Volvo S60 - Manual (Page 327)

08 Maintenance and specifications
Vehicle care
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Washing the car
The following points should be kept in mind
when washing and cleaning the car:
• The car should be washed at regular inter-
vals since dirt, dust, insects and tar spots
adhere to the paint and may cause dam-
age. To help prevent corrosion, it is partic-
ularly important to wash the car frequently
in the wintertime.
• Avoid washing your car in direct sunlight.
Doing so may cause detergents and wax
to dry out and become abrasive. To avoid
scratching, use lukewarm water to soften
the dirt before you wash with a soft
sponge, and plenty of sudsy water.
• Bird droppings: Remove from paintwork
as soon as possible. Otherwise the finish
may be permanently damaged.
• A detergent can be used to facilitate the
softening of dirt and oil.
• Dry the car with a clean chamois and
remember to clean the drain holes in the
doors and rocker panels.
• Tar spots can be removed with tar remover
after the car has been washed.
• A stiff-bristle brush and lukewarm soapy
water can be used to clean the wiper
blades. Frequent cleaning of the wind-
shield and wiper blades improves visibility
considerably and also helps prolong the
service life of the wiper blades.
• Wash off the dirt from the underside (wheel
housings, fenders, etc).
• In areas of high industrial fallout, more fre-
quent washing is recommended.
NOTE
When washing the car, remember to remove
dirt from the drain holes in the doors and
sills.
CAUTION
• During high pressure washing, the
spray mouthpiece must never be closer
to the vehicle than 13" (30 cm). Do not
spray into the locks.
• Dirt, snow, etc., on the headlights can
reduce lighting capacity considerably.
Clean the headlights regularly, for
example when refueling.
Special moonroof cautions:
• Always close the moonroof and sun
shade before washing your vehicle.
• Never use abrasive cleaning agents on
the moonroof.
• Never use wax on the rubber seals
around the moonroof.
Exterior components
Volvo recommends the use of special cleaning
products, available at your Volvo retailer, for
cleaning colored plastic, rubber, or ornamental
components such as chromed strips on the
exterior of your vehicle. The instructions for
using these products should be followed care-
fully. Solvents or stain removers should not be
used.
CAUTION
• Avoid waxing or polishing plastic or rub-
ber components
• Polishing chromed strips can wear
away or damage the surface
• Polishes containing abrasive sub-
stances should not be used
Automatic car wash
• We do NOT recommend washing your car
in an automatic wash during the first few
months (because the paint will not have
hardened sufficiently).
• An automatic wash is a simple and quick
way to clean your car, but it is worth
remembering that it may not be as thor-
ough as when you yourself go over the car
with sponge and water. Keeping the under-
body clean is most important, especially in
the winter. Some automatic washers do