BODYWORK MAINTENANCE
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166 - Maintenance
A well-maintained vehicle will last
longer. It is therefore recommended to
maintain the exterior of the vehicle reg-
ularly.
Your vehicle has been treated with
very effective anti-corrosion products.
It is nevertheless subject to various
outside influences.
Corrosive agents in the atmosphere
– atmospheric pollution (built-up and
industrial areas) ;
– saline atmospheres (near the sea,
particularly in hot weather) ;
– seasonal and damp weather condi-
tions (e.g. road salt in winter, water
from road cleaners, etc.).
Minor impacts
Abrasive action
Dust and sand in the air, mud, road grit
thrown up by other vehicles, etc.
You should take a number of minor
precautions in order to safeguard your
vehicle against such risks.
You should
Wash your car frequently, with the en
gine off, with cleaning products rec-
ommended by the manufacturer (never
use abrasive products). Rinse thor-
oughly beforehand with a jet :
– spots of tree resin and industrial
grime ;
– mud in the wheel arches and under-
neath the body which forms damp
patches ;
– bird droppings, which cause a
chemical reaction with the paint that
rapidly discolours paintwork and
may even cause the paint to peel
off ;
wash the vehicle immediately to re-
move these marks since it is impossi-
ble to remove them by polishing ;
– salt, particularly in the wheel arches
and underneath the body after driving
in areas where the roads have been
gritted.
Remove any plant matter (resin,
leaves, etc.) from the vehicle regularly.
Respect local regulations about wash-
ing vehicles (e.g. do not wash your ve-
hicle on a public highway).
Observe the vehicle stopping dis-
tances when driving on gravelled sur-
faces to prevent paint damage.
Repair, or have repaired quickly, areas
where the paint has been damaged, to
prevent corrosion spreading.
Remember to visit the body shop peri-
odically in order to maintain your anti-
corrosion warranty. Refer to the Main-
tenance Document.
If it is necessary to clean mechanical
components, hinges, etc., spray them
with products approved by our Techni-
cal Department to protect them after
they have been cleaned.
We have selected special
products to care for your
vehicle and you can obtain
these from the manufacturer’s ac-
cessory outlets.
What you should not do
Wash the vehicle in bright sunlight or
freezing temperatures.
Do not scrape off mud or dirt without
pre-wetting.
Allow dirt to accumulate on the exteri-
or.
Allow rust to form following minor im-
pacts.
Do not use solvents not approved by
our Technical Department to remove
stains as this could damage the paint-
work.
Do not drive in snow or muddy condi-
tions without washing the vehicle, par-
ticularly under the wheel arches and
body.
Degrease or clean using
high-pressure cleaning
equipment or by spray-
ing on products not ap-
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