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08 Car care
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Cleaning
08
Washing the car
Wash the car as soon as it becomes dirty.
Use car shampoo. Dirt and road salt can lead
to corrosion.
• Do not park the car in direct sunshine.
Washing a car with hot paintwork can
cause permanent paintwork damage.
Wash the car in a car wash with waste
water separator.
• Thoroughly rinse dirt off the underbody of
the car.
• Rinse the entire car to remove loose dirt.
When using a pressure washer: Make sure
that the nozzle of the pressure washer is
not closer than 30
cm to the bodywork. Do
not spray directly at the locks.
• Wash using a sponge, car shampoo and
plenty of lukewarm water.
• If the dirt is difficult to dislodge, wash the
car using a cold degreasing agent.
• Dry the car using a clean, soft chamois or
a water scraper.
• Clean the wiper blades with a lukewarm
soap solution or car shampoo.
Removing bird droppings
Wash bird droppings off the paintwork as
soon as possible. Bird droppings contain
chemicals that affect and discolour paint-
work very quickly. This discoloration can only
be removed by a specialist.
Chromed wheels
Automatic car washes
An automatic car wash is a simple and quick
way of washing the car, but it can never re-
place a proper handwashing. The brushes of
an automatic car wash cannot reach
everywhere.
Press the brake pedal lightly from time to
time if driving for long periods in rain or slush.
This heats and dries the brake pads. You
should also do this when you begin driving in
extremely damp or cold weather.
Exterior plastic parts
A special cleaning agent, available from Vol-
vo dealers, is recommended for cleaning ex-
terior plastic parts. Never use strong stain re-
movers.
WARNING
Always have the engine cleaned by a work-
shop. There is a risk of fire if the engine is
hot.
NOTE
Outside lighting such as headlamps, fog
lamps and rear lamps may temporarily have
condensation on the inside of the lens. This
is a natural phenomenon, all outside lighting
is designed to withstand this. Condensation
is normally vented out of the lamp when it
has been switched on for a time.
IMPORTANT
Rim cleaning agents can cause stains on
chrome-plated wheels. Wash using a
sponge, car shampoo and plenty of luke-
warm water.
WARNING
Always test the brakes after washing the car
to ensure that moisture and corrosion do
not attack the brake pads and reduce brak-
ing performance.
IMPORTANT
Washing by hand is gentler to the paintwork
than an automatic car wash. Paintwork is
also more sensitive when it is new. For this
reason, handwashing is recommended dur-
ing the first few months with a new car.