Scion FR-S. Instruction - part 21

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

CAUTION

■

When using the compact spare tire

●

Remember that your compact spare tire is specifically designed for
use with your vehicle. Do not use your compact spare tire on another
vehicle.

●

Do not use two compact spare tires simultaneously.

●

Replace the compact spare tire with a standard tire as soon as possi-
ble.

●

Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shift-
ing operations that cause sudden engine braking.

●

Install the compact spare tire on a front wheel. 

■

When storing the compact spare tire

Be careful not to catch fingers or other body parts between the compact
spare tire and the body of the vehicle.

■

Speed limit when using the compact spare tire

Do not drive at speeds in excess of 50 mph (80 km/h) when a compact
spare tire is installed on the vehicle.

The compact spare tire is not designed for driving at high speeds. Failing
to observe this precaution may lead to an accident causing death or seri-
ous injury.

■

When the spare tire is attached

The vehicle speed may not be correctly detected, and the following sys-
tems may not operate correctly:

●

ABS & brake assist

●

VSC

●

TRAC

●

EPS

●

Cruise control

●

LSD (if equipped)

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

NOTICE

■

Do not drive the vehicle with a flat tire.

Do not continue driving with a flat tire. 
Driving even a short distance with a flat tire can damage the tire and the
wheel beyond repair.

■

Be careful when driving over bumps with the compact spare tire
installed on the vehicle.

The vehicle becomes lower when driving with the compact spare tire
compared to when driving with standard tires. Be careful when driving
over uneven road surfaces.

■

Driving with tire chains and the compact spare tire

Do not fit tire chains to the compact spare tire. 
Tire chains may damage the vehicle body and adversely affect driving
performance.

■

When replacing the tires

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

■

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 Scion 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. 257)

■

Stowing the jack

When stowing the jack in the jack holder, make sure that the part that the
jack handle attaches to is pointing towards the inside of the trunk. Failure
to do so may damage the vehicle body.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

If the engine will not start

If the engine will not start even though correct starting procedures

are being followed (

P. 135), consider each of the following points.

■

The engine will not start even when the starter motor oper-
ates normally.

One of the following may be the cause of the problem.

● There may not be sufficient fuel in the vehicle’s tank. 

Refuel the vehicle.

● The engine may be flooded. 

Try to restart the engine once more following correct starting
procedures. (

P. 135)

● There may be a malfunction in the engine immobilizer system. 

(

P. 59)

■

The starter motor turns over slowly, the interior lights and
headlights are dim, or the horn does not sound or sounds at
a low volume.

One of the following may be the cause of the problem.

● The battery may be discharged. (P. 332)
● The battery terminal connections may be loose or corroded.

■

The starter motor does not turn over, the interior lights and
headlights do not turn on, or the horn does not sound.

One of the following may be the cause of the problem.

● One or both of the battery terminals may be disconnected.
● The battery may be discharged. (P. 332)

Contact your Scion dealer if the problem cannot be repaired, or if
repair procedures are unknown.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P (vehicles with an automatic transmission)

If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your foot on the brake, there

may be a problem with the shift lock system (a system to prevent

accidental operation of the shift lever). Have the vehicle inspected by

your Scion dealer immediately. 

The following steps may be used as an emergency measure to

ensure that the shift lever can be shifted.

Set the parking brake.

Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” position.

Depress the brake pedal.

Pry the cover up with a flat-
head screwdriver or equiva-
lent.

Press the shift lock override
button.

The shift lever can be shifted
while the button is pressed.

STEP 

1 

STEP 

2 

STEP 

3 

STEP 

4 

STEP 

5 

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

If you lose your keys

New genuine keys can be made by your Scion dealer. Bring a master

key and the key number stamped on the key number plate.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

If the battery is discharged

The following procedures may be used to start the engine if the vehi-

cle's battery is discharged. 

You can call your Scion dealer or a qualified repair shop.

If you have a set of jumper (or booster) cables and a second vehi-
cle with a 12-volt battery, you can jump start your vehicle following
the steps below.

Connect the jumper cables according to the following pro-
cedures:

Positive (+) battery terminal on your vehicle

Positive (+) battery terminal on the second vehicle

Negative (-) battery terminal on the second vehicle

Connect the jumper cable to ground on your vehicle as shown in
the illustration.

Start the engine of the second vehicle. Increase the engine
speed slightly and maintain at that level for approximately 5
minutes to recharge the battery of your vehicle.

STEP 

1 

STEP 

2 

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

■

Starting the engine when the battery is discharged

The engine cannot be started by push-starting.

■

Avoiding a discharged battery

●

Turn off the headlights and the air conditioning system while the engine is
off.

●

Turn off any unnecessary electrical components when the vehicle is run-
ning at a low speed for an extended period, such as in heavy traffic, etc.

■

Charging the battery

The electricity stored in the battery will discharge gradually even when the
vehicle is not in use, due to natural discharge and the draining effects of cer-
tain electrical appliances. If the vehicle is left for a long time, the battery may
discharge, and the engine may be unable to start. (The battery recharges
automatically during driving.)

Maintain the engine speed of the second vehicle and turn
the engine switch to the “ON” position, then start the vehi-
cle's engine.

Once the vehicle’s engine has started, remove the jumper
cables in the exact reverse order in which they were con-
nected.

Once the engine starts, have the vehicle checked at your Scion
dealer as soon as possible.

STEP 

3 

STEP 

4 

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

CAUTION

■

Avoiding battery fires or explosions

Observe the following precautions to prevent accidentally igniting the flam-
mable gas that may be emitted from the battery.

