TOYOTA SOLARA 2003 Owners Manual (in English)

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CORROSION PREVENTION AND
APPEARANCE CARE
Protecting your Toyota from corrosion 228
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Washing and waxing your Toyota 229
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Cleaning the interior 232
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SECTION 5

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Toyota, through its diligent research, de-
sign and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part to
help prevent corrosion and has provided
you with the finest quality vehicle
construction. Now, it is up to you. Proper
care of your Toyota can help ensure long
term corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corrosion
to your vehicle are:
The accumulation of road salt, dirt and
moisture in hardtoreach areas under
the vehicle.
Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
Care is especially important if you live
in particular areas or operate your ve-
hicle under certain environmental condi-
tions:
Road salt or dust control chemicals will
accelerate corrosion, as will the pres-
ence of salt in the air near the sea
coast or in areas of industrial pollution.
High humidity accelerates corrosion es-
pecially when temperatures range just
above the freezing point.
Wetness or dampness to certain parts
of your vehicle for an extended period
of time, may cause corrosion even
though other parts of the vehicle may
be dry.
High ambient temperatures can cause
corrosion to those components of the
vehicle which are prevented from
quickdrying due to lack of proper ven-
tilation.
The above signifies the necessity to keep
your vehicle, particularly the underside, as
clean as possible and to repair any dam-
age to paint or protective coatings as
soon as possible.
To help prevent corrosion on your
Toyota, follow these guidelines:
Wash your vehicle frequently. It is, of
course, necessary to keep your vehicle
clean by regular washing, but to prevent
corrosion, the following points should be
observed:
If you drive on salted roads in the
winter or if you live near the ocean,
you should hose off the undercarriage
at least once a month to minimize cor-
rosion.
High pressure water or steam is effec-
tive for cleaning the vehicle’s underside
and wheel housings. Pay particular
attention to these areas as it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to simply wet the
mud and debris without removing them.
The lower edge of doors, rocker panels
and frame members have drain holes
which should not be allowed to clog
with dirt as trapped water in these
areas can cause corrosion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle thor-
oughly when winter is over.
See “Washing and waxing your Toyota” for
more tips.
Check the condition of your vehicle’s
paint and trim. If you find any chips or
scratches in the paint, touch them up im-
mediately to prevent corrosion from start-
ing. If the chips or scratches have gone
through the bare metal, have a qualified
body shop make the repair.
Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion

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Check the interior of your vehicle. Wa-
ter and dirt can accumulate under the
floor mats and could cause corrosion. Oc-
casionally check under the mats to make
sure the area is dry. Be particularly care-
ful when transporting chemicals, cleans-
ers, fertilizers, salt,
e tc.; these should be
transported in proper containers. If a spill
or leak should occur, immediately clean
and dry the area.
Use mud shields on your wheels. If you
drive on salted or gravel roads, mud
shields help protect your vehicle. Fullsize
shields, which come as near to the ground
as possible, are the best. We recommend
that the fittings and the area where the
shields are installed be treated to resist
corrosion. Your Toyota dealer will be
happy to assist in supplying and installing
the shields if they are recommended for
your area.
Keep your vehicle in a well ventilated
garage or a roofed place. Do not park
your vehicle in a damp, poorly venti-
lated garage. If you wash your vehicle in
the garage, or if you drive it in covered
with water or snow, your garage may be
so damp it will cause corrosion. Even if
your garage is heated, a wet vehicle can
corrode if the ventilation is poor. Washing your Toyota
Keep your vehicle clean by regular
washing.
The following cases may cause weakness
to the paint or corrosion to the body and
parts. Wash your vehicle as soon as pos-
sible.
When driving in a coastal area
When driving on a road sprinkled with
antifreeze and salt
When having coal tar, tree sap, bird
droppings and carcass of an insect
When driving in the areas where there
is a lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron dust
and chemical substance
When the vehicle becomes remarkably
dirty with dust and mud
Handwashing your Toyota
Work in the shade and wait until the
vehicle body is not hot to the touch.
CAUTION
When cleaning under floor or chassis,
be careful not to injure your hands.
Convertible—For washing instructions for
the convertible top, see “Washing convert-
ible top”.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re- move any mud or road salt from the
underside of the vehicle or in the
wheel wells.
Washing and waxing your
To y o t a

