Get Maintenance and care -> Maintenance and care Guide for Toyota 4 Runner SUV Fifth Generation (2010-2024)

396

6-1. Maintenance and care

Cleaning and protecting the vehicle

exterior

Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in

prime condition:

● Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle

body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any dirt

and dust.

● Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a

chamois.

● For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thoroughly

with water.

● Wipe away any water.

● Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.

If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle

body is cool.

■Automatic car washes

●Fold the mirrors before washing the vehicle. Start washing from the front of

the vehicle. Make sure to extend the mirrors before driving.

●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface,

parts (wheel, etc.) and harm your vehicle’s paint.

●In certain automatic car washes, the roof antenna (if equipped) or rear

spoiler may interfere with machine operation. This may prevent the vehicle

from being cleaned properly or result in damage to the antenna or rear

spoiler.

■High pressure car washes

As water may enter the cabin, do not bring the nozzle tip near the gaps

around the doors or perimeter of the windows, or spray these areas continu-

ously.

4RUNNER (U)

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6-1. Maintenance and care

■Wheels and wheel ornaments

●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent.

●Wash detergent off with water immediately after use.

●To protect the paint from damage, make sure to observe the following pre-

cautions.

• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent

• Do not use hard brushes

• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such as after driv-

ing or parking in hot weather

■Brake pads and calipers

Rust may form if the vehicle is parked with wet brake pads or disc rotors,

causing them to stick. Before parking the vehicle after it is washed, drive

slowly and apply the brakes several times to dry the parts.

■Bumpers and side moldings

Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.

■Plated portions

If dirt cannot be remove, clean the parts as follows:

●Use a soft cloth dampened with an approximately 5% solution of neutral

detergent and water to clean the dirt off.

●Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining moisture.

●To remove oily deposits, use alcohol wet wipes or a similar product.

■Notes for a smart key system

6

If the door handle becomes wet while the electronic key is within the effective

range, the door may lock and unlock repeatedly. In this case, follow the fol-

lowing correction procedures to wash the vehicle:

• Place the electronic key in a location 6 ft. (2 m) or more away from the vehi-

cle. (Take care to ensure that the key is not stolen.)

• Set the electronic key to battery-saving mode to disable the smart key sys-

tem. (P. 116)

WARNING

■When washing the vehicle

Do not apply water to the inside of the engine compartment. Doing so may

cause the electrical components etc. to catch fire.

■Precautions regarding the exhaust pipe

Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.

When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe until it has

cooled sufficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.

4RUNNER (U)

398

6-1. Maintenance and care

NOTICE

■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and compo-

nents (aluminum wheels etc.)

●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:

• After driving near the sea coast

• After driving on salted roads

• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the paint surface

• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on the

paint surface

• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust,

iron powder or chemical substances

• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud

• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface

●If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.

●To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place

with low humidity when storing the wheels.

■Cleaning the exterior lights

●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.

This may damage the surfaces of the lights.

●Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.

Wax may cause damage to the lenses.

4RUNNER (U)

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6-1. Maintenance and care

NOTICE

■When using a high pressure car wash

●Vehicles with rear view monitor system: When washing the vehicle, do not

apply intensive bursts of water to the camera or camera area. Doing so

may result in the camera malfunctioning.

●Do not spray water directly on the radar which is equipped behind the

emblem. Otherwise it may cause the device to be damaged.

●Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin manufactured

cover), connectors or the following parts. The parts may be damaged if

they come into contact with high-pressure water.

• Traction related parts

• Steering parts

• Suspension parts

• Brake parts

●Keep the cleaning nozzle at least 11.9 in. (30 cm) away from the vehicle

body. Otherwise resin section, such as moldings and bumpers, may be

deformed and damaged. Also, do not continuously hold the nozzle in the

same place.

●Do not spray the lower part of the windshield continuously. If water enters

the air conditioning system intake located near the lower part of the wind-

shield, the air conditioning system may not operate correctly.

●Do not wash the underside of the vehicle using a high pressure car

washer.

6

4RUNNER (U)

400

6-1. Maintenance and care

Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior

The following procedures will help protect your vehicle’s interior

and keep it in top condition:

Protecting the vehicle interior

● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surfaces

with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.

● If dirt cannot be removed, wipe it off with a soft cloth dampened with

neutral detergent diluted to approximately 1%.

Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe off

remaining traces of detergent and water.

Cleaning the leather areas

● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.

● Wipe off any excess dirt and dust with a soft cloth dampened with

diluted detergent.

Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool detergent.

● Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe off

all remaining traces of detergent.

● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining

moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded and ventilated area.

Cleaning the synthetic leather areas

● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.

● Wipe it off with a soft cloth dampened with neutral detergent diluted

to approximately 1%.

● Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe off

remaining traces of detergent and water.

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6-1. Maintenance and care

■Caring for leather areas

Toyota recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year to

maintain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.

■Shampooing the carpets

There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a sponge

or brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not use water.

Wipe dirty surfaces and let them dry. Excellent results are obtained by keep-

ing the carpet as dry as possible.

■Seat belts

Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also

check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.

WARNING

■Water in the vehicle

●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle.

Doing so may cause electrical components etc. to malfunction or catch

fire.

●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.

(P. 38)

An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function

properly, resulting in death or serious injury.

■Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)

6

Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect

off the windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading to an accident,

resulting in death or serious injury.

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6-1. Maintenance and care

NOTICE

■Cleaning detergents

●Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discolor the vehi-

cle interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces:

• Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzene or gasoline,

alkaline or acidic solutions, dye, and bleach

• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, and alco-

hol

●Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel’s or other

interior part’s painted surface may be damaged.

■Preventing damage to leather surfaces

Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of

leather surfaces:

●Remove any dust or dirt from leather surfaces immediately.

●Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

Park the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.

●Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or containing wax on the uphol-

stery, as they may stick to the leather surface if the vehicle interior heats

up significantly.

■Water on the floor

Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.

Vehicle systems such as the audio system may be damaged if water comes

into contact with electrical components such as the audio system above or

under the floor of the vehicle. Water may also cause the body to rust.

■When cleaning the inside of the windshield

Do not allow glass cleaner to contact the lens. Also, do not touch the lens.

(P. 233)

■Cleaning the inside of the rear quarter windows and back window

●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear quarter windows and back win-

dow, as this may cause damage to the rear window defogger heater wires

or antenna. Use a cloth dampened with lukewarm water to gently wipe the

window clean. Wipe the window in strokes running parallel to the heater

wires or antenna.

●Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.

4RUNNER (U)

Maintenance and care -> Maintenance and care for Your Toyota 4 Runner SUV Fifth Generation (2010-2024)

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