Fiat 500 Owner's Handbook Manual page 171

damage the car over a period of time;
GETTING TO
❒ wash the body using a low pressure jet of water;
KNOW YOUR
❒ wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy solution over
CAR
the bodywork, frequently rinsing with the sponge;
❒ rinse well with water and dry with a jet of air or a
SAFETY
chamois leather.
Dry the less visible parts particularly carefully, such
as the door frames, bonnet and the headlight frames,
where water may stagnate more easily. The car
STARTING AND
should not be taken to a closed area immediately,
DRIVING
but left outside so that residual water can evaporate.
Do not wash the car after it has been left in the
WARNING
sun or with the bonnet hot: this may alter the shine
LIGHTS AND
of the paintwork.
MESSAGES
Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned in the same
way as the rest of the car.
IN AN
Where possible, do not park under trees; the
EMERGENCY
resinous substance that many species release give the
paint a dull appearance and increase the possibility
of triggering rusting processes.
SERVICING
AND
IMPORTANT Bird droppings must be washed off
MAINTENANCE
immediately and thoroughly as the acid they contain
is particularly aggressive.
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
Detergents pollute the environment.
Therefore the engine compartment should
be washed in areas equipped for
collecting and purifying the liquid used in the
INDEX
washing process.
170
Glasses
To clean glasses, use specific window cleaner
products.
Also use clean cloths to avoid scratching the glass or
damaging the transparency.
IMPORTANT Wipe the rear window inside gently
with a cloth in the direction of the filaments to avoid
damaging the heating device.
Engine compartment
At the end of each winter, thoroughly wash the
engine compartment, taking care to avoid spraying
the water jet directly onto the electronic control
units and the relay/fuse control unit on the left side
of the engine compartment (as you look from behind
the wheel). Have this operation performed at a
specialised workshop.
IMPORTANT The washing should take place with the
engine cold and the ignition key in the STOP
position. After the washing operation, make sure
that the various protections (e.g. rubber caps and
guards) have not been removed or damaged.
Front headlights
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic substances (e.g.
petrol) or ketenes (e.g. acetone) for cleaning the
plastic lenses of the front headlights.