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Convertible: Spray water on the side win-
dows or top seals from above, at a 45 
angle to the ground.
NOTICE
Convertible: Do not spray water at
side windows and top seals in a way
which may cause water to enter the
vehicle.
2. Wash with a mild carwash soap, mixed according to the manufacturer ’s
instructions. Use a soft cotton mitt and
keep it wet by dipping it frequently into
the wash water. Do not rub hard—let
the soap and water remove the dirt.
Radiator grille: Wash carefully. Do not
scrub with abrasive cleaners or hard
sponge. The grill plated surface are soft.
Use a soft cotton mitt and keep it wet by
dipping it frequently into the wash water.
Plastic wheel ornaments: The plastic
wheel ornaments are damaged easily by
organic substances. If any organic sub-
stances splashes an ornament, be sure to
wash it off with water and check if the
ornament is damaged.
CAUTION
Do not attach the heavily damaged
plastic wheel ornament. It may fly off
the wheel and cause accidents while
the vehicle is moving.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap
or neutral detergent.
Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not
scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper
faces are soft.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (gaso-
line, kerosene, benzine or strong sol-
vents), which may be toxic or cause
damage.
3. Rinse thoroughly—dried soap can cause streaking. In hot weather you
may need to rinse each section right
after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not
rub or press hard—you might scratch
the paint.

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Automatic car wash
Coupe—Your vehicle may be washed in
an automatic car wash, but remember that
the paint can be scratched by some type
of brushes, unfiltered washing water, or
the washing process itself. Scratching re-
duces paint durability and gloss, especially
on darker colors. The manager of the car
wash should be able to advise you wheth-
er the process is safe for the paint on
your vehicle.
NOTICE
Convertible: Do not run convertible
through automatic car washes or pos-
sible damage to the convertible top
may result.
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommended
to maintain the original beauty of your
Toyota’s finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle surface
does not repel water well, apply wax.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be- fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a carcleaning polish, fol-
lowed by a separate wax. Carefully fol-
low the manufacturer ’s instructions and
precautions. Be sure to polish and wax
the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
NOTICE
Always remove the plastic bumpers if
your vehicle is repainted and placed
in a high heat paint waxing booth.
High temperatures could damage the
bumpers.
Washing convertible top
General cleaning—
Follow the procedure shown below.
1. Brush off any loose dirt and rinse off with a hose.
2. Using a sponge, wash with a mild solu- tion of soap (hand soap) in lukewarm
water (below 38 C or 100 F).
3. Rinse thoroughly to remove soap.
NOTICE
 Do not use harsh or abrasive clean-
ers as they may damage the top
material.
 Do not use waterrepellents, wax or
other preservative finishes as they
may stain the top material.
Additional cleaning (for more difficult
stains)—
Follow the procedure shown below using
a mild cleaning solution composed of the
following ingredient.
110 g (4 oz.) of chlorine bleach
60 g (2 oz.) of soap (hand soap)
3.8 L (1.0 gal., 0.8 Imp. gal.) of luke-
warm water (below 38 C or 100 F)

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1. Rinse the top, then spread the mild
cleaning solution on the entire top. Do
not put excessive amounts of liquid on
the fabric.
2. Scrub with a small, soft bristle hand brush. Add water as needed until the
cleaner becomes soapy. Allow solution
to settle for two to five minutes. Use
a cloth or sponge to remove dirt so it
will not be ground into the top. Be
careful not to allow any cleaner to dry
on the body paint as it may cause
streaks.
3. Rinse thoroughly.
If any dirt is left, repeat the procedure.
After the top has been cleaned, rinse the
vehicle with clean water to remove all the
cleaner.
After cleaning, always make sure the top
is completely dry before you lower it. Low-
ering the top while wet or damp may
cause interior water damage, water stains
or mildew of the top material.CAUTION
Vehicles with side airbags:
Be careful not to splash water or
spill liquid on the floor. This may
prevent the side airbags from acti-
vating correctly, resulting in serious
injury
Do not wash the vehicle floor with
water, or allow water to get onto
the floor when cleaning the vehicle
interior or exterior. Water may get
into audio components or other
electrical components above or un-
der the floor carpet (or mat) and
cause a malfunction; and it may
cause body corrosion.
Vinyl interior
The vinyl upholstery may be easily
cleaned with a mild soap or detergent
and water. First vacuum over the upholstery to re-
move loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or
soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the
vinyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few
minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt
and wipe off the soap with a clean damp
cloth. If all the dirt do not come off, re-
peat the procedure. Commercial foaming
type vinyl cleaners are also available
which work well. Follow the manufacturer ’s
instructions.
NOTICE
Do not use solvent, thinner, gasoline
or window cleaner on the interior.
Carpets
Use a good foamtype shampoo to
clean the carpets.
Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to remove
as much dirt as possible. Several types of
foam cleaners are available; some are in
aerosol can sand others are powders or
liquids which you mix with water to pro-
duce a foam. To shampoo the carpets,
use a sponge or brush to apply the foam.
Rub in overlapping circles.
Cleaning the interior

