TOYOTA GT86 2013 Owners Manual (in English)

281 4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
NOTICE
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 surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
Antenna installation and removal precautions
Before driving, ensure that the antenna is installed.
When the antenna is removed, such as before entering an automatic car
wash, make sure to store it in a suitable place so as not to lose it. Also,
before driving, make sure to reinstall the antenna in its original position.
To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away from the windshield, pull the driver side
wiper arm upward first, and repeat for the passenger side. When returning
the wipers to their original position, do so from the passenger side first.
To prevent damage to the antenna
Remove the antenna in the following situations:
When the antenna will touch the ceiling of a garage or other such places
When a car cover is to be used to cover the vehicle
When using an automatic car wash

282
4-1. Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle 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.
When the interior is extremely dirty, wipe away the dirt using a
soft cloth slightly dampened with diluted neutral detergent.
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
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 remain-
ing moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded ventilated
area.
Synthetic leather areas
Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather.
Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the
dirt and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.

283 4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
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. Excellent results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as possi-
ble.
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
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 interior wet.
(P. 101)
Electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function
properly, resulting in death or severe injury.
Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect off
the windshield, obstructing the driver's view and leading to an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.

284 4-1. Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
NOTICE
Cleaning detergents
Do not use organic substances such as benzene or gasoline, acidic or
alkaline solutions, dye, bleach or other detergent. Doing so may discolor
the vehicle interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces.
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel's or other
interior part’s painted surface may be damaged.
Do not use a chemical agent containing silicone (highly-polymerized sili-
con compound) when cleaning any of the electrical appliances such as the
air conditioning, all switches and their surrounding areas.
If silicon (highly-polymerized silicon compound) contacts these compo-
nents, it may cause the electrical appliances to malfunction.
Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces.
Remove any dust, dirt, sand, oil spots etc. on leather surfaces immedi-
ately.
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.

285 4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
NOTICE
Cleaning the inside of the rear window
Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires.
Do not use glass 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 window in
strokes running parallel to the heater wires.
When cleaning the instrument panel
When small grains of sand and so forth have gotten into instrument panel’s
surface and cannot be wiped away using a cloth, use a clay bar without add-
ing water. Forcibly trying to wipe the surface clean with a brush or sponge
may scratch the surface or fragments of the cloth may be left in the surface.

286
4-1. Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
Cleaning and protecting the Alcantara® area
: If equipped
The following procedures will protect and keep your vehicle’s Alcan-
tara
® upholstery in top condition:
Day-to-day cleaning
Perform the following procedures regularly (approximately once
a month).
Wipe the entire Alcantara
® area with a soft cloth that has
been dampened with lukewarm water (approximately 40C
[104F]) and squeezed out.
Do not wipe too hard. Doing so may make the Alcantara® uphol-
stery surface become uneven. Also, only use a clean cloth.
Once dry, brush the area with a soft brush.
Liquid stains
If liquid is spilled, lightly pat the area with a tissue paper or
similar to soak up the liquid.
When mud, coffee, etc., has dried on the Alcantara
® uphol-
stery, remove it by lightly brushing the area with a soft brush
or similar.
We recommend using a vacuum cleaner to clean up the area after
the above has been performed.
When a stain cannot be removed using the above procedures,
remove it by performing the following:
Lightly wipe the stained area from the outside to the inside
from multiple angles with a soft cloth that has been damp-
ened with lukewarm water (approximately 40C [104F])
and squeezed out.
Do not wipe the area so strongly that it causes the Alcantara®
upholstery surface to become uneven. Also, prepare a clean
cloth, and always use a clean area of the cloth.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 1

287 4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
When removing dirt or dust from the Alcantara® areas
Remove dirt or dust from the Alcantara
® areas by lighting brushing with a
soft brush. If this does not remove the dirt or dust, remove it using adhesive
tape.
NOTICE
When soaking up spilled liquids
Do not press down too firmly with the cloth, tissue paper etc., as doing so
may cause the liquid to further penetrate the material, making soaking up
the liquid more difficult.
If the Alcantara® upholstery surface becomes uneven,
lightly brush it with a soft brush.
Allow the surface to dry completely.
Oil stains
You will need the following items:
A cloth that has been dampened with benzene
A dry cloth
Using a dry cloth or tissue paper, wipe away as much of the
oil as possible to prevent the stained area from expanding.
After patting the area from the outside to the inside from
multiple angles using the cloth dampened with benzene,
soak up the oil and benzene that floats up by patting the
area with a dry cloth.
If the Alcantara
® upholstery surface becomes uneven,
lightly brush it with a soft brush.
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

288
FT86_EE
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and regular
maintenance is essential. Toyota recommends the following mainte-
nance.
Scheduled maintenance
Scheduled maintenance be performed at specified intervals
according to the maintenance schedule.
For full details of your maintenance schedule, read the “Toyota Ser-
vice Booklet” or “Toyota Warranty Booklet”.
Do-it-yourself maintenance
What about do-it-yourself maintenance?
Many maintenance items are easy to do yourself if you have a little
mechanical ability and a few basic automotive tools.
Note, however, that some maintenance tasks require special tools
and skills. These are best performed by qualified technicians. Even if
you're an experienced do-it-yourself mechanic, we recommend that
repairs and maintenance be conducted by any authorized Toyota
dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped profes-
sional. Any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer will keep a record of
maintenance, which could be useful should you ever require Warranty
Service. Should you choose to select a qualified and equipped profes-
sional other than an authorized Toyota repairer to service or maintain
your vehicle, we recommend that you request that a record of mainte-
nance be kept.

289 4-2. Maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
FT86_EE
Where to go for service?
In order to maintain your vehicle in the highest possible condition, Toyota
recommends that all repairs and service operations be carried out by autho-
rized Toyota dealers or repairers or other duly qualified and equipped profes-
sionals. For repairs and services covered by your warranty, please visit an
authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, who will use genuine Toyota parts in
repairing any difficulties you may encounter. There can also be advantages
in utilizing authorized Toyota dealers or repairers for non-warranty repairs
and services, as members of the Toyota network will be able to expertly
assist you with any difficulties you may encounter.
Your Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped pro-
fessional service department will perform all of the scheduled maintenance
on your vehicle - reliably and economically due to their experience with
Toyota vehicles.
Does your vehicle need repairs?
Be on the alert for changes in performance and sounds, and visual tip-offs
that indicate service is needed. Some important clues are:
Engine missing, stumbling or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A fluid leak under the vehicle (However, water dripping from the air condi-
tioning system after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may indicate a dangerous carbon mon-
oxide leak. Drive with the windows open and have the exhaust system
checked immediately.)
Flat-looking tires, excessive tire squeal when cornering, uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when driven straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspension movement
Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling brake pedal or clutch pedal,
pedal almost touches the floor, vehicle pulls to one side when braking
Engine coolant temperature continually higher than normal
If you notice any of these clues, take your vehicle to any authorized Toyota
dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional as
soon as possible. Your vehicle may need adjustment or repair.

290 4-2. Maintenance
FT86_EE
CAUTION
If your vehicle is not properly maintained
It could result in serious damage to the vehicle and possible serious injury or
death.
Warning in handling of the battery
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead com-
pounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hands after
handling. (P. 305)