AUDI A3 2012 Owner´s Manual

CD Note
You should remove debris (such as insects)
from the headlight lenses on a regular ba­sis, for example when refueling your vehi­
cle. Never clean the headlights with a dry
cloth or sponge . Use a wet cloth or
sponge.
It is best to use soapy water .
Automatic car wash
The vehicle can be washed in almos t any
modern automatic car wash .
The vehicle paint is so durable that the vehicle
can normally be washed without problems in
an automatic car wash . However, the effect on
the paint depends to a large extent on the de­
sign of the facility, the filtering of the wash
water , the type of wash and care material , etc .
If the paint has a dull appearance after going
through the car wash or is scratched, bring
this to the attention of the operator immedi­
ately. If necessary, use a different car wash.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing the
windows and panoramic sliding sunroof*. Re­ move antenna if applicable.
If you have installed additional accessories on
the vehicle -such as spoilers, roof rack, etc. -
it is best to ask the car wash operator if these
should be removed.
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
¢ page 178.
Washing the vehicle by hand
A lot of water is needed when washing a vehi­
cle by hand.
11-Before you start washing, make sure you
have read and understood the WARNINGS
¢ A in General information on page 178.
11-First soak all dried dirt until it is soft, then
rinse it off .
11-As you clean your vehicle, s tart with the
roof and work your way down to the bottom,
Cleaning and protection 179
using a sponge, a sponge glove or a clean
brush.
"" Rinse the sponge or the sponge glove often,
flushing it clean each time.
11-Use special car shampoo only for very per­
sistent dirt .
11-Rinse the car thoroughly with water .
11-Use a chamois leather to gently wipe the ex-
terior dry.
Use a separate sponge for cleaning the
wheels, door sills and other regions exposed
to road dirt. In this way, you will not scratch
the paint with coarse particles imbedded in
the sponge the next time you wash the car.
A WARNING
= -
-Do not clean the underside of the chas-
sis, fenders, wheel covers , or other hard
to reach parts without protecting your hands and arms . You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 178.
CD Note
- Never try to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the vehicle is dry. Never
use a dry cloth or sponge, since this
could scratch your vehicle's paint or win­
dows.
- Never wash your car in bright sunlight.
Drops of water act as magnifying lenses
and may damage your paint .
- When you wash your car in the winter: if
you rinse your vehicle with a hose, be
careful not to aim the stream of water
directly at locks, or at door or hatch
openings -they can freeze shut.
- Never use sponges designed to remove
insects, or any kitchen scouring sponges
or similar products. They can damage
your paint finish.
- Never use a dry cloth or sponge to clean
the headlights. Only use wet cloths or
sponges to prevent scratches. It is best
to use soapy water. •
•

180 Cleaning and protection
@ For the sake of the environment
In the interest of the environment, the ve­
hicle should on ly be washed in special
wash bays.
Washing your vehicle with a power
washer
Cleaning the exterior of your car with a high­
pressure power washer is safe as long as you
observe a few simple rules .
~ Before using the power washer, make sure
you have read and understood the WARN­
INGS
c::> A in General information on
page 178 .
~ Always fo llow the operating instructions for
the power washer.
~ Make sure tha t the jet o n the spray hose
produces a "fan shaped spray".
~ Do not ho ld the spray nozzle too close to
soft materia ls.
When clean ing the veh icle wit h a power wash­
er
always fo llow the operating instructions .
This applies particularly to the
oper ating
pressu re
and the sp ray ing distance . Maintain
a sufficient distance to soft materials such as
rubber hoses and sound/vibrat io n deadening
materials (part icularly on the underside of the
engine hood). Do not use a jet wh ich sprays
water in a
dire ct stream or one that has a ro ­
ta ting
jet.
Water temperature should not exceed 140 °F
(60 °().
A WARNING
Never wash tires w it h a je t that sprays wa­
t er in a direc t stream. This cou ld cause in­
visib le damage to the tires and weake n
t hem, even if the spray is from a re latively
long distance and for a short time . Dam­
aged and weakened t ires can fa il and cause
accidents and persona l injury.
([) Note
To avo id damag ing your vehicle, always
make sure t hat there is sufficient distance between the spray head and soft materia
ls
li ke rubber hoses, plastic parts and sound­
deaden ing mater ials. Never aim the spray
head at the same point for a long time.
