741
Maintenance
BATTERY
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.
WARNING - Risk of
explosion
Keep lit cigarettes and all other flames or
sparks away from the
battery.
The battery contains hydrogen -- a highly
combustible gas which
will explode if it comes
in contact with a flame or
spark.WARNING - Sulfuric acid
in batteries
Keep batteries out of the reach of children
because batteries con-
tain highly corrosive
SULFURIC ACID and
electrolytes. Do not
allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
Wear eye protection when charging or work-
ing near a battery.
Always provide ventila-
tion when working in an
enclosed space.
OYDDMC2008
773
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.
If your vehicle is damaged and
requires any metal repair or replace-
ment, 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 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 maintenance
Corrosive 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.
Aluminum or chrome wheel main-
tenance
The aluminum or chrome wheels are
coated with a clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner, polishing 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 detergent, and rinse thoroughly
with water. Also, be sure to clean
the wheels after driving on salted
roads. This helps prevent corro-
sion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high-speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any alkaline or acid detergent. It may damage and cor-
rode the aluminum or chrome
wheels coated with a clear protec-
tive finish.
