2016 NISSAN LEAF Owners Manual

NOTES
6-16In case of emergency

7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior...................... .7-2
Washing ......................... .7-2
Waxing .......................... .7-2
Removing spots ..................... .7-3
Underbody ........................ .7-3
Glass ........................... .7-3
Solar cell module (if so equipped) ...........7-3
Wheels .......................... .7-3
Chrome parts ...................... .7-4
Tire dressing ....................... .7-4Cleaning interior
....................... .7-4
Air fresheners ...................... .7-5
Floor mats ........................ .7-5
Seat belts ........................ .7-6
Corrosion protection .................... .7-6
Most common factors contributing to vehicle
corrosion ......................... .7-6
Environmental factors influence the rate of
corrosion ......................... .7-6
Protect your vehicle from corrosion ...........7-7

In order to maintain the appearance of your ve-
hicle, it is important to take proper care of it.
To protect the paint surfaces, wash your vehicle
as soon as you can:
• after a rainfall to prevent possible damage fromacid rain
• after driving on coastal roads
• when contaminants such as soot, bird drop- pings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs get on
the paint surface
• when dust or mud builds up on the surface
Whenever possible, store or park your vehicle
inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in a
shady area or protect the vehicle with a body
cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint surface
when putting on or removing the body
cover.
WASHING
Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet sponge and
plenty of water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly
using a mild soap, a special vehicle soap or
general purpose dishwashing liquid mixed with
clean, lukewarm (never hot) water.
CAUTION
• Do not use car washes that use acid in the detergent. Some car washes, espe-
cially brushless ones, use some acid
for cleaning. The acid may react with
some plastic vehicle components,
causing them to crack. This could af-
fect their appearance, and also could
cause them not to function properly.
Always check with your car wash to
confirm that acid is not used.
• Do not wash the vehicle with strong household soap, strong chemical de-
tergents, gasoline or solvents.
• Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun- light or while the vehicle body is hot, as
the surface may become water-
spotted.
• Avoid using tight-napped or rough cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing
caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-
stances so the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean
water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable to the effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas
must be regularly cleaned. Make sure that the
drain holes in the lower edge of the door are
open. Spray water under the body and in the
wheel wells to loosen the dirt and wash away
road salt.
Avoid leaving water spots on the paint surface by
using a damp chamois to dry the vehicle.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface and
helps retain new vehicle appearance. Polishing is
recommended to remove built-up wax residue
and to avoid a weathered appearance before
reapplying wax.
A NISSAN certified LEAF dealer can assist you in
choosing the proper product.
• Wax your vehicle only after a thorough washing.
Follow the instructions supplied with the wax.
• Do not use a wax containing any abrasives, cutting compounds or cleaners that may dam-
age the vehicle finish.
Machine compound or aggressive polishing on a
base coat/clear coat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
CLEANING EXTERIOR
7-2Appearance and care

REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, insects,
and tree sap as quickly as possible from the paint
surface to avoid lasting damage or staining. Spe-
cial cleaning products are available at a NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer or any automotive acces-
sory stores.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, the
underbody must be cleaned regularly. This will
prevent dirt and salt from building up and causing
the acceleration of corrosion on the underbody
and suspension. Before the winter period and
again in the spring, the underseal must be
checked and, if necessary, re-treated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust film
from the glass surfaces. It is normal for glass to
become coated with a film after the vehicle is
parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner and a soft
cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the windows,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the electri-
cal conductors, radio antenna elements
or rear window defroster elements.
SOLAR CELL MODULE (IF SO
EQUIPPED)
The solar cell uses a plastic cover. When clean-
ing the cell:
• Do not polish the solar cell using a dry cloth or a wax that contains a compound. Doing so may
strip off the hard coating.
• In order to maintain the solar cell’s effective- ness, be sure to remove any leaves or dirt from
the surface of the cell.
WHEELS
Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle to
maintain their appearance.
• Clean the inner side of the wheels when thewheel is changed or the underside of the vehicle
is washed. • Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or corro-
sion. Such damage may cause loss of pressure
or poor seal at the tire bead.
• NISSAN recommends that the road wheels be waxed to protect against road salt in areas
where it is used during winter.
CAUTION
Do not use abrasive cleaners when wash-
ing the wheels.
Aluminum alloy wheels (if so
equipped)
Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in a
mild soap solution, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used. Salt
could discolor the wheels if not removed.
Appearance and care7-3

CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
• Do not use a cleaner that uses strong acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
• Do not apply wheel cleaners to the wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as
ambient temperature.
• Rinse the wheel to completely remove the cleaner within 15 minutes after the
cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non- abrasive
chrome polish to maintain the finish.
TIRE DRESSING
NISSAN does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating to
the tires to help reduce discoloration of the rub-
ber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it may
react with the coating and form a compound. This
compound may come off the tire while driving and
stain the vehicle paint. If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
• Use a water-based tire dressing. The coating on
the tire dissolves more easily with an oil-based
tire dressing.
• Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help prevent it from entering the tire tread/grooves (where it
would be difficult to remove) .
• Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing is completely re-
moved from the tire tread/grooves.
• Allow the tire dressing to dry as recommended by the tire dressing manufacturer. Occasionally remove loose dust from the interior
trim, plastic parts and seats using a vacuum
cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe the vinyl and
leather surfaces with a clean, soft cloth damp-
ened in mild soap solution, then wipe clean with a
dry soft cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in order to
maintain the appearance of the leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the manu-
facturer’s recommendations. Some fabric pro-
tectors contain chemicals that may stain or
bleach the seat material.
Use a cloth dampened only with water to clean
the meter and gauge lens.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classifica-
tion sensor (weight sensor) . This can also
affect the operation of the air bag system
and result in serious personal injury.
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care

