07 12.25
Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion
Toyota, through the diligent research, de-
sign and use of the most advanced
technology available, helps prevent corro-
sion and provides you with the finest qual-
ity vehicle construction. Now, it is up to
you. Proper care of your Toyota can help
ensure long−term corrosion prevention.
D Wetness or dampness to certain parts
of your vehicle for an extended period
of time, may cause corrosion even
though other parts of the vehicle may
be dry.
D High pressure water or steam is effec-
tive for cleaning the vehicle’s underside
and wheel housings. Pay particular
attention to these areas as it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to simply wet the
mud and debris without removing. The
lower edge of doors, rocker panels and
frame members have drain holes which
should not be allowed to clog with dirt
as trapped water in these areas can
cause corrosion.
D High ambient temperatures can cause
corrosion to those components of the
vehicle which do not dry quickly due to
lack of proper ventilation.
The most common causes of corrosion
to your vehicle are:
D The accumulation of road salt, dirt and
moisture in hard−to−reach areas under
the vehicle.
The above signifies the necessity to keep
your vehicle, particularly the underside, as
clean as possible and to repair any dam-
age to paint or protective coatings as
soon as possible.
D Wash the underside of the vehicle thor-
D Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
oughly when winter is over.
See “Washing and waxing your Toyota” on
page 415 in this Section for more tips.
To help prevent corrosion on your
Toyota, follow these guidelines:
Care is especially important if you live
in particular areas or operate your ve-
hicle under certain environmental condi-
tions:
Check the condition of your vehicle’s
paint and trim. If you find any chips or
scratches in the paint, touch them up im-
mediately to prevent corrosion from start-
ing. If the chips or scratches have gone
through the bare metal, have a qualified
body shop make the repair.
Wash your vehicle frequently. It is, of
course, necessary to keep your vehicle
clean by regular washing, but to prevent
corrosion, the following points should be
observed:
D Road salt or dust control chemicals will
accelerate corrosion, as will the pres-
ence of salt in the air near the sea−
coast or in areas of industrial pollution.
D If you drive on salted roads in the
winter or if you live near the ocean,
you should hose off the undercarriage
at least once a month to minimize cor-
rosion.
D High humidity accelerates corrosion es-
pecially when temperatures range just
above the freezing point.
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