Appearance Care And Protection From Corrosion

Protection Of Body And Paint From Corrosion

Vehicle body care requirements vary according to geographic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads passable in snow and ice and those that are sprayed on trees and road surfaces during other seasons are highly corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking, which exposes your vehicle to airborne contaminants, road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated, extreme hot or cold weather and other extreme conditions will have an adverse effect on paint, metal trim, and underbody protection.

The following maintenance recommendations will enable you to obtain maximum benefit from the corrosion resistance built into your vehicle.

What Causes Corrosion?

Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.

The most common causes are:

•  Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation.
•  Stone and gravel impact.
•  Insects, tree sap and tar.
•  Salt in the air near seacoast localities.
•  Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants.

Washing

•  Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your vehicle in the shade using MOPAR Car Wash, or a mild car wash soap, and rinse the panels completely with clear water.
•  If insects, tar, or other similar deposits have accumulated on your vehicle, use MOPAR Super Kleen Bug and Tar Remover to remove.
•  Use a high quality cleaner wax, such as MOPAR Cleaner Wax to remove road film, stains and to protect your paint finish. Take care never to scratch the paint.
•  Avoid using abrasive compounds and power buffing that may diminish the gloss or thin out the paint finish.

Special Care

•  If you drive on salted or dusty roads or if you drive near the ocean, hose off the undercarriage at least once a month.
•  It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges of the doors, rocker panels, and trunk be kept clear and open.
•  If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint, touch them up immediately. The cost of such repairs is considered the responsibility of the owner.
•  If your vehicle is damaged due to a collision or similar cause that destroys the paint and protective coating, have your vehicle repaired as soon as possible. The cost of such repairs is considered the responsibility of the owner.
•  If you carry special cargo such as chemicals, fertilizers, de-icer salt, etc., be sure that such materials are well packaged and sealed.
•  If a lot of driving is done on gravel roads, consider mud or stone shields behind each wheel.
•  Use MOPAR Touch Up Paint on scratches as soon as possible. Your authorized dealer has touch up paint to match the color of your vehicle.

Wheel And Wheel Trim Care

•  All wheels and wheel trim, especially aluminum and chrome plated wheels, should be cleaned regularly with a mild soap and water to prevent corrosion.
•  To remove heavy soil and/or excessive brake dust, use MOPAR Wheel Cleaner.

NOTE: If your vehicle is equipped with Dark Vapor or Black Satin Chrome wheels DO NOT USE wheel cleaners, abrasives or polishing compounds. They will permanently damage this finish and such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. USE ONLY MILD SOAP AND WATER WITH A SOFT CLOTH. Used on a regular basis this is all that is required to maintain this finish.

Stain Repel Fabric Cleaning Procedure - If Equipped

Stain Repel seats may be cleaned in the following manner:

•  Remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting with a clean, dry towel.
•  Blot any remaining stain with a clean, damp towel.
•  For tough stains, apply MOPAR Total Clean, or a mild soap solution to a clean, damp cloth and remove stain.Use a fresh, damp towel to remove soap residue.
•  For grease stains, apply MOPAR Multi-Purpose Cleaner to a clean, damp cloth and remove stain. Use a fresh, damp towel to remove soap residue.
•  Do not use any harsh solvents or any other form of protectants on Stain Repel products.

Interior Care

Use MOPAR Total Clean to clean fabric upholstery and carpeting.

Use MOPAR Total Clean to clean vinyl upholstery.

MOPAR Total Clean is specifically recommended for leather upholstery.

Your leather upholstery can be best preserved by regular cleaning with a damp soft cloth. Small particles of dirt can act as an abrasive and damage the leather upholstery and should be removed promptly with a damp cloth.

Stubborn soils can be removed easily with a soft cloth and MOPAR Total Clean. Care should be taken to avoid soaking your leather upholstery with any liquid. Please do not use polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents, detergents, or ammonia-based cleaners to clean your leather upholstery. Application of a leather conditioner is not required to maintain the original condition.

Cleaning Headlights

Your vehicle is equipped with plastic headlights and fog lights that are lighter and less susceptible to stone breakage than glass headlights.

Plastic is not as scratch resistant as glass and therefore different lens cleaning procedures must be followed.

To minimize the possibility of scratching the lenses and reducing light output, avoid wiping with a dry cloth. To remove road dirt, wash with a mild soap solution followed by rinsing.

Do not use abrasive cleaning components, solvents, steel wool or other aggressive material to clean the lenses.

Glass Surfaces

All glass surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis with MOPAR Glass Cleaner, or any commercial household-type glass cleaner. Never use an abrasive type cleaner. Use caution when cleaning the inside rear window equipped with electric defrosters or windows equipped with radio antennas. Do not use scrapers or other sharp instrument that may scratch the elements.

When cleaning the rear view mirror, spray cleaner on the towel or cloth that you are using. Do not spray cleaner directly on the mirror.

Cleaning Plastic Instrument Cluster Lenses

The lenses in front of the instruments in this vehicle are molded in clear plastic. When cleaning the lenses, care must be taken to avoid scratching the plastic.

1. Clean with a wet soft cloth. A mild soap solution may be used, but do not use high alcohol content or abrasive cleaners. If soap is used, wipe clean with a clean damp cloth.
2.  Dry with a soft cloth.

Seat Belt Maintenance

Do not bleach, dye, or clean the belts with chemical solvents or abrasive cleaners. This will weaken the fabric.

Sun damage can also weaken the fabric.

If the belts need cleaning, use MOPAR Total Clean, a mild soap solution, or lukewarm water. Do not remove the belts from the vehicle to wash them. Dry with a soft cloth.

Replace the belts if they appear frayed or worn or if the buckles do not work properly.