Dodge Dakota 2011 Owner's Manual page 389

passable in snow and ice, and those that are sprayed on
trees and road surfaces during other seasons, are highly
corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking,
which exposes your vehicle to airborne contaminants,
road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated, extreme
hot or cold weather and other extreme conditions will
have an adverse affect on paint, metal trim, and under-
body protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will enable
you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion
resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of
paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.
The most common causes are:
• Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation
• Stone and gravel impact
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 387
• Insects, tree sap and tar
• Salt in the air near seacoast localities
• Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants
Washing
• Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your ve-
hicle in the shade using MOPAR Car Wash or equiva-
lent, or a mild car wash soap, and rinse the panels
completely with clear water.
• If insects, tar or other similar deposits have accumu-
lated on your vehicle, use MOPAR Super Kleen Bug
and Tar Remover or equivalent to remove.
• Use a high quality cleaner wax, such as MOPAR
Cleaner Wax or equivalent to remove road film, stains,
and to protect your paint finish. Take care never to
scratch the paint.
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