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252
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Outside parking, which exposes your vehicle to airborne
contaminants, road surfaces on which the vehicle is
operated, extreme hot or cold weather and other
extreme conditions will have an adverse effect on paint,
metal trim, and underbody protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will
enable you to obtain maximum benefit from the corro-
sion resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of
paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.
The most common causes are:
•
Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation.
•
Stone and gravel impact.
•
Insects, tree sap and tar.
•
Salt in the air near seacoast localities.
•
Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants.
BODY AND UNDERBODY
MAINTENANCE
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care
All wheels and wheel trim, especially aluminum and
chrome plated wheels, should be cleaned regularly
using mild (neutral Ph) soap and water to maintain their
luster and to prevent corrosion. Wash wheels with the
same soap solution recommended for the body of the
vehicle and remember to always wash when the sur-
faces are not hot to the touch.
Your wheels are susceptible to deterioration caused by
salt, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium
chloride, etc., and other road chemicals used to melt
ice or control dust on dirt roads. Use a soft cloth or
sponge and mild soap to wipe away promptly. Do not
use harsh chemicals or a stiff brush. They can damage
the wheel's protective coating that helps keep them
from corroding and tarnishing.
CAUTION!
Avoid products or automatic car washes that use
acidic solutions or strong alkaline additives or harsh
brushes. Many aftermarket wheel cleaners and auto-
matic car washes may damage the wheel's protective
finish. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty. Only car wash soap is
recommended.
When cleaning extremely dirty wheels including exces-
sive brake dust, care must be taken in the selection of
tire and wheel cleaning chemicals and equipment to
prevent damage to the wheels. Select a non-abrasive,
non-acidic cleaner for aluminum or chrome wheels.
CAUTION!
Do not use scouring pads, steel wool, a bristle brush,
metal polishes or oven cleaner. These products may
damage the wheel's protective finish. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Only car wash soap is recommended.
NOTE:
If you intend parking or storing your vehicle for an
extended period after cleaning the wheels with wheel
cleaner, drive your vehicle and apply the brakes to
remove the water droplets from the brake components.
This activity will remove the red rust on the brake rotors
and prevent vehicle vibration when braking.
Dark Or Low Gloss Wheels
CAUTION!
If your vehicle is equipped with these specialty
wheels, DO NOT USE wheel cleaners, abrasives, or
polishing compounds. They will permanently damage
this finish and such damage is not covered by the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty. HAND WASH ONLY
USING MILD SOAP AND WATER WITH A SOFT CLOTH.
Used on a regular basis; this is all that is required to
maintain this finish.
Cleaning Headlights
Your vehicle is equipped with plastic headlights and fog
lights that are lighter and less susceptible to stone
breakage than glass headlights.
Plastic is not as scratch resistant as glass and there-
fore different lens cleaning procedures must be
followed.
To minimize the possibility of scratching the lenses and
reducing light output, avoid wiping with a dry cloth. To
remove road dirt, wash with a mild soap solution fol-
lowed by rinsing.
Do not use abrasive cleaning components, solvents,
steel wool or other aggressive material to clean the
lenses.
PRESERVING THE BODYWORK
Washing
•
Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your
vehicle in the shade using Mopar® Car Wash, or a
mild car wash soap, and rinse the panels completely
with water.
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