Scion iM. Service Manual - part 7

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

Continuously variable transmission

With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.

Set the parking brake. (

P. 138)

Shift the shift lever to P. (

P. 131)

If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.

Turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position to stop the engine.

Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your per-
son.



Manual transmission

While depressing the clutch pedal, depress the brake pedal.

Set the parking brake. (

P. 138)

Shift the shift lever to N. (

P. 135)

If parking on a hill, shift the shift lever to 1 or R and block the wheels as
needed.

Turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position to stop the engine.

Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your per-
son.



Continuously variable transmission

Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to
D.

Gently depress the accelerator pedal.

Release the parking brake.



Manual transmission

With the parking brake firmly set and the clutch pedal fully
depressed, shift the shift lever to 1.

Lightly depress the accelerator pedal at the same time as gradu-
ally releasing the clutch pedal.

Release the parking brake.

Parking the vehicle

Starting off on a steep uphill

1
2
3

4
5

1
2
3

4
5

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2
3

1

2

3

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n

When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. (

P. 156)

n

Driving in the rain

l

Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.

l

Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.

l

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 sur-
face, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.

n

Engine speed while driving (vehicles with a continuously variable trans-
mission)
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.

l

The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill

l

When the accelerator pedal is released

l

When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected

l

When the brake pedal is depressed suddenly and vehicle speed is reduced
sharply

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Breaking in your new Scion
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:

l

For the first 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.

l

For the first 621 miles (1000 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.

n

Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. (

P. 296)

WARNING

Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

n

When starting the vehicle (vehicles with a continuously variable trans-
mission)
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

n

When driving the vehicle

l

Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal. 

• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake

pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.

• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-

culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.

• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the

vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelera-
tor pedals properly.

• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake

pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.

l

Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.

l

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. 253

l

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. 131, 135)

l

Do not adjust the display, the positions 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.

l

Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.

l

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.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

n

When driving on slippery road surfaces

l

Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle.

l

Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.

l

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.

n

When shifting the shift lever

l

Vehicles with a continuously variable transmission: Do not let the vehicle
roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll forward
while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.

l

Vehicles with a continuously variable 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.

l

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.

l

Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving
backward. 
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.

l

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.

l

Vehicles with a continuously variable 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.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

n

If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Scion dealer as soon
as possible. 
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.

It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.

n

When the vehicle is stopped

l

Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P (continuously variable transmis-
sion) or N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly, caus-
ing an accident.

l

Vehicles with a continuously variable transmission: In order to prevent
accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep depressing the
brake pedal while the engine is running, and apply the parking brake as
necessary.

l

If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.

l

Avoid revving or racing the engine. 
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.

n

When the vehicle is parked

l

Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:

• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a

fire.

• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and

plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.

• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the

interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s
electrical components.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

n

When the vehicle is parked

l

Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.

l

Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehi-
cle.

l

Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.

l

Vehicles with a continuously variable transmission: Always apply the park-
ing brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.

Vehicles with a manual transmission: Always apply the parking brake,
stop the engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.

l

Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.

n

When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you 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, leading to
death or a serious health hazard.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

n

When braking

l

When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.

l

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.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.

l

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.

l

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.
Have your brakes fixed immediately. 

NOTICE

n

When driving the vehicle (vehicles with a continuously variable trans-
mission)

l

Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain driving torque.

l

Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.

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NOTICE

n

When driving the vehicle (vehicles with a manual transmission)

l

Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain driving torque.

l

Do not shift gears unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed. After shifting,
do not release the clutch pedal abruptly. Doing so may damage the clutch,
transmission and gears.

l

Observe the following to prevent the clutch from being damaged.

• Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving.

Doing so may cause clutch trouble.

• Do not use any gear other than the 1st gear when starting off and mov-

ing forward.
Doing so may damage the clutch.

• Do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle when stopping on an uphill

grade.
Doing so may damage the clutch.

l

Do not shift the shift lever to R when the vehicle is still moving. Doing so
may damage the clutch, transmission and gears.

n

When parking the vehicle (vehicles with a continuously variable trans-
mission)
Always shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to
move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is
accidentally depressed.

n

Avoiding damage to vehicle parts

l

Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for
an extended period of time. 
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.

l

When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.

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NOTICE

n

If you get a flat tire while driving 
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehi-
cle.

l

It may be difficult to control your vehicle.

l

The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.

l

The vehicle will lean abnormally.

Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (

P. 272)

n

When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may
cause the following serious damage to the vehicle:

l

Engine stalling

l

Short in electrical components

l

Engine damage caused by water immersion

In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be
sure to have your Scion dealer check the following:

l

Brake function

l

Changes in quantity and quality of engine oil, transaxle fluid, etc.

l

Lubricant condition for the bearings and suspension joints (where possi-
ble), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.

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Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants. 

(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capacity) — (Total weight of occupants)

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit —

(1) Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and

cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s
placard. 

(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that

will be riding in your vehicle. 

(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from

XXX kg or XXX lbs.

(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and lug-

gage load capacity. 

For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 

 750 (5150) =

650 lbs.) 

(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded

on the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4. 

(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be

transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.

 (

P. 123)

Scion does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your
vehicle is not designed for trailer towing.

Cargo and luggage

Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load:

Capacity and distribution

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Cargo capacity

Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) (

P. 294)

When 2 people with the combined weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in
your vehicle, which has a total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight)
of B lb. (kg), the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity
will be C lb. (kg) as follows: 

B*

2

 lb. (kg) - A*

1

 lb. (kg) = C*

3

 lb. (kg)

*

1

: A =Weight of people 

*

2

: B =Total load capacity 

*

3

: C =Available cargo and luggage load

In this condition, if 3 more passengers with the combined weight of D
lb. (kg) get on, the available cargo and luggage load will be reduced E
lb. (kg) as follows:

C lb. (kg) - D*

4

 lb. (kg) = E*

5

 lb. (kg)

*

4

: D =Additional weight of people 

*

5

: E =Available cargo and luggage load

As shown in the example above, if the number of occupants
increases, the cargo and luggage load will be reduced by an amount
that equals the increased weight due to the additional occupants. In
other words, if an increase in the number of occupants causes an
excess of the total load capacity (combined weight of occupants plus
cargo and luggage load), you must reduce the cargo and luggage on
your vehicle. 

Calculation formula for your vehicle

1
2

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WARNING

n

Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compart-
ment:

l

Receptacles containing gasoline

l

Aerosol cans

n

Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed properly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may result in items hitting the driver or
passengers, possibly causing an accident.

l

Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever possi-
ble.

l

Do not stack anything in the luggage compartment higher than the
seatbacks. 
Such items may be thrown about and possibly injure people in the
vehicle in the event of sudden braking or in an accident.

l

Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.

• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
• Tray that has no lid

l

Secure all items in the occupant compartment.

l

When you fold down the rear seats, long items should not be placed
directly behind the front seats.

l

Never allow anyone to ride in the enlarged luggage compartment. It is
not designed for passengers. They should ride in their seats with their
seat belts properly fastened.

n

Capacity and distribution

l

Do not exceed the maximum axle weight rating or the total vehicle
weight rating. 

l

Even if the total load of occupant's weight and the cargo load is less
than the total load capacity, do not apply the load unevenly. Improper
loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control which
may cause death or serious injury.

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u

Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight): (

P. 294)

Total load capacity means the combined weight of occupants, cargo
and luggage. 

u

Seating capacity: 5 occupants (Front 2, Rear 3)

Seating capacity means the maximum number of occupants whose
estimated average weight is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person. 

u

Towing capacity

Scion does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. 

u

Cargo capacity

Cargo capacity may increase or decrease depending on the weight
and the number of occupants. 

n

Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading information label.
(

P. 230)

Vehicle load limits

Vehicle load limits include total load capacity, seating capacity,
towing capacity and cargo capacity. 

WARNING

n

Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tires, but also degrade steering
and braking ability, resulting in an accident. 

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Trailer towing

Scion does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Scion also does not recommend the installation of a tow hitch or
the use of a tow hitch carrier for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle,
etc. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing or for the use
of tow hitch mounted carriers.

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Dinghy towing

 (vehicles with a continuously 

variable transmission)

Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels
on the ground) behind a motor home. 

NOTICE

n

To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground.

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To prevent damage to your vehicle, perform the following procedure
before towing. 

Shift the shift lever to N. 

Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” position. (

P. 128)

Ensure that the audio system and other powered devices are turned off. 

Release the parking brake. 

After towing, start the engine and let it idle for at least 3 minutes before
driving the vehicle.

n

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.

Dinghy towing (vehicles with a manual 

transmission)

Your vehicle can be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels on the ground)
in a forward direction behind a motor home. 

Towing your vehicle with 4 wheels on the ground

1
2

3