●

Make sure the jumper cable is connected to the correct terminal and that it
is not unintentionally in contact with any part other than the intended termi-
nal.

●

Do not allow the jumper cables to come into contact with the “+” and “-” ter-
minals.

●

Do not allow open flame or use matches, cigarette lighters or smoke near
the battery.

■

Battery precautions

The battery contains poisonous and corrosive acidic electrolyte, while
related parts contain lead and lead compounds. Observe the following pre-
cautions when handling the battery.

●

When working with the battery, always wear safety glasses and take care
not to allow any battery fluids (acid) to come into contact with skin, clothing
or the vehicle body.

●

Do not lean over the battery.

●

In the event that battery fluid comes into contact with the skin or eyes,
immediately wash the affected area with water and seek medical attention. 
Place a wet sponge or cloth over the affected area until medical attention
can be received.

●

Always wash your hands after handling the battery support, terminals, and
other battery-related parts.

●

Do not allow children near the battery.

■

To prevent damage to the vehicle

Do not pull- or push-start the vehicle as the three-way catalytic converter
may overheat and become a fire hazard.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

NOTICE

■

When handling jumper cables

Be careful that the jumper cables do not become tangled in the cooling fans
or any of the belts when connecting or disconnecting them.

■

When closing the doors

While pushing the door glass towards the inside of the vehicle, slowly close
the door. 
Because the side window open/close function linked to door operation will
not operate, the window may interfere with the vehicle body, possibly
scratching both the vehicle body and window, or even shattering the window.

336

5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

If your vehicle overheats

If your engine overheats:

Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the air condi-
tioning system.

Check to see if steam is coming out from under the hood.

If you see steam: 
Stop the engine. Carefully lift the hood after the steam sub-
sides and then restart the engine.

If you do not see steam: 
Leave the engine running and carefully lift the hood.

Check to see if the cooling fan is operating.

If the fan is operating: 
Wait until the temperature of the engine (shown on the
instrument cluster) begins to fall and then stop the engine.

If the fan is not operating: 
Stop the engine and call your Scion dealer.

After the engine has cooled
down sufficiently, check the
engine coolant level and
inspect the radiator core (radi-
ator) for any leaks.

STEP 

1 

STEP 

2 

STEP 

3 

STEP 

4 

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

■

Overheating

If you observe the following, your vehicle may be overheating.

●

The engine coolant temperature gauge enters the red zone or a loss of
power is experienced.

●

Steam is coming from under the hood.

CAUTION

■

To prevent an accident or injury when inspecting under the hood of
your vehicle

●

If steam is seen coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until
the steam has subsided. The engine compartment may be very hot, caus-
ing serious injury such as burns.

●

Keep hands and clothing away from the fan and other belts while the
engine is running.

●

Do not loosen the radiator cap while the engine and radiator are hot. 
Serious injury, such as burns, may result from hot coolant and steam
released under pressure.

Add engine coolant if neces-
sary.

Water can be used in an emer-
gency if engine coolant is
unavailable. (

P. 350)

Have the vehicle checked at the nearest Scion dealer as soon as
possible.

STEP 

5 

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

NOTICE

■

When adding engine coolant

Wait until the engine has cooled down before adding engine coolant. 
When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot engine too
quickly can cause damage to the engine.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

If the vehicle becomes stuck

■

When it is difficult to free the vehicle

Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle

becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow:

Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and shift the shift
lever to P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or N
(vehicles with a instruction transmission).

Remove the mud, snow or sand from around the rear
wheels.

Place wood, stones or some other material under the rear
wheels to help provide traction.

Restart the engine.

Shift the shift lever to the D or R position (vehicles with an
automatic transmission) or 1 or R position (vehicles with a
instruction transmission) and release the parking brake. Then,
while exercising caution, depress the accelerator pedal.

STEP 

1 

STEP 

2 

STEP 

3 

STEP 

4 

STEP 

5 

Press 

 to turn off TRAC.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

CAUTION

■

When attempting to free a stuck vehicle

If you choose to push the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure the sur-
rounding area is clear to avoid striking other vehicles, objects or people. The
vehicle may also lunge forward or lunge back suddenly as it becomes free.
Use extreme caution.

■

When shifting the shift lever

For vehicles with an automatic transmission, be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. 
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

NOTICE

■

To avoid damage to the transmission and other components

●

Avoid spinning the rear wheels and depressing the accelerator pedal more
than necessary.

●

If the vehicle remains stuck even after these procedures are performed,
the vehicle may require towing to be freed.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency

Only in an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the

vehicle in the normal way, stop the vehicle using the following pro-

cedure:

Steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet and firmly
depress it.

Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the
effort required to slow the vehicle.

Shift the shift lever to N.

If the shift lever is shifted to N

After slowing down, stop the vehicle in a safe place by the
road.

Stop the engine.

If the shift lever cannot be shifted to N

Keep depressing the brake pedal with both feet to reduce
vehicle speed as much as possible.

Stop the engine by turning the
engine switch to the “ACC”
position.

Stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.

STEP 

1 

STEP 

2 

STEP 

3 

STEP 

4 

STEP 

3 

STEP 

4 

STEP 

5 

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

CAUTION

■

If the engine has to be turned off while driving

●

Power assist for the brakes and steering wheel will be lost, making the
brake pedal harder to depress and the steering wheel heavier to turn.
Decelerate as much as possible before turning off the engine.

●

Never attempt to remove the key, as doing so will lock the steering wheel.