This also applies to cleaning headlights
and painted bumpers. Remember: the
closer the nozzle is to the surface of the
mater ia l, the greater the stress on the ma­
te rial.
Waxing and Polishing
Waxing
A good wax coating protects the vehicle pain t
to a la rge ex ten t agains t the envi ronmental
f actors lis ted under
c::> page 178, Washing and
even against sli ght scratches .
You can use a liquid car wax to prote ct yo ur
paint as soon as one wee k afte r you r vehicle
has been delivered .
E ven if you regu larly use a
wa xing p rocess in
a ut oma tic car washes, we recommend tha t
yo u manually apply a coat o f wax to g ive the
paint extra protection, part icu larly if water no
l onger beads on t he clean paint.
Protect plast ic body parts with car wax in the
same w ay as the veh icle body.
D ur ing warm weather dead insects tend to
collect on the front bumper and on the fo r­
wa rd area of the hood. They are much easier
to remove from p aint th at is waxed
often.
Polishing
Polish your vehicle only if the paint has lost its
sh ine and the gloss cannot be broug ht back
with wax.
If the polish used does not contain preserva­
t ive compou nds, the paint must be waxed af ­
te rwards .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNI NGS and
other info rmation
c::> page 178 .
(D Note
Do not use car wax on

-matte or anodized metal trim
- rubber o r rubber-like tr im.
Trim strips
Metal trim needs special care.
For environmental reasons, Aud i fabricates
the br ight tr im strips and trim pieces from
pure ch romium-free a lum inum.
Dirt and marks on the trim str ips should be
removed with a pH-bal anced cleaning agent
(do not use a chrome cleaner). Authorized Au­
d i dea lers carry clean ing products wh ich have
been tested for use o n your veh icle and are
not harmful to the env ironment.
To avo id corros ion on the exterior trim str ips,
on ly a pH-balanced solution should be used
for the w indshield washer.
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 178.
Plastic and vinyl
Plastic needs special care.
Use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to remove
dust and light surface dirt. For other soil, use
a lukewarm a ll-purpose clean ing solution or a
mild saddle soap for viny l trim. Remove water
spo ts and traces o f soap w ith a clean, damp
cloth or sponge . Use a clean, soft clot h to rub
dry .
Grease, tar or o il stains can be removed with a
clean cloth or sponge soaked w ith all-p urpose
cleane r or wi th a solven t designed especially
to clean viny l.
Occasionally apply a colo rless vi nyl or leather
preservat ive to reta in the mate rial's l uste r
and pliability .
A WARNING
Always read and heed a ll WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 178.
Cleaning and protec tion 18 1
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral- pH products to remove spo ts
and deposi ts from aluminum surfaces.
Chrome care products and a lkaline cleaners
will attack a luminum surfaces and can dam­
age them over time.
A WARNING
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ¢
page 178.
Touch-up paint
Minor paint damages should be touched up
immediately.
.. Use e ithe r a touch-up pain t stick or spray
paint to cover minor scratches and nicks .
You r authorized Audi de aler has to uch-up
paint for minor scra tches and stone chips.
Scratches sho uld be touched up soon after
they occur to prevent corrosion .
If a spot sta rts to rust, however, a s imple
touch-up job will not be eno ugh. The affected
su rface m ust be sanded smooth and coated
with an anti -rust prime r before the painted
finish can be restored .
T he number for the orig ina l veh icle pa int can
be fo und on the vehicle identification label
¢ page 255.
A WARNING
-Always read and heed all WAR NINGS and
other information
¢ page 178.
Windows
Clear vision to all sides.
Clean a ll w indows regularly to remove road
f ilm and carwash wax b uildup.
.. Remove snow from w indows us ing a b rush .
.,. Use a p lastic ice s craper to remove ice from
w indows and m irrors .
.,. Remove othe r residue on the w indows with
a spray -on g lass cleaner.
IJI>
•
•

182 Cleaning and protection
• Wipe the windows dry with a clean piece of
cloth or kitchen paper towel.
The best way to remove snow from w indows
and mir rors is to use a brush. Use a non -abra­
sive
pla stic ice scraper -better still, a spray
deicer -to remove
ic e from windows and mir­
rors.
The windows must not be cleaned with insect remover or wax since these can interfere with
the function of the windshield wiper blades (chatter).
