Appearance Care; Maintenance and Care; It will do more harm than good to wet - Page 483

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Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

*Some models.

 Underbody Maintenance

Road chemicals and salt used for ice and 

snow removal and solvents used for dust 

control may collect on the underbody. If 

not removed, they will speed up rusting 

and deterioration of such underbody parts 

as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust 

system, even though these parts may be 

coated with anti-corrosive material.

Thoroughly flush the underbody and wheel 

housings with lukewarm or cold water at 

the end of each winter. Try also to do this 

every month.

Pay special attention to these areas 

because they easily hide 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 clogged. Water trapped there 

will cause rusting.

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.

 Aluminum Wheel Maintenance

*

A protective coating is provided over the 

aluminum wheels. Special care is needed 

to protect this coating.

CAUTION

Do not use any detergent other than 

mild detergent. Before using any 

detergent, verify the ingredients. 

Otherwise, the product could discolor 

or stain the aluminum wheels.

NOTE



  Do not use a wire brush or any abrasive 

cleaner, polishing compound, or solvent 

on aluminum wheels. They may damage 

the coating.



  Always use a sponge or soft cloth to 

clean the wheels.

  Rinse the wheels thoroughly with 

lukewarm or cold water. Also, be sure 

to clean the wheels after driving on 

dusty or salted roads to help prevent 

corrosion.



  Avoid washing your vehicle in an 

automatic car wash that uses high-

speed or hard brushes.

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