Do you have these new Toyota apps on your phone?

 When it comes to technology and connectivity, Toyota is pretty forward-thinking. Their cars are stocked with the latest and greatest tech for entertainment, convenience, and safety. But recently, that forward-thinking mindset has been stretched one step farther... to your phone. Here's a quick guide to Toyota's latest suite of new Toyota apps that you should have on your device if you own or drive one of our vehicles. 

Toyota Service Connect 

This app is excellent for keeping your car in the best shape possible. As you probably guessed from the name, it makes car care, maintenance, and repairs easier than ever before. Once you link it to your Orlando Toyota's VIN, Toyota Service Connect can send you reminders about your car's maintenance, let you know how it's doing health-wise, and if you have a light come on in the dash, let you know why it's on. It also sends our Orlando Toyota service alerts if you have a car care issue so we can check in with you and see if you need to schedule a service appointment for your new Toyota. 

Toyota Remote Connect 

Remote Connect is designed to make driving your new Toyota as easy, enjoyable, and convenient as possible. With this app, you can log in to lock and unlock your car right from your phone, as well as start your car (which is perfect for hot summers - imagine climbing into a cool cabin at the end of the day), and get vehicle status alerts for your fuel level. You can also assign guest drivers and then set limits for their speed and mileage (great for teen drivers). 

Additionally, if you drive the Orlando Toyota Prius Plug-in or Toyota Mirai, Toyota Remote Connect will help you find charging stations or hydrogen fueling stations, control the climate settings of the interior, and manage your car's charge. 

Joya Virtual Driving Companion 

If you've ready any of our articles, you know that paying attention when you're behind the wheel is critical to safety. This means you have to keep your hands on the wheel (and off of your phone). That's where Joya comes in. This voice-controlled virtual assistant acts as a digital tool to keep you connected to your new Toyota (the tool will first be introduced in the 2021 Toyota Sienna). It's kind of like a car owner's manual in AI form - it'll be able to fetch you information for anything and everything you want to know about your Orlando Toyota. 

Stay safe and connected every time you get behind the wheel. See it all in person - you can visit Toyota of Orlando to learn more about these new Toyota apps AND test them out for yourself. Call us at (407) 298-4500 or stop by and see us at 3575 Vineland Road, just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall. 

How to Get Pesky Stains out of Your Car Interior Carpet and Headliner

 Picture this. You're driving down the highway, terribly late for work. Then, suddenly, you run right into the pothole of a lifetime and coffee goes flying everywhere. Now, the carpet, seats, and headliner are thoroughly stained and your day just got exponentially worse. 

While the humiliation is difficult to wash away, the stains in your car interior are actually not super difficult to clean out. If you're tired of staring at reminders of mornings gone wrong every time you get behind the wheel, you're in luck! Toyota of Orlando is here to help you out with some quick tips. 

Stains Can be Quite a Pain

Stains in your Orlando car interior are pesky, but they can actually be remedied quite easily. However, you need to make sure you go about it the right way before you start wiping away willy nilly. Here's some prep work you should do before diving in:

Get the Right Materials

Like with anything automotive, it pays to have the right tools at your disposal. For removing stains from your interior surfaces, here are a few things you should have handy: 

• A small, strong bristle brush. Think a medium-strong bristle toothbrush (PSA, don't use those on your teeth) or a nail brush (this is the best thing to use). 
• Spray bottle. This is what you're going to be putting your cleaning solution into. 
• Vinegar, a dash of dish soap, and warm water. This is going to be your cleaning solution for removing stains. 
• A washcloth or microfiber cloth. 

Mix Up Your Cleaning Solution

We're gonna keep it au naturale with this one. You can technically use commercial grade carpet stain remover suited for Orlando Toyota cars, but this one is much more cost-effective and natural. To make this wonder-cleaner, simply combine 1 part warm water, 1 part white vinegar, and a dash of dish soap. Put this into a spray bottle and you're good to go!

Now that you've finished your prep work, it's time to get things done. 

Start by Brushing

If you're wondering what a toothbrush or a nail brush has to do with removing stains, you're about to learn. A key thing to consider when removing stains from your Orlando car interior is to start high before going low. Your headliner is much more sensitive a material to work with and will benefit from clean starting materials. Your brush is meant to break up the stain particles in your materials before applying solution. This will make it easier to work with and get rid of. 

Start Removing Those Stains

It's time to start removing those stains! Starting with the headline, brush the stains thoroughly before trying to remove them with the cleaner. PRO TIP! For removing stains from the car interior headliner, make sure to spray a light amount of solution onto the cloth and not the headliner directly. Spraying the headliner directly could cause the adhesive to deteriorate faster. For carpet stains you can spray them directly with your solution and scrub roughly until the stain is removed. You may need to reapply your stain remover solution, but eventually the stain will come out. 

Ready to get those stains out of your car interior? Toyota of Orlando can help you out if you're having trouble! Visit the dealership at 3575 Vineland Road. 

Don't skip these five auto service appointments: Toyota of Orlando tips

We know, we know - we're always harping on you to get your car care on the schedule. We know we can be annoying, but we have the best intentions. Keeping your car on a routine car maintenance schedule ensures efficient and safe performance, low repair bills, and higher resale value should you decide you want to sell or trade in down the road. However, even if you can't stick to a schedule for your ride's care, there are certain Toyota service appointments you should NEVER skip. Here are the five our Orlando Toyota car care techs recommend getting on the books routinely. 

Get these five auto services on the books ASAP 

#1: Oil changes: Oil is VITAL to performance. It keeps your engine cool and lubricated. When it gets too dirty to do its job or the level gets too low, you can have serious (and expensive repercussions) anywhere from your car overheating to your engine actually permanently conking out. It's critical to schedule your routine oil changes at our Orlando auto service center to ensure your engine doesn't get damaged. 

#2: Replacing your brake pads: Your brake pads, if you remember, press against the rotor to bring your car to a stop when you hit your brake pedal. Over time, they wear out and need to be replaced as they thin down. If you skip this Orlando auto service, they'll wear down too thin and then your rotors can become warped and damaged. This affects braking power and can lead to a costly rotor replacement if you want to keep your car on the road. Trust us, it's much cheaper to just get regular brake service! 

#3: Changing your air filter: Your engine air pulls in air in order to ignite fuel so it's important that the air it intakes is clean. That's where your engine air filter comes in. It prevents dirt and debris from being pulled into the engine alongside the aforementioned air. When it gets too dirty, your car may pull in less air which can lead to major performance problems over time. Swap it out for a clean one regularly. 

#4: Tire rotations: No one wants to pay for new tires. We get it. So get your tires rotated! Rotating your tires ensures that they all wear evenly and also extends their life so you can go longer in between tire replacements. Save yourself money and schedule this routine Orlando car care appointment when your tech recommends it. 

#5: Swapping out your timing belt: Luckily, this is one Orlando auto service appointment that you won't have to schedule too often. But it's critical that you do it when you're due for it. Your timing belt keeps your car's engine running properly - it ensures that every process that happens, happens at the right time. Over time, it will wear out (but not for 100,000 miles or so). When that happens, it's worth making the investment to replace it. If it breaks before it's replaced, it not only can break parts inside the engine bay but can also render your car useless. 

Schedule your routine car care at Toyota of Orlando today! 

Need to schedule one of these essential auto services (or anything else)? Call Toyota of Orlando today. We're open seven days a week at (407) 298-0001!