Washing and waxing your Toyota

Corrosion prevention and appearance care / Washing and waxing your Toyota

Your Toyota is a hybrid vehicle. Payparticular attention when washing yourToyota.

NOTICE

Before washing your Toyota, be sureto observe the following in order toavoid the risk of damage to your vehicle.

Do not splash water on the electriccomponents in the engine compartment.This may cause the malfunctionof the electric components.

Washing your Toyota

Keep your vehicle clean by regularwashing.

The following cases may cause weaknessto the paint or corrosion to the body andparts. Wash your vehicle as soon as possible.

• When driving in a coastal area
• When driving on a road sprinkled withantifreeze
• When exposed to coal tar, tree sap,bird droppings and carcass of an insect
• When driving in areas where there isa lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron dust orchemical substances
• When the vehicle becomes remarkablydirty with dust and mud

Hand−washing your Toyota

Work in the shade and wait until thevehicle body is not warm to the touch.

CAUTION

When cleaning under floor or chassis,be careful not to injure yourhands.

Exhaust gasses cause the exhaustpipe to become quite hot. Whenwashing the vehicle, be careful notto touch the pipe until it has cooledsufficiently, as touching a hot exhaustpipe can cause burns.

1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Removeany mud or road salt from theunderside of the vehicle or the wheelwells.

2. Wash with a mild car−wash soap,mixed according to the manufacturer’sinstructions. Use a soft cotton mitt andkeep it wet by dipping it frequently intothe wash water. Do not rub hard—letthe soap and water remove the dirt.

Plastic wheel ornaments: The plasticwheel ornaments are damaged easily byorganic substances. If any organic substancessplash an ornament, be sure towash them off with water and check if theornament is damaged.

Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soapor neutral detergent.

Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do notscrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumperfaces are soft.

Exterior lights: Wash carefully. Do notuse organic substances or scrub themwith a hard brush. This may damage thesurfaces of the lights.

Road tar: Remove with turpentine orcleaners that are marked safe for paintedsurfaces.

3. Rinse thoroughly—dried soap cancause streaking. In hot weather youmay need to rinse each section rightafter you wash it.

4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicleusing a clean soft cotton towel. Do notrub or press hard—you might scratchthe paint.

NOTICE

Do not use organic substances(gasoline kerosene, benzine orstrong solvents) which may be toxicor cause damage.

Do not scrub any part of the vehiclewith a hard brush, which maycause damage.

Automatic car wash

Your vehicle may be washed in an automaticcar wash, but remember that thepaint can be scratched by some types ofbrushes, unfiltered washing water, or thewashing process itself. Scratching reducespaint durability and gloss, especially ondarker colors. The manager of the carwash should be able to advise you whetherthe process is safe for the paint onyour vehicle.

NOTICE

To prevent damage to the antenna,make sure to remove it before drivingthrough an automatic car wash.

Waxing your Toyota

Polishing and waxing is recommendedto maintain the original beauty of yourToyota’s finish.

Apply wax once a month or if the vehiclesurface does not repel water well.

1. Always wash and dry the vehicle beforeyou begin waxing, even if you areusing a combined cleaner and wax.

2. Use a good quality polish and wax. Ifthe finish has become extremely weathered,use a car−cleaning polish, followedby a separate wax. Carefully followthe manufacturer’s instructions andprecautions. Be sure to polish and waxthe chrome trim as well as the paint.

Exterior lights: Do not apply wax on thesurfaces of the lights. Wax may causedamage to the lenses. If you accidentallyput wax on the light surfaces, wipe orwash it off.

3. Wax the vehicle again when waterdoes not bead but remains on the surfacein large patches.