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Do not apply water—the best results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible. Read the shampoo instructions
and follow them closely.
Seat belts
The seat belts may be cleaned with
mild soap and water or with
l ukewarm
water.
Use a cloth or sponge. As you are clean-
ing, check the belts for excessive wear,
fraying, or cuts.
NOTICE
 Do not use dye or bleach on the
belts—it may weaken them.
 Do not use the belts until they be-
come dry.
Windows
The windows may be cleaned with any
household window cleaner.
NOTICE
When cleaning the inside of the rear
window, be careful not to scratch or
damage the heater wires or connec-
tors.
Air conditioning control panel, car au-
dio, instrument panel,
c onsole panel,
and switches
Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-
warm water then lightly
w ipe off dirt.
NOTICE
 Do not use organic substances (sol-
vents, kerosene, alcohol,
g asoline,
etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discol-
oring, staining or peeling of the
surface.
 If you use cleaners or polishing
agents, make sure their ingredients
do not include the substances men-
tioned above.
 If you use a liquid car freshener, do
not spill the liquid onto the ve-
hicle’s interior surfaces. It may con-
tain the ingredients mentioned
a-
bove. Immediately clean any spill
using the method mentioned above.
Leather Interior
The leather upholstery may be cleaned
with neutral detergent for wool.
Remove dirt using a soft cloth dampened
with 5% solution of neutral detergent for
wool. Then thoroughly wipe off all traces
of detergent with a clean damp cloth.
After cleaning or whenever any part of the
leather gets wet, dry with a soft clean
cloth. Allow the leather to dry in a venti-
lated shaded area.
NOTICE
 If a stain should fail to come out
with a neutral detergent, apply a
cleaner that does not contain an
organic solvent.
 Never use organic substances such
as benzine, alcohol or gasoline,
or
alkaline or acid solutions for clean-
ing the leather as these
could
c ause discoloring.
 Use of a nylon brush or synthetic
fiber cloth, etc. may scratch the
fine grained surface of the leather.

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Mildew may develop on soiled leath-
er upholstery. Be especially careful
to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your
upholstery always clean.
 Long exposure to direct sunlight
may cause the leather surface to
harden and shrink. Keep your ve-
hicle in a shaded area, especially in
the summer.
 The interior of your vehicle is apt
to heat up on hot summer days, so
avoid placing on the upholstery
items made of vinyl or plastic or
containing wax as these tend to
stick to leather when warm.
 Improper cleaning of the leather up-
holstery could result in discolor-
ation or staining.

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VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Maintenance requirements 236
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General maintenance 237
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Does your vehicle need repairing? 239
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Emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) programs 240
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For scheduled maintenance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
SECTION 6

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Your Toyota vehicle has been designed for
fewer maintenance requirements with long-
er service intervals to save both your time
and money. However, each regular mainte-
nance, as well as daytoday care, is
more important than ever before to ensure
smooth, troublefree, safe, and economical
drivings.
It is the owner ’s responsibility to make
sure the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is performed.
Note that both the new vehicle and emis-
sion control system warranties specify that
proper maintenance and care must be per-
formed. See “Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment” for complete warranty information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those day
today care practices that are important to
your vehicle for proper operation. It is the
owner ’s responsibility to insure that the
general maintenance items are performed
regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost. Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed in
the “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner ’s Manual Supplement” are those
required to be serviced at regular inter-
vals.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the “Scheduled Maintenance Guide”
or “Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.
It is recommended that any replacement
parts used for maintenance or for the
repair of the emission control system
be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use nonToyota
supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emission
control system warranty. However, use
of replacement parts which are not of
equivalent quality may impair the effec-
tiveness of the emission control sys-
tems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system
performed by any automotive repair es-
tablishment or individual without invali-
dating this warranty. See “Owner’s War-
ranty Information Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement” for complete war-
ranty information.Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are welltrained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and indealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer ’s service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehicle—reliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be
sure to keep a copy of the repair order
for any service performed on your Toyota.
What about doityourself maintenance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Section 7.
Maintenance requirements