Until the day comes when we are all piloting flying cars (and trust me, the day will come), our cars are stuck with these rubber things called tires. They roll nice and all, but they have a rather nasty problem of sometimes losing air. And without air, they become deflated and virtually useless.

Changing a flat tire is not a very pleasant experience. It seems like your car purposely tries to get a flat tire at the least opportune moments. Like when you are rushing home from work to catch your favorite episode of “Happy Days,” for instance. You know the one where Fonzie rides the killer bull while on vacation in Colorado.

Now, there are some of you who might be lucky and own a car with run-flat tires or a low tire-pressure warning system. If that is the case, you might be able to avoid the icky process. But even if you are a hapless soul, changing a tire doesn’t have to be all bad. With knowledge comes power. If you are unsure how to change a tire properly, and you want to know, read on.

OK, so you are driving along and all of the sudden you hear a loud bang and the telltale thumping noise of a dead tire. You carefully pull off to the shoulder of the road. Checking to make sure no other motorists are going to run you over, you exit your vehicle and inspect the car. Sure enough, your car’s left front tire is completely flat. You are not going to be able to keep driving, so you are going to have to remove it and install your car’s spare tire in its place.

Jack up the Car
The first step is to find your car’s spare tire, jack and tire iron. The spare tire is almost always located underneath the floor mat in the trunk. Unless, of course, your car doesn’t have a trunk. If you own an SUV, minivan or pickup, the spare tire is often mounted on the back of the tailgate or underneath the vehicle itself.

Once you have found the spare tire, remove it from the car. If you have an air pressure gauge handy, you will want to check the spare tire’s pressure. If this tire is flat, too, you’re in a bit of trouble. But let’s just assume you have been keeping tabs on the spare tire’s health, and its air pressure is perfect.

The next step will involve removing the flat tire. Make sure that the car is in gear (or in “park” if the car is an automatic) and the emergency brake is set. The car should be parked on a flat piece of pavement. Do not attempt to change a flat if the car is on a slope or if it is sitting on dirt. It’s also a good idea to block the tire opposite of the flat tire. Therefore, if the left front tire is flat, it would be a good idea to place a brick or other large, heavy object behind the right rear tire. (Your cousin Fred might also be large and heavy, but it’s not a good idea to use him to block the tire). Blocking the tire makes the car less likely to move when you are raising it.

Use the tire iron (the L-shaped bar that fits over the wheel lugs) to loosen each wheel lug. The wheel lugs are almost certainly very tight. You’ll have to use brute force. Just think about how Mr. T from the “A-Team” would do it and try to be like him. Say to yourself, “Hannibal, I piddy da fool who can’t break loose wheel lugs.” You’ll have those babies loose in no time. You loosen them by turning them counterclockwise, by the way.

Now, at this point, you don’t want to actually remove the lugs. You just want them loose. Once you have accomplished this, move the jack underneath the car. If you don’t know where the proper jacking points are, look them up in the owner’s manual (you keep your owner’s manual in your car, right?).

Maneuver the jack underneath the jack point and start to raise the jack. Most car jacks these days are a screw-type scissor jack, which means you simply turn the knob at the end of the jack using the provided metal hand crank. Raise the jack until it contacts the car’s frame and continue expanding the jack.

Remove the Flat and Install the Spare
Raise the car with the jack until the flat tire is completely raised off the ground. Once this is done, remove the wheel lugs completely. Depending on how tight the lugs are you might be able to remove them by hand. Set the lugs aside in a secure location where they can’t roll away.

Position the spare tire over the wheel studs. This is the most physically challenging part of the whole process. You’ll have to hold up the tire and try to line up the holes in the wheel with the protruding wheel studs located on the brake hub. One trick that might help is to balance the tire on your foot while you move it into position.

After you have the spare tire hanging on the wheel studs, screw each of the wheel lugs back on. You’ll want to start them by hand. Make sure you do not cross-thread them. The lugs should screw on easily. Once each of them is snug and you can’t tighten them any further by hand, use the tire iron to finish the job. At this point, you don’t need to get the lugs super tight. You just want them snug for now. Make sure that the wheel is fitting flush against the brake hub.

Once the spare tire is on, carefully lower the jack. Pull the jack away from the vehicle. The final step is to tighten down the lugs completely. The reason you tighten the lugs now is that the tire is on the ground and it won’t rotate around like it would if it was still hanging in the air.

