350)
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?
(→ P. 349)
Head restraints • Do the head restraints move
smoothly and lock securely?

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Indicators/buzzers• Do the indicators and buzzers
function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake • Does the parking brake lever
move smoothly?
• When parked on a slope and the parking brake is on, is the vehicle
securely stopped?
Seat belts • Do the seat belts operate
smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be dam- aged.
Seats • Do the seat controls operate
properly?
Steering wheel • Does the steering wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correct amount of free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds coming from the steering
wheel.
ItemsCheck points

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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
procedures as given in these sections.
ItemsParts and tools
Battery condition (→P. 250)
•Warm water
• Baking soda
• Grease
• Conventional wrench
(for terminal clamp bolts)
• Distilled water
Brake fluid level ( →P. 249)
• FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE
J1703 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine coolant level ( →P. 247)
• “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene
glycol-based non-silicate,
non-amine, non-nitrite and
non-borate coolant with long-life
hybrid organic acid technology.
Except Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
is pre-mixed with 50% coolant
and 50% deionized water.
Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
is pre-mixed with 55% coolant
and 45% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding engine coolant)
Engine oil level (→P. 244)
• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or
equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)

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CAUTION
■
When raising your vehicle
Make sure to observe the following precautions to reduce the possibility of
death or serious injury:
●When using a floor jack, follow the in structions of the manual provided with
the jack.
● Do not use the jack that was supplied with your vehicle.
● Do not put any part of your body underneath the vehicle when it is sup-
ported only by the floor jack.
● Always use floor jack and/or automotive jack stands on a solid, flat, level
surface.
● Do not start the engine while the vehicle is supported by the floor jack.
● Stop the vehicle on level, firm ground, firmly set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or R (vehicles
with a manual transmission).
● Make sure to set the floor jack properly at the jack point.
Raising the vehicle with an improperly positioned floor jack will damage
the vehicle and may cause the vehicle to fall off the floor jack.
●Lift up the vehicle using a floor jack
such as the one shown in the illustra-
tion.
●Do not jack the vehicle at the suspen-
sion. The suspension may be dam-
aged.Suspension
Front

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Engine compar tment
Fuse boxes (→P. 275)
Engine oil filler cap (→P. 245)
Battery ( →P. 250)
Brake fluid reservoir (→P. 249)
Radiator ( →P. 248)Condenser ( →P. 248)
Electric cooling fan
Engine coolant reservoir (→ P. 247)
Engine oil level dipstick (→ P. 244)
Washer fluid tank ( →P. 253)

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Maintenance and care
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Brake fluid
■ Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN”
lines on the tank.
■ Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid type and prepare the necessary item.
Fluid type FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid
Item Clean funnel
■ Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause a dangerous loss of braking
efficiency. Use only newly opened brake fluid.
CAUTION
■When filling the reservoir
Take care as brake fluid can harm your hands and eyes and damage painted
surfaces.
If fluid gets on your hands or in your eyes, flush the affected area with clean
water immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, consult a doctor.

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BatteryCheck the battery as follows:
■ Battery exterior
Make sure that the battery terminals are not corroded and that
there are no loose connections, cracks, or loose clamps.
Te r m i n a l s
Hold-down clamp
■ Checking battery fluid
Check that the level is between
the “UPPER LEVEL” and
“LOWER LEVEL” lines.
“UPPER LEVEL” line
“LOWER LEVEL” line
If the fluid level is at or below the
“LOWER LEVEL” line, add dis-
tilled water.
NOTICE
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads
wear out or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilli ng, there may be a serious problem.