2004 Toyota Matrix Owners Manual - Page 201

'04 MATRIX_U (L/O 0307) Winter driving tips Make sure your coolant is properly protected against freezing. Your coolant must contain ethylene−glycol type coolant for a proper corrosion protection of aluminum components. Use "Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant" or equivalent. See page 260 in Section 7 −2 for details about coolant type selection. Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for the cold weather. See page 258 in Section 7 −2 for recommended viscosity. Leaving a heavy summer oil in your vehicle during winter months may cause harder starting. If you are not sure about which oil to use, call your Toyota dealer-he will be pleased to help. Keep the door locks from freezing. Squirt lock de−icer or glycerine into the locks to keep them from freezing. To open a frozen lock, try heating the key before inserting it. Use a washer fluid containing an antifreeze solution. This product is available at your Toyota dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow the manufacturer's directions for how much to mix with water. Do not use your parking brake when there is a possibility it could freeze. When parking, put the transmission into "P" (automatic) or into first or reverse (manual) and block the rear wheels. Do not use the parking brake, or snow or water accumulated in and around the parking brake mechanism may freeze, making it hard to release. Keep ice and snow from accumulating under the fenders. Ice and snow built up under your fenders can make steering difficult. During bad winter driving, stop and check under the fenders occasionally. Depending on where you are driving, we recommend you carry some emergency equipment. Some of the things you might put in the vehicle are tire chains, window scraper, bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel, jumper cables, etc. NOTICE Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or plain water alone. When it is extremely cold, we recommend to use 60% solution for your Toyota, to provide protection down to about −50_C ( −58_F). Do not use more than 70% solution for better coolant performance. Check the condition of the battery and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of any battery, so it must be in top shape to provide enough power for winter starting. Section 7−3 tells you how to visually inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer and most service stations will be pleased to check the level of charge. NOTICE Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute because it may damage your vehicle's paint. NOTICE Do not use window scraper or deicer when the plastic resin moon roof is heavily coated with frost or ice. The plastic resin moon roof is easily damaged. 201 2004 MATRIX from Oct. '03 Prod. (OM12861U)