Vehicle care
Thoroughly flush the vehicle underbody and wheel openings with lukewarm or cold
water once a month, after off-road driving and at the end of each winter. Pay spe
cial 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.
Aluminium wheel maintenance
The aluminium wheels are coated with a clear protective finish.
• Do not use any abrasive cleaner, polishing compound, solvent, or wire brushes on
aluminium 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 corrode the alumini
um wheels coated with a clear protective finish.
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 longterm corrosion resistance your vehicle can deliver, the owner's coop
eration and assistance is also required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion 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, abrasion or minor scrapes
and dents which leave unprotected metal exposed to corrosion.
High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehicle is regularly exposed to corrosive materials,
corrosion protection is particularly important. Some of the common causes of accel
erated corrosion are road salts, dust control chemicals, ocean air and industrial pollu
tion.
Moisture breeds corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in which corrosion is most likely to occur. For exam
ple, corrosion is accelerated by high humidity, particularly when temperatures are just
above freezing. In such conditions, the corrosive material is kept in contact with the
vehicle's surface by moisture that evaporate slowly. Mud is particularly corrosive be
cause it dries slowly and holds moisture in contact with the vehicle. Although the mud
appears to be dry, it can still retain moisture and promote corrosion. High temper
atures can also accelerate corrosion of parts that are not properly ventilated so the
moisture can be dispersed.
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