maintenance SUBARU SOLTERRA 2023 User Guide

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

4557-2. Maintenance
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
7
Maintenance and care
7-2.Maintenance
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine
Toyota parts be used for repairs to
ensure performanc e of each sys-
tem. If non-Toyota parts are used in
replacement or if a repair shop other
than a Toyota dealer performs
repairs, confirm the warranty cover-
age.
■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 war-
ranty coverage. If any problem
should arise while your vehicle is
under warranty, your Toyota
dealer will promptly take care of it.
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 inter-
vals according to the mainte-
nance schedule.
For details about maintenance
items and schedules, refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
You can perform some mainte-
nance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-your-
self maintenance may affect
Maintenance require-
ments
To ensure safe and econom-
ical driving, day-to-day care
and regular maintenance
are essential. It is the
owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks.
Toyota recommends the fol-
lowing maintenance:
WARNING
■If your vehicle is not properly
maintained
Improper maintenance could
result in serious damage to the
vehicle and possible death or seri-
ous injury.
■Handling of the 12-volt bat-
tery
●Oils and fluids contained in
vehicles as well as waste pro-
duced by component wear con-
tain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California 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 con-
tain lead and lead compounds
which are known to cause brain
damage. Wash your hands after
handling. ( P.468)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance
Do-it-yourself mainte-
nance

4567-2. Maintenance
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
warranty coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals
is recommended.
For details about warranty cover-
age, refer to the separate “Owner’s
Warranty Information Booklet” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
General maintenance
Listed below are the general
maintenance items that
should be performed at the
intervals specified in the
“Owner’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It
is recommended that any
problem you notice should
be brought to the attention
of your Toyota dealer or
qualified service shop for
advice.
WARNING
■If the EV system is running
Turn the EV system off and
ensure that there is adequate
ventilation before performing
maintenance checks.
Motor compartment
ItemsCheck points
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
(  P.468)
Power control
unit/heater
coolant
Is the power con-
trol unit/heater
coolant at the cor-
rect level?
( P.465, 467)
12-volt batteryCheck the connec-
tions. ( P.468)

4577-2. Maintenance
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
7
Maintenance and care
Radiator/con-
denser
The radiator and
condenser should
be free from for-
eign objects.
(  P.466)
Washer fluid
Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
( P.471)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator
pedal
• The accelerator
pedal should
move smoothly
(without uneven
pedal effort or
catching).
Transmission
“Park” mecha-
nism
• When parked on a slope and the
shift position is in
P, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have
appropriate
clearance from
the floor?
• Does the brake pedal have the
correct amount
of free play?
ItemsCheck points
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to
one side when
the brakes are
applied.
• The brakes should work
effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel
spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get
too close to the
floor when the
brakes are
applied.
Head
restraints
• Do the head restraints move
smoothly and
lock securely?
Indica-
tors/buzzers
• Do the indica-tors and buzzers
function prop-
erly?
Lights
• Do all the lights come on?
• Are the head- lights aimed cor-
rectly?
Parking brake
• Does the park-ing brake oper-
ate normally?
• When parked on a slope and the
parking brake is
on, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
ItemsCheck points

4587-2. Maintenance
Owners Manual_USA_M42C01_en
Seat belts
• Do the seat belts operate
smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be
damaged.
Seats
• Do the seat con-trols operate
properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steer-ing wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steer- ing wheel have
the correct
amount of free
play?
• There should not be any strange
sounds coming
from the steer-
ing wheel.
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors
• Do the doors operate
smoothly?
Hood
• Does the hood lock system work
properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs of
fluid leakage
after the vehicle
has been parked.
ItemsCheck points
Tires
• Is the tire infla-tion pressure
correct?
• The tires should not be damaged
or excessively
worn.
• Have the tires been rotated
according to the
maintenance
schedule?
• The wheel bolt should not be
loose.
Windshield
wipers
• The wiper blades should not show
any signs of
cracking, split-
ting, wear, con-
tamination or
deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the
windshield with-
out streaking or
skipping.
ItemsCheck points