TOYOTA tC 2008 Owners Manual (in English)

213
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, etc.; 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. Full–size
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 Scion 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 covered with
water or snow, your garage may be so
damp as to cause corrosion. Even if your
garage is heated, a wet vehicle can cor-
rode if the ventilation is poor. Washing your Scion
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
When exposed to coal tar, tree sap,
bird droppings and carcass of an insect
When driving in areas where there is
a lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron dust or
chemical substances
When the vehicle becomes remarkably
dirty with dust and mud
Hand–washing your Scion
Work in the shade and wait until the
vehicle body is not warm to the touch.
CAUTION
When cleaning under floor or chas-
sis, be careful not to injure your
hands.
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 ex-
haust pipe can cause burns.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re- move any mud or road salt from the
underside of the vehicle or the wheel
wells.
2. Wash with a mild car–wash 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.
Fuel filler door: Do not apply water
(high–pressure car wash, for example) at
or near the fuel tank inlet with the fuel
filler door opened. If the water enters the
air vent, you may experience trouble with
refueling or rough engine idling.
Wa sh in g an d waxin g yo u r
Scion

214
Plastic wheel ornaments: The plastic
wheel ornaments are damaged easily by
organic substances. If any organic sub-
stance splash an ornament, be sure to
wash them off with water and check if the
ornament is damaged.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap
or neutral detergent.
NOTICE
Do not use corrosive chemical
based cleaners on your wheels. (Ex-
ample: hydrofluoric acid)
 Do not use steam cleaners or the
chemicals therein to clean your
wheels.
 Do not use scouring pads, wire
brushes, or coarse abrasives to
clean your wheels.
 Do not use alcohol, solvents, gaso-
line, or other nonneutral deter-
gents, because they may alter the
wheel’s appearance and resistance
to corrosion.
Plastic bumpers: Wash carefully. Do not
scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper
faces are soft. Exterior lights: Wash carefully. Do not use
organic substances or scrub them with a
hard brush. This may damage the sur-
faces of the lights.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces.
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.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances
(gasoline, kerosene, benzine or
strong solvents), which may be tox-
ic or cause damage.
 Do not scrub any part of the ve-
hicle with a hard brush, which may
cause damage.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some types of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching reduces
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
To prevent damage to the antenna,
make sure it is removed before driv-
ing your Scion through an automatic
car wash.
Waxing your Scion
Polishing and waxing is recommended
to maintain the original beauty of your
Scion’s finish.
Apply wax once a month or if the vehicle
surface does not repel water well.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be- fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.

215
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. Ifthe finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a car–cleaning 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.
Windshield washer nozzles: Make sure
that the nozzles do not become blocked
when waxing. If a nozzle becomes
blocked, contact your Scion dealer to have
the vehicle serviced.
NOTICE
If a nozzle becomes blocked, do not
try to clear it with a pin or other
object. The nozzle will be damaged.
Exterior lights: Do not apply wax on the
surfaces of the lights. Wax may cause
damage to the lenses. If you accidentally
put wax on the light surface, wipe or
wash it off.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
Cleaning the interior
CAUTION
Vehicles with side airbags and cur-
tain shield airbags:
Be careful not to splash water or
spill liquid on the floor. This may
prevent the side airbags and curtain
shield airbags from activating cor-
rectly, 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 vehicle carpet (or floor 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 foa-
ming–type vinyl cleaners are also avail-
able which work well. Follow the
manufacturer ’s instructions.
NOTICE
Do not use solvent, thinner, gasoline
or window cleaner on the interior.

216
Carpets
Use a good foam–type 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 cans and 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.
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 lukewarm
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, instru-
ment panel, console panel, and
switches
Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or luke-
warm water then lightly wipe off dirt.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (sol-
vents, kerosene, alcohol, gasoline,
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
above. Immediately clean any spill
using the method mentioned above.
If you have any questions about the
cleaning of your Scion, your local Scion
dealer will be pleased to answer them.

217
VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Vehicle maintenance and care
Maintenance requirements218
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General maintenance 219
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . .
Does your vehicle need repairing? 221
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs 222
. . . . . . . . .
For scheduled maintenance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
SECTION 6

218
Maintenance requirements
Your Scion 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 day–to–day care, is
more important than ever before to ensure
smooth, trouble–free, 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–
to–day 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 Scion dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost. Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed in
the “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” are
those required to be serviced at regular
intervals.
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 Scion supplied.
The owner may elect to use non–Scion
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
maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and
system performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual
without invalidating this warranty. See
“Owner ’s Warranty Information Booklet”
or “Owner ’s Manual Supplement” for
complete warranty information.Where to go for service?
Scion technicians are well–trained special-
ists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and in–dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Scions before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Scion deal-
er ’s service department performs the best
job to meet the maintenance requirements
on your vehicle—reliably and economically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. If any prob-
lems should arise with your vehicle while
under warranty, your Scion dealer will
promptly take care of it. Again, be sure
to keep a copy of the repair order for any
service performed on your Scion.
What about do–it–yourself 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 on page 223.

