Scion tC. Service Manual - part 20

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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, see a doctor.

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 refilling, there may be a serious problem.

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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

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Before recharging

When recharging, the battery produces hydrogen gas which is flammable
and explosive. Therefore, observe the following 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.

■

After recharging/reconnecting the battery (vehicles with a smart key
system)

●

Unlocking the doors using the smart key system may not be possible
immediately after reconnecting the battery. If this happens, use the wire-
less remote control or the mechanical key to lock/unlock the doors.

●

Start the engine with the “ENGINE START STOP” switch in
ACCESSORY mode. The engine may not start with the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch turned OFF. However, the engine will operate normally
from the second attempt.

●

The “ENGINE START STOP” switch mode is recorded by the vehicle. If
the battery is reconnected, the vehicle will return the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch mode to the status it was in before the battery was discon-
nected. Make sure to turn off the power before disconnecting the battery.
Take extra care when connecting the battery if the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch mode prior to discharge is unknown.

If the system will not start even after multiple attempts, contact your Scion
dealer.

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CAUTION

■

Chemicals in the battery

Batteries contain 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 insufficient 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.

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CAUTION

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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.

NOTICE

■

When recharging the battery

Never recharge the battery while the engine is running. Also, be sure all
accessories are turned off.

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Washer fluid

For vehicles sold in the U.S.A. 

If the washer fluid level is at
“LOW”, add washer fluid.

For vehicles sold in Canada

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

■

Using the gauge (U.S.A. only)

The washer fluid level can be checked by
observing the position of the level on the
liquid-covered holes in the gauge.
If the level falls below the second hole
from the bottom (the “LOW” position),
refill the washer fluid.

Current 

fluid level

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CAUTION

■

When refilling 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

Check if the treadwear indicators are showing on the tires. Also
check the tires for uneven wear, such as excessive wear on one
side of the tread. Check the spare tire condition and pressure if not
rotated.

The location of treadwear indicators is shown by a “TWI” or “

”

marks, etc., molded into the sidewall of each tire. 
Replace the tires if the treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.

New tread

Worn tread

Treadwear indicator

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Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters (U.S.A.
only)

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 ID codes must be registered in the tire pressure warn-
ing computer and the tire pressure warning system must be initial-
ized. Have tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes
registered by your Scion dealer. (

P. 317)

■

Tire rotation

Rotate the tires in the order
shown.

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

Do not fail to initialize the tire
pressure warning system
after tire rotation. (U.S.A.
only)

■

Tire pressure warning system (U.S.A. only)

Your vehicle 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. 382)

Front

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Initializing the tire pressure warning system (U.S.A. only)

■

The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the fol-
lowing circumstances:
● When rotating front and rear tires which have different tire infla-

tion pressures

● When changing the tire size

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

■

How to initialize the tire pressure warning system

Park the vehicle in a safe place and turn the engine switch
(vehicles without a smart key system) or the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch (vehicles with a smart key system) 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. 439)

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 (vehicles without a
smart key system) or the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to
IGNITION ON mode (vehicles with a smart key system). 

STEP 

1 

STEP 

2 

STEP 

3 

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

Vehicles without a smart key system
Wait for a few minutes with the engine switch in the “ON” posi-
tion and then turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position.
Vehicles with a smart key system
Wait for a few minutes with the “ENGINE START STOP”
switch in IGNITION ON mode and then turn the “ENGINE
START STOP” switch off.

Registering ID codes (U.S.A. only)

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. Have the ID code
registered by your Scion dealer.

STEP 

4 

STEP 

5 

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■

When to replace your vehicle’s tires

Tires should be replaced if:

●

The treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.

●

You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to
expose the fabric, and 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 Scion dealer.

■

Replacing tires and wheels (U.S.A. only)

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 blinks for
1 minute and stays on to indicate a system malfunction.

■

Tire life

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

■

Routine tire inflation pressure checks (U.S.A. only)

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.

■

Low profile 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.

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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.

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. 445)

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Tire types

●

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.

●

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.

●

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. 226)

■

Initializing the tire pressure warning system (U.S.A. only)

Initialize the system with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to the speci-
fied level.

■

If the tread on snow tires wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)

The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.

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If you push the tire pressure warning reset switch accidentally
(U.S.A. only)

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

■

When initialization of the tire pressure warning system has failed
(U.S.A. only)

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 Scion
dealer.

●

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

●

After driving for a certain period of time since the initialization has
been completed, the warning light comes on after blinking for 1
minute.

■

Tire pressure warning system certification (U.S.A. only)

FCC ID: PAXPMV107J

FCC ID: HYQ13BCX

NOTE:

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. 

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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 handling 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 Scion.

●

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

●

Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.

●

Do not use tires that have been used on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not know how they were used previously.

●

Do not tow if your vehicle has a compact spare tire installed.

■

When initializing the tire pressure warning system (U.S.A. only)

Do not operate the tire pressure warning reset switch without first adjust-
ing the tire inflation pressure to the specified level. Otherwise, the tire
pressure 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 nor-
mal.