8 103
Maintenance
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.
If your vehicle is damaged and
requires any metal repair or replace-
ment, 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 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
Road salt and other corrosive chemi-
cals are used in cold weather states to
melt snow and prevent ice accumula-
tion. If these chemicals are not regu-
larly removed, they will corrode the
vehicle underbody and over time dam-
age fuel lines, the fuel tank retention
system, the vehicle suspension, the
exhaust system, and even the body
frame.
• Wash the undercarriage of your
vehicle regularly during the winter
and whenever your vehicle has
been exposed to such salts or
chemicals.
CAUTION -
Drying vehicle
• Wiping dust or dirt off the
body with a dry cloth will
scratch the finish.
• Do not use steel wool, abra-
sive cleaners, acid detergents
or strong detergents contain-
ing high alkaline or caustic
agents on chrome-plated or
anodized aluminum parts.
This may result in damage to
the protective coating and
cause discoloration or paint
deterioration.