Get Appearance and care Guide for Nissan Leaf 4 Door First Generation (2010-2017)

7 Appearance and care

Cleaning exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2

Washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2

Waxing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2

Removing spots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-3

Underbody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-3

Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-3

Solar cell module (if so equipped) . . . . . . . . . . .7-3

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-3

Chrome parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-4

Tire dressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-4

Cleaning interior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-4

Air fresheners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-4

Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-5

Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-5

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) . . . . . .7-6

Corrosion protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-6

Most common factors contributing to vehicle

corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-6

Environmental factors influence the rate of

corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-6

To protect your vehicle from corrosion . . . . . . . . .7-6

CLEANING EXTERIOR

In order to maintain the appearance of your ve-

hicle, it is important to take proper care of it.

the effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas

must be regularly cleaned. Make sure that the

drain holes in the lower edge of the door are

open. Spray water under the body and in the

wheel wells to loosen the dirt and wash away

road salt.

CAUTION

•

Do not use car washes that use acid in

the detergent. Some car washes, espe-

cially brushless ones, use some acid

for cleaning. The acid may react with

some plastic vehicle components,

causing them to crack. This could af-

fect their appearance, and also could

cause them not to function properly.

Always check with your car wash to

confirm that acid is not used.

Do not wash the vehicle with strong

household soap, strong chemical de-

tergents, gasoline or solvents.

Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun-

light or while the vehicle body is hot, as

the surface may become water-

spotted.

To protect the paint surfaces, wash your vehicle

as soon as you can:

• after a rainfall to prevent possible damage from

acid rain

Avoid leaving water spots on the paint surface by

using a damp chamois to dry the vehicle.

• after driving on coastal roads

• when contaminants such as soot, bird drop-

pings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs get on

the paint surface

WAXING

Regular waxing protects the paint surface and

helps retain new vehicle appearance. Polishing is

recommended to remove built-up wax residue

and to avoid a weathered appearance before

reapplying wax.

• when dust or mud builds up on the surface

•

Whenever possible, store or park your vehicle

inside a garage or in a covered area.

When it is necessary to park outside, park in a

shady area or protect the vehicle with a body

cover.

A NISSAN certified LEAF dealer can assist you in

choosing the proper product.

•

Avoid using tight-napped or rough

cloths, such as washing mitts. Care

must be taken when removing

caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-

stances so the paint surface is not

scratched or damaged.

• Wax your vehicle only after a thorough washing.

Follow the instructions supplied with the wax.

Be careful not to scratch the paint surface

when putting on or removing the body

cover.

• Do not use a wax containing any abrasives,

cutting compounds or cleaners that may dam-

age the vehicle finish.

WASHING

Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet sponge and

plenty of water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly

using a mild soap, a special vehicle soap or

general purpose dishwashing liquid mixed with

clean, lukewarm (never hot) water.

Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean

water.

Machine compound or aggressive polishing on a

base coat/clear coat paint finish may dull the

finish or leave swirl marks.

Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,

hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable to

7-2 Appearance and care

• NISSAN recommends that the road wheels be

waxed to protect against road salt in areas

where it is used during winter.

REMOVING SPOTS

cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant

cleaners. They could damage the electri-

cal conductors, radio antenna elements

or rear window defroster elements.

Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, insects,

and tree sap as quickly as possible from the paint

surface to avoid lasting damage or staining. Spe-

cial cleaning products are available at a NISSAN

certified LEAF dealer or any automotive acces-

sory stores.

CAUTION

SOLAR CELL MODULE (IF SO

EQUIPPED)

The solar cell uses a plastic cover. When clean-

ing the cell:

Do not use abrasive cleaners when wash-

ing the wheels.

Aluminum alloy wheels

UNDERBODY

Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in a

mild soap solution, especially during winter

months in areas where road salt is used. Salt

could discolor the wheels if not removed.

• Do not polish the solar cell using a dry cloth or a

wax that contains a compound. Doing so may

strip off the hard coating.

In areas where road salt is used in winter, the

underbody must be cleaned regularly. This will

prevent dirt and salt from building up and causing

the acceleration of corrosion on the underbody

and suspension. Before the winter period and

again in the spring, the underseal must be

checked and, if necessary, re-treated.

• In order to maintain the solar cell’s effective-

ness, be sure to remove any leaves or dirt from

the surface of the cell.

CAUTION

Follow the directions below to avoid

staining or discoloring the wheels:

WHEELS

Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle to

maintain their appearance.

•

Do not use a cleaner that uses strong

acid or alkali contents to clean the

wheels.

GLASS

Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust film

from the glass surfaces. It is normal for glass to

become coated with a film after the vehicle is

parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner and a soft

cloth will easily remove this film.

•

Do not apply wheel cleaners to the

wheels when they are hot. The wheel

temperature should be the same as

ambient temperature.

• Clean the inner side of the wheels when the

wheel is changed or the underside of the vehicle

is washed.

• Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or corro-

sion. Such damage may cause loss of pressure

or poor seal at the tire bead.

•

Rinse the wheel to completely remove

the cleaner within 15 minutes after the

cleaner is applied.

CAUTION

When cleaning the inside of the windows,

do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive

Appearance and care 7-3

CLEANING INTERIOR

Occasionally remove loose dust from the interior

trim, plastic parts and seats using a vacuum

cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe the vinyl and

leather surfaces with a clean, soft cloth damp-

ened in mild soap solution, then wipe clean with a

dry soft cloth.

CHROME PARTS

Clean chrome parts regularly with a non- abrasive

chrome polish to maintain the finish.

•

Small dirt particles can be abrasive

and damaging to the leather surfaces

and should be removed promptly. Do

not use saddle soap, car waxes, pol-

ishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents,

detergents or ammonia-based clean-

ers as they may damage the leather’s

natural finish.

