Mitsubishi Colt Owner's Manual page 211

Vehicle care
CAUTION
l
After washing the vehicle, drive the vehi-
cle slowly while lightly depressing the
brake pedal several times in order to dry
out the brakes.
Leaving the brakes wet could result in re-
duced braking performance. Also, there
is a possibility that they could freeze up
or become inoperative due to rust, render-
ing the vehicle unable to move.
l
When using an automatic car wash, pay
attention to the following items, referring
to the operation manual or consulting a
car wash operator. If the following proce-
dure is not followed, it could result in dam-
age to your vehicle.
• The outside mirrors are retracted.
• The antenna is removed.
• The rear wiper arm assembly is taped
or removed.
• If your vehicle is equipped with a rear
spoiler, consult a car wash operator be-
fore using the car wash.
• If your vehicle has rain sensor wipers,
place the wiper switch lever in the
" " (OFF) position to deactivate the
rain sensor.
7
During cold weather
Salt and other chemicals spread on the roads in
some areas in winter can have a harmful effect on
the vehicle body. You should therefore wash the ve-
hicle as often as possible in accordance with our
care-instructions. It is recommended to have a pres-
ervative applied and the underfloor protection
checked before and after the cold weather season.
7-04
After washing your vehicle, wipe off all water-
drops from the rubber parts around the doors to pre-
vent the doors from freezing.
NOTE
l To prevent freezing of the weatherstripping
on the doors, bonnet, etc., they should be trea-
ted with silicone spray.
Waxing
E00901000717
Waxing the vehicle will help prevent the adherence
of dust and road chemicals to the paintwork. Apply
a wax solution after washing the vehicle, or at least
once every three months to assist displacing of water.
Do not wax your vehicle in direct sunlight. You
should wax after the surfaces have cooled.
CAUTION
l Waxes containing high abrasive com-
pounds should not be used. Such waxes re-
move rust and stains effectively from the
paintwork but they are harmful to the lus-
tre on the painted surface and the plated
surface.
Further, they are harmful to glossy surfa-
ces such as grille, garnish, mouldings, etc.
l Do not use petrol or paint thinners to re-
move road tar or other contamination to
the vehicle surface.
l Do not apply wax on the areas having
black mat coating as it can cause uneven
discolouration, patches, blurs, etc. If
stained with wax, immediately wipe off
with a piece of soft cloth and warm water.
Polishing
E00901100011
The vehicle should only be polished if the paint-
work has become stained or lost its lustre. Matt-fin-
ish parts and plastic bumpers must not be polished,
polishing these parts will stain them or damage
their finish.
Damaged paint
E00901200168
Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat should
be touched up as soon as possible with
MITSUBISHI touch-up paint to prevent corrosion.
Check body areas facing the road or the tyres care-
fully for damage to the paint coat caused by flying
stones, etc. The paint code number for your vehicle
can be found on the vehicle information code plate
on the door sill.
Cleaning plastic parts
E00901300550
Use a sponge or chamois leather.
If a car wax adheres on a grey or black rough sur-
face of the bumper, moulding or lamps, the surface
becomes white. In such a case, wipe it off using
lukewarm water and soft cloth or chamois leather.
CAUTION
l Do not use a scrubbing brush or other
hard tools as they may damage the plastic
part surface.
l Do not use wax containing compound (pol-
ishing powder) which may damage the
plastic part surface.