548 7-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
7-1. Maintenance and care
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime condition:
Cleaning instructions
• Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any dirt and dust.
• Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a chamois.
• For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thoroughly with water.
• Wipe away any water.
• Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle body is cool.
■ Self-restoring coat The vehicle body has a self-restoring coating that is resistant to small surface scratches caused in a car wash, etc.
●The coating lasts for 5 to 8 years from when the vehicle is delivered from the plant.
●The restoration time differs depending on the depth of the scratch and outside temperature. The restoration time may become shorter when the coating is warmed by applying warm water.
●Deep scratches caused by keys, coins, etc., cannot be restored.
●Do not use wax that contain abrasives.
■ Automatic car washes
● Before washing the vehicle:
• Fold the mirrors
• Turn off the power back door
Start washing from the front of the vehicle. Make sure to extend the mirrors before driving.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface, parts( wheel, etc.) and harm your vehicle’ s paint.
●Rear spoiler( if equipped) may not
be washable in some automatic car washes. There may also be an increased risk of damage to vehicle.
●When using an automatic carwashes, etc. the shift position needs to be held in N, refer to P. 237.
■ High pressure car washes As water may enter the cabin, do not bring the nozzle tip near the
gaps around the doors or perimeter of the windows, or spray these areas continuously.
■ Note for a smart key system
If the door handle becomes wet while the electronic key is within the effective range, the door may lock and unlock repeatedly. In that case, follow the following correction procedures to wash the vehicle:
●Place the key in a position 6 ft.( 2 m) or more separate from the vehicle while the vehicle is being
washed.( Take care to ensure that the key is not stolen.)