Toyota Matrix (2014 year). Manual

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Radiator and condenser

Check the radiator and condenser and remove any foreign objects.
If any of the above parts are extremely dirty or you are not sure of
their condition, have your vehicle checked by your Toyota dealer.

NOTICE

■

When adding engine coolant

Coolant is neither plain water nor straight antifreeze. The correct mixture of
water and antifreeze must be used to provide proper lubrication, corrosion
protection and cooling. Be sure to read the antifreeze or coolant label.

■

If you spill coolant

Be sure to wash it off with water to prevent damage to parts or paint.

CAUTION

■

When the engine is hot

Do not touch the radiator or condenser, as they may be hot and may cause
serious injuries, such as burns.

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Brake fluid

■

Checking fluid level

The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN”
lines on the tank.

Make sure to check the fluid type and prepare the necessary items.

■

Adding fluid

Make sure to check the fluid type and prepare the necessary items.

Slide and lift up the rubber strip
to partly remove it as shown.

Fluid type

FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid

Items

Clean funnel

STEP

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Disconnect the claws and
remove the service cover.

Remove the reservoir cap.

Add brake fluid slowly while checking the fluid level.

STEP

■

Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air

Excess moisture in the fluid can cause a dangerous loss of braking effi-
ciency. Use only newly opened brake fluid.

CAUTION

■

When filling the reservoir

Take care because brake fluid can harm your hands or eyes and damage
painted surfaces.
If fluid gets in your eyes, flush your eyes with clean water immediately.

If you still experience discomfort, see a doctor.

STEP

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Battery

Check 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.

Terminals
Hold-down clamp
Ground cable

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 or when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilling, it may indicate a serious problem.

■

Before recharging

When recharging, the battery produces hydrogen gas which is flammable
and explosive. Therefore, before recharging:

●

If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to discon-
nect the ground cable.

●

Make sure the power switch on the charger is off when connecting and
disconnecting the charger cables to the battery.

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CAUTION

■

Chemicals in the battery

A battery contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid and may produce
hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive. To reduce the risk of death
or serious injury, take the following precautions while working on or near the
battery:

●

Do not cause sparks by touching the battery terminals with tools.

●

Do not smoke or light a match near the battery.

●

Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothes.

●

Never inhale or swallow electrolyte.

●

Wear protective safety glasses when working near the battery.

●

Keep children away from the battery.

■

Where to safely charge the battery

Always charge the battery in an open area. Do not charge the battery in a
garage or closed room where there is not sufficient ventilation.

■

How to recharge the battery

Only perform a slow charge (5 A or less). The battery may explode if
charged at a quicker rate.

■

Emergency measures regarding electrolyte

●

If electrolyte gets in your eyes
Flush your eyes with clean water for at least 15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention. If possible, continue to apply water with a sponge or
cloth while traveling to the nearest medical facility.

●

If electrolyte gets on your skin
Wash the affected area thoroughly. If you feel pain or burning, get medical
attention immediately.

●

If electrolyte gets on your clothes
It can soak through clothing on to your skin. Immediately take off the cloth-
ing and follow the procedure above if necessary.

●

If you accidentally swallow electrolyte
Drink a large quantity of water or milk. Get emergency medical attention
immediately.

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Washer fluid

For vehicles sold in U.S.A.

If any washer does not work, the washer tank may be empty.

Open the lid.

Add washer fluid.

For vehicles sold in Canada

If any washer does not work or the low windshield washer fluid level
warning light comes on, the washer tank may be empty. Add washer
fluid.

NOTICE

■

When recharging the battery
Never recharge the battery while the engine is running. Also, be sure all

accessories are turned off.

STEP

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CAUTION

■

When refilling the washer fluid
Do not refill the washer fluid when the engine is hot or running, as the
washer fluid contains alcohol and may catch fire if spilled on the engine
etc.

NOTICE

■

Do not use any fluid other than washer fluid

Do not use soapy water or engine antifreeze instead of washer fluid.
Doing so may cause streaking on the vehicle’s painted surfaces.

■

Diluting washer fluid

Dilute washer fluid with water as necessary.
Refer to the freezing temperatures listed on the label of the washer fluid bot-
tle.

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Tires

Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance sched-
ules and treadwear.

■

Checking tires

New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread

The location of treadwear
indicators is shown by the
“TWI” or “ ” marks, etc.,
molded on the sidewall of
each tire.

Check spare tire condition
and inflation pressure if not
rotated.

■

Tire rotation

Rotate the tires in the order
shown.

To equalize tire wear and
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same inter-
val as tire inspection.

AWD models: Do not fail to
initialize the tire pressure
warning system after tire
rotation.

■

The tire pressure warning system (if equipped)
Your Toyota is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that
uses tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect low
tire inflation pressure before serious problems arise. (

→P. 400)

The compact spare tire is not equipped with the tire pressure
warning valves and transmitters.

Front

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Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters

When replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters must also be installed.

When new tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are
installed, new tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes
must be registered in the tire pressure warning computer and the tire
pressure warning system must be initialized. Have tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter ID codes registered by your Toyota
dealer

. (

→P. 352)

Initializing the tire pressure warning system

■

The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the fol-
lowing circumstances:

● When rotating the tires on vehicles differing with front and rear tire

inflation pressure.

● When changing the tire size.

