Get Protection against corrosion and appearance care Guide for Toyota Avensis 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2009)

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PROTECTION AGAINST CORROSION AND CARE OF APPEARANCE

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Chapter 5

PROTECTION AGAINST CORROSION

AND CARE OF APPEARANCE

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• Protecting your Toyota from corrosion. . .

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. 347

. 349

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• Washing and waxing your Toyota.

• Interior cleaning. .

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Protecting your Toyota from corrosion

Toyota, through its constant research, design and use of

the most advanced technologies available, manufactures

its parts to help prevent corrosion and provide you with

the best quality vehicle construction. Now it's up to you.

Taking proper care of your Toyota can help ensure long-

term corrosion resistance.

Observe the following guidelines for corrosion

prevention:

Wash the vehicle often. It is naturally necessary to keep

your vehicle clean by washing it regularly, but to protect

against corrosion you should follow these guidelines:

• If you drive on salted roads in winter or if you live in

coastal areas, you should wash the chassis at least

once a month to minimize corrosion.

The most common causes of corrosion in your

vehicle are:

• Accumulation of road salt, dirt and moisture in hard-to-

reach places under the vehicle.

• High water or steam pressure is effective for washing

the chassis and inner parts of fenders or cavities.

Pay special attention to these areas, as mud and dirt

• Peeling of paint or base paint, caused by a small

accident or pebbles or gravel.

are not visible in these areas. Wet, unremoved mud

can cause vehicle corrosion.

Care is especially important if you live in specific

areas or drive in certain climates:

The lower edges of the doors, sills and skirtings have

cavities in which dirt and moisture can settle, causing

corrosion.

• Always wash the entire vehicle chassis at the end of

• Road salt or dust saturated with chemicals will

accelerate corrosion, as will salt-saturated air in

coastal areas or areas with industrial pollution.

winter.

For more information - see "Washing and waxing your

Toyota" on page 347.

Check the condition of your vehicle's paintwork and moldings.

If you find any paint chips or scratches, repair them

immediately to prevent corrosion. If the sheet metal is

affected by corrosion from scratches or otherwise

damaged paintwork, have the vehicle repaired at a

professional paint shop.

• High humidity accelerates corrosion, especially at

temperatures slightly above freezing.

• Some parts of the car are exposed to wet or damp for

a long time. Corrosion can then occur even though

other parts of the vehicle are dry.

Check the interior of your vehicle. Water and dirt can

collect in areas under the floor mats and cause corrosion.

Check these areas occasionally to make sure they are

dry. Be careful when transporting chemicals, cleaning

agents, fertilizers, salts, etc. Such materials must only be

transported in suitable packaging. Clean and dry the

affected areas immediately if chemicals get on the

surface of any part of the interior.

• High ambient temperatures cause corrosion of those

parts of the vehicle that cannot be dried quickly due

to insufficient ventilation.

The above information indicates the need to keep the

vehicle, and especially its chassis, clean. Even repairs to

damaged paint or protective layer must be carried out as

soon as possible.

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Washing and waxing your Toyota

Use dirt traps on wheels. If your vehicle is operated

Washing your Toyota

on salted or gravel roads, dirt traps help protect it.

The best protection is provided by traps that reach as

low as possible to the ground. We recommend that

the places where they are attached be treated against

corrosion. Your authorized Toyota dealer or service

center, or another properly qualified and equipped

professional, will advise you on the selection and

installation of arresters, if their use is recommended in

your area.

Keep your vehicle clean by washing it regularly.

In the following cases, the condition of the paintwork may

deteriorate or corrosion of the bodywork or its parts may

occur. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.

• When the vehicle is operated in the seaside

area

• When you drive the car on chemically

sprinkled roads

Park your vehicle in a ventilated garage or under

a roof. Do not park the vehicle in a damp and

poorly ventilated garage. If you wash your vehicle in

a garage or drive it in wet or snowy conditions, there

will be considerable moisture in the garage, which will

cause it to corrode. Even if your garage is heated, a

wet vehicle can begin to corrode if the garage is poorly

ventilated.

