Maintenance36
7EXTERIOR CARE Exterior general caution It is very important to follow the label
directions when using any chemical
cleaner or polish. Read all warning and
caution statements that appear on the
label.Finish maintenanceWashing To help protect your vehicle’s finish from
rust and deterioration, wash it thoroughly
and frequently at least once a month with
lukewarm or cold water.
If you use your vehicle for off-road driv-
ing, you should wash it after each off-
road trip. Pay special attention to the
removal of any accumulation of salt, dirt,
mud, and other foreign materials. Make
sure the drain holes in the lower edges of
the doors and rocker panels are kept
clear and clean.
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial pollution and similar deposits
can damage your vehicle’s finish if not
removed immediately.
Even prompt washing with plain water
may not completely remove all these
deposits. A mild soap, safe for use on
painted surfaces, may be used. After washing, rinse the vehicle thor-
oughly with lukewarm or cold water. Do
not allow soap to dry on the finish.
✽ ✽
NOTICEDo not use strong soap, chemical deter-
gents or hot water, and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight or when the
body of the vehicle is warm. ✽ ✽NOTICE• Water washing in the engine compart-
ment may cause the failure of electri-
cal circuits located in the engine com-
partment.
• Never allow water or other liquids to come in contact with electrical/elec-
tronic components inside the vehicle
as this may damage them.
WaxingWax the vehicle when water will no
longer bead on the paint.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing. Use a good quality liquid or
paste wax, and follow the manufacturer’s
instructions. Wax all metal trim to protect
it and to maintain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materials
with a spot remover will usually strip the
wax from the finish. Be sure to re-wax
these areas even if the rest of the vehicle
does not yet need waxing.✽ ✽ NOTICE• Wiping dust or dirt off the body with
a dry cloth will scratch the finish.
• Do not use steel wool, abrasive clean- ers, or strong detergents containing
highly alkaline or caustic agents on
chrome-plated or anodized aluminum
parts. This may result in damage to
the protective coating and cause dis-
coloration or paint deterioration.
WARNING
- Wet brakes
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.
737
Maintenance
Finish damage repair Deep scratches or stone chips in the
painted surface must be repaired
promptly. Exposed metal will quickly rust
and may develop into a major repair
expense.✽ ✽NOTICEIf your vehicle is damaged and requires
any metal repair or replacement, be sure
the body shop applies anti-corrosion
materials to the parts repaired or
replaced. Bright-metal maintenance To remove road tar and insects, use a
tar remover, not a scraper or other
sharp object.
To protect the surfaces of bright-metal parts from corrosion, apply a coating of
wax or chrome preservative and rub to
a high luster.
During winter weather or in coastal areas, cover the bright metal parts with
a heavier coating of wax or preserva-
tive. If necessary, coat the parts with
non-corrosive petroleum jelly or other
protective compound.
Underbody maintenanceCorrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may col-
lect on the underbody. If these materials
are not removed, accelerated rusting can
occur on underbody parts such as the
fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust
system, even though they have been
treated with rust protection.
Thoroughly flush the vehicle underbody
and wheel openings with lukewarm or
cold water once a month, after off-road
driving and at the end of each winter. Pay
special attention to these areas because
it is difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet down
the road grime without removing it. The
lower edges of doors, rocker panels, and
frame members have drain holes that
should not be allowed to clog with dirt;
trapped water in these areas can cause
rusting.
Aluminum wheel maintenance The aluminum wheels are coated with a
clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-ishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminum wheels. They
may scratch or damage the finish.
Use only a mild soap or neutral deter- gent, and rinse thoroughly with water.
Also, be sure to clean the wheels after
driving on salted roads. This helps pre-
vent corrosion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high- speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any acid detergent. It may damage and corrode the aluminum
wheels coated with a clear protective
finish.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.
