Get Corrosion Prevention and Appearance Care Guide for Toyota Celica 2 Door Sixth Generation (1993-1999)

CELICA

U

Protecting your Toyota from

corrosion

Part 5

CORROSION

PREVENTION AND

APPEARANCE CARE

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

of your vehicle for an extended period

of time, may cause corrosion even

though other parts of the vehicle may

be dry.

D High temperatures will cause corrosion

to those components of the vehicle

which are prevented from quick−drying

due to lack of proper ventilation.

D Protecting your Toyota from

The most common causes of corrosion

to your vehicle are:

corrosion

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 Washing and waxing your Toyota

D Cleaning the interior

D The accumulation of road salt, dirt and

moisture in hard−to−reach areas under

the vehicle.

D Chipping of paint, or undercoating

caused by minor accidents or by

stones and gravel.

To help prevent corrosion on your

Toyota, follow these guidelines:

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:

Care is especially important if you live

in particular areas or operate your ve-

hicle under certain environmental condi-

tions:

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.

153

CELICA

U

Washing and waxing your

Toyota

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.

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

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.

D When driving in a coastal area

D When driving on a road sprinkled with

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.

antifreeze

D When having stuck of coal tar, tree

sap, bird droppings and carcass of an

insect

D Wash the underside of the vehicle thor-

oughly when winter is over.

See ”Washing and waxing your Toyota” for

more tips.

D When driving in the areas where there

are a lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron

dust and chemical substance

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.

D When the vehicle becomes remarkably

dirty with dust and mud

Hand−washing your Toyota

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.

Work in the shade and wait until the

vehicle body is not hot to the touch.

CAUTION

When cleaning under floor or chassis,

be careful not to injure your hands

154

CELICA

U

Convertible models—For washing instruc-

tions for the convertible top, see ”Convert-

ible top”.

Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap

or neutral detergent.

Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not

scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper

faces are soft.

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.

Road tar: Remove with turpentine or

cleaners that are marked safe for painted

surfaces.

NOTICE

Do not use gasoline or strong sol-

vents, which may be toxic or cause

damage.

Convertible models: Spray water on the

side windows or top seals from above, at

a 45_ angle to the ground.

3. Rinse

thoroughly—dried

soap

can

cause streaking. In hot weather you

may need to rinse each section right

after you wash it.

NOTICE

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.

Convertible models:

Do not spray water at side windows

and top seals in a way which may

cause water to enter the vehicle.

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.

155

CELICA

U

Automatic car wash

2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If

the finish has become extremely weath-

If further cleaning is required after using

soap and water, a mild foaming cleaner

can be used. First, rinse the top, then use

a mild foaming cleaner on the entire top.

Scrub with a small soft bristle handbrush.

Add water as needed until the cleaner

Coupe and liftback models may be

washed in an automatic car wash, but

remember that the paint can be scratched

by some type of brushes, unfiltered wash-

ing 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 whether the process is safe

for the paint on your vehicle.

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.

gets soapy. Use

a

cloth or sponge to

remove dirt so it will not be ground into

the top. Be careful to keep any cleaner

from drying on the body paint as it may

cause streaks.

3. Wax the vehicle again when water

does not bead but remains on the sur-

face in large patches.

NOTICE

After the top has been cleaned, rinse ve-

hicle with clean water to remove all traces

of cleaner.

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.

Convertible models:

After cleaning, always make sure the top

is completely dry before your lowered it.

Lowering the top while wet or damp may

cause interior water damage, water stains

or mildew of the top material.

Do

not

run

convertible models

through automatic car washes or pos-

sible damage to the convertible top

may result.

Convertible top

Waxing your Toyota

Wash using mild soap suds, lukewarm wa-

ter and a sponge.

Polishing and waxing is recommended

to maintain the original beauty of your

Toyota’s finish.

NOTICE

Do not use harsh or abrasive cleaners

or bleaching agents on the top mate-

rial or damage may result.

Once a month or if the vehicle does not

repel water well, apply wax.

1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-

fore you begin waxing, even if you are

using a combined cleaner and wax.

156

CELICA

U

Cleaning the interior

NOTICE

CAUTION

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.

Do not wash the vehicle floor with

water, or allow water to get onto the

floor when cleaning the vehicle interi-

or or exterior. Water may get into

audio components or other electrical

components above or under the floor

carpet (or mat) and cause a malfunc-

tion; and it may cause body corro-

sion.

z Do not use the belts until they be-

come dry.

Carpets

Use

a

good foam−type shampoo to

clean the carpets.

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.

NOTICE

Vinyl interior

When cleaning the inside of the win-

dows, be careful not to scratch or

damage the heater wires on the rear

window.

The vinyl upholstery may be easily

cleaned with a mild soap or detergent

and water.

Do not apply water—the best results are

obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as

possible. Read the shampoo instructions

and follow them closely.

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.

Air conditioning control panel, car au-

dio, instrument panel, console panel,

and switches

Seat belts

Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.

The seat belts may be cleaned with

mild soap and water or with lukewarm

water.

Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-

warm water then lightly wipe off dirt.

Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-

ing, check the belts for excessive wear,

fraying, or cuts.

157

CELICA

U

NOTICE

z Improper cleaning of the leather up-

holstery could result in discolor-

ation or staining.

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.

z If a stain should fail to come out

with

a

neutral detergent, apply

cleaner that does not contain an

organic solvent.

a

If you have any questions about the

cleaning of your Toyota, your local

Toyota dealer will be pleased to answer

them.

z Never use organic substances such

as benzine, alcohol or gasoline or

alkaline or acid solutions for clean-

ing the leather as these could

cause discoloring.

z If you use cleaners or polishing

agents, make sure their ingredients

do not include the substances men-

tioned above.

z Use of a nylon brush or synthetic

fiber cloth, etc. may scratch the

fine grained surface of the leather.

z If you use a liquid car freshener, do

not spill the liquid onto the ve-

hicle’s interior surfaces. It may con-

ingredients mentioned

above. Immediately clean any spill

using the method mentioned above.

z Mildew may develop on soiled leath-

er upholstery. Be especially careful

to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your

upholstery always clean.

tain

the

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.

Leather Interior

The leather upholstery may be cleaned

with neutral detergent for wool.

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 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.

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.

158

Corrosion Prevention and Appearance Care for Your Toyota Celica 2 Door Sixth Generation (1993-1999)

Related Topics

Popular Owner Manuals

Latest Owner Manuals