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877
Maintenance
Exterior care
Exterior general caution
It is very important to follow the label
directions when using any chemical
cleaner or polish. Read all warningand caution statements that appearon the label.
Finish maintenance
Washing
To help protect your vehicle’s finish
from rust and deterioration, wash itthoroughly and frequently at least
once a month with lukewarm or cold
water.
If you use your vehicle for off-road
driving, you should wash it after each
off-road trip. Pay special attention to
the removal of any accumulation of
salt, dirt, mud, and other foreign mate-
rials. Make sure the drain holes in the
lower edges of the doors and rocker
panels are kept clear and clean.
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial pollution and similar
deposits can damage your vehicle’s
finish if not removed immediately.
Even prompt washing with plain water
may not completely remove all these
deposits. A mild soap, safe for use on
painted surfaces, may be used.
After washing, rinse the vehicle thor-
oughly with lukewarm or cold water.
Do not allow soap to dry on the finish.
APPEARANCE CARE
WARNING -
Wet brakes
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 main-
taining a slow forward speed.
CAUTION
Do not use strong soap, chem- ical detergents or hot water,and do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight or when thebody of the vehicle is warm.
Be careful when washing the side windows of your vehicle.
Especially, with high-pressurewater, water may leak throughthe windows and wet the inte- rior.
To prevent damage to the plastic parts and lamps, donot clean with chemical sol-vents or strong detergents.
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Maintenance
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8
High-pressure washing
When using high-pressure wash-
ers, make sure to maintain suffi-
cient distance from the vehicle.
Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure can lead to component
damage or water penetration.
Do not spray the camera, sensors or its surrounding area directly with
a high pressure washer. Shock
applied from high pressure water
may cause the device to not oper-
ate normally.
Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or plastic covers) or
connectors as they may be dam-
aged if they come into contact with
high pressure water. 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 main-
tain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materi-
als 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.
Do not apply wax on embossed
unpainted unit, as it may tarnish theunit.
CAUTION
Water washing in the engine
compartment including highpressure water washing maycause the failure of electricalcircuits located in the engine compartment.
Never allow water or other liq- uids to come in contact withelectrical/electronic compo-nents inside the vehicle as this may damage them.
OJB037800
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879
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.
✽✽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 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.CAUTION
Wiping dust or dirt off the
body with a dry cloth willscratch the finish.
Do not use steel wool, abra- sive cleaners, acid detergentsor strong detergents contain-ing high alkaline or caustic agents on chrome-plated oranodized aluminum parts.This may result in damage to the protective coating andcause discoloration or paintdeterioration.
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Maintenance
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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 attentionto 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 wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated
with a clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner,
polishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum wheels.
They may scratch or damage thefinish.
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 corrosion.
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 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 main-
taining a slow forward speed.
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881
Maintenance
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design
and construction practices to combat
corrosion, we produce vehicles of the
highest quality. However, this is only
part of the job. To achieve the long-
term corrosion resistance your vehi-
cle can deliver, the owner's coopera-tion and assistance is also required.
Common causes of corrosion The most common causes of corro-
sion on your vehicle are:
Road salt, dirt and moisture that isallowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abra-
sion or minor scrapes and dents
which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion. High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehi-
cle is regularly exposed to corrosive
materials, corrosion protection is par-
ticularly important. Some of the com-
mon causes of accelerated corrosion
are road salts, dust control chemicals,
ocean air and industrial pollution.
Moisture breeds corrosion Moisture creates the conditions in
which corrosion is most likely to
occur. For example, corrosion is
accelerated by high humidity, partic-
ularly when temperatures are just
above freezing. In such conditions,
the corrosive material is kept in con-
tact with the vehicle’s surface by
moisture that evaporate slowly.
Mud is particularly corrosive
because it dries slowly and holds
moisture in contact with the vehicle.
Although the mud appears to be dry,it can still retain moisture and pro-mote corrosion.
High temperatures can also acceler-
ate corrosion of parts that are not
properly ventilated so the moisturecan be dispersed. For all these reasons, it is particular-
ly important to keep your vehicle
clean and free of mud or accumula-
tions of other materials. This applies
not only to the visible surfaces but
particularly to the underside of the
vehicle.
To help prevent corrosion
You can help prevent corrosion from
getting started by observing the fol-
lowing:
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Maintenance
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Keep your vehicle clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is
to keep your vehicle clean and free
of corrosive materials. Attention to
the underside of the vehicle is partic-
ularly important.
If you live in a high-corrosion area
— where road salts are used, near
the ocean, areas with industrial pol-
lution, acid rain, etc.—, you should
take extra care to prevent corrosion.
