Volvo 940 - Manual (Page 158)

1993 Volvo 940
Car care
pg. 7:1 Car care
Car care includes not only maintaining the appearance of the car, but also protecting the car exterior
from the effects of air pollution, rain and mud.
The rustproofing compound under the car should be checked regularly and, if necessary, damaged areas
should be repaired.
The paintwork should also be touched up immediately, if damaged, to prevent rust formation.
7:2 Rustproofing
7:4 Paintwork damage
7:6 Washing the car
7:8 Cleaning the upholstery
pg. 7:2 Rustproofing
What causes rust
The two most common causes of rust to your car are:
●
The accumulation of road dirt and moisture in hard-to-get-at cavities and other areas under the car.
●
The removal of paint and protective coatings on the outside of the car and underneath through damage
by stones, gravel or minor accidents.
Several factors influence the speed at which corrosion will occur:
●
The length of time various parts of a car stay wet. Parts of the car filled with road dirt and water
remain damp for long periods of time even after other parts have dried.
Particular attention should be paid to the underside of the car and floor sections inside. The floor
sections stay wet because moisture collects and remains under the floor matting.
Drain holes located at the bottom of the doors can get clogged with dirt, trapping water inside the door
and causing the door to rust at the bottom.
●
Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of higher relative humidity, especially where temperatures often
stay above the freezing point and where the atmosphere is affected by industrial pollution, or where salt
is used for de-icing the roads.
Where parts of the car are covered with road dirt containing road salt, corrosion will be accelerated at
lower relative humidity than if the surface were clean.
●
Increased temperature will cause an accelerated rate of corrosion of those parts of the car which are
not well ventilated to permit quick drying.
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