Never use fabric protectors unless rec-

ommended by the manufacturer.

Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on

meter or gauge lens covers. It may

damage the lens cover.

TIRE DRESSING

NISSAN does not recommend the use of tire

dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating to

the tires to help reduce discoloration of the rub-

ber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it may

react with the coating and form a compound. This

compound may come off the tire while driving and

stain the vehicle paint.

Regular care and cleaning is required in order to

maintain the appearance of the leather.

•

Before using any fabric protector, read the manu-

facturer’s recommendations. Some fabric pro-

tectors contain chemicals that may stain or

bleach the seat material.

If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the

following precautions:

AIR FRESHENERS

Use a cloth dampened only with water to clean

the meter and gauge lens.

Most air fresheners use a solvent that could affect

the vehicle interior. If you use an air freshener,

take the following precautions:

• Use a water-based tire dressing. The coating on

the tire dissolves more easily with an oil-based

tire dressing.

WARNING

Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot

steam cleaners) on the seat. This can

damage the seat or occupant classifica-

tion sensor. This can also affect the op-

eration of the air bag system and result in

serious personal injury.

• Hanging-type air fresheners can cause perma-

nent discoloration when they contact vehicle

interior surfaces. Place the air freshener in a

location that allows it to hang free and not

contact an interior surface.

• Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help prevent

it from entering the tire tread/grooves (where it

would be difficult to remove).

• Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry towel.

Make sure the tire dressing is completely re-

moved from the tire tread/grooves.

• Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip on the

vents. These products can cause immediate

damage and discoloration when spilled on inte-

rior surfaces.

• Allow the tire dressing to dry as recommended

by the tire dressing manufacturer.

CAUTION

•

Never use benzine, thinner, or any

similar material.

7-4 Appearance and care

Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s in-

structions before using air fresheners.

FLOOR MATS

WARNING

To avoid potential pedal interference that

may result in a collision or injury:

•

NEVER place a floor mat on top of

another floor mat in the driver front

position.

•

Use only genuine NISSAN floor mats

specifically designed for use in your

vehicle model. See your NISSAN certi-

fied LEAF dealer for more information.

Properly position the mats in the floor-

well using the floor mat positioning

aid. See “Floor mat positioning aid

(driver’s side only)” in this section.

Bracket position

The illustration shows the location of floor mat

brackets.

Floor mat positioning aid (driver’s side

only)

•

This vehicle includes front floor mat brackets to

act as a floor mat positioning aid. NISSAN floor

mats have been specially designed for your ve-

hicle model. The driver’s side floor mat has grom-

met holes incorporated in it. Position the mat by

placing the floor mat bracket hook through the

floor mat grommet hole while centering the mat in

the floorwell.

SEAT BELTS

The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping them

with a sponge dampened in a mild soap solution.

Allow the belts to dry completely in the shade

before using them.

The use of genuine NISSAN floor mats can ex-

tend the life of your vehicle carpet and make it

easier to clean the interior. Mats should be main-

tained with regular cleaning and replaced if they

become excessively worn.

See “Seat belts” in the “Safety-Seats seat belts

and supplemental restraint system” section.

Periodically check to make certain the mats are

properly positioned.

Appearance and care 7-5

CORROSION PROTECTION

MOST COMMON FACTORS

CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE

CORROSION

• The accumulation of moisture-retaining dirt and

debris in body panel sections, cavities, and

other areas.

Temperature

WARNING

A temperature increase will accelerate the rate of

corrosion to those parts which are not well ven-

tilated.

Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in

the retractor. NEVER use bleach, dye, or

chemical solvents to clean the seat belts,

since these materials may severely

weaken the seat belt webbing.

Air pollution

Industrial pollution, the presence of salt in the air

in coastal areas, or heavy road salt use will accel-

erate the corrosion process. Road salt will also

accelerate the disintegration of paint surfaces.

• Damage to paint and other protective coatings

caused by gravel and stone chips or minor

traffic accidents.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLY

EQUIPMENT (EVSE)

The Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

TO PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE FROM

CORROSION

• Wash and wax your vehicle often to keep the

vehicle clean.

can be cleaned by wiping gently with a soft cloth

INFLUENCE THE RATE OF

dampened in a 3% mild soap solution. Wipe and

rinse the soap solution off with a cloth dampened

CORROSION

Moisture

with water and allow the EVSE to dry in a shady

and well-ventilated place.

Accumulation of sand, dirt and water on the ve-

hicle body underside can accelerate corrosion.

Wet floor coverings will not dry completely inside

the vehicle, and should be removed for drying to

avoid floor panel corrosion.

• Always check for minor damage to the paint and

repair it as soon as possible.

• Keep drain holes at the bottom of the doors

open to avoid water accumulation.

• Check the underbody for accumulation of sand,

dirt or salt. If present, wash with water as soon

as possible.

Relative humidity

Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of high

relative humidity, especially those areas where

the temperatures stay above freezing, where at-

mospheric pollution exists, or where road salt is

used.

7-6 Appearance and care

CAUTION

•

NEVER remove dirt, sand or other de-

bris from the passenger compartment

by washing it out with a hose. Remove

dirt with a vacuum cleaner.

Never allow water or other liquids to

come in contact with electronic com-

ponents inside the vehicle as this may

damage them.

Chemicals used for road surface deicing are

extremely corrosive. They accelerate corrosion

and deterioration of underbody components

such as the brake lines, brake cables, floor pan

and fenders.

In winter, the underbody must be cleaned

periodically.

For additional protection against rust and corro-

sion, which may be required in some areas, con-

sult a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.

Appearance and care 7-7

NOTES

7-8 Appearance and care

Appearance and care for Your Nissan Leaf 4 Door First Generation (2010-2017)

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