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Maintenance
68 7
Waxing
Wax 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.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.
✽NOTICE
If 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.
CAUTION
• Wiping dust or dirt off the body
with a dry cloth will scratch the
finish.
• Do not use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or
caustic agents on chrome-plated
or anodized aluminum parts. This
may result in damage to the pro-
tective coating and cause discol-
oration or paint deterioration.
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769
Maintenance
Underbody maintenance
Corrosive 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 the 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 the doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes
that should not clog with dirt; trapped
water in these areas can cause rusting.
Aluminum or chrome wheel mainte-
nance
The aluminum or chrome wheels are
coated with a clear protective finish.
• Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-
ishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminum or chrome
wheels. They may scratch or damage
the finish.
• Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
• 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 alkaline or acid deter-
gent. It may damage and corrode the
aluminum or chrome 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.
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Maintenance
72 7
Interior care
Interior general precautions
Prevent chemicals such as perfume, cos-
metic oil, sun cream, hand cleaner, and
air freshener from contacting the interior
parts because they may cause damage
or discoloration. If they do contact the
interior parts, wipe them off immediately.
See the instructions for the proper way to
clean vinyl.
Cleaning the upholstery and interior
trim
Vinyl
Remove dust and loose dirt from vinyl
with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.
Clean vinyl surfaces with a vinyl cleaner.
Fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt from fabric
with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.
Clean with a mild soap solution recom-
mended for upholstery or carpets.
Remove fresh spots immediately with a
fabric spot cleaner. If fresh spots do not
receive immediate attention, the fabric
can be stained and its color can be
affected. Also, its fire-resistant properties
can be reduced if the material is not
properly maintained.
Cleaning the lap/shoulder belt web-
bing
Clean the belt webbing with any mild
soap solution recommended for cleaning
upholstery or carpet. Follow the instruc-
tions provided with the soap. Do not
bleach or re-dye the webbing because
this may weaken it.
Cleaning the interior window glass
If the interior glass surfaces of the vehi-
cle become fogged (that is, covered with
an oily, greasy or waxy film), they should
be cleaned with glass cleaner. Follow the
directions on the glass cleaner container.
CAUTION
Never allow water or other liquids
to come in contact with
electrical/electronic components
inside the vehicle as this may dam-
age them.
CAUTION
Using anything but recommended
cleaners and procedures may affect
the fabric’s appearance and fire-
resistant properties.
CAUTION
When cleaning leather products
(steering wheel, seats etc.), use
neutral detergents or low alcohol
content solutions. If you use high
alcohol content solutions or
acid/alkaline detergents, the color
of the leather may fade or the sur-
face may get stripped off.
CAUTION
Do not scrape or scratch the inside
of the rear window. This may result
in damage to the rear window
defroster grid.
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