In winter, hose off the underside of
your vehicle at least once a monthand be sure to clean the underside
thoroughly when winter is over.
vehicle, give particular attention to
the components under the fendersand other areas that are hidden
from view. Do a thorough job; just
dampening the accumulated mud
rather than washing it away will
accelerate corrosion rather than
prevent it. Water under high pres-
sure and steam are particularly
effective in removing accumulated
mud and corrosive materials. When cleaning lower door panels,
rocker panels and frame members,
be sure that drain holes are keptopen so that moisture can escape
and not be trapped inside to accel-
erate corrosion.
Keep your garage dry
Don't park your vehicle in a damp,
poorly ventilated garage. This cre-
ates a favorable environment for cor-
rosion. This is particularly true if you
wash your vehicle in the garage or
drive it into the garage when it is still
wet or covered with snow, ice or
mud. Even a heated garage can con-
tribute to corrosion unless it is well
ventilated so moisture is dispersed. Keep paint and trim in good con-dition
Scratches or chips in the finish
should be covered with "touch-up"
paint as soon as possible to reduce
the possibility of corrosion. If bare
metal is showing through, the atten-tion of a qualified body and paintshop is recommended.
Bird droppings : Bird droppings are
highly corrosive and may damage
painted surfaces in just a few hours.
Always remove bird droppings as
soon as possible. Don't neglect the interior Moisture can collect under the floor
mats and carpeting and cause corro-
sion. Check under the mats periodi-
cally to be sure the carpeting is dry.
Use particular care if you carry fertil-
izers, cleaning materials or chemi-
cals in the vehicle.
These should be carried only in prop-
er containers and any spills or leaks
should be cleaned up, flushed with
clean water and thoroughly dried.
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883
Maintenance
Interior care
Interior general precautions
Prevent chemicals such as perfume, cosmetic oil, sun cream, hand clean-
er, 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. If neces-
sary, use a vinyle cleaner, see
instructions for correct usage.
Cleaning the upholstery and inte-rior 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 fab-
ric with a whisk broom or vacuum
cleaner. Clean with a mild soap solu-
tion recommended for upholstery or
carpets. Remove fresh spots imme-
diately 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 proper-ly maintained.
CAUTION - Nappa leather
seat cover (If equipped)
Nappa leather retains the hide’s own soft texture with visiblepores, scars or blood vessels, etc. Pressure marks or wrinklesmay be made when used.Prolonged exposure to sunlight or heat may cause discol-oration. These things occur dueto the natural characteristics ofcowhides. If the leather is exposed to rain or gets wet,remove water with a dry clothand dry the leather in the shade to minimize damage. Make sureto keep sharp objects away fromthe leather as these can create scratches on the surface. Forlight-colored leather, be carefulof spots or color transfer, such as from jeans.
CAUTION
Using anything but recommend-ed cleaners and procedures mayaffect the fabric’s appearance and fire-resistant properties.
CAUTION
Never allow water or other liq-uids to come in contact withelectrical/electronic compo- nents inside the vehicle as thismay damage them.
CAUTION
When cleaning leather products(steering wheel, seats etc.), useneutral detergents or low alco- hol content solutions. If you usehigh alcohol content solutionsor acid/alkaline detergents, the color of the leather may fade orthe surface may get stripped off.
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Maintenance
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Cleaning the lap/shoulder belt
webbing
Clean the belt webbing with any mild
soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpet. Follow
the instructions provided with the
soap. Do not bleach or re-dye the
webbing because this may weaken it.
Cleaning the interior windowglass
If the interior glass surfaces of the
vehicle become fogged (that is, cov-
ered with an oily, greasy or waxy
film), they should be cleaned with a
glass cleaner. Follow the directions
on the glass cleaner container.
Leather seat cover using precau-tions (If equipped)
Natural leather has visible pores,
scars or blood vessels, etc. Pressure
marks or wrinkles may be made
when used. Prolonged exposure to
sunlight or heat may cause discol-
oration. These things occur due to
the natural characteristics of
cowhides. If the leather is exposed to
rain or gets wet, remove water with a
dry cloth and dry the leather in the
shade to minimize damage. Make
sure to keep sharp objects awayfrom the leather as these can create
scratches on the surface. For light-
colored leather, be careful of spots or
color transfer, such as from jeans.
Fabric seat cover using precau-tions (if equipped)
Please clean the fabric seats regu-
larly with a vacuum cleaner in con-
sideration of fabric material charac-
teristics. If they are heavily soiled
with beverage stains, etc., use a suit-
able interior cleaner. To prevent dam-
age to seat covers, wipe off the seat
covers down to the seams with a
large wiping motion and moderatepressure using a soft sponge ormicrofiber cloth.
Velcro closures on clothing or sharp
objects may cause snagging or
scratches on the surface of the
seats. Make sure not to rub such
objects against the surface.
CAUTION
Do not scrape or scratch theinside of the rear window. Thismay result in damage of the rear window defroster grid.