Maintenance
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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 maintain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materials
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.
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.
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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 preservative 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 preserva-
tive. 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 col-
lect on the underbody. If these materials
are not removed, accelerated 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 underbody
and wheel openings with lukewarm or
cold water once a month 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 mem-
bers have drain holes that should not be
allowed to clog with dirt; trapped water in
these areas can cause rusting.
CAUTION
• Wiping dust or dirt off the body
with a dry cloth will scratch the
finish.
• Do not use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or
caustic agents on chrome-plated
or anodized aluminum parts. This
may result in damage to the pro-
tective coating and cause discol-
oration or paint deterioration.
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 maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.
