Cleaning the exterior of your vehicle

If the following is left on your vehicle, it may cause corrosion, discolouration and stains, wash the vehicle as soon as possible.

• Seawater, road deicing products.

• Soot and dust, iron powder from factories, chemical substance (acids, alkalis, coal-tar, etc.).

• Droppings from birds, carcasses of insects, tree sap, etc.

Washing

Chemicals contained in the dirt and dust picked up from the road surface can damage the paint coat and body of your vehicle if left in prolonged contact.

Frequent washing and waxing is the best way to protect your vehicle from this damage. This will also be effective in protecting it from environmental elements such as rain, snow, salt air, etc.

Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight. Park the vehicle in the shade and spray it with water to remove dust. Next, using an ample amount of clean water and a car washing brush or sponge, wash the vehicle from top to bottom.

Use a mild car washing soap if necessary. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry with a soft cloth. After washing the vehicle, carefully clean the joints and flanges of the doors, bonnet and other sections where dirt is likely to remain.

CAUTION

• When washing the under side of your vehicle or wheel, be careful not to injure your hands.

• If your vehicle has rain sensor wipers, place the wiper switch lever in the “OFF” position to deactivate the rain sensor before washing the vehicle. Otherwise, the wipers will operate in the presence of water spray on the windscreen and may get damaged as a result.

• Refrain from excessively using a car wash as its brushes may scratch the paint surface, causing it to lose its gloss. Scratches will be especially visible on darker coloured vehicles.

• Never spray or splash water on the electrical components in the engine compartment.

Doing so could have an adverse effect on the engine startability.

Exercise caution also when washing the underbody; be careful not to spray water into the engine compartment.

• Some types of hot water washing equipment apply high pressure and heat to the vehicle. They may cause heat distortion and damage to the vehicle resin parts and may result in flooding of the vehicle interior.

Therefore;

• Maintain a distance of approx. 70 cm or more between the vehicle body and the washing nozzle.

• When washing around the door glass, hold the nozzle at a distance of more than 70 cm and at right angles to the glass surface.

• After washing the vehicle, drive the vehicle slowly while lightly depressing the brake pedal several times in order to dry out the brakes.

Leaving the brakes wet could result in reduced braking performance. Also, there is a possibility that they could freeze up or become inoperative due to rust, rendering the vehicle unable to move.

• When using an automatic car wash, pay attention to the following items, referring to the operation manual or consulting a car wash operator. If the following procedure is not followed, it could result in damage to your vehicle.

• The outside mirrors are retracted.

• The antenna is removed.

• The wiper arms are secured in place with tape.

• If your vehicle is equipped with a rear spoiler or roof rails, consult a car wash operator before using the car wash.

• If your vehicle has rain sensor wipers, place the wiper switch lever in the “OFF” position to deactivate the rain sensor.

During cold weather

Salt and other chemicals spread on the roads in some areas in winter can have a harmful effect on the vehicle body. You should therefore wash the vehicle as often as possible in accordance with our care-instructions. It is recommended to have a preservative applied and the underfloor protection checked before and after the cold weather season.

After washing your vehicle, wipe off all waterdrops from the rubber parts around the doors to prevent the doors from freezing.

NOTE

• To prevent freezing of the weatherstripping on the doors, bonnet, etc., they should be treated with silicone spray.

Waxing

Waxing the vehicle will help prevent the adherence of dust and road chemicals to the paintwork. Apply a wax solution after washing the vehicle, or at least once every three months to assist displacing of water.

Do not wax your vehicle in direct sunlight. You should wax after the surfaces have cooled.

CAUTION

• Waxes containing high abrasive compounds should not be used. Such waxes remove rust and stains effectively from the paintwork but they are harmful to the lustre on the painted surface and the plated surface.

Further, they are harmful to glossy surfaces such as grille, garnish, mouldings, etc.

• Do not use petrol or paint thinners to remove road tar or other contamination to the painted surface.

• Do not apply wax to sections that have a black mat paint coating, as doing so could cause uneven discolouration, spots or stains. If wax gets on such areas, wipe it off using lukewarm water and a soft cloth.

Polishing

The vehicle should only be polished if the paintwork has become stained or lost its lustre. Do not polish parts with a mat coating and the plastic bumpers.

Doing so could cause stains or damage the finish.

Damaged paint

Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat should be touched up as soon as possible with MITSUBISHI touch-up paint to prevent corrosion.

Check body areas facing the road or the tyres carefully for damage to the paint caused by gravels, etc. The paint code number for your vehicle can be found on the vehicle information code plate in the engine compartment.

Cleaning plastic parts

Use a sponge or chamois leather.

If a car wax adheres on a grey or black rough surface of the bumper, moulding or lamps, the surface becomes white. In such a case, wipe it off using lukewarm water and soft cloth or chamois leather.

CAUTION

• Do not use a scrubbing brush or other hard tools as they may damage the plastic part surface.

• Do not use wax containing compound (polishing powder) which may damage the plastic part surface.

• Do not bring the plastic parts into contact with petrol, light oil, brake fluids, engine oils, greases, paint thinners, and sulphuric acid (battery electrolyte) which may crack, stain or discolour the plastic parts.

If they touch the plastic parts, wipe them off with soft cloth, chamois or the like and an aqueous solution of neutral detergent then immediately rinse the affected parts with water.

Chrome parts

In order to prevent spots and corrosion of chrome parts, wash with water, dry thoroughly, and apply a special protective coating. This should be done more frequently in winter.

Aluminium wheels

1. Remove dirt using a sponge while sprinkling water on the vehicle.
2. Use neutral detergent on any dirt that cannot be removed easily with water.

Rinse off the neutral detergent after washing the vehicle.

3. Dry the vehicle thoroughly using a chamois leather or a soft cloth.

CAUTION

• Do not use a brush or other hard implement on the wheels.

Doing so could scratch the wheels.

• Do not use any cleaner that contains an abrasive substance or is acidic or alkaline.

Doing so could cause the coating on the wheels to peel or become discoloured or stained.

• Do not directly apply hot water using a steam cleaner or by any other means.

• Contact with seawater and road deicer can cause corrosion. Rinse off such substances as soon as possible.

Window glass

The window glass can normally be cleaned using only a sponge and water.

Glass cleaner can be used to remove oil, grease, dead insects, etc. After washing the glass, wipe dry with a clean, dry, soft cloth. Never use a cloth that is used for cleaning a painted surface to clean a window.

Wax from the painted surface could get on the glass and lower glass transparency and visibility.

NOTE

• To clean the inside of the rear window, always use a soft cloth and wipe the window glass along the demister heater element so as not to cause damage.

Wiper blades

Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to remove grease, dead insects, etc., from the wiper blades. Replace the wiper blades when they no longer wipe properly.

(Refer to page 8-15.)

Engine compartment

Clean the engine compartment at the beginning and end of winter. Pay particular attention to flanges, crevices and peripheral parts where dust containing road chemicals and other corrosive materials might collect.

If salt and other chemicals are used on the roads in your area, clean the engine compartment at least every three months.

Never spray or splash water on the electrical components in the engine compartment, as this may cause damage.

Do not bring the nearby parts, the plastic parts and so on into contact with sulphuric acid (battery electrolyte) which may crack, stain or discolour them.

If they are in contact, wipe off with soft cloth, chamois or the like and an aqueous solution of neutral detergent then immediately rinse the affected parts with plenty of water.