water MITSUBISHI GALANT 2011 9.G Owner's Manual

Vehicle care and maintenance
7-13
7
Fluid typeUse only “DIAMOND ATF SP III” transaxle fluid to ensure
optimum transaxle performance. Special additives Mitsubishi Motors Corporation does not recommend the addi-
tion of any fluid additives to the transaxle.
Wa s h e r f l u i d
N00938600286
The windshield washer fluid reservoir is in the engine compart-
ment.
Check the washer fluid level at regular intervals and add
washer fluid to reservoir if necessary. During cold weatherWhen freezing weather is anticipated, flush out the water in the
reservoir by operating the pump. Fill the reservoir with
windshield antifreeze (not radiator antifreeze), and operate the
system for a few seconds to flush out the residual water.
BK0121200US.book 13 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

7-14 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Brake fluid
N00938800347
To check the fluid levelThe brake fluid level must be between the “MAX” and “MIN”
marks on the reservoir.
The fluid level falls slightly with wear of the brake pads, but
this does not indicate any abnormality.
If the brake fluid level falls markedly in a short length of time,
it indicates leaks from the brake system.
If this occurs, have the vehicle checked by an authorized
Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
Fluid typeUse brake fluid conforming to DOT 3 or DOT 4. The reservoir
cap must be tightly sealed to keep dirt and water out.
CAUTION
!
Do not let any petroleum-based fluid touch, mix
with, or get into the brake fluid. This will damage
the seals.
Be careful when handling brake fluid. It can damage
painted surfaces.
Use only the listed brake fluid. Different brands of
brake fluid have different additives, and these can
cause a chemical reaction. Do not mix brands of
brake fluid.
Keep the reservoir tank cap closed to keep the brake
fluid from evaporating.
BK0121200US.book 14 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

7-16 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Checking battery electrolyte level Use the following procedure to check the battery electrolyte
level.
1. Insert the tip of a screwdriver at the edge of the cap, pry
gently to remove the cap.2. The inside of the battery is divided into several compart-
ments.
Check the electrolyte level (A) in each cell.
The electrolyte level must be within the range (B) shown
in the illustration.
If it is necessary to add fluid, add only distilled water. Do
not overfill above the top of the range because a spill dur-
ing driving could cause damage.
WA R N I N G
!
If the battery goes flat, be sure to check the battery
electrolyte level before connecting booster cables.
After checking the battery electrolyte level, make
sure the caps are fitted securely.
If any of the caps has a loose fit, replace the battery.
Cell
A
B = .31 in
(8 mm)
BK0121200US.book 16 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

7-18 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
NOTE
Check each battery terminal for corrosion. You can stop
more corrosion by washing with a solution of baking soda
and water. Grease the posts and clamps after cleaning or
tightening them.

Check to see that the battery is securely installed and can-
not be moved. Also check each terminal for tightness.

If you will not be driving your vehicle for a long period of
time, remove the battery and store it in a place where the
battery fluid will not freeze. The battery only should be
stored with a full charge.
WA R N I N G
!
Never disconnect the battery while the engine is run-
ning, or you could damage the vehicle’s electrical
parts.
Never short-circuit the battery. This could cause it
to overheat and be damaged.
Keep sparks, cigarettes, and flames away from the
battery because the battery could explode.
Electrolyte (battery acid) is made of corrosive
diluted sulfuric acid. If it spills on nearby parts, it
can crack, stain, or discolor them. And if it gets on
your skin or in your eyes, it can cause burns or
blindness. Please observe the following handling
instructions:
• If electrolyte gets on plastic parts or other nearby
parts, wipe it off with a soft cloth or chamois
soaked in a solution of water and neutral detergent
then immediately rinse the affected parts with
plenty of water.
• If electrolyte gets on your hands or clothes, rinse
thoroughly with water. If electrolyte gets in your
eyes, flush them with water immediately and get
immediate medical attention.

Open doors and windows in any closed space where
you may be charging or working with the battery.
Always wear protective clothing and goggles when
working with the battery, or have a skilled automo-
bile technician do it.
If you are quick-charging your battery, first discon-
nect the battery cables.

In order to prevent a short circuit, be sure to discon-
nect the negative (-) terminal first, and reconnect it
last.
If the electrolyte level is very low, have the battery
checked at an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer
or a repair facility of your choice.
Battery terminals and related accessories contain
lead and lead compounds. Wash hands after han-
dling.
WA R N I N G
!
BK0121200US.book 18 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

7-44 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
6. Insert a new fuse of the same capacity securely into the
appropriate slot.
Replacement of light bulbs
N00942900293
Before replacing a bulb, be sure the light is off. Do not touch
the glass part of the new bulb with your bare fingers; the oil
from your skin will stay on the glass and dim or destroy the
bulb when it gets hot.NOTE
If you are unsure of how to perform the work as required,
it is recommended that these procedures be performed by
an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility
of your choice.

Be careful not to scratch the vehicle body when removing
a light and lens.

