2003 Acura TL 3.2 Owner's Manual

278

Regular cleaning and polishing of
your Acura helps to keep it ‘‘new’’
looking. This section gives you hints
on how to clean your car and
preserve its appearance: the paint,
brightwork, wheels and interior. Also
included are several things you can
do to help prevent corrosion..................................
Exterior Care .280
.....................................
Washing .280
.......................................
Waxing .281
....................
Aluminum Wheels .281
..........................
Paint Touch-up .281
..................................
Interior Care .282
...................................
Carpeting .282
.................................
Floor Mats .282
.........................................
Fabric .283
...........................................
Vinyl .283
.......................................
Leather .283
...................................
Seat Belts .283
....................................
Windows .284
..........................
Air Fresheners .284
....................
Corrosion Protection .285
.................................
Body Repairs .286
Appearance Care
Appearance Care279

When you have washed and rinsed
the whole exterior, dry it with a
chamois or sof t towel. Letting it
air-dry will cause dulling and water
spots.
Fill a bucket with cool water. Mix
in a mild detergent, such as
dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially f or car washing.
Only use the solvents and cleaners
recommendedinthisOwner’s
Manual. Frequent washing helps preserve
your car’s beauty. Dirt and grit can
scratch the paint, while tree sap and
bird droppings can permanently ruin
the f inish.
Wash your car in a shady area, not in
direct sunlight. If the car is parked in
the sun, move it into the shade and
let the exterior cool down bef ore you
start. Rinse the car thoroughly with cool
water to remove loose dirt.
As you dry the car, inspect it f or
chips and scratches that could allow
corrosion to start. Repair them with
touch-up paint (see page ).
Wash the car using the water and
detergent solution and a sof t-
bristle brush, sponge, or sof t cloth.
Start at the top and work your way
down. Rinse f requently.
Check the body f or road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains with
tar remover or turpentine. Rinse it
of f immediately so it does not
harm the f inish. Remember to re-
wax these areas, even if the rest of
the car does not need waxing. 281
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Washing
280
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.

µµ
Always wash and dry the whole car
bef ore waxing it. You should wax
your car, including the metal trim,
whenever water sits on the surf ace
in large patches. It should f orm into
beads or droplets af ter waxing.
You should use a quality liquid or
paste wax. Apply it according to the
instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products:
Waxes A wax coats the finish and
protects it f rom damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. You
should use a wax on your Acura
when it is new.
Polishes Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to paint
that has oxidized and lost some of its
shine. They normally contain mild
abrasives and solvents that remove
the top layer of the f inish. You should use a polish on your Acura if
the f inish does not have its original
shine af ter using a wax.
Cleaning tar, insects, etc. with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas,
even if the rest of the car does not
need waxing.
Clean your Acura’s aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the
exterior.Washthemwiththesame
solution, and rinse them thoroughly.
The wheels have a protective clear-
coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some
commercial wheel cleaners, or stif f
brushes can damage this clear-coat.
Only use a mild detergent and sof t
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.
Your dealer has touch-up paint to
match your car’s color. The color
code is printed on a sticker on the
driver’s doorjamb. Take this code to
your dealer so you are sure to get
the correct color.
Inspect your car f requently f or chips
or scratches in the paint. Repair
them right away to prevent corrosion
of the metal underneath. Use the
touch-up paint only on small chips
and scratches. More extensive paint
damage should be repaired by a
prof essional.
Exterior Care
Appearance Care
Waxing
Paint T ouch-up
A luminum Wheels
281

