2023 SUBARU SOLTERRA maintenance

447
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
7
7
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
7-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 448
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 451
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements.................................. 455
General maintenance.. 456
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M) pro-
grams ........................ 459
7-3. Do-it-yourself mainte- nance
Do-it-yourself service pre- cautions ..................... 460
Hood ........................... 462
Positioning a floor jack 464
Motor compartment ..... 465
Tires ............................ 472
Replacing the tire ........ 485
Tire inflation pressure.. 491
Wheels ......... ...............493
Air conditioning filter .... 494
Electronic key battery.. 497
Checking and replacing fuses.......................... 499
Headlight aim .............. 501
Light bulbs................... 502

4487-1. Maintenance and care
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
7-1.Maintenance and care
Working from top to bottom,
liberally 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 chamois.
 For hard-to-remove marks,
use car wash soap and rinse
thoroughly with water.
 Wipe away any water.
 Wax the vehicle when the
waterproof coating deterio-
rates.
If water does not bead on a clean
surface, apply wax when the vehi-
cle body is cool.
■Self-restoring coat
The vehicle body has a self-restor-
ing coating that is resistant to small
surface scratches caused in a car
wash, etc.
●The coating lasts for 5 to 8 years
from when the vehicle is delivered
from the plant.
●The restoration time differs
depending on t he depth of the scratch and outside temperature.
The restoration time may become
shorter when the coating is
warmed by applying warm water.
●Deep scratches caused by keys,
coins, etc., cannot be restored.
●Do not use wax that contain abra-
sives.
■Automatic car washes
●Before washing the vehicle:
• Fold the mirrors
• Turn off the power back door (if equipped)
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
surface, parts (wheel, etc.) and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
●Rear spoiler may not be washable
in some automatic car washes.
There may also be an increased
risk of damage to vehicle.
●When the shift position needs to
be held in N, refer to P.239.
■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
areas continuously.
■Note for a smart key system
●If the door handle becomes wet
while the electronic key is within
the effective range, the door may
lock and unlock repeatedly. In that
case, follow the following correc-
tion procedures to wash the vehi-
cle:
• Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2 m) or more separate from the
vehicle while the vehicle is being
washed. (Take care to ensure that
the key is not stolen.)
• Set the electronic key to battery-
saving mode to disable the smart
key system. ( P.188)
Cleaning and protect-
ing the vehicle exte-
rior
Perform the following to
protect the vehicle and
maintain it in prime condi-
tion:
Cleaning instructions

4497-1. Maintenance and care
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
7
Maintenance and care
●If the electronic key is inside the
vehicle and a door handle
becomes wet during a car wash, a
buzzer may sound outside the
vehicle and “Key Detected In
Vehicle” may be shown on the
multi-information display. To turn
off the alarm, lock all the doors.
■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 obs erve the follow-
ing precautions.
• Do not use acidi c, alkaline or
abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use det ergent on the
wheels when they are hot, such
as after driving or parking in hot
weather
■Painted brake calipers (if
equipped)
●When using detergent, use neu-
tral detergent. Do not use hard
brushes or abrasive cleaners, as
they will damage the paint.
●Do not use detergent on the brake
calipers when th ey are hot.
●Wash detergent off immediately
after use.
■Brake pads and calipers
Rust may form if the vehicle is
parked with wet brake pads or disc
rotors, causing them to stick. Before
parking the vehicle after it is
washed, drive slow ly and apply the
brakes several times to dry the
parts.
■Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■Plated portions
If dirt cannot be removed, clean the
parts as follows:
●Use a soft cloth dampened with an approximately 5% solution of neu-
tral 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 alco-
hol wet wipes or a similar product.
WARNING
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of
the motor compartment. Doing so
may cause the electrical compo-
nents, etc. to catch fire.
■When cleaning the windshield
(vehicles with rain-sensing
windshield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”,
the wipers may operate unexpect-
edly in the following situations,
and may result in hands being
caught or other serious injuries
and cause damage to the wiper
blades.
Off
“AUTO”
●When the upper part of the
windshield where the raindrop
sensor is located is touched by
hand
●When a wet rag or similar is
held close to the raindrop sen-
sor

4507-1. Maintenance and care
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
WARNING
●If something bumps against the
windshield
●If you directly touch the raindrop
sensor body or if something
bumps into the raindrop sensor
■Precaution regarding the rear
bumper
If the paint of the rear bumper is
chipped or scratched, the system
may malfunction. If this occurs,
consult your Toyota dealer.
●Toyota Safety Sense 3.0
●BSM (if equipped)
●RCTA (if equipped)
●PKSB (if equipped)
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deteriora-
tion and corrosion on the
body and components (alumi-
num 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 tre e sap is present
on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on
the paint surface
• After driving in an area contami- nated with soot, oily smoke,
mine dust, iron powder or chem-
ical 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
immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from cor-
roding, remove any dirt and
store in a place with low humid-
ity when storing the wheels.
■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 to the sur-
faces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the
lenses.
■When using an automatic car
wash (vehicles with rain-
sensing windshield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to off posi-
tion.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”,
the wipers may operate and the
wiper blades may be damaged.
■When using a high pressure
car wash
●When washing the vehicle, do
not spray the camera or its sur-
rounding area directly with a
high pressure washer. Shock
applied from high pressure
water may cause the device to
not operate normally.
●Do not spray water directly on
the radar which is equipped
behind the radar sensor cover.
Otherwise it may cause the
device to be damaged.
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close
to boots (rubber or resin manu-
factured cover), or connectors
or the following parts.
The parts may be damaged if
they come into contact with
high-pressure water.