Wheel lugs have a specific torque rating that they are supposed to be tightened down to, but there is pretty much no way you can figure that out using a simple tire iron. The general rule here is to tighten down the lugs as much as possible.

That’s it. Put the flat tire in the space where the spare tire was and put the jack and tire iron back in the car. Most compact spare tires are smaller than regular tires (they look dinky and people commonly refer to them as “rubber doughnuts”), so it is possible that the flat tire won’t fit in the spare tire well. Also, compact spares have a limited top speed. The tire’s top speed will be written on its sidewall. If your vehicle has a full-size spare, you won’t encounter these problems. With the spare installed, you should be able to reach your house or the nearest service station.

At your Portland Toyota Car Dealer, our factory trained technicians are ready for anything you bring them.  Once you have put on your spare tire, stop by our Toyota Car Repair Center in Portland, and see if we can repair that “nasty” tire that just put you through the ringer.  If the tire is not repairable, our knowledgeable parts consultants can help you get back on the road with a brand new tire from our inventory.

Unless you have been trained in how to respond to a snow- or ice-induced skid, you will invariably succumb to what the experts call “target fixation.” That is: focusing on your impending doom instead of taking proper evasive action. This will result in a crash.

It’s a crash that could have been avoided, says Jerry Pearl, general manager of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Pearl has been teaching people how to drive safely in the snow for 18 years. Not just any people, either. Although the school mostly serves ordinary citizens, it has also instructed some elite police, security and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Among the program’s graduates are officers of the Defense Department, the Secret Service and the FBI. Pearl has also taught members of state and city police forces from across the country.

Most of these clients enroll in the school’s two-day Performance Program ($1,475), which teaches advanced winter driving techniques, such as deliberate, controlled skids like those performed by professional rally drivers. Pearl says a lot of engineers from various automakers also attend this course, as they find it helps them to understand vehicle dynamics — invaluable information in the design and implementation of stability and skid control systems.

Most ordinary drivers sign up for either the three-hour, half-day tutorial ($145) or the more involved full-day, six-hour course ($275).

If you live in a snowy region, other schools likely exist in your area. It’s money well spent if you consider that even the full-day course is less costly than the average insurance deductible, not to mention what you might pay in police fines and increased premiums if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a winter driving accident.

While there’s no substitute for hands-on professional instruction and actual driving experience, Pearl offers the following tips to drivers in winter conditions:

1. Be prepared: Before you set out in winter weather, make sure your vehicle is properly equipped, says Pearl. That means snow tires or chains in extreme conditions.

2. Slow down: Driving too fast is the No. 1 winter driving error, Pearl says. “Read the road to choose the appropriate speed,” he instructs. Slippery roads make every mistake happen faster and more dramatically. And don’t think antilock brakes, stability systems or other vehicle control mechanisms will help you if you’re sliding, Pearl warns. “If you’re going too fast, you’re going to go off the road and nothing’s going to change that.”

3. Look ahead: “Winter drivers need to use their eyes more effectively,” states Pearl. Not only should you be aware of road ice and other slippery conditions, but you should also double the distance you normally allow between you and the car in front of you. An easy calculation for this distance is four car lengths for every 10 mph you are traveling. That means if you are doing 40 mph, you should leave 16 car lengths between you and the vehicle ahead. Also, says Pearl, look ahead and get ready for corners and other obstacles before you arrive at them. “A good driver looks ahead and anticipates problems. An inattentive driver doesn’t watch the road and is forced to react to problems, usually abruptly.”

4. Brake before you enter a corner: Smoothly apply your brakes before you reach a corner and then release the brakes and use all the grip of the car to corner. Then, once you are through the turn, accelerate out. “Enter a corner with too much speed and then try to adjust in the corner and you will lose grip,” warns Pearl. When the wheels are braking, their surface becomes static and they can behave like four hockey pucks and can move multidirectionally (that is: spin). If that happens, you will likely lose control of your vehicle.

5. Practice the smooth and effective use of the vehicle’s controls: As in the cornering instruction above, Pearl teaches his winter driving students to use their vehicle controls smoothly and surely. “The steering wheel gives people the most trouble,” he observes. “They’re too rough and imprecise with it.” The result of bad steering wheel control is that your vehicle will become imbalanced. Once that happens, you’ll probably skid. Therefore, it’s important to stay in control of your vehicle’s weight distribution. That takes some understanding of your vehicle’s physical dynamics.

