MITSUBISHI CARISMA 2000 1.G Owners Manual

FOR PLEASANT DRIVING
6–51
G17E014a
Cargo net*EG17E-P
To use, attach the cargo net to the hooks as
shown in the illustration.

GENERAL INFORMATION
1 - 52

Vehicle care
Cleaning the inside of your vehicle 7–2. . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning the outside of your vehicle 7–3. . . . . . . .

VEHICLE CARE
7–2
EK21A-Ad
In order to maintain the value of your vehicle,
it is necessary to perform regular mainten-
ance using the proper procedures. Always
maintain your vehicle in compliance with any
environmental pollution control regulations.
Carefully select the materials used for wash-
ing, etc., to be sure that they do not contain
corrosives; if in doubt, contact your author-
ized MITSUBISHI dealer for assistance in
the selection of these materials.CAUTION
Cleaning products can be dangerous.
Some are poisonous. Others can burst
into flames if you strike a match or drop
them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some
are dangerous if you breathe their
fumes in a closed space. When you use
anything in a container to clean your
vehicle, always follow the instructions
and always open your vehicle doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the in-
side. Never use the following to clean
your vehicle:

Gasoline

Benzine

Naphtha

Carbon Tetrachloride

Nail Polish Remover

Acetone

Paint Thinner

Turpentine

Lacquer Thinner
These are all dangerous, and can dam-
age your vehicle.
Cleaning the inside of your
vehicle
EK23A-Ad
After cleaning the inside of your vehicle with
water, cleaner or similar, wipe and dry in a
shady, well-ventilated area.
NOTE
Always read the instructions on the cleaner
label.
Plastic, vinyl leather, fabric and
flocked parts
EK24A-Aa
1. Gently wipe off with gauze or other soft
cloth soaked with a 3 % aqueous sol-
ution of neutral detergent.
2. Dip cloth in fresh water and wring out
well. Using this cloth, wipe off the de-
tergent thoroughly.

VEHICLE CARE
7–3
Genuine leather*EK27A-Ac
1. Lightly wipe off with gauze or other soft
cloth soaked with a 5 % aqueous sol-
ution of neutral detergent for wool.
2. Dip cloth in fresh water and wring it out
well. Using this cloth, wipe off the de-
tergent thoroughly.
3. Apply leather protecting agent to the
genuine leather surface.
NOTE(1) If genuine leather is wet with water or is
washed in water, wipe off water as
quickly as possible with a dry, soft cloth.
(2) Slight stains on genuine leather may be
removed with leather cleaner as well.
(3) The genuine leather surface may be
damaged if a nylon brush or synthetic
fibre is rubbed hard against it.
(4) Organic solvents such as benzine, al-
cohol and gasoline, acid or alkaline sol-
vents may discolour the genuine leather
surface. Be sure to use neutral deter-
gents.
(5)Dirty genuine leather seat may mildew.
Be very careful about oil stains and re-
move them quickly.
(6) The genuine leather surface may
harden and shrink if it is exposed to di-
rect rays of the sun for long hours. When
your vehicle is parked, place it in the
shade as much as possible.(7) When the temperature of the vehicle in-
terior rises in summer, vinyl products left
on the genuine leather seat may de-
teriorate and stick to the seat.
UpholsteryEK25A-Aa
1. To maintain the value of your new ve-
hicle, handle the upholstery carefully
and keep the interior clean.
Use a vacuum cleaner and brush to
clean the seats. If stained, vinyl and
synthetic leather should be cleaned
with an appropriate cleaner, and cloth
fabrics can be cleaned with either up-
holstery cleaner or a 3 % solution of
neutral detergent in lukewarm water.
2. Clean the carpeting with a vacuum
cleaner and remove any stains with
carpet cleaner. Oil and grease can be
removed by lightly dabbing with a
clean colourfast cloth and stain re-
mover.
Cleaning the outside of your
vehicle
EK28A-Ah
If the following is left on your vehicle, it may
cause corrosion, discolouration and stains,
wash the vehicle as soon as possible.

Seawater, anti-freeze for road use.

Soot and dust, iron powder from fac-
tories, chemical substance (acids, al-
kalis, coal-tar, etc.).

Droppings from birds, carcasses of in-
sects, tree sap, etc.

