Your Vehicle's Fall Check-Up

Your Toyota just wrapped up another full Canadian summer. From epic road trips to daily commutes, summer festivals to cottage runs, your vehicle has risen to every occasion with true reliability. Toyota owners know that regular service now sets the stage for confident, worry-free driving through whatever weather lies ahead. Here’s where to start: 

1. Brakes: Your safety priority

Summer driving, especially heavy workday commutes and weekend rushes, can accelerate brake wear significantly. Listen for squeaking sounds, grinding noises, or feel for vibrations when braking. If you notice these early warning signs, have your brakes inspected immediately, addressing brake issues promptly can save you from expensive repairs and keep you safe when road conditions change with fluctuating temperatures.

2. Tires: Your connection to the road

Heat and highway driving can affect tire pressure and create uneven wear patterns, so regular tire rotation and pressure checks ensure optimal performance and longer tire life. Check your tire tread health by using the toonie test: insert a toonie into your tire groove with the polar bear's feet facing in. If you see the top half of the letters or more, your tire tread may be too low to maintain proper traction. 

3. Fluids: Your vehicle's lifeblood

Toyota University Trained Experts recommend checking oil, coolant, washer fluid, and brake fluid levels seasonally. Summer heat causes fluids to evaporate or break down faster than usual. Fresh oil lubricates better, clean coolant prevents overheating, and proper brake fluid levels ensure consistent stopping power.

4.  Check your battery before the cold hits

The summer heat can wear on your battery fast – if you need to boost your battery or it's over 3 years old, now is a great time to get it professionally tested. While the average battery lifespan is 4-5 years, choosing reliable Toyota Genuine Batteries helps ensure dependable performance throughout their service life. Watch for early warning signs like dim headlights or slow engine cranking, which indicate it's time for a replacement.

5. Safety Technology: Your advanced protection
Most Toyota’s now come equipped with Toyota Safety Sense^{TM 1}, but summer driving can compromise effectiveness. Road dust, pollen, and debris interfere with sensor accuracy, affecting Pre-Collision systems,² Lane Departure Alert,³ and Automatic High Beams.⁴ Clean sensors and cameras around your front grille, mirrors, and windshield, and test warning systems regularly.
 

Vehicles that receive regular service consistently outperform those maintained only when problems arise. When you follow the Toyota recommended maintenance schedule for your vehicle, you catch small issues before they snowball into expensive repairs. Take brakes, for example: addressing a minor issue today could come with a small cost but letting it slide could mean hundreds of dollars in rotor damage down the road.

Toyota University Trained Technicians understand your specific vehicle's needs, have advanced diagnostic tools and only use Toyota Genuine Parts. Our technicians receive ongoing training on the latest Toyota models and technologies, ensuring expertise that extends your vehicle's life and maintains its reliability.

Take action for peace of mind

Ready to schedule your seasonal health check? Contact your local Toyota Dealer to book your service appointment. Whether you need comprehensive inspection or want to address specific concerns, our team is ready to help ensure your Toyota stays reliable for all the adventures ahead.  
 

Keep your vehicle running smoothly year-round and register for Toyota Canada's email updates and get seasonal maintenance reminders delivered right to your inbox.

_Disclaimers:

_{1 Drivers should always be responsible for their own safe driving. Please always pay attention to your surroundings and drive safely. Depending on the conditions of roads, vehicles, weather, etc., the TSS systems may not work as intended. Please see toyota.ca, your local Toyota Dealer or Owner’s Manual for details.}

_{2 The Pre-Collision System (PCS) is designed to determine if impact is imminent and help reduce impact speed and damage in certain frontal collisions involving a vehicle, a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist. It is not a substitute for safe and attentive driving. System effectiveness depends on many factors, such as speed, size and position of vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist and weather, light and road conditions. See Owner's Manual for additional limitations and details.}

_{3 Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist is designed to read visible lane markers under certain conditions. It provides a visual and audible alert and slight steering force when lane departure is detected. It is not a collision-avoidance system or a substitute for safe and attentive driving. Effectiveness is dependent on many factors including road, weather and vehicle conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details.}

_{4 Automatic High Beams operate at speeds above 34 km/h. Factors such as a dirty windshield, weather, lighting and terrain limit effectiveness, requiring the driver to manually operate the high beams. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details.}