• When there are deposits of asphalt, sap from trees,

bird droppings and insects on the car

• When driving in areas where there is a lot

of smoke, soot, dust, metal and chemical

substances

• When the car is heavily soiled with dust and mud

Hand washing your Toyota

Wash the vehicle in the shade and if the surface is

hot, wait for it to cool down.

WARNING

• When washing the vehicle under the

floor or chassis, be careful not to

injure your hands.

• Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipe

to be quite hot. When washing the

vehicle, be careful not to touch the

pipe until it has cooled sufficiently, as

you could burn yourself.

1. Rinse off dirt with a hose. Remove any mud or salt

from the underside of the vehicle or wheel rims.

2. Wash the vehicle with a mild car shampoo diluted

according to the manufacturer's instructions. Use

a soft cotton cloth and soak it often in water.

Always remove dirt with detergent and water, not

mechanically.

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Plastic wheel covers: These can be easily damaged

by organic substances. If such substances are present

on the housing, make sure that they are washed off

with water and that the housing is not damaged.

Washing in an automatic washing line

Your vehicle can be washed in an automatic washing

line, but remember that the paint can be scratched by

some types of brushes, dirty water or the washing process

itself. Scratches will reduce the durability of the paint and

the gloss, especially in darker shades of paint. The car

wash operator should advise you if the wash method is

safe for your vehicle's paintwork.

Alloy wheels: Use only a mild soap solution or neutral

detergent.

Plastic bumpers: Wash them carefully.

Do not use abrasive cleaners for cleaning.

The bumper surface is soft.

Waxing your Toyota

Exterior lights: Wash them carefully. Do not use organic

substances or clean them with a rough brush. This could

damage the surface of the lights.

We recommend that you polish and wax the body

surface to maintain the original appearance of your

vehicle.

Asphalt from the road: Remove it with turpentine or

cleaners labeled as safe for use on painted surfaces.

Apply the wax once a month or when the surface of the

car does not repel water well.

1. Even if you use a combined cleaner and wax, always

wash and dry the vehicle first.

3. Rinse the entire vehicle - dried detergent can cause

streaks. In hot weather, rinse every part of the car

immediately after washing it.

2. Use quality polish and wax. If the surface becomes

extremely faded, apply a cleaning polish and then a

separate wax. Carefully follow the manufacturer's

instructions and safety instructions. Chrome bars and

vehicle paint need to be polished and waxed.

4. To prevent stains, dry the vehicle with a soft cotton

cloth. Do not press too hard - you can scratch the

paint.

3. If the water on the surface does not form drops or if

large spots of water remain on the surface of the body,

NOTICE

u Do not use organic substances (gasoline,

kerosene, or strong solvents) that can be toxic or

cause damage.

wax the vehicle

again.

Exterior lights: Do not apply wax to the surface of the

lights. Wax can cause damage to world-lomets. If you

accidentally get wax on the surface of the lights, wipe it

u Do not clean any part of the vehicle with a rough

brush, which can cause damage.

off or wash it off.

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Interior cleaning

WARNING

Small paint repair

The repair of small scratched and peeling paint

particles can be done with a brush.

• Vehicles with side airbags and

vehicles with side and window airbags:

Repair as soon as possible to prevent corrosion. Use a

soft brush and mix the paint well. Check that the repair

area is dry and clean. This paint repair is difficult, as it is

necessary to repaint only the damaged area. Apply as

little paint as possible and do not repaint around the

scratched or peeling area.

Be careful not to get water or other liquid on

the floor. This could prevent the side airbags or

the side and window airbags from deploying

properly, resulting in serious injury.

• Do not wash the floor of the vehicle with water or

ensure that water does not get on the floor when

cleaning the interior or exterior of the vehicle.

Water could thus penetrate parts of the audio

system or other electrical equipment above or

below the carpet (or mat) and cause a

malfunction. It can also cause bodywork

corrosion.

Overlap tapes

You can use masking tape to cover scratched and

peeling paintwork.

Carry out the repair as soon as possible after discovering

the damage.

1. Clean the surface of the scratched and peeling areas

of the paint with a clean cloth soaked in technical

alcohol. Remove rust and deep scratches with P1200

or finer sandpaper.

