Appearance Care; Maintenance and Care; Dry off brakes that have become - Page 481

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Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

CAUTION

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 damage the 

protective coating; also, cleaners and 

detergents may discolor or deteriorate 

the paint.

Pay special attention to removing salt, dirt, 

mud, and other foreign material from the 

underside of the fenders, and make sure 

the drain holes in the lower edges of the 

doors and rocker panels are clean.

Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings, 

industrial fallout, and similar deposits 

can damage the finish if not removed 

immediately. When prompt washing with 

plain water is ineffective, use a mild soap 

made for use on vehicles.

Thoroughly rinse off all soap with 

lukewarm or cold water. Do not allow 

soap to dry on the finish.

After washing the vehicle, dry it with a 

clean chamois to prevent water spots from 

forming.

WARNING

Dry off brakes that have become 

wet by driving slowly, releasing the 

accelerator pedal and lightly applying 

the brakes several times until the brake 

performance returns to normal:

Driving with wet brakes is dangerous. 

Increased stopping distance or the 

vehicle pulling to one side when 

braking could result in a serious 

accident. Light braking will indicate 

whether the brakes have been affected.

When using an automatic car wash



 Retract the door mirrors.



 The automatic car wash brushes could 

reduce the paint lustre or hasten paint 

deterioration.

When using a high water pressure car 

wash

High water temperature and high water 

pressure car washers are available 

depending on the type of car wash 

machine. If the car washer nozzle is 

put too close to the vehicle, the force of 

the spray could damage or deform the 

molding, affect the sealability of parts, 

and allow water to penetrate the interior. 

Keep a sufficient space (30 cm (12 in) or 

more) between the nozzle and the vehicle. 

In addition, do not spend too much time 

spraying the same area of the vehicle, and 

be very careful when spraying between 

gaps in doors and around windows.

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