504
Exterior Care
10-1 . Exterior Care & Washing
CAUTION s10aa
s10aa01
. 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 areas adjacent to it . If water enters the engine air intake or electrical parts , it will cause engine trouble or a malfunction of the power steering .
. When washing inner fenders , underbody , bumpers and protruding objects such as exhaust pipes and exhaust finishers , be careful to prevent injuries from contacting sharp ends .
. Do not use any organic solvents when washing the surface of the bulb assembly cover . However , if a detergent with organic solvents is used to wash the cover surface , completely rinse off the detergent with water . Otherwise ,
the cover surface may be damaged .
. Outback / Subaru Outback Wilderness : Since your vehicle is equipped with a rear wiper , automatic car-wash brushes could become tangled around it , damaging the wiper arm and other components . Ask the automatic car-wash 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 .
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 . Wear rubber gloves and use a hand brush when washing down underbody , inner fenders and suspension to effectively remove mud and dirt off .
! Washing the underbody s10aa0101
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