6. Be informed: Regardless of whether your vehicle is rear-wheel, front-wheel or all-wheel drive, the results of a loss of balance are the same, Pearl explains. What you need to understand is where the bulk of your vehicle’s weight resides and how your engine power can affect that weight. In a pickup, all the weight is in the front with the engine and the cab, so, with little weight over them, the rear wheels have tenuous grip and the back end can easily slip out. Likewise, a rear-wheel-drive musclecar, such as a Ford Mustang GT, has a lopsided power-to-weight ratio, so its back end is also prone to losing grip on slippery roads. A front-wheel-drive, front-engine sedan, such as a Honda Accord, also has a light rear, so that if you abruptly lift off the accelerator in a corner, all the weight shifts to the front and the rear has little grip. The result can be that the car will pull to the side in a corner and spin out.

7. Learn how to control a skid: Although this is probably best learned and practiced on a driving course, Pearl describes what you should do if you find yourself in an oversteer situation (meaning: your car is turning too much). “You have to go against your natural tendencies,” he says. “Turn into the skid. You also need to accelerate.” That last piece of advice seems to freak people out the most, he admits. “People don’t think about accelerating to control the car.” However, many oversteer skids can be controlled and a disaster averted simply by releasing the brake and gently accelerating. This transfers the weight from the front to the rear wheels, which allows you to steer into the direction of the skid, gain control of the vehicle and continue safely on your way. If you drive a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, cautions Pearl, be careful not to over-accelerate or the tires may spin and you will oversteer and slide out of the turn. In an understeer skid (when your car refuses to turn and is sliding), once again it’s important not to react instinctively by over-correcting the steering wheel, by braking or by doing both simultaneously. Understeering is usually caused by entering a corner too quickly and then turning. To turn the vehicle effectively, your wheels need grip. If you react to an understeer skid by turning more, you’re only asking for more grip, which is unavailable. The same is true if you brake. Instead, Pearl advises, in an understeer skid, carefully adjust your steering wheel until you regain some grip at the front wheels. Once grip is restored, gently and precisely add steering. Of course, this requires room to maneuver, but if you adhere to point No. 3 above, you should have plenty of room.

Mastering control of your vehicle in snow and other winter driving conditions comes with learning proper driving techniques and with experience. In time, encourages Pearl, you should develop what he calls a good “seat of the pants” feel for winter driving, meaning an intuition about how your car will behave in certain situations and circumstances.

If you have been unfortunate enough to succumb to an accident due to the snow, or any other reason, visit your Portland Toyota Service Center.  Our experienced Service consultants and technicians will be able to take care of you and your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

The Toyota Prius has been so popular with Portland Toyota shoppers over the years for many reasons. The Prius is the world’s first standard-production hybrid-electric vehicle. Not only is its fuel economy favorable with the inflation of gasoline prices, but also it is still a comfortable, spacious, reliable vehicle, making it a great family car.

2010 Toyota Prius

The 2010 Toyota Prius is available in four trims, the Prius II, III, IV and V. All of them average about 51 city/48 highway mpg. All trims also have an 18-liter, four-cylinder engine, which has actually improved highway mileage compared to earlier models. By making more torque, the engine can run at a lower average rpm on the highway.

There are three driving modes for the Prius. EV-Drive Mode allows driving on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile, conditions permitting. Power Mode increases sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel, and Eco mode helps the driver achieve the best possible mileage.

The Toyota Prius also has many other energy-saving features. These include LED low beams and tail lights, an air circulator (powered by solar panels) to prevent the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked, reducing the need for air conditioning in the first place.

A great selection of certified used Toyota Prius cars are available for Portland shoppers at Berlin City Toyota.

Berlin City Toyota prides themselves on offering a wide assortment of used cars, trucks and SUVs from the most popular manufacturers including Chevrolet, Pontiac, Hyundai and of course—Toyota.

Berlin City and Portland used car shoppers can shop the latest selection of used cars for sale on Berlin City Toyota’s website  www.berlincitytoyotame.com .  The diverse selection includes many award winning vehicles such as the 2004 Toyota Corolla, winner of Best Compact Car in North America in J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, and the 2007 Toyota Prius, named the top compact car in long-term dependability by J.D. Power & Associates.

