769
Maintenance
Common Causes of Corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion
on your car are:
• Road salt, dirt and moisture that is
allowed to accumulate underneath the
car.
• Removal of paint or protective coatings
by stones, gravel, abrasion or minor
scrapes and dents which leave unpro-
tected metal exposed to corrosion.
High-Corrosion Areas
If you live in an area where your car is
regularly exposed to corrosive materials,
corrosion protection is particularly impor-
tant. Some of the common causes of
accelerated corrosion are road salts,
dust control chemicals, ocean air and
industrial pollution.
Moisture Breeds Corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in which
corrosion is most likely to occur. For
example, corrosion is accelerated by
high humidity, particularly when tempera-
tures are just above freezing. In such
conditions, the corrosive material is kept
in contact with the car surfaces by mois-
ture that is slow to evaporate.
Mud is particularly corrosive because it is
slow to dry and holds moisture in contact
with the vehicle. Although the mud
appears to be dry, it can still retain the
moisture and promote corrosion.
High temperatures can also accelerate
corrosion of parts that are not properly
ventilated so the moisture can be dis-
persed. For all these reasons, it is partic-
ularly important to keep your car clean
and free of mud or accumulations of
other materials. This applies not only to
the visible surfaces but particularly to the
underside of the car.
Washing and waxing
High-pressure washing
• When using high-pressure washers,
make sure to maintain sufficient dis-
tance from the vehicle.
Insufficient clearance or excessive
pressure can lead to component dam-
age or water penetration.
• Do not spray the camera, sensors or its
surrounding area directly with a high
pressure washer. Shock applied from
high pressure water may cause the
device to not operate normally.
• Do not bring the nozzle tip close to
boots (rubber or plastic covers) or con-
nectors as they may be damaged if
they come into contact with high pres-
sure water.
