Washing Your Car; Washing By Hand - Skoda 2013 Rapid Owner's Manual

WARNING
Observe the following instructions for handling the airbag system.
It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system, as this
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might result in the airbag being deployed.
Never install any airbag parts into the vehicle that have been removed from
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old cars or have been recycled.
Never install damaged airbag parts in the vehicle. The airbags may then not
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be deployed properly or even at all in the event of an accident.
No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
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WARNING
A change to the vehicle's wheel suspension, including the use of non-ap-
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proved wheels and tire combinations, can alter the functioning of the airbag
system - risk of accident and fatal injury!
Never make any changes to the front bumper or the bodywork.
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Washing your car

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Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:

Washing by hand

Automatic car wash systems
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
The best way to protect your vehicle against harmful environmental influences is
frequent washing.
How often the vehicle should be washed depends on factors such as:
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Frequency of use.
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Parking situation (garage, under trees etc.).
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Season.
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Weather conditions.
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Environmental influences.
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General Maintenance
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar,
soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the
paintwork of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be.
High temperatures, such as those caused by intensive sun's rays, accentuate this
caustic effect.
It is essential to also thoroughly clean the underside of the vehicle at the end of
the winter.
WARNING
When washing your vehicle in the winter: Water and ice in the braking sys-
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tem can affect the braking efficiency – risk of accident!
Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is switched off – risk of accident!
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CAUTION
Do not wash your vehicle in bright sunlight – risk of paint damage.
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For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle at washing bays intended for this purpose.
Washing by hand
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First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
152
ings on page 152.
153
Soak the dirt with plenty of water and rinse as well as possible.
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Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a washing glove or a washing brush. Work
from the top to the bottom – starting with the roof.
Only use a car shampoo for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.
Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such
areas.
Give the vehicle a good rinse after washing it and dry it off using a chamois leath-
er.
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