AlbertaBritish ColumbiaManitobaNew BrunswickNewfoundlandNova ScotiaOntarioPrince Edward IslandQuebecSaskatchewanYukon
nav logoFind A Dealer
OffersProfessional ServiceToyota Genuine Parts & AccessoriesTire CentreArticles
Is Your Vehicle Ready for Winter
Other Articles
Why You Need to Change Your Vehicle’s Cabin Air Filter
Why You Need to Change Your Vehicle’s Cabin Air Filter

A cabin air filter prevents stuff like dirt, dust, smoke, smog, pollen, mold, and exhaust from entering the cabin of your vehicle through the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. It also keeps out other debris, such as bugs, rodent droppings, and leaves. They are typically rectangular and made of paper and a mix of other fibrous materials. They also feature pleats to better catch the contaminants. When air passes through the cabin air filter, debris is trapped rather than going into the vehicle. Eventually, that debris will build up, making it necessary for the filter to be changed to continue to work efficiently.

Read More ›
Why Choose Genuine Replacement Parts Over Aftermarket Parts?
Why Choose Genuine Replacement Parts Over Aftermarket Parts?

No matter how well we care for and maintain our vehicles, eventually something will need replacing. Most of the time it will simply be due to normal wear and tear, but sometimes a ding or crash is responsible. Whatever the reason, if you need repairs and parts you usually have two options. You can go to your local dealership and buy genuine parts, or you can head to an independent garage or general repair facility that offers non-genuine parts, usually referred to as “aftermarket” parts.

Read More ›

Make Sure Your Vehicle is Ready for Winter

No matter where you are in Canada, winter makes driving more challenging so we should all take steps to be prepared. From winter tires to winter wiper blades, there are several things you should be considering to make sure your vehicle is safe and ready to take on winter. Here are a few tips:

Winter Tires
Don't compromise your safety by thinking you can get away with all seasons this winter or by only putting winter tires on two wheels. All four wheels need winter tires regardless of whether you have front-wheel, rear-wheel, all-wheel, or four-wheel-drive. In spite of the name, "all-season" tires are not winter tires, and will not provide you with traction when you need it most. Just consider the province of Quebec. When they made winter tires mandatory, the number of collisions dropped by almost 20%.

Battery
If your car, truck or SUV is over three years old, it may not need a new battery, but getting it tested is quick, harmless, and often free at most service facilities (it's free at Toyota Service Centres). Think about it. Would you rather find out you need a new battery when your vehicle is in for service at 9am on a Tuesday, or, say at 10pm after playing hockey on a Sunday night in an almost empty parking when it’s -30 ºC?

Fluids
Your engine coolant should be checked for strength and top up every fall. Most of us don't have a coolant strength tester, so this is best left up to your service provider. Washer fluid is an easy DIY check, and you should keep a spare jug in your vehicle all year long, especially in the winter when your windows get the dirtiest. Engine oil can take a beating during the winter thanks to fuel contamination from cold starts and water contamination from engine block condensation (if you have one), so start off the season right with a fresh oil and filter change. Also a good idea to check brake, transmission and power steering fluid levels as well.

Wipers
Windshield wipers, no matter what brand and how much you pay for them, will eventually wear out and will need to be replaced within 18 to 24 months. Wiper blades can freeze up and get streaky under extreme conditions, so consider winter wiper blades that are specially formulated to deal with tough winter conditions. Spraying a light lubricant at the base of the wiper arm where the pivot is located also helps.

Floor Mats
You should never stack floor mats on top of one another or use a mat that’s too thick because it could lead to accidentally jamming your accelerator pedal to the floor with catastrophic results. Consider winter floor mats to help reduce salt stains on your carpeting and floor liners, and to catch all that snow melt you drag in with you over the season. We suggest you remove your mats occasionally throughout the winter to dry them out indoors though as moisture on floor mats is a primary cause of frost on the inside of your windshield and door glass.

What's In Your Trunk?
If you drive mostly in the city you may not need a full-blown survival kit in the trunk, but everyone should have a container of washer fluid, a light-weight snow shovel, lined work gloves, a quality ice-scraper/snow brush, a flashlight, emergency reflectors, a first-aid kit, and some folding traction mats. If you drive an older vehicle you may want to step it up with a set of booster cables as well. And always make sure these items are properly secured. Minivans, crossovers and SUVs usually don’t have a cargo area separated from the passengers, so all these items could become lethal projectiles in the event of a collision or roll-over if they’re not properly secured.

Traction
Many of us have been told that extra weight in the back gives us better traction, but leave the idea of bags of sand or kitty litter at the curb. If you think a loose snow brush hurts when it cracks you in the back of the head during a collision, think about the damage a 50 pound bag of sand could do. The best weight to carry to improve your traction is fuel in your tank. Keeping your tank full will lower your vehicle to the ground for improved stability and also reduce the effect of winter water contamination in the tank.

Trust trained Toyota experts who know your car the best

Book an Appointment