Vacuum the carpeting f requently to
remove dirt. Ground-in dirt will make
the carpet wear out f aster.
Periodically shampoo the carpet to
keep it looking new. Use one of the
foam-type carpet cleaners on the
market. Follow the instructions that
come with the cleaner, applying it
with a sponge or sof t brush. Keep
the carpeting as dry as possible by
not adding water to the f oam.The Acura driver’s f loor mat that
came with your car was designed to
be hooked over the f loor mat anchor.
This keeps the f loor mat f rom sliding
f orward and possibly interf ering with
the pedals.If you remove the f loor mat, make
sure to re-anchor it when you put it
back in your car.
If you replace it, use an Acura f loor
matthatisdesignedtobeusedwith
the f loor mat anchor in your car.
If you use a non-Acura f loor mat in
the driver’s f ootwell, make sure it
f its properly and that it can be used
with the floor mat anchor.
Do not put additional f loor mats on
top of the anchored mat, otherwise
the additional mats may slide
f orward and interf ere with the pedals.
Carpeting
Floor Mats
Appearance Care
Interior Care
282

Vacuum dirt and dust out of the
material f requently. For general
cleaning, use a solution of mild soap
and lukewarm water, letting it air dry.
To clean of f stubborn spots, use a
commercially-available f abric cleaner.
Test it on a hidden area of the f abric
first, to make sure it does not bleach
or stain the f abric. Follow the
instructions that come with the
cleaner.
Remove dirt and dust with a vacuum
cleaner. Wipe the vinyl with a sof t
cloth dampened in a solution of mild
soap and water. Use the same
solution with a soft-bristle brush on
more dif f icult spots. You can also use
commercially-available spray or
f oam-type vinyl cleaners.Vacuum dirt and dust f rom the
leather f requently. Pay particular
attention to the pleats and seams.
Clean the leather with a sof t cloth
dampened with clear water, then
buf f it with a clean, dry cloth. If
f urther cleaning is needed, use a
soap specif ically f or leather, such as
saddle soap. Apply this soap with a
damp,softcloth.Wipedownand
buf f as described above.
If your seat belts get dirty, you can
use a sof t brush with a mixture of
mild soap and warm water to clean
them. Do not use bleach, dye, or
cleaning solvents. They can weaken
the belt material. Let the belts air-
drybeforeyouusethecar.
CONT INUED
Fabric
VinylL eather
Seat Belts
Interior Care
Appearance Care283
L LOOO OPP

Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass
cleaner. You can also use a mixture
of one part white vinegar to ten parts
water. This will remove the haze that
builds up on the inside of the
windows. Use a sof t cloth or paper
towels to clean all glass and clear
plastic surf aces.If you want to use an air f reshener/
deodorizer in the interior of your car,
it is best to use a solid type. Some
liquid air f resheners contain chemi-
cals that may cause parts of the
interior trim and f abric to crack or
discolor.
If youusealiquidairfreshener,
make sure you f asten it securely so it
does not spill as you drive.
Windows
A ir Fresheners
Interior Care
Appearance Care284
The rear window def ogger and
antenna wires are bonded to the inside
of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-
down can dislodge and break these
wires. When cleaning the rear window,
use gentle pressure and wipe side-to-
side.

Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover them.
Inspect and clean out the drain
holes in the bottom of the doors
and body.
Check the f loor coverings f or
dampness. Carpeting and f loor
mats may remain damp f or a long
time, especially in winter. This
dampness can eventually cause
the f loor panels to corrode.
Two f actors normally contribute to
causing corrosion in your car:
Moisture trapped in body cavities.
Dirtandroadsaltthatcollectsin
hollows on the underside of the
car stays damp, promoting
corrosion in that area.
Removal of paint and protective
coatings f rom the exterior and
underside of the car. Many corrosion-preventive measures
are built into your Acura. You can
help keep your car f rom corroding
by perf orming some simple periodic
maintenance:
Use a high-pressure spray to clean
the underside of your car. This is
especially important in areas that
useroadsaltinwinter.Itisalsoa
good idea in humid climates and
areas subject to salt air. Be careful
of the ABS wheel sensors and
wiring at each wheel.
Have the corrosion-preventive
coatings on the underside of your
car inspected and repaired
periodically.
1.
2.
Corrosion Prot ect ion
Appearance Care285