Vinyl interior

Vinyl upholstery can be easily cleaned with a mild

soap solution or detergent and water.

2. Choose a tape of suitable size and stick it to the

affected part of the body paint.

First, remove dirt from the upholstery with a vacuum

cleaner. Then use a sponge or soft cloth to apply the

soapy solution to the vinyl. After a while, remove the

dirt and dry the soap with a clean cloth. If all impurities

are not released, repeat the procedure. You can also

use commercially available foam vinyl cleaners. Follow

the product manufacturer's instructions.

3. Make sure you remove any blisters from the center to

the edge.

NOTICE

u In order for the tape to adhere well, do not touch

the adhesive surface.

u After sticking, do not wax or wash the vehicle

for 24 hours.

NOTICE

Do not use solvents, thinners, benzine or window

cleaners when cleaning the interior.

u Avoid exposing unused tape to direct sunlight.

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Carpets

Air conditioning control panel, audio system,

instrument panel, console panel and switches

Use a quality foaming shampoo to clean carpets.

Use a soft, damp cloth for cleaning.

First, vacuum as much dirt as possible from the carpets.

There are several types of foam cleaners, some in

aerosol, others in powder or liquid form, which can

dissolve in water to form a foam. Use a sponge or brush

to apply the shampoo to the carpet. Clean them in

overlapping circles.

Soak a soft and clean cloth in water or lukewarm water

and then gently wipe away the dirt.

NOTICE

u Never use organic substances (solvents,

kerosene, alcohol, gasoline, etc.) or alkaline and

acid solutions. Such chemicals can cause

discoloration, staining or peeling of the surface.

Do not use water, as it is best to leave the

carpet as dry as possible. Read the product

manufacturer's instructions and follow them carefully.

u When using cleaning or polishing agents,

make sure that they do not contain the

above-mentioned substances.

Seat belts

Seat belts can be cleaned with mild soap and water

or lukewarm water.

u If you use liquid air fresheners, do not spill them

on the surface of the vehicle's interior, as they

may contain the above-mentioned ingredients.

Clean up any spilled drops immediately as above.

Use a cloth or sponge. When washing, check the belts

for excessive wear, abrasions or tears.

NOTICE

Leather interior

u Do not use bleach or dye on seat belts. These

could weaken them.

You can clean the leather upholstery with a neutral

detergent for wool.

Remove the dirt with a soft cloth soaked in a 5% solution

of neutral wool cleaner, then thoroughly clean all

detergent residues with a clean, damp cloth.

u Do not use seat belts,

if they are not dry.

Windows

After cleaning or when any part of the leather is wet, dry

it with a clean, soft cloth.

You can clean the windows with various household

window cleaners.

Let the leather dry in a ventilated place in the shade.

NOTICE

u When cleaning the inner surface of the windshield,

do not apply cleaning agents or soak the

automatic wiper control sensor.

u When cleaning the inner surface of the rear

window, be careful not to scratch or damage the

heating wires or connectors.

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NOTICE

u When stains cannot be removed using

a neutral cleaner, use cleaning agents

that do not contain organic solvents.

u Never use organic substances, such

as alcohol or gasoline, or alkaline and

acid solutions, as these may cause a

change in the color shade.

u Using a nylon brush or cloth made of

synthetic fibers, etc., may scratch the

fine grain surface of the leather.

u Mold can form on a contaminated

leather surface. Be extra careful to

avoid greasy spots. Always keep the

upholstery clean.

u Prolonged exposure of leather parts to

direct sunlight can cause the leather

to harden and crack.

Keep the vehicle in the shade, especially in

summer.

u The interior of your vehicle heats up

easily, especially on warm summer

days, so avoid placing objects made

of vinyl, plastic or objects containing

waxes on the upholstery. These could

stick to warm skin.

u Improper cleaning of leather upholstery can lead

to discoloration or stains.

If you have any questions about cleaning the

interior of your vehicle, any authorized Toyota

dealer or workshop, or other properly qualified

and equipped professional, will be happy to

answer them.

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Protection against corrosion and appearance care for Your Toyota Avensis 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2009)

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