Get Maintenanceandcare -> Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior Guide for Toyota Corolla 4 Door Eleventh generation (2013-2017)

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7-1. Maintenance and care

Cleaning and protec ting the vehicle

ex t erior

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.

●Vehicles with rear spoiler: In certain automatic car washes, the rear spoiler

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

being cleaned properly or result in damage to the rear spoiler.

■High pressure car washes

●Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of

the windows.

●Before using the car wash, check that the fuel filler door on your vehicle is

closed properly.

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7-1. Maintenance and care

■When using a car wash (vehicles with a smart key system)

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

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

lowing correction procedures to wash the vehicle:

●Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2 m) or more separate from the vehicle

while the vehicle is being washed. (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. 114)

■Aluminum wheels (if equipped)

●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use hard

brushes or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical clean-

ers.

Use the same mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.

●Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, for example after

driving for long distance in the hot weather.

●Wash detergent from the wheels immediately after use.

■Bumpers

Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.

CAUTION

■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 gasses cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.

7

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

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

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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.

■To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms

When lifting the wiper arms away from the windshield, pull the driver side

wiper arm upward first, and then the passenger side. When returning the

wipers to their original position, do so from the passenger side first.

COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12F00U)

Maintenanceandcare -> Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior for Your Toyota Corolla 4 Door Eleventh generation (2013-2017)

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