Appearance Care; Maintenance and Care; Repairing Damage to the Finish- Page 273

8-41

Maintenance and Care

Appearance Care

Form No. 8Q44-EA-01K

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. Don’t allow soap 
to dry on the finish.

After washing the vehicle, dry it with a 
clean chamois to prevent water spots from 
forming.

Waxing

Your vehicle needs to be waxed when 
water no longer beads on the finish.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before 
waxing it. In addition to the vehicle body, 
wax the metal trim to maintain its luster.

1. Use wax which contains no abrasives.

Waxes containing abrasive will remove 
paint and could damage bright metal 
parts.

2. Use a good grade of natural wax for 

metallic, mica, and solid colors.

3. When waxing, coat evenly with the 

sponge supplied or a soft cloth.

4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.

▼

Repairing Damage to the Finish

Deep scratches or chips on the finish 
should be repaired promptly. Exposed 
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major 
repairs.

▼

Bright-Metal Maintenance

•

Use tar remover to remove road tar and 
insects. Never do this with a knife or 
similar tool.

•

To prevent corrosion on bright-metal 
surfaces, apply wax or chrome 
preservative and rub it to a high luster.

•

During cold weather or in coastal 
areas, cover bright-metal parts with a 
coating of wax or preservative heavier 
than usual. It would also help to coat 
them with noncorrosive petroleum jelly 
or some other protective compound.

Driving with Wet Brakes:
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. Dry the brakes by driving 
very slowly and applying the brakes 
lightly until brake performance is 
normal.

WARNING

NOTE

A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and 
similar materials will usually also take 
off the wax. Rewax these areas even if 
the rest of the vehicle doesn’t need it.

If your Mazda is damaged and needs 
metal parts repaired or replaced, make 
sure the body shop applies anti-
corrosion materials to all parts, both 
repaired and new. This will prevent 
them from rusting.

CAUTION

J16L_EA.book  Page 41  Friday, February 22, 2002  11:34 AM