Mitsubishi 2015 OUTLANDER SPORT/RVR Owner's Manual page 363

Cleaning the outside of your vehicle
Cleaning the outside of your
vehicle
To protect your vehicle's finish, wash it often
and thoroughly. If desired, you may wax your
vehicle using a nonabrasive automobile wax.
Foreign material
Industrial pollution, road tar, bird droppings,
tree sap, insect remains, sea water and other
foreign matters can damage the finish on your
9 vehicle.
Generally, the longer any foreign material
stays on the finish, the worse the damage.
Wash your vehicle as soon as possible when-
ever the finish gets soiled.
Washing
Chemicals contained in the dirt and dust
picked up from air, rain, snow, or road sur-
faces can damage the paint and body of your
vehicle if left on.
Frequent washing and waxing is the best way
to protect your vehicle from this damage.
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
Park the vehicle in the shade and spray it with
water to remove dust. Next, using plenty of
9-40 Vehicle care and maintenance
clean water and a car washing mitt or sponge,
wash the vehicle from top to bottom.
Use a mild car washing soap if necessary.
Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry with a cham-
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ois or soft cloth. After washing the vehicle,
carefully clean the joints and flanges of the
doors, hood, etc., where dirt is likely to
remain.
CAUTION
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 When washing the underside of your vehicle
or the wheels, wear a pair of gloves to pro-
tect your hands.
 If your vehicle has rain sensor wipers, place
the wiper switch lever in the "OFF" position
to deactivate the rain sensor before washing
the vehicle. Otherwise, the wipers will oper-
ate in the presence of water spray on the
windshield and may get damaged as a result.
 Never spray or splash water on the electrical
parts in the engine compartment. This may
damage them. Be careful also when washing
the underbody to ensure that water does not
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enter the engine compartment.
 Avoid automatic car washers that use rotat-
ing brushes. These brushes may scratch the
paint surface and make it dull.
Scratches are more noticeable on darker col-
ored vehicles.
I n f o r ma t i o n P r o v i d e d b y :
CAUTION
 Some hot water washing equipment uses
high pressure and heat to clean your vehicle.
Because hot water can damage plastics parts
and seep inside your vehicle, make sure you
do the following when using such equip-
ment:
• Keep the washing nozzle at least 28 inches
(70 cm) away from the vehicle body.
• When washing around the door glass, hold
the nozzle at a distance of more than 28
inches (70 cm) and at a right angle to the
glass surface.
 Make sure to do the following when using an
automatic car wash, with help from either
this manual or the car wash operator, to
avoid damaging your vehicle:
• Fold the outside rearview mirrors.
• Remove the antenna.
• Tape the wiper arm assembly.
• If your vehicle is equipped with a rear
spoiler or roof rails, check with the car
wash operator before using the car wash.
• If your vehicle is equipped with the rain
sensor wipers, place the wiper switch lever
in the "OFF" position to deactivate the rain
sensor.
During cold weather
Salt and other chemicals spread on winter
roads in some geographical areas can have a
detrimental effect on the vehicle underbody.