Cleaning And Care Of The Vehicle - Mercedes-Benz E320 Operator's Manual

Cleaning and Care of the Vehicle

Warning!
Many cleaning products can be
hazardous. Some are poisonous,
others are flammable. Always follow
the instructions on the particular
container. Always open your car's
doors or windows when cleaning the
inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are
not designed for cleaning your car.
In operation, your vehicle is subjected
to varying external influences which, if
gone unchecked, can attack the paint-
work as well as the underbody and
cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by
extreme and varying climatic
conditions, but also by air pollution,
road salt, tar, gravel and stone
chipping. Grease and oil, fuel, coolant,
brake fluid, bird droppings, insects, tree
resins etc. should be removed
immediately to avoid paint damage.
Frequent washing reduces and/or
eliminates the aggressiveness and
potency of the above adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary
to deal with unfavorable conditions; for
example, near the ocean, in industrial
areas (smoke, exhaust emissions), or
during winter operation.
You should check your vehicle from
time to time for stone chipping or other
damage. Any damage should be
repaired as soon as possible to prevent
the start of corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the
underside of the vehicle. A prerequisite
for a thorough check is a washing of
the underbody followed by a thorough
inspection. Damaged areas need to be
re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the
factory with a wax-base rust-proofing
in the body cavities which will last for
the lifetime of the vehicle. Post-
production treatment is neither
necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the
possibility of incompatibility between
materials used in the production
process and others applied later.
We have selected car-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and
which always reflect the latest
technology. You can obtain Mercedes-
Benz approved car-care products at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion
or damage due to negligent or incorrect
care cannot always be removed or
repaired with the car-care products
recommended here. In such cases it is
best to seek aid at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz dealer.
The following topics deal with the
cleaning and care of your vehicle
and give important "how-to"
information as well as references to
Mercedes-Benz approved car-care
products.
Additional information can be found in
the booklet titled "Car Care".
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