Kia Rio 2022, Owner'S Manual, Page: 567 / 602

109
8
8
Maintenance Appearance care
quality. However, this is only part of the
job. To achieve the longterm corrosion
resistance your vehicle can deliver, the
owner's cooperation and assistance is
also required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion
on your vehicle are:
僅 Road salt, dirt and moisture that is
allowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
僅 Removal of paint or protective coat
-
ings by stones, gravel, abrasion or
minor scrapes and dents which leave
unprotected metal exposed to corro
-
sion.
High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehicle
is regularly exposed to corrosive materi
-
als, corrosion protection is particularly
important. Some of the common 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, particularly when tem
-
peratures are just above freezing. In
such conditions, the corrosive material is
kept in contact 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 mois
-
ture and promote corrosion. High tem
-
peratures can also accelerate corrosion
of parts that are not properly ventilated
so the moisture can be dispersed.
For all these reasons, it is particularly
important to keep your vehicle clean and
free of mud or accumulations 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 follow
-
ing:
Keep your vehicle clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is to
keep your vehicle clean and free of cor
-
rosive materials. Attention to the under
-
side of the vehicle is particularly
important.
僅 If you live in a high-corrosion area —
where road salts are used, near the
ocean, areas with industrial pollution,
acid rain, etc.—, you should take extra
care to prevent corrosion. In winter,
hose off the underside of your vehicle
at least once a month and be sure to
clean the underside thoroughly when
winter is over.
僅 When cleaning underneath the vehi
-
cle, give particular attention to the
components under the fenders and
other areas that are hidden from view.
Do a thorough job; just dampening
the accumulated mud rather than
washing it away will accelerate corro
-
sion rather than prevent it. Water
under high pressure and steam are
particularly effective in removing
accumulated mud and corrosive
materials.