219
If you are a skilled do–it–yourself
mechanic, the Scion service manuals are
recommended. Please be aware that
do–it–yourself maintenance can affect your
warranty coverage. See “Owner ’s Warranty
Information Booklet” or “Owner ’s Manual
Supplement” for details.
General maintenance
Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any
unusual noise, smell or vibration, you
should investigate the cause or take your
vehicle to your Scion dealer or a qualified
service shop immediately. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer or
the qualified service shop for their advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only with ade-
quate ventilation if you run the en-
gine.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be checked
from time to time, e.g. each time when
refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See page 251 for additional informa-
tion.Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the “FULL” and “LOW” lines on the
see–through reservoir when the engine is
cold. See page 234 for additional informa-
tion.
Radiator, condenser, and hoses
Check that the front of the radiator and
condenser are clean and not blocked with
leaves, dirt or insects. See page 235 for
additional information.
Battery electrolyte level
Your Scion has a maintenance free bat-
tery. You do not have to add distilled wa-
ter. For longer life of the battery, however,
see page 249 for additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See page 235 for additional information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See page 232 for addi-
tional information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the “HOT” or “COLD”
range depending on the fluid temperature.
See page 236 for additional information.

220
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have
the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See “Engine exhaust cautions” on
page 152.)
INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing periodic
services, cleaning the vehicle, etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail
lights, turn signal lights, and other lights
are all working. Check headlight aim.
Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers
Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly.
Steering wheel
Check that it has specified free play. Be
alert for changes in steering condition,
such as hard steering or strange noise.Seats
Check that all front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op-
erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
head restraints move up and down
smoothly and that the locks hold securely
in any latched position. For folding–down
rear seatbacks, check that the latches
lock securely.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-
aged.
Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching.
Clutch pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance.
Check the brake booster function.
Brakes
In a safe place, check that the brakes do
not pull to one side when applied.Parking brake
Check that the lever has the proper travel
and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle
is held securely with only the parking
brake applied.
Automatic transmission “Park” mecha-
nism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your
vehicle is held securely with the selector
lever in “P” position and all brakes re-
leased.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be performed
from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has
been parked for a while. If you smell fuel
fumes or notice any leak, have the cause
found and corrected immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all the side doors and back
door operate smoothly and all latches lock
securely. Make sure the engine hood sec-
ondary latch secures the hood from open-
ing when the primary latch is released.

221
Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge ev-
ery two weeks, or at least once a
month. See page 237 for additional
information.
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts,
damage or excessive wear. See page
239 for additional information. When
checking the tires, make sure no nuts
are missing, and check the nuts for
looseness. Tighten them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires
according to the
maintenance schedule. (For sched-
uled maintenance information, please
refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment”.) See page 241 for additional
information.
Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip–offs that
indicate service is needed. Some impor-
tant clues are as follows:
Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A fluid leak under the vehicle (however,
water dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monoxide
leak. Drive with the windows open and
have the exhaust system checked im-
mediately.)
Flat–looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when driving
straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspension
movement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches 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 your Scion dealer as soon as
possible. It probably needs adjustment or
repair.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving with the ve-
hicle unchecked. It could result in se-
rious vehicle damage and possibly
personal injury.
Does your vehicle need
repairing?

222
Some states have vehicle emission in-
spection programs which include OBD
(On–Board Diagnostics) checks.
The OBD system monitors the operation
of the emission control system. When the
OBD system determines that a problem
exists somewhere in the emission control
system, the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on. In this case, your vehicle may
not pass the I/M test and need to be
repaired. Contact your Scion dealer to ser-
vice the vehicle.
Even if the malfunction indicator lamp
does not come on, your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test as readiness codes
have not been set in the OBD system.
Readiness codes are automatically set
during ordinary driving. However, when the
battery is disconnected or run down, the
codes are erased. Also, depending on
your driving habits, the codes may not be
completely set.
Also, if the malfunction indicator lamp had
come on recently due to temporary mal-
function such as a loose fuel tank cap,
your vehicle may not pass the I/M test. The malfunction indicator lamp will go off
after taking several driving trips, but the
error code in the OBD system will not be
cleared unless about 40 trips or more are
taken.
If your vehicle does not pass the I/M test
even the malfunction indicator lamp does
not come on, contact your Scion dealer to
prepare the vehicle for re–testing.
Emissions inspection and
maintenance (I/M) programs