11 9
Washing your Toyota by hand
Work in the shade and wait until the ve-
hicle body is not hot to the touch.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re- move any mud or road salt from the un-
derside of the vehicle or in the wheel wells.
2. Wash with a mild car-wash soap, mixed
according to the manufacturer's in-
structions. Use a soft cotton mitt and keep it wet by dipping it frequently into the wash
water. Do not rub hardÐlet the soap and water remove the dirt. Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap or
neutral detergent.
Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not scrub w ith abrasive cleaners. The bumper
faces are soft.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted surfaces.
Do not use gasoline or strong
solvents, which may be toxic or
cause damage.
NOTICE
3. Rinse thoroughlyÐdried soap can
cause streaking. In hot weather you may need to rinse each section right after youwash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not rub
or press hardÐyou might scratch the paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching re- duces paint durability and gloss, especial-
ly 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. Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommend-
ed to maintain the original beauty of
your Toyota's finish.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-
fore
you begin waxing, even if you are us-
ing a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a car-cleaning polish, followed
by a separate wax. Carefully follow the
manufacturer 's instructions and precau-
tions. Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water
does not bead but remains on the surface
in large patches.
Always remove the plastic bumpers
if your vehicle is re-painted and
placed in a high heat paint waxingbooth. High temperatures could damage the bumpers.
NOTICE
Washing and waxing your
Toyota
132
If you perform maintenance by your-
self, be sure to follow the correct pro- cedure given in this part.
You should be aware that improper or in- complete servicing may result in operat-
ing problems.
Performing do-it-yourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect your warranty coverage. Read the sepa-
rate Toyota Warranty statement for details
and suggestions.
This part gives instructions only for those
items that are relatively easy for an owner
to perform. As explained in Part 6, there
are still a number of items that must be
done by a qualified technician with special
tools.
For information on tools and parts for do-
it-yourself maintenance, see Parts andtoolsº.
Utmost care should be taken when work-
ing on your vehicle to prevent accidental
injury. Here are a few pr ecautions that you
should be especially careful to observe:
When the engine is running, keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from the moving fan and engine
drive belts. (Removing rings,
watches, and ties is advisable.)
Right after driving, the engine
compartmentÐthe engine, radia-
tor, exhaust manifold, power steer-
ing fluid reservoir and spark plug
boots, etc.Ðwill be hot. So be care-
ful not to touch them. Oil, fluids
and spark plugs may also be hot.
If the engine is hot, do not remove
the radiator cap or loosen the drain
plugs to prevent burning yourself.
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames around fuel or the
battery. Their fumes are flammable.
Be extremely cautious when work-
ing on the battery. It contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
Do not get under your vehicle with
just the body jack supporting it. Al-
ways use automotive jack stands
or other solid supports. CAUTION
!
Do-it-yourself service precautions