O il, grease or silicone residue can be removed
with
glass cle aner or silicone remo ver. How­
ever, wax residue req uires the use of a specia l­
ly form ulated solvent. P lease contact your au­
thor ized Audi dealer for adv ice on safe prod­
ucts for wax removal.
Windows sho uld a lso be cleaned on the inside
at regular interva ls.
Never dry windows with the same chamois
that you use to dry painted s urfaces. Wax resi­
due on the chamois can impair vision thro ugh
the windows.
A WARNING
- The windshie ld m ust not be treated with
water-repellent materials. They can i n­
c rease glare under poor visib ility condi­
t ions such as wetness, darkness, o r whe n
the sun is low on the hori zon. In addi­
t io n, they ca n cause the wi ndshield wip ­
ers to chatter .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
othe r inform ation
Qpage 178.
0 Note
- Never use warm or hot water to remove
s now and ice from windows a nd mirrors.
This cou ld cause the g lass to c ra ck .
- To prevent damage to the wi res of the
r ear defogger, do not place any adhesive
sticke rs o n the inside of t he rear w indow
ove r the wires.
- To he lp prevent d irt from s cratch ing the
window, always scrape i n a forwar d di- rec
tion -pushing the sc raper away from
you -never bac k and fort h.
Steel wheels
Applies to vehicles: with steel wheels (e .g. if refitted with
winter tires)
The wheels also have to be cleaned.
• Always include the hub caps and wheel rims
when wash ing your vehicle to remove road
dirt, sa lt sprays and brake dust .
If necessary, use a commercial whee l cleaner
to remove accumulated brake dust.
The wheel rims are easier to keep clean i f they
are regularly coated with liq uid wax.
Paint scra tches shou ld be touched up as soon
as possib le to prevent corrosion
¢ page 181,
Touch-up paint.
A WARNING .....__
- Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
brak ing eff ic iency-
q page 163, General
information . Test the brakes ca refully af­
ter each vehicle wash .
- Always read a nd heed a ll WARNINGS and
the information
q page 178.
Cast (light) alloy wheels
Applies to vehicles : with Cast alloy wheels
-
Cast (light) alloy wheels require special care.
• Wash the w heels with a sponge or hose
brush every other week .
• For deep cleaning afterwards, use on ly a
ded icated acid-free cast alloy wheel cleaner.
• Rub a coat of
liquid wa x onto the rims every
three month. Be sure to reach and treat all
parts of the rim .
To preserve the decorative appearance of the cast alloy w heels, some special care is neces ­
sary. In addition to road dirt and salt, brake dust is also co rrosive . If left on fo r too long,
brake d ust can cause pitting.
U se only spec ial
acid -free cleaners formulated
fo r alloy r ims . Safe products are ava ilab le at ..,_

your authorized Audi dealer. Never leave the cleaner on the rims longer than specified on
the label. If not rinsed
off promptly, the acid
contained in some cleaners can attack the
threads on the wheel bolts.
Never use abrasive or meta l polishing clean­
ing agents.
If the protective coat ing has been
chipped, e.g. by kicked up road dirt, touch it
up as soon as possible.
A WARNING
-Moisture and ice on brakes may affect
braking efficiency~
page 163, General
information.
Test the brakes carefully
each time you wash the vehicle.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information¢
page 178.
Body cavity sealing
-
The body cavity sealing does not need to be
checked.
All body cavities which could be affected by
corrosion have been thoroughly protected at
the factory.
This sea ling does not require any inspection or
addit ional treatment. If any wax should seep
out of the cavity when the ambient tempera­
ture is high, it can be removed with a plast ic
scrape r and a suitab le solvent .
A WARNING
Solvents can be dangerous.
- Benzine is flammable and toxic. If you
use benzine for removing the wax, keep
spar ks, flame and lighted cigarettes
aw ay. Never dump benzine on the
ground, in to open streams or down sew ­
age drains.
- B e sure to observe all safety and env iro n­
menta l regulations . Follow all instruc ­
tions on t he container .
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other informa tion¢
page 178 .
Cleaning and protec tion 183
Chassis
Hove the undercoating checked for damage
from time to time.
The lower body shell of your Aud i is also thor­
oughly protected against corrosio n.
Any damage to the undercoating ca used by
road hazards should be repaired prompt ly.
A WARNING
Too much undercoating in the wrong p la­
ces can cause a fire.
- Do not apply additional undercoating or
rustproof ing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic con­
verter or heat shields. While driving, the
substance used fo r undercoating could
overhea t and cause a fire.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other info rmation
¢ page 178.
