Maintenance
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Underbody maintenance
Corrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may col-
lect on the underbody. If these materials
are not removed, accelerated rusting can
occur on underbody parts such as the
fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust
system, even though they have been
treated with rust protection.
Thoroughly flush the vehicle underbody
and wheel openings with lukewarm or
cold water once a month, after off-road
driving and at the end of each winter. Pay
special attention to these areas because
it is difficult to see all the 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 allowed to clog with dirt;
trapped water in these areas can cause
rusting.
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Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated with a
clear protective finish.
• Do not use any abrasive cleaner, polish-
ing compound, solvent, or wire brushes
on aluminum wheels. They may scratch
or damage the finish.
• Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
• Use only a mild soap or neutral deter-
gent, and rinse thoroughly with water.
Also, be sure to clean the wheels after
driving on salted roads. This helps pre-
vent corrosion.
• Avoid washing the wheels with high-
speed car wash brushes.
• Do not use any alkaline or acid deter-
gent. It may damage and corrode the
aluminum wheels coated with a clear
protective finish.
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Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design and
construction practices to combat corro-
sion, we produces cars of the highest qual-
ity. However, this is only part of the job. To
achieve the long-term corrosion resistance
your vehicle can deliver, the owner's coop-
eration and assistance is also required.
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 reg-
ularly exposed to corrosive materials, cor-
rosion protection is particularly important.
Some of the common causes of acceler-
ated corrosion are road salts, dust control
chemicals, ocean air and industrial pollu-
tion.
Moisture breeds corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in which
corrosion is most likely to occur. For exam-
ple, corrosion is accelerated by high
humidity, particularly when temperatures
are just above freezing. In such condi-
tions, the corrosive material is kept in con-
tact with the car surfaces by moisture that
is slow to evaporate.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.
