CLEANING
5
Maintenance - 323
Bodywork maintenance
A well-maintained vehicle will last
longer. It is therefore recommended to
maintaintheexteriorofthevehiclereg
ularly.
Your vehicle has been treated with
very effective anti-corrosion products.
It is nevertheless subject to various
outside influences.
Corrosiveagentsintheatmos
phere:
– atmospheric pollution (in built-up and
industrial areas);
– saline atmospheres (near the sea,
particularly in hot weather);
– seasonalanddampclimaticcondi
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 do the following
Wash your car frequently, with the en
gine off,withcleaningproductsrec
ommended by the manufacturer (never
useabrasiveproducts).Rinsethor
oughly beforehand using a jet washer:
Remove any plant matter (resin,
leaves, etc.) from the vehicle regularly.
Observelocalregulationsaboutwash
ingvehicles(e.g.donotwashyourve
hicle on a public highway).
Observethevehiclestoppingdis
tanceswhendrivingongravelledsur
faces to prevent paint damage.
Repair, or have repaired quickly, areas
where the paint has been damaged, to
prevent corrosion spreading.
Remembertovisitthebodyshopperi
odically in order to maintain your anti-
corrosionwarranty.Refertothemain
tenance document.
When washing the vehicle with a high-
pressure cleaning device, please take
the following precautions:
– makesurethatyourvehicle'spaint
work, the area or the component that
you want to clean is compatible with
this type of washing;
– the pressure delivered by the device
must be less than 100 bar;
– when washing, position the spray
nozzle at least 15 cm from the vehicle
and check that the water flow rate is
less than 3.30 gal (15 l)/min;
– do not persist in washing the same
area, impacted points or the seals (risk
ofdamagetothepaint,sealsbecom
ing detached, etc.).
If mechanical components, hinges, etc.
havebeencleaned,theymustbepro
tected again by spraying with products
approvedbyourTechnicalDepart
ment.
spots of tree resin and industrial
pollution;
–
mudinthewheelarchesandunder
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
removethesemarksasitisimpos
sible to remove them by polishing;
–
salt, particularly in the wheel arches
andunderneaththebodyafterdri
ving in areas where the roads have
been gritted.
–