Exhaust tail pipes
Road salt and o ther co rrosive materials w ill
damage the material in the exhaus t tail pipes
i f they are not cleaned regular ly . Do not clean
the tail pipes with whee l cleaner, pa int polish,
c h rome polish or other abrasive clea ners .
Clean the tail pipes with car care products
that are suitable for stainless steel.
Your authorized Audi dea ler can provide clean­
ing products that have been tested and ap­
proved for your vehicle.
Care of interior
Aluminum trim
Use only neutral-pH products to remove spots
and deposits from a luminum sur faces.
Chrome care products and a lkaline cleaners
will attack a luminum surfaces and can dam­
age them over time.
A WARNING
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
¢ page 178.
•
•

184 Cleaning and protection
Fabrics and fabric coverings
Fab rics and fabr ic coveri ngs (e.g. seats, door
tr im panels, etc.) should be cleaned at reg ular
inte rva ls with a vacuum cleaner. This removes
sur face dirt particles which could become em­
bedded in the fabric through use. Steam
cleaners shou ld not be used, because the
steam tends to push the dirt deeper into the
fabric and lock it there.
Normal cleaning
Generally, we recommend using a soft sponge
or a lint-free microfiber cloth to the clean fab ­
ric. Brushes should on ly be used for carpets
and floor mats, s ince other fabric surfaces
could be harmed by brushes.
Normal surface stains can be cleaned using a
commercially available foam cleaner. Spread
the foam on the surface of the fabric with a
soft sponge and work it in gently. Do not satu­
rate the fabric. Then pat the foam d ry using
absorbent, dry cloths (e.g . microfiber cloth)
and vacuum it afte r it has dried comp lete ly.
Cleaning stain s
Stains caused by beverages (e.g. coffee, fruit
ju ice, etc.) can be treated with a mild deter­
gent solut ion. App ly the detergent so lution
with a sponge. In the case of stubbor n stains,
a detergent paste can be applied directly to
the sta in and wor ked into the fabric. Afte r­
wards, use copio us amo unts o f cle an water to
remove t he remaining dete rgent. Apply the
water with a damp cloth or sponge and pat
the fabric d ry w ith an absorbent, dry cloth.
S tains from chocola te or make up s hou ld have
detergent paste (e .g. ox -gall soap) r ubbed in ­
to them. Afterwards, remove the soap with
water (damp sponge).
A lcohol can be used to t rea t stains from
g rease, oi l, lips tick or a ballpo in t pen . Me lted
grease or dye must be patted off using ab ­
sorbent materia l. It may be necessary to re­
treat the areas with dete rgent paste and wa­
ter. In the case of gene
ra l soiling o f the uphols ­
tery and cover material, we recommend hiring
a spec ia list that has the equipment to clean
the seat covers and other fabr ic surfaces by
shampooing and spray extraction.
A WARNING '"--
A lways read and heed all WARNINGS and
the information
~ page 178.
(D Tips
Open Ve lcro fasteners on yo ur clothing can
damage the seat cover. Please make sure
that Velcro fasteners are closed.
Plastic parts and instrument panel
~ Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
wate r.
Always use a clean cloth moistened in clear
water to clean these areas. For pe rsisten t dirt
use an Aud i approved
solvent -free p lastic
cl eaner/p rotec tant.
A WARNING
S olven ts ca n ch ange the prope rties of
some p lastics and make it harde r fo r the
a ir ba g to de ploy .
-
- N ever cle an the in st rument p anel or the
sur face of Ai rbag modu les with cleaning
prod ucts t hat conta in solvents .
- P roduc ts containing solven ts will make
the surface of this part poro us.
- Ser ious inju ries c an resu lt if p lastic parts
come loose when t he ai rbag is deployed.
- Always re ad and heed a ll WAR NIN GS and
t he information¢
page 178 .
(J) Note
Cleaning agents conta ining so lvents w ill
a ttack t he mate rial and can ch ange the
w ay it behaves.

Natural leather
Appl ies to vehicles: with nat ura l leather
Audi makes great efforts to maintain the
properties , natural look and feel of interior
leather .
General
We offer many different types of leather on
our veh icles. Most are different types of nappa
leather, which has a smooth surface and
comes in var ious colors .
