8-80
Maintenance
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 ma-
terials 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 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 rusting.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see
if they have been affected by wa-
ter. If braking performance is im-
paired, dry the brakes by applying
them lightly while maintaining a
slow forward speed.
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated
with a clear protective finish.
NOTICE
• Do not use any abrasive cleaner,
polishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum
wheels.
• 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.
• Do not wash the wheels with
high-speed car wash brushes.
• Do not use any cleanser con-
taining acid or alkaline deter-
gents.
