Mercedes-Benz 450 SL 1980, Owner'S Manual

Page: 51 / 81

Cleaning and Care of the Vehicle
Car Wash
Before washing your vehicle, re­
move insect residues. The car
should not be washed in the sun.
Thoroughly spray the car with a
diffused je t of water. D irect only a
very weak spray tow ards the venti­
lation intake. Use plenty of w ater
and rinse the sponge and chamois
frequently. Rinse with clear w ater
and thoroughly wipe dry with a
chamois.
If the vehicle has been run through
an autom atic car wash - in parti­
cular one of the older in s ta lla tio n s -
rewipe the recessed sections pro­
vided in the tail lamps (for improved
prevention of soiling) if necessary.
No solvents (fuels, thinners etc.)
must be used.
In the winter, thoroughly remove all
traces of road salt as soon as
possible.
When washing the car underbody,
do not forget to clean the inner
sides of the wheels.
Tar Stains
Quickly remove tar stains before
they dry and become more d ifficu lt
to remove.
Window Cleaning
Use a w indow cleaning solution on
very d irty or oil-stained windows.
Clean w indshield w iper blades with
a clean cloth and washing solution.
Replace blades once or tw ice a
year.
Plastic (Vinyl) and Rubber Parts
Do not use oil or wax on these
parts.
Seat Belts
The w ebbing must not be treated
with chemical cleaning agents. Use
only clear, lukewarm w ater and
soap. Do not dry the w ebbing at
tem peratures above 80° C /1760 F
or in d irect sunlight. Never bleach
or re-dye the webbing.
Steering Wheel, Instrument Cluster
and Selector Lever
Use a gentle dish-washing deter­
gent or mild detergent fo r delicate
fabrics as a washing solution. Wipe
with a cloth m oistened in luke­
warm solution. Do not use scour­
ing agents.
Upholstery
Leather: Wipe leather upholstery
with a damp cloth and dry th o r­
oughly. Exercise p articular care
when cleaning perforated leather
as its underside should not become
wet.
Velours: Pressure marks resulting
from dampness and heat may
appear to be stains. Such marks
can be removed by w iping with a
moistened brush, ironing with a
w et cloth o r by treating with a dry
shampoo. Do not sit on damp up­
holstery. Quick drying is achieved
by applying hot a ir - fo r example,
by using a hair dryer. If in doubt,
please consult your MERCEDES-
BENZ service station.