TOYOTA TACOMA 2010 Owners Manual (in English)

341 3-6. Other interior features
3
Interior and exterior features
NOTICE
■To avoid the compass malfunctions
Do not place magnets or any metal objects on or near the roof.
Doing this may cause a malfunction of the compass sensor.
■To ensure normal operation of the compass
●Do not perform circling calibration of the compass in a place where the
earth’s magnetic field is subject to interference by artificial magnetic fields.
●During calibration, do not operate electric systems (power windows, etc.)
as they may interfere with the calibration.

342 3-6. Other interior features

Maintenance and care4
343
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior ......... 344
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior .......... 347
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements .................. 350
General maintenance....... 352
Emission inspection and
maintenance (I/M)
programs........................ 355
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions .................... 356
Hood ................................ 360
Engine compartment ........ 362
Tires ................................. 378
Tire inflation pressure ...... 386
Wheels ............................. 391
Air conditioning filter......... 393
Wireless remote control
battery ............................ 396
Checking and replacing
fuses .............................. 398
Light bulbs........................ 408

344
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
■Automatic car washes
●Before washing the vehicle, do the following.
• Fold the mirrors back.
• Remove the antenna.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface
and harm your vehicle’s paint.
■High pressure car washes
Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of
the windows. Before entering an automatic car wash, check that the fuel filler
door on your vehicle is closed properly.
■Aluminum wheels (if equipped)
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use
hard brushes or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical
cleaners. Use the same mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.
●Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, for example after
driving for long distance in the hot weather.
●Wash detergent from the wheels immediately after use.
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime
condition.
●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 thor-
oughly with water.
●Wipe away any water.
●Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle
body is cool.

345 4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
■Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
CAUTION
■Caution about the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe until it has cooled
sufficiently, as touching a hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and 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 you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust,
iron powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled in 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 corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the wheels.
●Clean the drainage hole of the deck regularly.
If the drainage hole is stopped up, the water will not be able to flow, and it
will cause rust.

346 4-1. Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■To prevent deterioration and corrosion on the body and components
■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.

347
4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
■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.
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.
■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 deter-
gent.
●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 and venti-
lated area.
■Synthetic leather areas
●Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
●Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather using a
sponge or soft cloth.
●Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the
dirt and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.

348 4-1. Maintenance and care
■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. The excellent results are obtained when keeping 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 cuts.
CAUTION
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle.
Doing so may cause the electrical components etc. to malfunction or catch
fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(P. 8 4 )
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.

349 4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
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.
■Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces.
●Remove any dust or dirt on leather surfaces immediately.
●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.

350
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Toyota parts be used for repair to ensure
performance of each system. If non-Toyota parts are used in replacement or
if a repair shop other than Toyota dealer performs repairs, confirm the war-
ranty coverage.
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and regular
maintenance is essential. It is the owner’s responsibility to perform
regular checks. Toyota recommends the following maintenance.
■General maintenance
Should be performed on a daily basis. This can be done by your-
self 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
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
■Do-it-yourself maintenance
You can perform some maintenance procedures yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect war-
ranty coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, see the separate “Owner’s
Warranty Information Booklet”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.