VEHICLE CARE
7–4
WashingEK22ACCb
Chemicals contained in the dirt and dust
picked up from the road surface can damage
the paint coat and body of your vehicle if left
in prolonged contact.
Frequent washing and waxing is the best
way to protect your vehicle from this dam-
age. This will also be effective in protecting
it from environmental elements such as rain,
snow, salt air, etc.
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
Park the vehicle in the shade and spray it
with water to remove dust. Next, using an
ample amount of clean water and a car
washing brush or sponge, wash the vehicle
from top to bottom.
Use a mild car washing soap if necessary.
Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry with a soft
cloth. After washing the vehicle, carfully
clean the joints and flanges of the doors,
bonnet, etc., where dirt is likely to remain.
CAUTION
(1) When washing the under side of
your vehicle or wheel, wear a pair
of rubber gloves.
CAUTION
(2) Refrain from using a car wash as
its brushes may scratch the paint
surface, causing it to lose its
gloss.
Scratches will be especially vis-
ible on darker coloured vehicles.
(3) Never spray or splash water on
the electrical components in the
engine compartment, as this may
adversely affect engine starting.
Exercise caution also when
washing the underbody; be care-
ful not to spray water into the en-
gine compartment.
(4) Some types of hot water washing
equipment apply high pressure
and heat to the vehicle. They may
cause heat distortion and damage
to the vehicle resin parts and may
result in flooding of the vehicle in-
terior. Therefore; observe the fol-
lowing.

Maintain a good distance of ap-
prox. 40 cm or more between
the vehicle body and the wash-
ing nozzle.
CAUTION

When washing around the door
glass, hold the nozzle at a dis-
tance of more than 50 cm and
at right angles to the glass sur-
face.
(5) Using an automatic car wash, pay
attention to the following items, re-
fering to the operation manual or
consulting a car wash operator. If
the followings are not followed, it
could result in damage to your ve-
hicle.

The outside mirrors are re-
tracted.

The roof antenna is removed.

If your vehicle is equipped
with the rear wiper, tape or re-
move it.

VEHICLE CARE
7–5
During cold weatherThe salt and other chemicals spread on the
roads in some areas in winter can have a
harmful effect on the vehicle body. You
should therefore wash the vehicle as often
as possible in accordance with our care–in-
structions. It is recommended to have a pre-
servative applied and the underfloor protec-
tion checked at an authorized MITSUBISHI
dealer before and after the cold weather sea-
son.
After washing your vehicle, wipe off all water-
drops from the rubber parts around the doors
to prevent the doors from freezing.
NOTE
To prevent freezing of the weatherstripping
on the doors, bonnet, etc., they should be
treated with silicone spray.
WaxingEK33A-N
Waxing the vehicle will help prevent the ad-
herence of dust and road chemicals to the
paintwork. Apply a wax solution after wash-
ing the vehicle, or at least once every three
months to assist displacing of water. Do not
wax your vehicle in direct sunlight. You
should wax after the surfaces have cooled.
CAUTION
(1) Waxes containing high abrasive
compounds should not be used.
Such waxes remove rust and
stain effectively from the paint-
work but they are harmful to the
lustre of the painted surface.
Further, they are harmful to
glossy surfaces such as grille,
garnish, mouldings, etc.
(2) Do not use petrol or paint
thinners to remove road tar or
other contamination to the
painted surface.
(3) Do not apply wax on the areas
having black mat coating as it can
cause uneven discolouration,
patches, blurs, etc. If stained with
wax, immediately wipe off with a
piece of soft cloth and warm
water.
(4) On vehicles with the sunroof, be
careful when waxing the area
around the sunroof opening, not
to put any wax on the weather-
strip (black rubber). If stained
with wax, the weatherstrip cannot
maintain a weatherproof seal with
the sunroof.
PolishingEK04A-Ac
The vehicle should only be polished if the
paintwork has become stained or lost its
lustre. Matt - finish parts and plastic bumpers
must not be polished, polishing these parts
will stain them or damage their finish.
Damaged paintEK08A-Ac
Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat
should be touched up as soon as possible
with MITSUBISHI touch - up paint to prevent
corrosion.
Check body areas facing the road or the
tyres carefully for damage to the paint coat
caused by flying stones, etc. The paint code
number for your vehicle can be found on the
vehicle information code plate in the engine
compartment.
Chrome partsEK06A-Aa
In order to prevent spots and corrosion of
chrome parts, wash with water, dry thor-
oughly, and apply a special protective coat-
ing. This should be done more frequently in
winter.

