Maintenance26
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For best battery service : Keep the battery securely mount-
ed.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connec- tions clean, tight, and coated with
petroleum jelly or terminal grease.
Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the battery immediately with a
solution of water and baking soda.
If the vehicle is not going to be used for an extended time, discon-
nect the battery cables.
Battery recharging Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes dischargedin a short time (because, for exam-
ple, the headlights or interior lights
were left on while the vehicle was
not in use), recharge it by slow
charging (trickle) for 10 hours.
If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while
the vehicle is being used, recharge
it at 20-30A for two hours.
Items to be reset after the batteryhas been discharged or the bat-tery has been disconnected. Clock (See section 3)
Climate control system (See section 4)
Audio (See section 3)
Sunroof (See section 3)
1LDE5028
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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 preser-
vative 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
preservative. 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
collect on the underbody. If these
materials are not removed, acceler-
ated 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 under-
body and wheel openings with luke-
warm 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 rust-
ing.
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 forward
speed.
