Get CORROSION PREVENTION AND APPEARANCE CARE Guide for Toyota Avalon 4 Door Second Generation (2000-2004)

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

SECTION

5

CORROSION PREVENTION AND

APPEARANCE CARE

Protecting your Toyota from corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256

Washing and waxing your Toyota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257

Cleaning the interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

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Protecting your Toyota from

corrosion

Toyota, through its diligent research, de-

sign and use of the most advanced

technology available, has done its part to

help prevent corrosion and has provided

you with the finest quality 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

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 them.

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.

of your vehicle for an extended period

of time, may cause corrosion even

though other parts of the vehicle may

be dry.

D High ambient temperatures can cause

corrosion to those components of the

vehicle which are prevented from

quick−drying due to lack of proper ven-

tilation.

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-

oughly when winter is over.

D Chipping of paint, or undercoating

caused by minor accidents or by

stones and gravel.

See “Washing and waxing your Toyota” for

more tips.

To help prevent corrosion on your

Toyota, follow these guidelines:

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.

Care is especially important if you live

in particular areas or operate your ve-

hicle under certain environmental condi-

tions:

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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Washing and waxing your

Toyota

Check the interior of your vehicle. Wa-

ter and dirt can accumulate under the

floor mats and could cause corrosion. Oc-

casionally check under the mats to make

sure the area is dry. Be particularly care-

ful when transporting chemicals, cleans-

ers, fertilizers, salt, etc.; these should be

transported in proper containers. If a spill

or leak should occur, immediately clean

and dry the area.

Washing your Toyota

1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re-

move any mud or road salt from the

underside of the vehicle or in the

wheel wells.

Keep your vehicle clean by regular

washing.

The following cases may cause weakness

to the paint or corrosion to the body and

parts. Wash your vehicle as soon as pos-

sible.

2. Wash with

a

mild car−wash soap,

mixed according to the manufacturer’s

instructions. Use a soft cotton mitt and

keep it wet by dipping it frequently into

the wash water. Do not rub hard—let

the soap and water remove the dirt.

D When driving in a coastal area

D When driving on a road sprinkled with

antifreeze

Use mud shields on your wheels. If you

drive on salted or gravel roads, mud

shields help protect your vehicle. Full−size

shields, which come as near to the ground

as possible, are the best. We recommend

that the fittings and the area where the

shields are installed be treated to resist

corrosion. Your Toyota dealer will be

happy to assist in supplying and installing

the shields if they are recommended for

your area.

Plastic wheel ornaments: The plastic

wheel ornaments are damaged easily by

organic substances. If any organic sub-

stances splashes an ornament, be sure to

wash it off with water and check if the

ornament is damaged.

D When having coal tar, tree sap, bird

droppings and carcass of an insect

D When driving in the areas where there

is a lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron dust

and chemical substance

D When the vehicle becomes remarkably

dirty with dust and mud

CAUTION

Hand−washing your Toyota

Do not attach the heavily damaged

plastic wheel ornament. It may fly off

the wheel and cause accidents while

the vehicle is moving.

Work in the shade and wait until the

vehicle body is not hot to the touch.

Keep your vehicle in a well ventilated

garage or a roofed place. Do not park

your vehicle in a damp, poorly venti-

lated garage. If you wash your vehicle in

the garage, or if you drive it in covered

with water or snow, your garage may be

so damp it will cause corrosion. Even if

your garage is heated, a wet vehicle can

corrode if the ventilation is poor.

CAUTION

Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap

or neutral detergent.

When cleaning under floor or chassis,

be careful not to injure your hands.

Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not

scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper

faces are soft.

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Cleaning the interior

Road tar: Remove with turpentine or

cleaners that are marked safe for painted

surfaces.

Waxing your Toyota

CAUTION

Polishing and waxing is recommended

to maintain the original beauty of your

Toyota’s finish.

D Be careful not to splash water or

spill liquid on the floor. This may

prevent the side airbags from acti-

vating correctly, resulting in serious

injury.

NOTICE

Once a month or if the vehicle surface

does not repel water well, apply wax.

Do not use organic substances (gaso-

line, kerosene, benzine or strong sol-

vents), which may be toxic or cause

damage.

1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-

fore you begin waxing, even if you are

using a combined cleaner and wax.

