Paint - Mercedes-Benz CLA Operator's Manual

Power washers
G WARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around
when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
tires
R
door gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
R
electrical components
R
battery
R
connectors
R
lights
R
seals
R
trim
R
ventilation slots
R
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
Cleaning the wheels
! Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked.
Cleaning the paintwork
! Do not affix:
stickers
R
films
R
magnetic plates or similar items
R
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Remove dirt immediately, where possible,
X
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
Soak insect remains with insect remover
X
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
X
off the treated areas afterwards.
Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
X
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X
Use silicone remover to remove wax.
X
Use a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB
X
Touch-Up Stick, to repair slight damage to
the paintwork quickly and provisionally.
The following cannot always be completely
repaired:
scratches
R
corrosive deposits
R
areas affected by corrosion
R
damage caused by inadequate care
R
In such cases, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
This is the case approximately every three to
five months, depending on the climate con-
ditions and the care product used.
If the dirt has penetrated the paint surface or
if the paintwork has become dull, then the
paintwork should be cleaned. For cleaning,
Care
289
Z