Exterior Care

Exterior General Precautions

It is very important to follow the instructions on the label when using any chemical cleaner or polish. Read all warnings and cautions that appear on the label.

Complete the Maintenance

Washing

To protect the vehicle paint from rust and wear, wash the vehicle thoroughly and often, at least once a month, with warm or cold water.

If you use your vehicle for off-road driving, you must wash it after every off-road trip. Pay special attention to removing any accumulation of salt, dirt, mud, and other foreign materials. Make sure the drain holes in the lower edges of the doors and rocker panels remain clean and open.

Insects, tree resin, tree sap, bird droppings, industrial fallout, and similar deposits can damage your vehicle's paint if not removed immediately. Even a quick wash with ordinary water cannot completely remove all of these deposits.

A mild soap that is safe for painted surfaces can be used.

After washing, rinse the vehicle thoroughly with warm or cold water.

Do not allow soap to dry on the finish.

NOTICE

• Do not use strong soap, chemical cleaners, or hot water, and do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight or when the vehicle body is warm.
• Be careful when washing the side windows of your vehicle. High-pressure water may leak past the windows and wet the interior.
• To avoid damaging plastic parts and lamps, do not clean them with chemical solvents or strong cleaners.

WARNING

Wet Brakes

After washing the vehicle, check the brakes by driving slowly to see if they have been affected by water. If braking efficiency is impaired, dry the brakes by applying them lightly while keeping a slow forward speed.

High-Pressure Washing

• When using high-pressure washers, always keep a sufficient distance from the vehicle. Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure may cause component damage or water penetration.
• Do not spray the camera, sensors, or their surroundings directly with a high-pressure washer. The shock of high-pressure water may cause the device not to operate normally.
• Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or plastic covers) or connectors, as they may be damaged if they come into contact with high-pressure water.

NOTICE

• Washing the engine compartment with water, including high-pressure water rinsing, may cause damage to electrical circuits located in the engine compartment.
• Never allow water or other liquids to contact electrical/electronic components inside the vehicle, as this may cause damage to them.

Waxing

A good layer of wax acts as a barrier between your paint and contaminants. Maintaining a good layer of wax on your vehicle will help protect it.

Wax the vehicle when water no longer beads 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 maintain its shine.

Removing oil, resin, and similar materials with a spot remover will usually remove the wax from the finish. Be sure to reapply wax to these areas, even if the rest of the vehicle does not yet need waxing.

NOTICE

• Removing dust or dirt from the body with a dry cloth will scratch the finish.
• Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong detergents containing strongly alkaline or caustic substances on chrome or anodized aluminum parts. This may damage the protective coating and cause discoloration or wear of the paint.

Complete the Repair of Damage

Deep scratches or stone chips on painted surfaces 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 repaired or replaced parts.

Bright Metal Care

• To remove road tar and insects, use a tar and insect remover, not a scraper or other sharp object.
• To protect bright metal parts from corrosion, apply a coating of wax or chrome protectant and rub to a shine.
• In winter or in coastal areas, cover bright metal parts with a thicker coat of wax or preservative. If necessary, coat parts with non-aggressive petroleum jelly or another 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, rust may accelerate on underbody components such as fuel lines, frame, underbody, and exhaust system, even though they have been treated with rust protection.

Thoroughly wash the underbody and wheel arches with warm or cold water once a month, after driving on rough roads, and at the end of each winter. Pay special attention to these areas, because it is difficult to see all the dirt and mud. It will do more harm than good to moisten road dirt without removing it. The lower edges of the doors, rocker panels, and frame members have drain holes that must not become clogged with dirt; water accumulated in these areas may cause rust.

WARNING

After washing the vehicle, check the brakes by driving slowly to see if they have been affected by water. If braking performance is impaired, dry the brakes by lightly applying them while maintaining a slow forward speed.

Aluminum Wheel Care

Aluminum wheels are covered with a clear protective coating.

NOTICE

• Do not use abrasive cleaners, polish, solvent, or wire brushes on aluminum wheels.
• Clean the wheel when it is cool.
• Use only mild soap or a neutral detergent and rinse thoroughly with water. Also be sure to clean the wheels after driving on salted roads.
• Do not wash the wheels with high-speed automatic car wash brushes.
• Do not use cleaners containing acidic or alkaline substances.

Corrosion Protection

Protecting Your Vehicle from Corrosion

By using the most advanced design and construction methods to combat corrosion, we produce vehicles of the highest quality. However, this is only part of the job. To achieve long-term corrosion resistance of your vehicle, owner cooperation and assistance are also necessary.

Common Causes of Corrosion

The most common causes of corrosion on your vehicle are:

• Road salt, mud, and moisture are allowed to accumulate under the vehicle.
• Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abrasion, or minor scratches and dents that leave unprotected metal exposed to corrosion.

High-Corrosion Areas

If you live in an area where your vehicle is regularly exposed to aggressive materials, corrosion protection is especially important. Some of the common causes of accelerated corrosion are road salt, dust-control chemicals, sea air, and industrial pollution.

Moisture Causes Corrosion

Moisture creates conditions in which corrosion is most likely. For example, corrosion is accelerated at high humidity, especially at temperatures slightly above freezing. Under these conditions, corrosive material remains in contact with the vehicle surface by moisture and slowly evaporates.

Mud is especially aggressive because it dries slowly and holds moisture in contact with the vehicle. Although mud may appear dry, it can still retain moisture and promote corrosion.

High temperatures can also accelerate corrosion of parts that are not well ventilated, so moisture cannot evaporate. For all these reasons, it is especially important to keep your vehicle clean and to prevent accumulation of mud or other materials. This applies not only to visible surfaces but especially to the underbody of the vehicle.

To help prevent corrosion

You can help prevent corrosion by observing the following:

Keep your vehicle clean

The best way to prevent corrosion is to keep the vehicle clean and free of corrosive materials. Attention to the underbody of the vehicle is especially important.

• If you live in a high-corrosion area, where road salt is used, near the ocean, in areas with industrial pollution, acid rain, etc., you must take special care to prevent corrosion. In winter, rinse the underside of your vehicle with a hose at least once a month and be sure to clean the underbody thoroughly when winter is over.
• When cleaning under the vehicle, pay special attention to components behind the wheel housings and other areas that are hidden from view. Perform a thorough job; merely wetting accumulated dirt rather than washing it away will accelerate corrosion instead of preventing it. High-pressure water and steam are especially effective at removing accumulated dirt and corrosive substances.
• When cleaning the lower door panels, rocker panels, and frame members, make sure the drain holes remain open so that moisture can escape and does not become trapped inside, where it would accelerate corrosion.

Keep your garage dry

Do not park the vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated garage. This creates a favorable environment for corrosion. This is especially true if you wash the vehicle in the garage or drive it into the garage while it is still wet or covered with snow, ice, or mud. Even a heated garage can contribute to corrosion if it is not well ventilated so that moisture can dissipate.

Keep paint and finish in good condition

Scratches or chips in the paint finish should be touched up as soon as possible to reduce the possibility of corrosion. If bare metal is showing, a qualified body and paint shop is recommended.

Bird droppings: Bird droppings are highly corrosive and can damage painted surfaces in just a few hours. Always remove bird droppings as soon as possible.

Do Not Neglect the Interior

Moisture can collect under floor mats and carpeting and cause corrosion. Periodically check under the mats to make sure the carpet is dry. Be especially careful if you transport fertilizers, cleaners, or chemicals in the vehicle.

These should only be carried in proper containers, and any spills or leaks must be cleaned up, rinsed with clean water, and thoroughly dried.