The intensity of the color determines the v isu­
al characteristics and appearance. If the sur­
face of the leather has a typical natural look,
then the leather is a nappa leather that has been left in a relatively nat ural condition . This
l eather offers pa rticularly good comfo rt and
breathes well. Fine ve ins, closed g rains, i nsect
b ites, skin folds, and subtle variations in color
remain visib le. These characteristics demon­
strate that the materia l is natural.
Natural nappa leather is not covered by a col­
or finish .
It is therefore more sensitive to soil­
ing and wear, which is something you need to
consider if chi ldren, animals or other factors
might prove to be particularly hard on the
leather.
By contrast, leather types that are covered by
a co lored finish layer are more durable. This
has a positive effect on the leather's resist­
ance to wear and soiling in daily use. On the
other hand, the typical characterist ics of natu­
ral leather a re barely or not apparent . Howev ­
er, this does not mean that the leather itself
i s of infer ior quality.
Care and handling
Because of the exclusive nature of the types of
leather that Audi uses and the ir unique prop­
erties (such as sensitivity to o ils, grease, so il­
in g, etc.), you will need to be somewhat care­
fu l w ith these leathers, and a certain type of
care is required. For examp le, da rk cloth ing
materials can d iscolor leather seats (especial­
l y i f such clothing is damp and was not dyed
correctly) . Dust and dirt particles in pores,
fo lds, and seams can have an abrasive effect
Cleaning and protec tion 185
and can damage the leather surface as we ll as
weaken seams.
T he lea ther should be cleaned regularly as
needed. After hav ing been used for a relat ive ly
long time, your leather seats will acq uir e a
rich aged finish . This is a characteristic of nat­
ural leather and a sign of true quality.
In order to maintain the val ue of this natural
product over the li fe of your vehicle, you
sho uld follow the recommendations below:
(D Note
- T o keep your lea ther from b leach ing out,
do not allow it to be exposed to bright
sunlight for long periods of time . If you
have to leave the ve hicle parked outside
for long per iods, cover the leather to
protect it from direct exposure to sun­
light.
- Sharp objects on clothing, such as zip­
pers, rivets or sharp pieces on belts can
leave permanent scratches or scrape
marks on the surface of the leather.
(D Tips
-After each time you clean the leather and
at regular intervals, use a leather preser­
vative creme that contains UV-blockers and that works into the leathe r. T his
c reme w ill nour is h and mo istu rize the
lea ther, helping it to breathe and stay
supple.
It also helps to build up a protec ­
tive coating on the surface.
- C lean the leather every 2 - 3 mon ths,
and clean any areas that get soi led .
- Remove fresh m arks made by ballpo int
pens, ink, lipstick, shoe polish, etc. as
soon as possible .
- Preserve the color o f the leather as need ­
ed by using a specia l co lored leathe r care
creme to touch up areas of uneven color . •
•

186 Cleaning and protection
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholstery and trim
Applies to vehicles: with natural leather
Natural leather requires special care and at­
tention.
Normal cleaning
"' Clean soiled are as with a slightly moi stened
cotton or woolen cloth.
More stubborn dirt
"' More stubborn dirt can be removed us ing a
cloth saturated with a mild soap solution (2
tablespoons mild liquid soap).
"' Never allow the soap solution to saturate
the leather , and make certain that no water
soaks into the seams .
• Wipe off the soap solution with a soft, dry
cloth .
Cleaning spots
"' Remove fresh water-based spots (such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood) with an absorbent
cloth or paper towel.
"' Remove fresh
grease or oil-based spots
(such as butter, mayonnaise , chocolate) with
an absorbent cloth or paper towel, or use
the cleaner from the leather care kit if the
spot has not yet penetrated into the surface
of the leather.
"' Use an oil/grease dissolving spray, if
oil/
grease spots have dried on.
• Remove specific kinds of spots (ballpoint
pen, felt marker, fingernail polish, water­
based paint, shoe polish, etc.) with a spot
remover specifically formulated for leather .
Leather care
"' Every half year use an approved leather care
product (available from your authorized Au­
di dealer) to care for the leather .
• Apply the product
very sparingly.
• Wipe it off with a damp cloth.
If you have any questions about cleaning and
caring for the leather in your vehicle , it is best
to contact your authorized Audi dealer, who
will be glad to help you and tell you about our
full range of leather care products, such as: -
Leather cleaning and care kit
- Creams to care for colored leather
- Spot
removers for ballpoint pens, shoe pol-
ish, etc.