When it rains, or when the vehicle has been washed, the
inside of the lens sometimes becomes temporarily foggy.
This is the same phenomenon as when window glass mists
up on a humid day, and does not indicate a functional
problem.
When the light is switched on, the heat will remove the
fog. However, if water gathers inside the light, please
have it checked by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors
dealer or a repair facility of your choice.
CAUTION
!
Never use a fuse with a capacity greater than the one
listed or any substitute, such as wire, foil etc. This
would cause the circuit wiring to heat up and could
cause a fire.
If the replacement fuse blows again after a short
time, have the electrical system checked by an
authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair
facility of your choice to find and correct the cause.
CAUTION
!
Bulbs are extremely hot immediately after being
turned off.
When replacing a bulb, wait for it to cool sufficiently
before touching it. You could otherwise be burned.
BK0121200US.book 44 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

7-62 Vehicle care and maintenance
7Cleaning the inside of your vehicle
N00945200037
After washing the inside of your vehicle with any cleaner, wipe
it dry in a shady, well ventilated area. NOTE
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.Plastic, vinyl leather, fabric and flocked parts
N00945300041
1. Lightly wipe these off with a soft cloth soaked in a 3%
solution of gentle soap and water.
2. Dip cloth in fresh water and wring out well. Using this
cloth, wipe off the detergent thoroughly.NOTE
Do not use cleaners, conditioners, or protectants contain-
ing silicone or wax.
Such products may cause annoying reflections and
obscure vision.
Upholstery
N00945500030
1. To maintain the value of your new vehicle, maintain 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. Cloth fabrics can be cleaned with
either upholstery cleaner or a 3% solution of gentle soap
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 white cloth and
spot remover. NOTE
If fuzzing is difficult to remove from the seat upholstery,
draw a suitable defuzzing brush over the surface in one
direction.Genuine leather
(if so equipped)
N00945600262
1. To clean, lightly wipe the leather with a soft cloth soaked
in a 5 % solution of gentle soap and water.
2. To rinse, dip the cloth in fresh water, wring it out well, and
wipe off all the soap.
3. To preserve and protect, use a leather protecting agent on
the genuine leather surface. NOTE
If genuine leather is wet with water, wipe it with a dry,
soft cloth.
If left damp, mildew may grow and damage the leather
surface.
CAUTION
!
Do not use organic substances (solvents, kerosene,
alcohol, gasoline, etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discoloring, staining or
cracking of the surface.
If you use cleaners or polishing agents, make sure
their ingredients do not include the substances men-
tioned above.
BK0121200US.book 62 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

Vehicle care and maintenance
7-63
7

The genuine leather surface can be damaged if brushed
with a nylon or synthetic fiber brush.

Organic solvents such as benzine, alcohol, gasoline, acid
or alkaline solvents can discolor the genuine leather sur-
face and should not be used.

Genuine leather can mildew if not kept clean. Clean up
any oil stains immediately.

The genuine leather surface may harden and shrink if it is
exposed to the direct sunlight for long hours. When your
vehicle is parked, place it in the shade as much as possi-
ble.
Cleaning the outside of your vehicle
N00945700045
To protect your vehicle’s finish, wash it often and thoroughly.
If desired, you may wax your vehicle using a nonabrasive auto-
mobile wax. Foreign material
N00945800017
Industrial pollution, road tar, bird droppings, tree sap, insect
remains, sea water and other foreign matters can damage the
finish on your vehicle.
Generally, the longer any foreign material stays on the finish,
the worse the damage. Wash your vehicle as soon as possible
whenever the finish gets soiled.Wa s h i n g
N00945900454
Chemicals contained in the dirt and dust picked up from air,
rain, snow or road surfaces can damage the paint and body of
your vehicle if left on.
Frequent washing and waxing is the best way to protect your
vehicle from this damage.
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight. Park the vehicle in
the shade and spray it with water to remove dust. Next, using
plenty of clean water and a car washing mitt or sponge, wash
the vehicle from top to bottom.
Use a mild car washing soap if necessary. Rinse thoroughly
and wipe dry with a chamois or soft cloth. After washing the
vehicle, carefully clean the joints and flanges of the doors,
hood, etc., where dirt is likely to remain.
BK0121200US.book 63 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

