Kia PICANTO 2023 Manual page 531

Maintenance
CAUTION
僅 Water washing in the engine compart-
ment including high pressure water
washing may cause the failure of elec-
trical circuits located in the engine
compartment.
僅 Never allow water or other liquids to
come in contact with electrical/elec-
tronic components inside the vehicle
as this may damage them.
Waxing
Wax the vehicle when water will no lon-
ger bead on the paint.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing. Use a good quality liquid or
paste wax, and follow the manufac-
turer's instructions. Wax all metal trim to
protect it and to maintain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materials
with a spot remover will usually strip the
wax from the finish. Be sure to re-wax
these areas even if the rest of the vehicle
does not yet need waxing. Do not apply
wax on embossed unpainted unit, as it
may tarnish the unit.
CAUTION
僅 Wiping dust or dirt off the body with a
dry cloth will scratch the finish.
僅 Do not use steel wool, abrasive clean-
ers, acid detergents or strong deter-
gents containing high alkaline or
caustic agents on chrome-plated or
anodized aluminum parts. This may
result in damage to the protective
coating and cause discoloration or
paint deterioration.
Finish damage repair
Deep scratches or stone chips in the
painted surface must be repaired
promptly. Exposed metal will quickly rust
and may develop into a major repair
expense.
NOTICE
If your vehicle is damaged and requires
any metal repair or replacement, be sure
the body shop applies anti-corrosion
materials to the parts repaired or
replaced.
Bright-metal maintenance
僅 To remove road tar and insects, use a
tar remover, not a scraper or other
sharp object.
僅 To protect the surfaces of brightmetal
parts from corrosion, apply a coating
of wax or chrome preservative and
rub to a high luster.
僅 During winter weather or in coastal
areas, cover the bright metal parts
with a heavier coating of wax or pre-
servative. If necessary, coat the parts
with non-corrosive petroleum jelly or
other protective compound.
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
Appearance care
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