CAUTION
• Never use benzine, thinner, or any similar material.
•
Small dirt particles can be abrasive and
damaging to the leather surfaces and
should be removed promptly. Do not use
saddle soap, car waxes, polishes, oils,
cleaning fluids, solvents, detergents or
ammonia-based cleaners as they may
damage the leather’s natural finish.
• Never use fabric protectors unless rec- ommended by the manufacturer.
• Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on meter or gauge lens covers. It may
damage the lens cover.
AIR FRESHENERS
Most air fresheners use a solvent that could affect
the vehicle interior. If you use an air freshener,
take the following precautions:
• Hanging-type air fresheners can cause perma-
nent discoloration when they contact vehicle
interior surfaces. Place the air freshener in a
location that allows it to hang free and not
contact an interior surface.
• Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip on the vents. These products can cause immediate damage and discoloration when spilled on inte-
rior surfaces.
Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s in-
structions before using air fresheners.
FLOOR MATS
WARNING
To avoid potential pedal interference that
may result in a collision, injury or death:
• NEVER place a floor mat on top of another floor mat in the driver front
position.
• Use only Genuine NISSAN floor mats specifically designed for use in your
vehicle model. For additional informa-
tion, see a NISSAN certified LEAF
dealer.
• Properly position the mats in the floor- well using the floor mat positioning
aid. For additional information, refer to
“Floor mat positioning aid (driver’s
side only)” in this section.
The use of Genuine NISSAN floor mats can
extend the life of your vehicle carpet and make it
easier to clean the interior. Mats should be main-
tained with regular cleaning and replaced if they
become excessively worn.
Floor mat positioning aid (driver’s side
only)
This vehicle includes front floor mat brackets to
act as a floor mat positioning aid. NISSAN floor
mats have been specially designed for your ve-
hicle model. The driver’s side floor mat has grom-
met holes incorporated in it. Position the mat by
placing the floor mat bracket hook through the
floor mat grommet hole while centering the mat in
the floorwell.
Periodically check to make certain the mats are
properly positioned.
Appearance and care7-5

The illustration shows the location of floor mat
brackets.
SEAT BELTS
The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping them
with a sponge dampened in a mild soap solution.
Allow the belts to dry completely in the shade
before using them.
For additional information, refer to “Seat belts” in
the “Safety-Seats seat belts and supplemental
restraint system” section of this manual.
WARNING
Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in
the retractor. NEVER use bleach, dye, or
chemical solvents to clean the seat belts,
since these materials may severely
weaken the seat belt webbing.
MOST COMMON FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE
CORROSION
• The accumulation of moisture-retaining dirt and debris in body panel sections, cavities, and
other areas.
• Damage to paint and other protective coatings caused by gravel and stone chips or minor
traffic accidents.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
INFLUENCE THE RATE OF
CORROSION
Moisture
Accumulation of sand, dirt and water on the ve-
hicle body underside can accelerate corrosion.
Wet floor coverings will not dry completely inside
the vehicle, and should be removed for drying to
avoid floor panel corrosion.
Relative humidity
Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of high
relative humidity, especially those areas where
the temperatures stay above freezing, where at-
mospheric pollution exists, or where road salt is
used.
Bracket position
CORROSION PROTECTION
7-6Appearance and care

Temperature
A temperature increase will accelerate the rate of
corrosion to those parts which are not well ven-
tilated.
Air pollution
Industrial pollution, the presence of salt in the air
in coastal areas, or heavy road salt use will accel-
erate the corrosion process. Road salt will also
accelerate the disintegration of paint surfaces.
PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE FROM
CORROSION
• Wash and wax your vehicle often to keep thevehicle clean.
• Always check for minor damage to the paint and repair it as soon as possible.
• Keep drain holes at the bottom of the doors open to avoid water accumulation.
• Check the underbody for accumulation of sand, dirt or salt. If present, wash with water as soon
as possible.
CAUTION
• NEVER remove dirt, sand or other de- bris from the passenger compartment
by washing it out with a hose. Remove
dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
• Never allow water or other liquids to come in contact with electronic com-
ponents inside the vehicle as this may
damage them.
Chemicals used for road surface deicing are
extremely corrosive. They accelerate corrosion
and deterioration of underbody components
such as the brake lines, brake cables, floor pan
and fenders.
In winter, the underbody must be cleaned
periodically.
For additional protection against rust and corro-
sion, which may be required in some areas, con-
sult a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.
Appearance and care7-7