2008 TOYOTA PRIUS Owners Manual

Maintenance and care4
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4-1. Maintenance and care ............................... 346
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle’s exterior ............ 346
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle’s interior ............. 348
4-2. Maintenance ................... 351 Maintenance requirements .................. 351
General maintenance....... 353
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ........................ 356
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance ................. 357
Do-it-yourself service precautions .................... 357
Hood ................................ 361
Positioning a floor jack ..... 362
Engine compartment ........ 364
Tires ................................. 379
Tire inflation pressure ...... 388
Wheels ............................. 392
Air conditioning filter......... 394
Key battery ....................... 396
Checking and replacing fuses .............................. 398
Light bulbs........................ 407

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4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle’s exterior
■Automatic car washes
● Fold the mirrors back before washing the vehicle.
● Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface
and harm your vehicle’s paint.
■ High pressure automatic car washes
Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of
the windows. Before entering an automatic car wash, check that the fuel filler
door is closed.
■ Aluminum wheels
Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use hard
brushes or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical cleaners.
Use the same mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.
■ Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime
condition.
● Working from top to bottom, liber ally 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 cham-
ois.
● For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thor-
oughly 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.

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To prevent paint deterioratio n and corrosion on the body
● Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects or insect droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust,
iron powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled in dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzine and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
● If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
CAUTION
■Caution about the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
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.
NOTICE
■To protect your vehicle’s painted surfaces
Do not use organic cleaners such as benzine or gasoline.
■ 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 on the surface of the lights. Wax may cause damage to
the lenses.

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Cleaning and protecting the vehicle’s interior
The following procedures will help protect your vehicle’s interior and
keep it in top condition:
■ Protecting the vehicle interior
Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty sur-
faces with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
■ Cleaning the leather areas
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe any excess dirt and dust with a soft cloth dampened with
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool deter-
gent.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off all remaining traces of detergent.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remain-
ing moisture. Allow the leather to dry in shaded and ventilated
area.
■ Synthetic leather areas
●Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
● Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather using a
sponge or soft cloth.
● Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the
dirt and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.

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Cleaning the inside of the rear window
Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause dam-
age to the rear window defogger heater wires. Use a cloth dampened with
lukewarm water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe the window in
strokes running parallel to the heater wires.
■ Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year
to maintain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■ Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a
sponge or brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not apply
water. The excellent results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible.
■ Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also
check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
CAUTION
■Water in the vehicle
● Be careful not to splash or spill liquid on the floor.
● Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(P. 9 0 )
Electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.

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NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discolor the vehicle
interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces.
● Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzine or gasoline, alka-
line or acidic solutions, dye, or bleach.
● Seats: Acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzine, or alcohol.
■ Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces.
● Remove any dust or dirt on leather surfaces immediately.
● Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
Park the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
● Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or that contain wax on the uphol-
stery, as they may stick to the leather surface if the vehicle interior heats
up significantly.
■ Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.
Vehicle systems such as the audio system may be damaged if water comes
into contact with electrical components under the floor of the vehicle, and
may also cause the body to rust.
■ Cleaning the inside of the rear window
Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.

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4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Toyota parts be used for repair to ensure
performance of each system. If non-Toyota parts are used in replacement or
if a repair shop other than a Toyota dealer performs repairs, confirm the war-
ranty coverage.
To ensure safe and economical driv ing, day-to-day care and regular
maintenance is essential. It is the owner’s responsibility to perform
regular checks. Toyota recommen ds the following maintenance.
■General maintenance
Should be performed on a daily basis. This can be done by your-
self or by a Toyota dealer.
■ Scheduled maintenance
Should be performed at specified intervals according to the
maintenance schedule.
For details about maintenance items and schedules, refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
■Do-it-yourself maintenance
You can perform some maintenance procedures yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect war-
ranty coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals are recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, see the separate “Owner’s War-
ranty Information Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.

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■Allow inspection and repairs to be performed by a Toyota dealer
● Toyota technicians are well-trained specialists and are kept up to date
with the latest service information. They are well informed about the
operations of all systems on your vehicle.
● Keep a copy of the repair order. It proves that the maintenance that has
been performed is under warranty coverage. If any problem should arise
while your vehicle is under warranty, your Toyota dealer will promptly
take care of it.
CAUTION
■Hazardous materials
● Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and a wide variety of automobile
components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm. Work in a
well ventilated area.
● Oils, fuels and fluids contained in vehicles as well as waste produced by
component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State of Califor-
nia to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Avoid
exposure and wash any affected area immediately.
● 12 volt battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and
lead compounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your
hands after handling. ( P. 375)
● Used engine oil contains chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer
in laboratory animals. Avoid prolonged and repeated contact. Always pro-
tect your skin by washing thoroughly with soap and water.