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354
PROTECTING YOUR VEHICLEFROM CORROSION
Proper care of your Lexus can help ensure long±term
corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corrosion to your vehicle
are:
The accumulation of road salt, dirt and moisture in
hard±to±reach areas under the vehicle.
Chipping of paint or undercoating caused by minor
accidents or by stones and gravel.
The following conditions will cause or accelerate
corrosion of your vehicle, so it is important to keep your
vehicle, particularly the underside, as clean as possible
and to repair any damage to paint or protective coatings
as soon as possible.
The presence of road salt or dust control chemicals, salt in
the air near the sea coast, industrial air pollution.
High humidity, especially at temperatures just above
freezing point.
Certain parts of your vehicle are wet or damp for an
extended period of time, even though other parts of the
vehicle are dry.
Components of the vehicle which are prevented from
quick±drying due to lack of proper ventilation are exposed
to high ambient temperature. To help prevent corrosion on your Lexus, follow these
guidelines:
Keep your vehicle clean by regular washing.
In addition,
observe the following points.
If you drive on salted roads in the winter or if you live near
the ocean, you should hose off the undercarriage at least
once a month to minimize corrosion.
High pressure water or steam is effective for cleaning the
vehicle's underside and wheel housings. Pay particular
attention to these areas as it is difficult to see all the mud and
dirt. It will do more harm than good to simply wet the mud
and debris without removing them. The lower edge of
doors, rocker panels and frame members have drain holes
which should not be allowed to clog with dirt as trapped
water in these areas can cause corrosion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle thoroughly when winter
is over.
See ºWashing and waxingº on page 355 for more tips.
Check the c ondition of your vehicle's paint and trim. If you
find any chips or scratches in the paint, touch them up
immediately to prevent corrosion from starting. If the chips or
scratches have gone through the bare metal, have a qualified
body shop make the repair.
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359
NOTICE
Use a good foam±type shampoo to clean the carpets.
Do not use dye or bleach on the belts ± it may weakenthem.
Do not use the belts until they become dry.
The windows may be cleaned with any household
window cleaner.
When cleaning the inside of the rear window, becareful not to scratch or damage the heater wires orconnectors.
Air Conditioning Control Panel, Car Audio,
Instrument Panel, Console Panel, and
Switches
Use a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or lukewarm water then lightly
wipe off any dirt.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (solvents, kerosene,
alcohol, gasoline, etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discoloring, staining or peeling of the surface.
If you use cleaners or polishing agents, make suretheir ingredients do not include the substancesmentioned above.
If you use a liquid car freshener, do not spill the liquidonto the vehicle's interior surfaces. It may containthe ingredients mentioned above. Immediately cleanany spill using the method mentioned above.
If you have any questions about the cleaning of your
Lexus, your local Lexus dealer will be pleased to answer
them.
