Toyota Yaris: Protecting your Toyota from corrosion

Toyota, through its diligent research, design and use of the most advanced technology available, helps prevent corrosion and provides 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 hard-to-reach 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 vehicle under certain environmental conditions:

Road salt or dust control chemicals will accelerate corrosion, as will the presence of salt in the air near the sea- coast or in areas of industrial pollution.

High humidity accelerates corrosion especially 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 do not dry quickly due to lack of proper ventilation.

The above signifies the necessity to keep your vehicle, particularly the underside, as clean as possible and to repair any damage 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 corrosion.

High pressure water or steam is effective 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. 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 thoroughly 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 immediately to prevent corrosion from starting.

If the chips or scratches have gone through the bare metal, have a qualified body shop make the repair.

Check the interior of your vehicle.

Water and dirt can accumulate under the floor mats and could cause corrosion. Occasionally check under the mats to make sure the area is dry. Be particularly careful when transporting chemicals, cleansers, 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 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 ventilated 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 corrode if the ventilation is poor.