Underbody Maintenance - Mazda 2012 2 Owner's Manual

2. Use a good grade of natural wax for
metallic, mica, and solid colors.
3. When waxing, coat evenly with the
sponge supplied or a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.
NOTE
A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and similar
materials will usually also take off the wax.
Rewax these areas even if the rest of the
vehicle does not need it.
qRepairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
should be repaired promptly. Exposed
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major
repairs.
CAUTION
If your Mazda is damaged and needs
metal parts repaired or replaced,
make sure the body shop applies
anti-corrosion materials to all parts,
both repaired and new. This will
prevent them from rusting.
qUnderbody Maintenance
Road chemicals and salt used for ice and
snow removal and solvents used for dust
control may collect on the underbody. If
not removed, they will speed up rusting
and deterioration of such underbody parts
as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust
system, even though these parts may be
coated with anti-corrosive material.
Thoroughly flush the underbody and
wheel housings with lukewarm or cold
water at the end of each winter. Try also
to do this every month.
Appearance Care
Pay special attention to these areas
because they easily hide mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet
down the road grime without removing
it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes that
should not be clogged. Water trapped
there will cause rusting.
WARNING
Dry wet brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly until
brake performance is normal:
Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
qAluminum Wheel Maintenance
A protective coating is provided over the
aluminum wheels. Special care is needed
to protect this coating.
CAUTION
Do not use any detergent other than
mild detergent. Before using any
detergent, verify the ingredients.
Otherwise, the product could discolor
or stain the aluminum wheels.
Maintenance and Care
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Some models.
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