Kia Cerato 2019 Owner's Manual page 571

Thoroughly flush the vehicle under-
body and wheel openings with luke-
warm or cold water once a month,
after off-road driving and at the end
of each winter. Pay special attention
to these areas because it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to wet down
the road grime without removing it.
The lower edges of the doors, rocker
panels, and frame members have
drain holes that should not clog with
dirt; trapped water in these areas can
cause rusting.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test
the brakes whilst driving slowly
to see if they have been affected
by water. If braking performance
is impaired, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly whilst
maintaining a slow forward
speed.
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated
with a clear protective finish.
• Do not use any abrasive cleaner,
polishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum wheels.
They may scratch or damage the
finish.
• Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
• Use only a mild soap or neutral
detergent, and rinse thoroughly
with water. Also, be sure to clean
the wheels after driving on salted
roads. This helps prevent corrosion.
• Avoid washing the wheels with
high-speed car wash brushes.
• Do not use any alkaline or acid
detergent. It may damage and cor-
rode the aluminum wheels coated
with a clear protective finish.
Maintenance
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design
and construction practices to combat
corrosion, we produce vehicles of the
highest quality. However, this is only
part of the job. To achieve the long-
term corrosion resistance your vehi-
cle can deliver, the owner's coopera-
tion and assistance is also required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corro-
sion on your vehicle are:
• Road salt, dirt and moisture that is
allowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
• Removal of paint or protective
coatings by stones, gravel, abra-
sion or minor scrapes and dents
which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion.
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