Get Maintenance and care -> Maintenance and care Guide for Toyota Avanza SUV Second Generation (2012-2021)

208

7-1. 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 and

harm your vehicle’s paint.

●Rear spoiler (if equipped) may not be washable in some automatic car

washes. There may also be an increased risk of damage to vehicle.

■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.

209

7-1. Maintenance and care

■Aluminum wheels (if equipped)

●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

■Bumpers

Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.

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 they have

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

■Precautions regarding the headlight lens

Do not touch the headlight lens when turning on the light and immediately

after turning off the light. The headlight lens become hot and may cause

burns.

7

210

7-1. 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.

■When using a high pressure car wash

●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 30 cm (11.9 in.) 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 windshield, the air conditioning system may not operate cor-

rectly.

■When standing the windshield wipers up

Raise the windshield wiper on the driver side first. Conversely, when return-

ing the wipers to their original positions, fold down the wiper on the front

passenger side first. Failure to do so may result in damage to the wipers.

211

7-1. 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.

7

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.

212

7-1. 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. 39)

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)

Do not use a 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.

213

7-1. 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 a 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.

■Cleaning the inside of the rear window (vehicles with a rear window

defogger)

7

●Do not use a glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause

damage to the rear window defogger heater wires. Use a cloth dampened

with lukewarm water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe the window in

strokes running parallel to the heater wires.

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

Maintenance and care -> Maintenance and care for Your Toyota Avanza SUV Second Generation (2012-2021)

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