2011 Alfa Romeo MiTo care and maintenance

222CARE AND MAINTENANCE
If the jet of fluid is inadequate, firstly check that there is fluid in the
reservoir: see “Checking fluid levels” in this chapter).
Then check that the nozzle holes are not clogged, if necessary us-
ing a needle.
Rearscreen washer fig. 11
The nozzle holder is located above the rear window. Rear win-
dow washer jets are fixed.
HEADLIGHT WASHERS fig. 12
(for versions/markets, where provided)
These are located within the front bumper. They are activated when
the dipped beam and/or main beam headlights are on and the
windscreen washer is activated.
Check the correct operation and cleanliness of nozzles at regular
intervals.
fig. 11A0J0055mfig. 12A0J0029m

CARE AND MAINTENANCE223
5
BODYWORK
PROTECTION FROM ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS
The vehicle is equipped with the best available technological solu-
tions to protect the bodywork against corrosion.
These are the most important:
❍paint products and systems which give the car resistance to cor-
rosion and abrasion;
❍use of galvanised (or pre-treated) steel sheets, with high re-
sistance to corrosion;
❍spraying of plastic parts, with a protective function, in the most
exposed points: underdoor, inner wing parts, edges, etc.;
❍use of “open” boxed sections to prevent condensation and
pockets of moisture from triggering rust inside.
❍use of special films (for versions/markets, where provided) to
protect against abrasion in exposed areas (e.g. rear wing, doors,
etc.).
BODY AND UNDERBODY WARRANTY
Your car is covered by warranty against perforation due to rust of
any original element of the structure or body. For the general terms
of this warranty, refer to the Warranty Booklet.
PRESERVING THE BODYWORK
Paint
Touch up abrasions and scratches immediately to prevent the for-
mation of rust.
Normal maintenance of paintwork consists of washing the car: the
frequency depends on the conditions and environment where the
car is used. For example, it is advisable to wash the car more of-
ten in areas with high environmental pollution or salted roads.
To correctly wash the car:
❍remove the aerial from the roof when using a carwash;
❍if high pressure water jets are used to wash the car, make sure
they are at least 40 cm away from the bodywork to avoid caus-
ing damage. It should be remembered that a build up of wa-
ter could cause damage, in the long term, to the car;
❍wash the body using a low pressure jet of water;
❍wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy solution over the body-
work, frequently rinsing the sponge;
❍rinse well with water and dry with a jet of air or leather pad.

224CARE AND MAINTENANCE
IMPORTANT NOTES
Avoid parking under trees; the resin dropped by trees makes the
paintwork go opaque, increasing the possibility of corrosion.
Bird droppings must be washed off immediately and thoroughly as
the acid they contain is particularly aggressive.
Windows
Use specific window cleaner products.
Use also clean cloths to avoid scratching the glass or damaging
the transparency.
IMPORTANT Wipe the rear window inside gently with a cloth in the
direction of the filaments to avoid damaging the heating device.
Front headlights
Use a soft, damp cloth soaked in water and detergent for wash-
ing cars.
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic substances (e.g.: petrol) or ketenes
(e.g.: acetone) for cleaning front headlight plastic lens.
IMPORTANT When cleaning the car with a pressure washer, keep
the water jet at least 2 cm away from the headlights.
Engine compartment
At the end of every winter, wash the engine compartment thor-
oughly, taking care not to aim the jet of water directly at the elec-
tronic control units or windscreen wiper motors. Have this opera-
tion performed at a specialised workshop.
IMPORTANT Perform this operation on a cold engine and with the
key at STOP. After the washing operation, make sure that the var-
ious protections (e.g. rubber caps and guards) have not been re-
moved or damaged.
Detergents cause water pollution. The car should
be washed in areas equipped for collecting and pu-
rifying the liquid used in the washing process.
When drying take care to dry the least exposed parts where the
water could collect most easily. Do not wash the car after it has
been parked in the sun or when the engine is bonnet is hot: this
could take the shine off the paint.
Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned in the same way as the rest
of the car.
To keep intact the aesthetic properties of the
paintwork do not use abrasive and/or polish
products for cleaning the car bodywork.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE225
5
INTERIORS
Periodically check for water puddles under the mats that could cause
the panels to rust.
CLEANING SEATS AND FABRIC PARTS
Remove dust with a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner. It is advis-
able to use a moist brush on velvet upholstery. Rub the seats with
a sponge moistened with a solution of water and neutral detergent.
LEATHER SEATS (for versions/markets, where provided)
Remove the dry dirt with a buckskin or slightly damp cloth, with-
out exercising too much pressure.
Remove liquid or oil stains using a dry absorbent cloth, without rub-
bing. Then clean with a soft cloth or buckskin cloth dampened with
water and neutral soap.
If the stain persists, use specific products and observe the instruc-
tions carefully.
IMPORTANT Never use alcohol. Make sure that the cleaning prod-
ucts used contain no alcohol or alcohol derivatives, even in small
quantities.
INTERIOR PLASTIC PARTS
Clean interior plastic parts with a moist cloth and a solution of
water and mild soap. To clean oily or persistent stains, use specif-
ic products free from solvents and designed to maintain the origi-
nal colour of the components.
IMPORTANT Never use spirit or petrol to clean the glass of the in-
strument panel or other plastic parts.

226CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Never use flammable products, such as petrol ether
or rectified petrol to clean inside the car. The elec-
trostatic charges which are generated by rubbing
during the cleaning operation may cause a fire.
Don’t keep aerosol cans in the vehicle: risk of ex-
plosion. Aerosol cans must not be exposed to tem-
peratures exceeding 50°C. When the vehicle is ex-
posed to sunlight, the inner temperature can greatly ex-
ceed this value.LEATHER PARTS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Use only water and neutral soap to clean these parts. Never use
spirit and/or alcohol based products.
Before using a specific product for cleaning interiors, make sure
that it does not contain spirit and/or alcohol based substances.