Volvo 2008 S40 Owner's Manual page 174

NOTE
When washing the car, remember to remove dirt from the drain holes in the doors and sills.
Exterior components
Volvo recommends the use of special cleaning products, available at your Volvo retailer, for cleaning colored plastic,
rubber, or ornamental components such as chromed strips on the exterior of your vehicle. The instructions for using
these products should be followed carefully.Solvents or stain removers should not be used.
CAUTION
Avoid waxing or polishing plastic or rubber components
Polishing chromed strips can wear away or damage the surface
Polishes containing abrasive substances should not be used
193
08 Car care
Washing and cleaning the car
NOTE
During high pressure washing, the spray mouthpiece must never be closer to the vehicle than 13" (30 cm). Do not
spray into the locks.
Dirt, snow, etc., on the headlights can reduce lighting capacity considerably. Clean the headlights regularly, for
example when refueling.
When washing or steam cleaning the engine, avoid spraying water or steam directly on the electrical components
or toward the rear side of the engine. Special moonroof cautions:
Always close the moonroof and sun shade before washing your vehicle.
Never use abrasive cleaning agents on the moonroof.
Never use wax on the rubber seals around the moonroof
Automatic washing - simple and quick
We do NOT recommend washing your car in an automatic wash during the first six months (because the paint will not
have hardened sufficiently). An automatic wash is a simple and quick way to clean your car, but it is worth
remembering that it may not be as thorough as when you yourself go over the car with sponge and water. Keeping the
underbody clean is most important, especially in the winter. Some automatic washers do not have facilities for washing
the underbody.
CAUTION
Before driving into an automatic car wash, turn off the optional rain sensor to avoid damaging the windshield
wipers.
Make sure that side view mirrors, auxiliary lamps, etc, are secure, and that any antenna(s) are retracted or
removed. Otherwise there is risk of the machine dislodging them.
Chromed wheels: Clean chrome-plated wheels using the same detergents used for the body of the vehicle.
Aggressive wheel-cleaning agents can permanently stain chrome-plated wheels.
WARNING
When the car is driven immediately after being washed, apply the brakes several times in order to remove any