7-64 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
During cold weather Salt and other chemicals spread on winter roads in some geo-
graphical areas can have a detrimental effect on the vehicle
underbody. You should flush the underbody with a high pres-
sure hose every time you wash the outside of your vehicle.Take special care to remove mud or other debris which could
trap and hold salt and moisture.
After washing your vehicle, wipe off all waterdrops from the
rubber parts around the doors to prevent the doors from freez-
ing.
NOTE
When the door is frozen, opening it by force may tear off
or crack the rubber gasket installed around the door. Pour
warm water to melt the ice. Be sure to thoroughly wipe off
the water after opening the door. To prevent freezing of
the weatherstripping on the doors, hood, etc., treat with
silicone lubricant.Waxing
N00946000074
Wax your vehicle once or twice a year, or when water does not
bead up on the paint.
Use a soft cloth to put a small amount of wax on the painted
surfaces. After the wax has dried, polish with a dry soft cloth.
Do not wax your vehicle in direct sunlight.
You should wax when the painted surfaces are cool.
CAUTION
!
When washing the underside of your vehicle or the
wheels, wear a pair of gloves to protect your hands.
Never spray or splash water on the electrical parts
in the engine compartment. This may damage them.
Be careful also when washing the underbody. Do not
spray water into the engine compartment.
Avoid automatic car washers that use rotating
brushes. These brushes may scratch the paint sur-
face and make it dull.
Scratches are more noticeable on darker colored
vehicles.
Some hot water washing equipment uses high pres-
sure and heat to clean your vehicle. This heated
water may damage your vehicle’s resin parts. It can
flood the interior of the vehicle. Therefore, be sure
of the following:
• Keep the washing nozzle at least 20 inches (50 cm)
away from the vehicle body.
• When washing around the door glass, hold the
nozzle at a distance of more than 20 inches (50 cm)
and at right angles to the glass surface.

Make sure to fold the outside mirrors when using an
automatic car wash to avoid damaging your vehicle.
CAUTION
!
Waxes containing high abrasive compounds should
not be used. These waxes remove rust and stain
effectively from the paintwork, but are harmful to
the finish of the paint, because they also remove
paint/clearcoat.
They are also harmful to other glossy surfaces such
as the grille, trim, moldings, etc.
BK0121200US.book 64 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

Vehicle care and maintenance
7-65
7
Polishing
N00946100017
If painted surfaces have been severely damaged and lost their
original luster and color tone, polish the surface lightly with a
fine polishing compound. Avoid limiting your polishing to the
damaged surface only; polish a somewhat wider area, moving
the polishing cloth in one direction. After polishing, flush the
compound from the surface and apply a coat of wax to regain a
beautiful luster.Damaged paint
N00946200018
Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat should be touched
up as soon as possible with touch-up paint to prevent corrosion.
Check body areas facing the road or the tires carefully for dam-
age to the paint caused by flying stones, etc. The paint codenumber for your vehicle can be found on the vehicle informa-
tion code plate in the engine compartment.

Do not use gasoline, kerosene, benzene or paint thin-
ners to remove road tar or other dirt from the vehi-
cle surface.
Do not put wax on the areas having black matte
coating because it can cause uneven discoloration,
patches, blurs, etc. If these get wax on them, wipe
the wax off right away with a soft cloth and warm
water.
On vehicles with sunroof, be careful not to apply any
wax on the weatherstrip (black rubber) when wax-
ing the area around the sunroof opening.
If stained with wax, the weatherstrip cannot main-
tain a weatherproof seal with the sunroof.
CAUTION
!
BK0121200US.book 65 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分

7-66 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Cleaning plastic parts
N00946300208
Use a sponge or chamois to clean these parts.
If vehicle wax sticks to a gray or black rough surface of the
bumper, moulding or lights, the surface may appear white in
color. In this case, wipe it off using lukewarm water and a soft
cloth or chamois.Chrome parts
N00946400010
To prevent spots and corrosion of chrome parts, wash with
water, dry thoroughly, and apply a nonabrasive automotive
wax. If the chrome is severely damaged or pitted, use a com-
mercially available chrome polish.
Aluminum wheels
(if so equipped)
N00946500167
1. Remove dirt using a sponge while sprinkling water on the
wheel.
2. Use neutral detergent on any dirt that cannot be removed
easily with water.
Rinse off the neutral detergent after washing the wheel.
3. Dry the wheel thoroughly using a chamois leather or a soft
cloth.Window glass
N00946600012
The window glass can usually be cleaned using only a sponge
and water. Glass cleaner can be used to remove wax, oil,
grease, dead insects, etc. After washing the glass, wipe it dry
with a clean, dry, soft cloth.
CAUTION
!
Do not use a scrubbing brush or other rough scrub-
ber as these may damage the plastic surface.
Do not use wax containing compounds (polishing
powder) which may damage the plastic surface.
Do not let the plastic parts get soiled with gasoline,
light oil, brake fluids, engine oils, greases, paint thin-
ner and sulfuric acid (battery electrolyte). These flu-
ids, etc., may crack, stain or discolor the plastic
parts.
If any of these get on the plastic parts, wipe them up
with a soft cloth or chamois and a watery solution of
gentle soap. Then rinse them immediately with
water.
CAUTION
!
Do not use a brush or other hard implement on the
wheels.
Doing so could scratch the wheels.
Do not use any cleaner that contains an abrasive
substance or is acidic or alkaline. Doing so could
cause the coating on the wheels to peel or become
discolored or stained.
Do not directly apply hot water using a steam
cleaner or by any other means.
Contact with seawater and road deicer can cause
corrosion. Rinse off such substances as soon as pos-
sible.
BK0121200US.book 66 ページ ２０１０年４月１４日　水曜日　午前１１時２４分