4517-1. Maintenance and care
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
7
Maintenance and care
 Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty
surfaces with a cloth damp-
ened with lukewarm water.
 If dirt cannot be removed,
wipe it off with a soft cloth
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately
1%.
Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off remaining traces of
detergent and water.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foam-
ing-type cleaners available. Use 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
obtained by keeping the carpet as
dry as possible.
■Handling the 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.
■Front side window s with IR pro-
tective coating
The front side windows have IR pro-
tective coating. To prevent any dam-
NOTICE
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
●Keep the cleaning nozzle at
least 11.9 in. (30 cm) away from
the vehicle body. Otherwise
resin section, such as moldings
and bumpers, may be deformed
and damaged. Also, do not con-
tinuously 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 windshield, the
air conditioning system may not
operate correctly.
●Do not wash the underside of
the vehicle usin g a high pres-
sure car washer. If water enters
the traction battery, the EV sys-
tem may malfunction.
●Do not use the washer on the
area around the charging port
lid. Water could get into the
charging inlet and could dam-
age the vehicle.
■Cleaning aluminum parts
When cleaning the hood, do not
push hard or put weight on it.
The aluminum part may be
dented.
Cleaning and protect-
ing the vehicle interior
Perform cleaning in a man-
ner appropriate to each
component and its material.
Protecting the vehicle
interior

4527-1. Maintenance and care
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_enage to the IR prote
ctive coating,
observe the following:
●If the windows are dirty, gently
wipe them with a cloth soaked in
water or lukewarm water as soon
as possible.
●If the windows are very dirty, do
not open and close them repeat-
edly.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in
the vehicle.
Doing so may cause the electri-
cal components, etc., to mal-
function or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS com-
ponents or wiring in the vehicle
interior wet.
(  P.35)
An electrical malfunction may
cause the airbags to deploy or
not function properly, resulting
in death or serious injury.
●Vehicles with wireless charger:
Do not let the wireless charger
(  P.430) get wet. Failure to do
so may cause the charger to
become hot and cause burns or
could cause electric shock
resulting in death or serious
injury.
■Cleaning the interior (espe-
cially instrument panel)
Do not use a polis h wax or polish
cleaner. The instrument panel
may reflect off the windshield,
obstructing the dr iver’s view and
leading to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following types
of detergent, as they may dis-
color the vehicle interior or
cause streaks or damage to
painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic sub- stances such as benzene or
gasoline, alkaline or acidic solu-
tions, dye, and bleach
• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solu- tions, such as th inner, benzene,
and alcohol
●Do not use a polish wax or pol-
ish cleaner. The instrument
panel’s or other interior part’s
painted surface may be dam-
aged.
■Water on the floor
Do not wash the v ehicle floor with
water.
Vehicle systems such as the
audio system may be damaged if
water comes into contact with
electrical components such as the
audio system 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 con-
tact the lens. Also, do not touch
the lens. ( P.259)
■Cleaning the inside of the rear
window
●Do not use a gla ss cleaner to
clean the rear window, as this
may cause damage to the rear
window defogger heater wires.
Use a cloth dampened with
lukewarm water to gently wipe
the window clean. Wipe the win-
dow in strokes running parallel
to the heater wires.

4537-1. Maintenance and care
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
7
Maintenance and care
 Remove dirt using a water
dampened soft cloth or syn-
thetic chamois.
 Wipe the surface with a dry
soft cloth to remove any
remaining moisture.
■Cleaning the areas with satin-
finish metal accents
The metal areas use a layer of real
metal for the surface. It is necessary
to clean them regularly. If dirty areas
are left uncleaned for long periods
of time, they may be difficult to
clean.
 Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner.
 Wipe off any excess dirt and
dust with a soft cloth damp-
ened with diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of
approximately 5% neutral wool
detergent.
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
remaining moisture. Allow the
leather to dry in a shaded and
ventilated area.
■Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the
interior of the vehicle at least twice a
year to maintain t he quality of the
vehicle’s interior.
 Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner.
 Wipe it off with a soft cloth
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately
1%.
NOTICE
●Be careful not to scratch or
damage the heater wires.
■Cleaning the fr ont side win-
dows
Do not use any compound or
abrasive product (e.g., glass
cleaner, detergent, wax) to clean
the windows. It may damage the
coating.
Cleaning the areas with
satin-finish metal accents
Cleaning the leather areas
NOTICE
■Preventing damage to leather
surfaces
Observe the following precautions
to avoid damage to and deteriora-
tion of leather surfaces:
●Remove any dust or dirt from
leather surfaces immediately.
●Do not expose the vehicle to
direct sunlight for extended peri-
ods of time. Park the vehicle in
the shade, especially during
summer.
●Do not place items made of
vinyl, plastic, or containing wax
on the upholstery, as they may
stick to the leather surface if the
vehicle interior heats up signifi-
cantly.
Cleaning the synthetic
leather areas

4547-1. Maintenance and care
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off remaining traces of
detergent and water.
 To remove dust from the fab-
ric, use a vacuum cleaner or
adhesive tape.
However, please remove the dust
near the passenger airbag orna-
ment by hand.
Use a cloth dampened with
water to gently wipe the fabric
clean.
Do not use detergents to clean
the fabric.
 Vehicles with radiant heaters:
Do not hard scrub on the fab-
ric portion of the radiant heat-
ers (→P.413).
Cleaning fabric portions