Vehicle Care - Volvo S80 Owner's Manual

06 Maintenance and specifications

Vehicle care

Washing the car
The following points should be kept in mind
when washing and cleaning the car:
• The car should be washed at regular inter-
vals since dirt, dust, insects and tar spots
adhere to the paint and may cause dam-
age. To help prevent corrosion, it is partic-
ularly important to wash the car frequently
in the wintertime.
• Avoid washing your car in direct sunlight.
Doing so may cause detergents and wax
to dry out and become abrasive. To avoid
scratching, use lukewarm water to soften
the dirt before you wash with a soft
sponge, and plenty of sudsy water.
• Bird droppings: Remove from paintwork
as soon as possible. Otherwise the finish
may be permanently damaged.
• A detergent can be used to facilitate the
06
softening of dirt and oil.
• A water-soluble grease solvent may be
used in cases of sticky dirt. However, use
a wash place equipped with a drainage
separator.
• Dry the car with a clean chamois and
remember to clean the drain holes in the
doors and rocker panels.
• Tar spots can be removed with kerosene
or tar remover after the car has been
washed.
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• A stiff-bristle brush and lukewarm soapy
water can be used to clean the wiper
blades. Frequent cleaning improves visi-
bility considerably.
• Wash off the dirt from the underside
(wheel housings, fenders, etc).
• In areas of high industrial fallout, more
frequent washing is recommended.
• After cleaning the engine, the spark plug
wells should be inspected for water and
blown dry if necessary.
NOTE
When washing the car, remember to re-
move dirt from the drain holes in the doors
and sills.
CAUTION
• During high pressure washing, the spray
mouthpiece must never be closer to the ve-
hicle than 13" (30 cm). Do not spray into the
locks.
• When washing or steam cleaning the en-
gine, avoid spraying water or steam directly
on the electrical components or toward the
rear side of the engine. Special moonroof
cautions:
• Always close the moonroof and sun
shade before washing your vehicle.
• Never use abrasive cleaning agents on
the moonroof.
• Never use wax on the rubber seals
around the moonroof.
Exterior plastic components
Cleaning exterior plastic components should
be done with a cleaning agent specially
designed for this purpose. Solvents or stain
removers should not be used. Consult your
Volvo retailer.
Automatic car wash
• We do NOT recommend washing your car
in an automatic wash during the first six
months (because the paint will not have
hardened sufficiently).
• An automatic wash is a simple and quick
way to clean your car, but it is worth