- Oil/grease dissolving spray
- New and upcoming products .
_&. WARNING
-Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information ~
page 178.
(D Note
-Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
fluid, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or similar products on the leather surfaces
in your Audi .
I
-To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercial cleaning spe­
cialist.
Cleaning Alcantara ® (synthetic suede)
Applies to vehicles: with Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
• Moisten a cloth , squeeze out excess water
and wipe down the seat surfaces.
Removing stains
"' Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or
with diluted
ethyl (rubbing) alcohol.
"' Dab at the stain . Start at the outside and
work inwards .
"' Once the stain is no longer visible, use a
soft dry cloth or tissue to soak up the mois­
ture.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al­
cantara.
You may use a suitable shampoo for removing dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is left standing in the sun for long periods, the
Alcantara should be protected against direct
sunlight to prevent it from fading. Slight color
variations will develop in normal use and are
not an indication of material deterioration.
ll-

(D Note
- Never use chemical solvents (e.g . lighter
flu id, turpentine), waxes, shoe polish or
s imilar products on Alcantara ® surfaces.
- To avoid damage, have stubborn stains
removed by a commercia l cleaning spe­
cialist.
- Do not use brushes, stiff sponges or sim­
ilarly abrasive cleaning aids.
Safety belts
Only well-maintained safety belts work relia­
bly when needed.
.. Keep belts clean .
.. For cleaning, use a mi ld soap and water sol­
ution . Let be lts dry thoroughly and away
from direct sunlight.
.,. Do not allow inertia reel safety belts to re­
tract before they are completely dry.
.,. Check the condition of your safety belts
reg­
ularly .
Heavily soiled safety belts may not retract
properly .
A WARNING
Damaged safety belts can break in a crash.
- Anything that might damage your safety
belts could mean that you and your pas­
sengers wou ld not be adequately pro­
tected in an acc ident.
- Safety belt performance depends on cor­
rect installation. Never remove belts
from the vehicle to clean them.
- Do not use chemical cleaning agents,
bleach o r dyes. They have corros ive prop­
erties whi ch weaken the webbing.
- When cleaning your safety belts, inspect
them for damage.
If you discover dam­
age, see your a uthorized Audi dea ler.
- Always read and heed all WARN INGS and
other information
Q page 178.
l ) Use o nly the correct cleaning sol utions. Neve r use gas­
oline or d iese l fuel.
Cleaning and protec tion
Engine compartment
Be especially careful when cleaning the en­
gine compartment.
A lw ays switch o ff the ign it ion before cle an ­
i ng the eng ine
c> ,& .
Plenum pan el
Remove leaves from the plenum panel in front
of the windshield under the engine hood. This
prevents the water drain holes from becoming
blocked, and it prevents debris from enter ing
the vehicle interior through the heating and
vent ilat ion ducts.
Co rro sio n protect ion
The engine compartment and transmission
have been corrosion-protected at the factory.
Good anti -corrosion treatment is very impor­
tant, partic ularly in the winter.
If the vehicle
is frequently driven on salt treated roads, the
entire engine compartment and p lenum panel
should be thoroughly cleaned at the end of
winter and retreated to prevent salt damage.
At the same time, the underside of the vehicle
shou ld be washed as well.
If the engine compartment is cleaned at any
time with grease remov ing solutions
1> , or if
you have the engine washed, the anti-corro­
s ion treatment is almost always removed as
well.
It i s therefo re essentia l to have a long­
lasti ng cor rosion pro tect ion reapplied to all
surfaces, seams, joints and components in the
engine compartment .
A WARNING
Be aware: The engine compartment of any
motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous
area.
- Before work ing in the engine compart­
ment, be sure to read the information
c>page 194.
- Before reaching into the front plenum
panel, a lways remove the ignit ion key.
187
•
•

188 Cleaning and protection
Otherwise, the windshield wiper system
could unintentionally be switched on,
possibly causing personal injury from the
moving wiper linkage.
- Never reach into the area around or
touch the radiator fan. The auxiliary fan
is temperature controlled and can switch
on suddenly- even when the ignition is
off.
- Do not wash, wax or dry the engine with the engine running . Moving or hot parts
could injure you .
- Do not clean the underside of the chas­
sis, fenders, wheel covers, or other hard
to reach parts without protecting your
hands and arms. You may cut yourself on
sharp-edged metal parts.
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other information
~ page 178.