When the tire pressure warning system is initialized, the current tire
inflation pressure is set as the pressure benchmark.

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■

How to initialize the tire pressure warning system

Park the vehicle in a safe place and turn the engine switch
OFF.

While the vehicle is moving, initialization is not performed.

Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire infla-
tion pressure level. (

→P. 451)

Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire
inflation pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will
operate based on this pressure level.

Turn the engine switch to the “ON” position.

Push and hold the tire pressure
warning reset switch until the tire
pressure warning light blinks
slowly 3 times.

Wait for a few minutes with the engine switch in the “ON” posi-
tion, and then turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position.

STEP

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Registering ID codes

The tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is equipped with a
unique ID code. When replacing a tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter, it is necessary to register the ID code of tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter. Have the ID code registered by your
Toyota dealer.

■

When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:

●

You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to
expose the fabric, or bulges indicating internal damage

●

A tire goes flat repeatedly or cannot be properly repaired due to the
size or location of a cut or other damage

If you are not sure, consult with your Toyota dealer.

■

Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is not
registered, the tire pressure warning system will not work properly. After
driving for about 20 minutes, the tire pressure warning light comes on
after blinking for 1 minute to indicate a system malfunction.

■

Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even
if they have seldom or never been used or damage is not obvious.

■

If the tread wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm) on snow tires
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost.

■

If you push the tire pressure warning reset switch accidentally
If initialization is performed, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the speci-
fied level and initialize the tire pressure warning system again.

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■

When the initialization of the tire pressure warning system has
failed
Initialization can be completed in a few minutes. However, in the follow-
ing cases, the settings have not been recorded and the system will not
operate properly. If repeated attempts to record tire inflation pressure
settings are unsuccessful, have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.

●

When operating the tire pressure warning reset switch, the tire pres-
sure warning light does not blink 3 times.

●

After carrying out the initialization procedure, the tire pressure warn-
ing light blinks for 1 minute then stays on after driving for about 20
minutes.

■

Routine tire inflation pressure checks
The tire pressure warning system does not replace routine tire inflation
pressure checks. Make sure to check tire inflation pressure as part of
your routine of daily vehicle checks.

■

Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the replacement tire is greater than 1/2
of the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of either the front axle or the
rear axle, whichever is greater.

■

Low profile tires (models not equipped with 16-inch tires)
Generally, low profile tires will wear more rapidly and tire grip perfor-
mance will be reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when compared to
standard tires. Be sure to use snow tires or tire chains

on snowy and/or

icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appropriate for road and weather
conditions.

: Tire chains cannot be mounted on 18-inch tires.

For the GAWR, see the Certification
Label. For the maximum load of the
tire, see the load limit at maximum cold
tire inflation pressure mentioned on the
sidewall of the tire. (

→P. 457)

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■

Tire types
1 Summer tires

Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway
driving under dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on snow-covered
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When
installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.

2 All season tires

All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to
be adequate for driving in most winter conditions, as well as for use
year round. All season tires, however, do not have adequate traction
performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Also,
all season tires fall short in acceleration and handling performance
compared with summer tires in highway driving.

3 Snow tires

For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend using
snow tires. If you need snow tires, select tires of the same size, con-
struction and load capacity as the originally installed tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make sure your snow
tires also have radial construction. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restrictions. Snow tires
should be installed on all wheels. (

→P. 162)

■

Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the tires with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to the specified
level.

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■

Tire pressure warning system certification
FCC ID: PAXPMV107J
FCC ID: HYQ13BCX

For vehicles sold in the U.S.A.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
FCC WARNING:
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsi-
ble for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equip-
ment.

For vehicles sold in Canada

Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may
not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference,
including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

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CAUTION

■

When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents. Failure to do so
may cause damage to parts of the drive train, as well as dangerous han-
dling characteristics, which may lead to an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.

●

Do not mix tires of different makes, models or tread patterns. Also, do not
mix tires of remarkably different treadwear.

●

Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended by Toyota.

●

Do not mix differently constructed tires (radial, bias-belted or bias-ply
tires).

●

Do not mix summer, all season and winter tires.

■

When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not push the tire pressure warning reset switch without first adjusting
the tire inflation pressure to the specified level. Otherwise, the tire pres-
sure warning light may not come on even if the tire inflation pressure is
low, or it may come on when the tire inflation pressure is actually normal.

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NOTICE

■

Repairing or replacing tires, wheels, tire pressure warning valves,
transmitters and tire valve caps

●

When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters, contact your Toyota dealer as the tire pressure
warning valves and transmitters may be damaged if not handled correctly.

●

When replacing tire valve caps, do not use tire valve caps other than those
specified. The cap may become stuck.

■

To avoid damage to the tire pressure warning valves and transmit-
ters
When a tire is repaired with liquid sealants, the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter may not operate properly. If a liquid sealant is
used, contact your Toyota dealer or other qualified service shop as soon
as possible. Make sure to replace the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter when replacing the tire. (

→P. 350)

■

Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or pot-
holes.
These conditions may cause losses in tire air 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 and wheels
Wheels with profile tires like 17- and 18-inch tires may cause greater
damage than usual to the tire wheel when receiving 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 pot holes, uneven pavement, curbs and other road hazards.
Failure to do so can lead to severe tire and wheel damage.

■

If tire inflation pressures become low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.

Toyota Matrix (2014 year). Manual - part 22