228Vehicle care
Bird droppings, dead insects, resin,
pollen and the like should be cleaned
off immediately, as they contain
aggressive constituents which can
cause paint damage.
If using a car wash, comply with the
car wash manufacturer's instructions. The windscreen wiper and rear
window wiper must be switched off.
Remove antenna and external
accessories such as roof racks etc.
If you wash your vehicle by hand,
make sure that the insides of the
wheel housings are also thoroughly
rinsed out.
Clean edges and folds on opened
doors and the bonnet as well as the
areas they cover.Caution
Always use a cleaning agent with
a pH value of 4 to 9.
Do not use cleaning agents on hot surfaces.
Have the door hinges of all doors
greased by a workshop.
Do not clean the engine compartment with a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Thoroughly rinse and leather-off the vehicle. Rinse leather frequently. Use
separate leathers for painted and
glass surfaces: remnants of wax on
the windows will impair vision.
Exterior lights
Headlight and other light covers are
made of plastic. Do not use any
abrasive or caustic agents, do not use an ice scraper, and do not clean them
dry.
Polishing and waxing Wax painted parts of the vehicle
regularly (at the latest when water no
longer beads). Otherwise, the
paintwork will dry out.
Polishing is necessary only if the paint
has become dull or if solid deposits
have become attached to it.
Paintwork polish with silicone forms a
protective film, making waxing
unnecessary.Unpainted plastic body parts must not be treated with wax or polishing
agents.
Matt filmed body parts or decor tapes must not be polished, to avoid
gleaming. Do not use hot wax
programmes in automatic car washes if the vehicle is equipped with these
parts.
Matt painted decor parts, e.g. mirror
housing cover, must not be polished. Otherwise these parts would become
agleam or the colour would be
dissolved.
Windows and windscreen wiper blades
Use a soft lint-free cloth or chamois
leather together with window cleaner and insect remover.
When cleaning the rear window from
inside, always wipe in parallel to the
heating element to prevent damage.
For mechanical removal of ice, use a
sharp-edged ice scraper. Press the
scraper firmly against the glass so
that no dirt can get under it and
scratch the glass.
Vehicle care229
Clean smearing wiper blades with a
soft cloth and window cleaner.
Remove dirt residues from smearing
wiper blades by using a soft cloth and window cleaner. Also make sure to
remove any residues such as wax,
insect residues and similar from the
window.
Ice residues, pollution and continuous
wiping on dry windows will damage or
even destroy the wiper blades.
Sunroof
Never clean with solvents or abrasive
agents, fuels, aggressive media
(e.g. paint cleaner, acetone-
containing solutions etc.), acidic or
highly alkaline media or abrasive
pads. Do not apply wax or polishing
agents to the sunroof.
Wheels and tyres
Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.
Clean rims with a pH-neutral wheel
cleaner.
Rims are painted and can be treated
with the same agents as the body.Paintwork damage
Rectify minor paintwork damage with
a touch-up pen before rust forms.
Have more extensive damage or rust areas repaired by a workshop.
Underbody Some areas of the vehicle underbody
have a PVC undercoating while other
critical areas have a durable
protective wax coating.
After the underbody is washed, check the underbody and have it waxed if
necessary.
Bitumen/rubber materials could
damage the PVC coating. Have
underbody work carried out by a
workshop.
Before and after winter, wash the
underbody and have the protective
wax coating checked.Liquid gas system9 Danger
Liquid gas is heavier than air and
can collect in sink points.
Take care when performing work
at the underbody in a pit.
For painting work and when using a
drying booth at a temperature above
60 °C, the liquid gas tank must be
removed.
Do not make any modifications to the
liquid gas system.
Towing equipment Do not clean the coupling ball bar with
a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Rear carrier system Clean the rear carrier system with a
steam-jet or high-pressure jet cleaner
at least once a year.
Operate the rear carrier system
periodically if not in regular use, in
particular during winter.