VEHICLE CARE
7–6
Servicing of plastic partsEK29AMEc
Use a sponge or chamois leather.
If a car wax adheres on a grey or black rough
surface of the bumper, moulding or lamps,
the surface becomes white. In such a case,
wipe it off using lukewarm water and soft
cloth or chamois leather.
CAUTION
(1) Do not use a scrubbing brush or
other hard tools as they may dam-
age the plastic part surface.
(2) Do not use wax containing com-
pound (polishing powder) which
may damage the plastic part sur-
face.
(3) Do not bring the plastic parts into
contact with brake fluids, engine
oils, greases, paint thinners,
painting, and sulphuric acid (bat-
tery electrolyte) which may stain,
or discolour the plastic parts.
If they touch the plastic part, wipe
them off with soft cloth, chamois
or the like and an aqueous sol-
ution of neutral detergent, then
immediately rinse the affected
parts with water.
Aluminium wheels*EK35A-Af
A protective coating is provided over the alu-
minium type wheels.
Clean aluminium wheels with a cleaner de-
signed for use on aluminium and apply an
appropriate protection agent.
NOTE(1) When cleaning aluminium type wheels,
do not use abrasive cleaners. Wheels
exposed to sea water or road chemicals
should be cleaned as soon as possible.
(2) Brushes may damage the aluminium
wheel surface. Always use a sponge,
chamois leather, etc.
(3) Do not apply hot water directly from the
steam cleaner or similar to the wheel
surface.
Window glassEK10A-Ca
The window glass can normally be cleaned
using only a sponge and water.
Glass cleaner can be used to remove oil,
grease, dead insects, etc. After washing the
glass, wipe dry with a clean, dry, soft cloth.
Never use the same cloth to wipe the win-
dow glass as would be used to wipe the
paintwork; wax from the painted surfaces
could adhere to the glass and reduce its
transparency and visibility.
NOTETo clean the inside of the rear window, al-
ways use a soft cloth and wipe the window
glass along the demister heater element so
as not to cause damage.
Wiper bladesEK11A-Aa
Use a soft cloth and glass cleaner to remove
grease, dead insects, etc., from the wiper
blades. Replace the wiper blades when they
no longer wipe properly. (Refer to
page 9–18)

VEHICLE CARE
7–7
Cleaning the sunroof*EK30A-Ab
Clean the inside of the sunroof with a soft
cloth. Hard deposits should be wiped away
with a cloth dipped in warm, neutral deter-
gent solution. Wipe away the solution with a
sponge dipped in fresh water.
NOTEThe surface treatment on the inside of the
glass may be removed if hard cloth or or-
ganic solvent (benzine, thinner, etc.) is used.
Chassis and underbody protec-
tion
EK12A-Jc
Your vehicle’s underbody has been treated
at the factory in order to protect it from rust
and corrosion. Some areas have been in-
jected with anti-corrosion agents and wax.
The effectiveness of these measures, how-
ever, will be reduced by flying stones, road
chemicals, etc., as the vehicle is driven. You
should take your vehicle to your authorized
MITSUBISHI dealer every 12 months to
have body sheet metal inspected for condi-
tion, and it is recommended to have the un-
derbody checked regularly (autumn and
spring) and have additional protection treat-
ment carried out as required.
As not all of the commercially available ma-
terials are suitable for use on your vehicle, it
is recommended that you have this work
carried out by an authorized MITSUBISHI
dealer.
When washing the vehicle, especially in
winter, spray the underbody with water to re-
move dirt and dust which might contain salts,
road chemicals, etc.
Engine compartmentEK13A-Aa
Clean the engine compartment at the begin-
ning and end of winter. Pay particular atten-
tion to flanges, crevices and peripheral parts
where dust containing road chemicals and
other corrosive materials might collect.
If salt and other chemicals are used on the
roads in your area, clean the engine com-
partment at least once every three months.

GENERAL INFORMATION
1 - 8