Audi A5 Owner's Manual page 223

document_0900452a8179700c.book Seite 221 Donnerstag, 22. März 2007 10:19 10
WARNING
Do not wash the vehicle with the ignition switched on – risk of
accident.
Do not clean the underside of the car or inside the wheel arches
without protecting your hands and arms. You may cut yourself on
sharp metal parts.
Take care when washing the car during the winter: moisture
and ice on the brakes may affect braking efficiency – this could
cause an accident.
Caution
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight – otherwise the paint
can be damaged.
Do not use insect sponges, or abrasive household sponges, etc.
– they can damage the surfaces.
The headlights should only be washed with water – do not wipe
them with a dry cloth or sponge. It is best to use soapy water.
Never wash tyres with a jet that sprays the water out in a direct
stream. This could damage the tyres – even if the spray is kept at a
distance and only used for a very short time.
For the sake of the environment
The car should only be washed in special wash bays. This prevents
oily water from getting into the public drains. In some districts,
washing vehicles anywhere else may be prohibited.
Waxing and polishing
Waxing
Waxing protects the paintwork. It is time to apply a good coat of wax
when water no longer forms droplets and rolls off the clean paint-
work.
Controls
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the car wash, it is advis-
able to protect the paint with a coat of wax at least twice a year.
In the summer, you will find it is much easier to remove dead insects
(which accumulate on the bumper and the front of the bonnet) if the
car has been waxed recently.
Polishing
Polishing is only necessary if the paint has lost its shine, and the
gloss cannot be brought back by putting on wax.
The car must be waxed after polishing if the polish used does not
contain wax compounds to seal the paint.
Matt painted and plastic parts must not be treated with wax or
polish.
Ornamental trim and mouldings
The metal brightwork on the body is made of aluminium rather than
chrome (for environmental reasons).
Dirt or marks on the trim mouldings should be removed with an
acid-free cleaning agent (do not use a chrome cleaner). Body polish
is also unsuitable for use on trim mouldings. The intensive cleaning
fluids often used before the car goes into a car wash may contain
alkaline substances, which can cause dull or milky patches when
they dry out.
Audi dealers carry stocks of cleaning products which have been
tested for use on your vehicle and are not harmful to the
environment.
Safety Driving tips General maintenance
Care of vehicle and cleaning
Caution
Self-help
221
Technical data