Fiat SEDICI Owner's Handbook Manual page 236

Remove foreign material deposits
Foreign material such as salts, chemicals,
road oil or tar, tree sap, bird droppings
and industrial fall-out may damage the fin-
ish of your vehicle if it is left on painted
surfaces. Remove these types of deposits
as quickly as possible. If these deposits are
difficult to wash off, an additional cleaner
may be required. Be sure that any clean-
er you use is not harmful to painted sur-
faces and is specifically intended for your
purposes. Follow the manufacturer's di-
rections when using these special clean-
ers.
Repair finish damage
Carefully examine your vehicle for dam-
age to the painted surfaces. Should you
find any chips or scratches in the paint,
touch them up immediately to prevent
corrosion from starting. If the chips or
scratches have gone through to the bare
metal, have a qualified body shop make the
repair.
Keep passenger and luggage
compartments clean
Moisture, dirt or mud can accumulate un-
der the floor mats and may cause corro-
sion.
Occasionally, check under these mats to
ensure that this area is clean and dry. More
frequent checks are necessary if the vehi-
cle is used off road or in wet weather.
Certain cargos such as chemicals, fertiliz-
ers, cleaners, salts, etc. are extremely cor-
rosive by nature. These products should
be transported in sealed containers. If a
spill or leak does occur, clean and dry the
area immediately.
Store your vehicle in a dry, well-
ventilated area
Do not park your vehicle in a damp, poor-
ly ventilated area. If you often wash your
vehicle in the garage or if you frequently
drive it in when wet, your garage may be
damp. The high humidity in the garage may
cause or accelerate corrosion. A wet ve-
hicle may corrode even in a heated garage
if the ventilation is poor.
WARNING
Do not apply additional un-
dercoating or rust preventive
coating on or around exhaust system
components such as the catalytic
converter, exhaust pipes, etc. A fire
could be started if the undercoating
substance becomes overheated.
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