2018 TOYOTA TACOMA Owners Manual (in English)

489
7Maintenance and care
7-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 490
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 494
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ................... 497
General maintenance ........ 499
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ......................... 502 7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ..................... 503
Hood ................................. 505
Engine compartment ......... 507
Tires .................................. 519
Tire inflation pressure ....... 528
Wheels .............................. 531
Air conditioning filter.......... 534
Wireless remote control/ electronic key battery ...... 537
Checking and replacing fuses ............................... 540
Light bulbs......................... 543

4907-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
●Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicl e
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any di rt
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 thoroughl y
with water.
● Wipe away any water.
● Wax the vehicle when the wate rproof 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 su rface and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
● In certain automatic car washes, the roof antenna may interfere with
machine operation. This may prevent the vehicle from being clea ned prop-
erly or result in damage to the antenna.
■ High pressure car washes
●Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close p roximity of
the windows.
● Before using the car wash, check that the fuel filler door on y our vehicle is
closed properly.
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in
prime condition:

4917-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
■Aluminum wheels (if equipped)
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent.
● Wash detergent off with water immediately after use.
● To protect the paint from damage, make sure to observe the following pre-
cautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such as after driv-
ing or parking in hot weather
■ Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
WARNING
■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 gases cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe unti l it has
cooled sufficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipe can cause bur ns.

4927-1. Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration an d 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 presen t 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 immediat ely.
● To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the wheels.
● Clean the drainage hole of the deck
regularly.
If the drainage hole is stopped up, the
water will not be able to flow, and it will
cause rust.

4937-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■Cleaning the exterior lights
● Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a h ard 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.
■ When using a high pressure car wash
Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin man ufactured
cover), connectors or the following parts. The parts may be damaged if they
come into contact with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
■ Cleaning the high mounted stoplight and cargo lamps
When using high-pressured car washers, the tip of the nozzle sh ould be at
least 20 in. (50 cm) from the car body. Water can seep lamp hou sing or the
vehicle cabin if the nozzle is closer to the car body.

4947-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surface s
with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
● If dirt cannot be removed, wipe it off with a soft cloth dampen ed with
neutral detergent dilut ed to approximately 1%.
Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe o ff
remaining traces of detergent and water.
● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe off any excess dirt and du st with a soft cloth dampened wi th
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool d etergent.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe o ff
all remaining traces of detergent.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining
moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded and ventilated a rea.
● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe it off with a soft cloth da mpened with neutral detergent d iluted
to approximately 1%.
● Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe o ff
remaining traces of detergent and water.
The following procedures will hel p protect your vehicle’s interior
and keep it in top condition:
Protecting the vehicle interior
Cleaning the leather areas
Cleaning the synthetic leather areas

4957-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
■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. U se a sponge
or brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not use water.
Wipe dirty surfaces and let them dry. Excellent results are obt ained by keep-
ing 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 cut s.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
● Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle.
Doing so may cause electrical components, etc., to malfunction or catch
fire.
● Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle i nterior wet.
( P. 36)
An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or no t function
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Cleaning the interior (esp ecially instrument panel)
Do not use a polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect
off the windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading t o an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.

4967-1. Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
● Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discol or the vehi-
cle interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzene or gasol ine,
alkaline or acidic solutions, dye, and bleach
• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, and alcohol
● Do not use a polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel’s or other
interior part’s painted surface may be damaged.
■ Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces:
● Remove any dust or dirt from leather surfaces immediately.
● Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended perio ds of time.
Park the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
● Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or containing 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 wate r comes
into contact with electrical components such as the audio syste m above or
under the floor of the vehicle. Water may also cause the body to rust.
■ When cleaning the inside of the windshield (vehicles with Toyota
Safety Sense P)
Do not allow glass cleaner to contact the lens. Also, do not to uch the lens.
( P. 230)