10-2
Appearance care
Exterior care
& Washing
CAUTION
. When washing the vehicle, the
brakes may get wet. As a result,
the brake stopping distance will
be longer. To dry the brakes,
drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly pressing the brake
pedal to heat up the brakes.
. Do not wash the engine compartment and area adjacent to it. If
water enters the engine air intake, electrical parts or the power
steering fluid reservoir, it will
cause engine trouble or a malfunction of power steering.
. Since your vehicle is equipped
with a rear wiper, automatic carwash brushes could become
tangled around it, damaging the
wiper arm and other components. Ask the automatic carwash operator not to let the
brushes touch the wiper arm or
to fix the wiper arm on the rear
window glass with adhesive tape
before operating the machine.
. Do not use organic solvents
when washing the surface of the
bulb assembly cover. However, if
a detergent with organic solvents
is used to wash the surface,
completely rinse off the detergent with water. Otherwise, the
surface may be damaged.
NOTE
When having your vehicle washed in
an automatic car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of
suitable type.
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s
beauty is frequent washing. Wash the
vehicle at least once a month to avoid
contamination by road grime.
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of lukewarm or cold water. Do not wash
the vehicle with hot water and in direct
sunlight.
Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, tree
sap, and bird droppings should be washed
off by using a light detergent, as required.
If you use a light detergent, make certain
that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use
strong soap or chemical detergents. All
cleaning agents should be promptly
flushed from the surface and not allowed
to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly
with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the
remaining water off with a chamois or soft
cloth.
! Washing the underbody
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for
deicing road surfaces are extremely corrosive, accelerating the corrosion of underbody components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake
cables, floor pan and fenders, and suspension.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and inside of the fenders with lukewarm or cold
water at frequent intervals to reduce the
harmful effects of such agents.
Mud and sand adhering to the underbody
components may accelerate their corrosion.
After driving off-road or on muddy or
sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off
the underbody. Carefully flush the suspension and axle parts, as they are particularly prone to mud and sand buildup. Do
not use a sharp-edged tool to remove
caked mud.
CAUTION
. Be careful not to damage brake
hoses, sensor harnesses, and
other parts when washing sus-