All of the used cars for sale at Berlin City Toyota are rigorously tested and inspected for superior quality and reliability.  Only the pre-owned vehicles that meet their highest standards of quality are placed on their lot for sale.  The CarFax history report is also instantly available to consumers, even those shopping online, and Berlin City Toyota boasts many used cars for sale that have had just one owner.

“Toyota and Progressive Ag Foundation share a similar philosophy about the importance of educating the entire family about safety awareness. We are privileged to support the expansion of the Progressive Ag Safety Day Programs as they reach more communities than ever before,” says Michael Rouse, TMS vice president of philanthropy and community affairs. Toyota is a premier sponsor of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation and also provides funding for roadway safety education.

In 2010, the program is expected to hold 385 Safety Day events, reaching more than 85,000 children and adults. The program provides resources that local communities can use to conduct one-day farm safety and health programs that are age-appropriate, hands-on, fun and safe for children.

The new Tundra will be driven by Bernard Geschke, program specialist from Papillion, Neb., who travels about 12,000 miles each year training community volunteers who coordinate the Safety Day educational events for children. The vehicle replaces a used Chevrolet Astro van donated in 2001 by Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont Business, which was approaching 200,000 miles.

“The van served us well, but it was worn out. The Tundra is a wonderful replacement, and with the long box and bed cover, we actually can haul more, larger props and displays than we could with the van,” says Geschke. “We no longer will have to rent a vehicle to transport our large displays to events such as the Farm Progress Show and Husker Harvest Days.

“The Toyota Tundra is a safe, reliable, first-class vehicle, and we greatly appreciate Toyota generously supporting our program with this practical and much-needed vehicle donation,” Geschke continues. “In addition, Performance Toyota of Omaha, Neb., took delivery of the truck, and the dealership was extremely accommodating in getting the truck ready to go.”

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers. Toyota directly employs more than 35,000 people in the U.S. and sold more than 2.2 million vehicles in 2008. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com

Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® is a program of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) charitable foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to make farm and ranch life safer and healthier for all children through education and training. In 2008, PAF was awarded the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance National Charity Seal demonstrating its commitment to accountability and ethical practices and; also permanently achieved status as a public charity with the IRS. Individuals and organizations interested in supporting this worthwhile effort or in hosting a Safety Day should call 888-257-3529 or visit www.progressiveag.org for more information. Safety Day applications are due each July 15 for Safety Days that will be conducted the following calendar year.

“The WasteWise program is a great opportunity to recognize the efforts of Toyota associates that contribute to our waste reduction and recycling efforts every day,” said Bob Wade, corporate manager of environmental, hazardous material and safety.

In 2008, TMS recycled over 86 percent of its waste, more than 24,000,000 pounds. U.S. EPA estimates that the amount of greenhouse gas reduced due to TMS collective recycling and reduction efforts* are equivalent to the annual emissions from 10,549 passenger vehicles. Toyota estimates that the amount of greenhouse gases reduced from recycling efforts is the equivalent of all 2nd generation Prius sold in the U.S. in 2008, more than 154,000 vehicles, increasing their fuel economy from 46 mpg to 52
(combined city/hwy) for the year.

A major focus of the WasteWise program is waste prevention – actions that minimize or eliminate the generation of waste – with the goal of decreasing the amount of material that must be recycled or thrown away. TMS North American Parts Operation supports waste prevention through the use of over 45,000 reusable metal containers instead of cardboard and wood pallets. These containers move parts throughout the TMS distribution network and have eliminated the need for 25.9 million pounds of wood and 9.4 million pounds of corrugated cardboard in fiscal year 2009 alone.

“The greenhouse gas reduction focus in our industry is primarily on vehicle emissions,” said Wade. “But Toyota works to reduce emissions throughout all aspects of our business. From energy efficiency in our facilities to waste reduction and recycling, our goal is to minimize our environmental footprint. ”

More than 1,100 organizations have joined the WasteWise program since 1994. WasteWise partners include manufacturers, retailers and service firms from more than 50 different industry sectors.

* Based on sites reporting data for WasteWise. WasteWise application included 2008 data for 16 of 23 TMS sites.