D Do not wash the vehicle floor with

water, or allow water to get onto

the floor when cleaning the vehicle

interior or exterior. Water may get

into audio components or other

electrical components above or un-

der the floor carpet (or mat) and

2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If

the finish has become extremely weath-

3. Rinse

thoroughly—dried

soap

can

cause streaking. In hot weather you

may need to rinse each section right

after you wash it.

ered, use

a

car−cleaning polish, fol-

lowed by a separate wax. Carefully fol-

low the manufacturer’s instructions and

precautions. Be sure to polish and wax

the chrome trim as well as the paint.

cause malfunction; and it may

cause body corrosion.

a

4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle

using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not

rub or press hard—you might scratch

the paint.

3. Wax the vehicle again when water

does not bead but remains on the sur-

face in large patches.

Vinyl interior

Automatic car wash

The vinyl upholstery may be easily

cleaned with a mild soap or detergent

and water.

Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-

matic car wash, but remember that the

paint can be scratched by some type of

brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the

washing process itself. Scratching reduces

paint durability and gloss, especially on

darker colors. The manager of the car

wash should be able to advise you wheth-

er the process is safe for the paint on

your vehicle.

NOTICE

Always remove the plastic bumpers if

your vehicle is re−painted and placed

in a high heat paint waxing booth.

High temperatures could damage the

bumpers.

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First vacuum over the upholstery to re-

move loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or

soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the

vinyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few

minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt

and wipe off the soap with a clean damp

cloth. If all the dirt do not come off, re-

peat the procedure. Commercial foaming−

type vinyl cleaners are also available

which work well. Follow the manufacturer’s

instructions.

Do not apply water—the best results are

Air conditioning control panel, car au-

dio, instrument panel, console panel,

and switches

obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as

possible. Read the shampoo instructions

and follow them closely.

Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.

Seat belts

Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-

warm water then lightly wipe off dirt.

The seat belts may be cleaned with

mild soap and water or with lukewarm

water.

NOTICE

Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-

ing, check the belts for excessive wear,

fraying, or cuts.

z Do not use organic substances (sol-

vents, kerosene, alcohol, gasoline,

etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.

These chemicals can cause discol-

oring, staining or peeling of the

surface.

NOTICE

Do not use solvent, thinner, gasoline

or window cleaner on the interior.

z Do not use dye or bleach on the

belts—it may weaken them.

z If you use cleaners or polishing

agents, make sure their ingredients

do not include the substances men-

tioned above.

Carpets

z Do not use the belts until they be-

come dry.

Use

clean the carpets.

a

good foam−type shampoo to

z If you use a liquid car freshener, do

not spill the liquid onto the ve-

hicle’s interior surfaces. It may con-

Windows

Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to remove

as much dirt as possible. Several types of

foam cleaners are available; some are in

aerosol cans and others are powders or

liquids which you mix with water to pro-

duce a foam. To shampoo the carpets,

use a sponge or brush to apply the foam.

Rub in overlapping circles.

The windows may be cleaned with any

household window cleaner.

tain

the

ingredients mentioned

above. Immediately clean any spill

using the method mentioned above.

NOTICE

When cleaning the inside of the rear

window, be careful not to scratch or

damage the heater wires or connec-

tors.

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Leather Interior

z Mildew may develop on soiled leath-

The leather upholstery may be cleaned

with neutral detergent for wool.

er upholstery. Be especially careful

to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your

upholstery always clean.

Remove dirt using a soft cloth dampened

with 5% solution of neutral detergent for

wool. Then thoroughly wipe off all traces

of detergent with a clean damp cloth.

z Long exposure to direct sunlight

may cause the leather surface to

harden and shrink. Keep your ve-

hicle in a shaded area, especially in

the summer.

After cleaning or whenever any part of the

leather gets wet, dry with a soft clean

cloth. Allow the leather to dry in a venti-

lated shaded area.

z The interior of your vehicle is apt

to heat up on hot summer days, so

avoid placing on the upholstery

items made of vinyl or plastic or

containing wax as these tend to

stick to leather when warm.

NOTICE

z If a stain should fail to come out

a

with

a

neutral detergent, apply

cleaner that does not contain an

organic solvent.

z Improper cleaning of the leather up-

holstery could result in discolor-

ation or staining.

z Never use organic substances such

as benzine, alcohol or gasoline, or

alkaline or acid solutions for clean-

If you have any questions about the

cleaning of your Toyota, your local

Toyota dealer will be pleased to answer

them.

ing

could cause discoloring.

the

leather

as

these

z Use of a nylon brush or synthetic

fiber cloth, etc. may scratch the

fine grained surface of the leather.

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CORROSION PREVENTION AND APPEARANCE CARE for Your Toyota Avalon 4 Door Second Generation (2000-2004)

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