2021 TOYOTA 4RUNNER maintenance

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4RUNNER (U)
6-1. Maintenance and care
●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,
parts (wheel, etc.) and harm your vehicle’s paint.
● In certain automatic car washes, the roof antenna (if equipped) or rear
spoiler may interfere with machine operation. This may prevent the vehicle
from being cleaned properly or result in damage to the antenna or rear
spoiler.
■ High pressure car washes
As water may enter the cabin, do not bring the nozzle tip near the gaps
around the doors or perimeter of the windows, or spray these ar eas continu-
ously.
Cleaning and prot ecting the vehicle
exterior
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in
prime condition:

3936-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
4RUNNER (U)■
Wheels and wheel ornaments
●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.
■ Plated portions
If dirt cannot be remove, clean the parts as follows:
●Use a soft cloth dampened with an approximately 5% solution of neutral
detergent and water to clean the dirt off.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining moisture.
● To remove oily deposits, use alcohol wet wipes or a similar pro duct.
■ Notes for a smart key system (if equipped)
If the door handle becomes wet while the electronic key is within the effective
range, the door may lock and unlock repeatedly. In this case, f ollow the fol-
lowing correction procedures to wash the vehicle:
• Place the electronic key in a location 6 ft. (2 m) or more awa y from the vehi-
cle. (Take care to ensure that the key is not stolen.)
• Set the electronic key to battery-saving mode to disable the s mart key sys-
tem. ( P. 121)
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.

3946-1. Maintenance and care
4RUNNER (U)
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 pai nt 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.
■ 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.
■ High pressure car washes
● Vehicles with rear view monitor system: When washing the vehicl e, do not
apply intensive bursts of water to the camera or camera area. D oing so
may result in the camera malfunctioning.
● Do not spray water directly on the radar which is equipped behind the
emblem. Otherwise it may cause the device to be damaged.
● Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin man ufactured
cover), connectors or the following parts. The parts may be dam aged if
they come into contact with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
● Keep the cleaning nozzle at least 11.9 in. (30 cm) away from th e vehicle
body. Otherwise resin section, such as moldings and bumpers, ma y be
deformed and damaged. Also, do not continuously hold the nozzle in the
same place.
● Do not spray the lower part of the windshield continuously. If water enters
the air conditioning system intake located near the lower part of the wind-
shield, the air conditioning system may not operate correctly.
● Do not wash the underside of the vehicle using a high pressure car
washer.

3956-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
4RUNNER (U)
●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.
Cleaning and protecting th e vehicle interior
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

3966-1. Maintenance and care
4RUNNER (U)
■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 polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel m ay reflect
off the windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading t o an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.

3976-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
4RUNNER (U)
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 alco-
hol
● Do not use 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
Do not allow glass cleaner to contact the lens. Also, do not to uch the lens.
( P. 246)
■ Cleaning the inside of the rear quarter windows and back window
● Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear quarter windows and back win-
dow, as this may cause damage to the rear window defogger heate r wires
or antenna. Use a cloth dampened with lukewarm water to gently wipe the
window clean. Wipe the window i n strokes running parallel to the heater
wires or antenna.
● Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna .

398
4RUNNER (U)
6-2. Maintenance
General maintenance should be performed on a daily basis. This can
be done by yourself 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 “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
You can perform som e maintenance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourse lf maintenance may affect warranty
coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, refer to the separate “Own er’s War-
ranty Information Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
■ Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Toyota parts be used for repairs to ensure
performance of each system. If non-Toyota parts are used in rep lacement or if
a repair shop other than a Toyota dealer performs repairs, conf irm the war-
ranty coverage.
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and reg-
ular maintenance are essential. I t is the owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks. Toyota recommends the following main-
tenance:
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance
Do-it-yourself maintenance

3996-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
4RUNNER (U)■
Resetting the message indicating ma intenance is required (U.S.A. only)
After the required maintenance is performed according to the ma intenance
schedule, please reset the message.
To reset the message, follow the procedures described below:
Turn the engine switch off with the trip meter A reading shown. (P. 89)
Vehicles without a smart key system:
While pressing the display change button ( P. 89), turn the engine switch
to the “ON” position (do not start the engine because reset mod e will be
canceled).
Vehicles with a smart key system:
While pressing the display change button ( P. 89), turn the engine switch
to the IGNITION ON mode (do not start the engine because otherw ise the
reset mode will be canceled).
Continue to press and hold the button until the trip meter disp lays “000000”.
■ 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 th e 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 p romptly take
care of it.
WARNING
■ If your vehicle is no t properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in serious damage to the vehi cle and
possible death or serious injury.
■ Handling of the battery
● 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. Wor k 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 har m. Avoid
exposure and wash any affected area immediately.
● Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead a nd lead
compounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hand s
after handling. ( P. 417)
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