Get Appearance and care -> Cleaning exterior Guide for Nissan Leaf 4 Door Second Generation (2018-2025)

CLEANING EXTERIOR

In order to maintain the appearance of

your vehicle, it is important to take proper

care of it.

WASHING

•

Do not use car washes that use acid

in the detergent. Some car washes,

especially brushless ones, use some

acid for cleaning. The acid may react

with some plastic vehicle compo-

nents, causing them to crack. This

could affect their appearance, and

also could cause them not to func-

tion properly. Always check with your

car wash to confirm that acid is not

used.

Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet sponge

and plenty of water. Clean the vehicle thor-

oughly using a mild soap, a special vehicle

soap or general purpose dishwashing liq-

uid mixed with clean, lukewarm (never hot)

water.

To protect the paint surfaces, wash your

vehicle as soon as you can:

• After a rainfall to prevent possible dam-

age from acid rain.

• After driving on coastal roads.

CAUTION

• When contaminants such as soot, bird

droppings, tree sap, metal particles or

bugs get on the paint surface.

•

Do not concentrate water spray di-

rectly on the sonar sensors (if so

equipped) on the bumper as this will

result in damage to the sensors. Do

not use pressure washers capable of

spraying water over 1,200 psi (8,274

kPa) to wash your vehicle. Use of

high-pressure washers over 1,200 psi

(8,274 kPa) can result in damage to or

removal of paint or graphics. Avoid

using a high-pressure washer closer

than 12 inches (30 cm) to the vehicle.

Always use a wide-angle nozzle only,

keep the nozzle moving and do not

concentrate the water spray on any

one area.

•

Do not wash the vehicle with strong

household soap, strong chemical de-

tergents, gasoline or solvents.

• When dust or mud builds up on the sur-

face.

Whenever possible, store or park your ve-

hicle inside a garage or in a covered area.

Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun-

light or while the vehicle body is hot,

as the surface may become

water-spotted.

When it is necessary to park outside, park in

a shady area or protect the vehicle with a

body cover.

•

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.

Be careful not to scratch the paint sur-

face when putting on or removing the

body cover.

7-2 Appearance and care

Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of

clean water.

Machine compound or aggressive polish-

ing on a base coat/clear coat paint finish

may dull the finish or leave swirl marks.

CAUTION

When cleaning the inside of the win-

dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,

abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based

disinfectant cleaners. They could dam-

age the electrical conductors, radio an-

tenna elements or rear window de-

froster elements.

Inside flanges, seams and folds on the

doors, hatches and hood are particularly

vulnerable to the effects of road salt. There-

fore, 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.

REMOVING SPOTS

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. Special cleaning prod-

ucts are available at a NISSAN certified

LEAF dealer or any automotive accessory

stores.

WHEELS

Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle

to maintain their appearance.

Avoid leaving water spots on the paint sur-

face by using a damp chamois to dry the

vehicle.

UNDERBODY

• Clean the inner side of the wheels when

the wheel is changed or the underside of

the vehicle is washed.

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 corro-

sion on the underbody and suspension.

Before the winter period and again in the

spring, the underseal must be checked

and, if necessary, re-treated.

WAXING

• Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or

corrosion. Such damage may cause loss

of pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.

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 weath-

ered appearance before reapplying wax.

• NISSAN recommends that the road

wheels be waxed to protect against road

salt in areas where it is used during win-

ter.

A NISSAN certified LEAF dealer can assist

you in choosing the proper product.

GLASS

Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and

dust film from the glass surfaces. It is nor-

mal 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.

• Wax your vehicle only after a thorough

washing. Follow the instructions supplied

with the wax.

CAUTION

Do not use abrasive cleaners when

washing the wheels.

• Do not use a wax containing any abra-

sives, cutting compounds or cleaners

that may damage the vehicle finish.

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 (if so

equipped) with a clean, soft cloth damp-

ened in mild soap solution, then wipe clean

with a dry soft cloth.

ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS (if so

equipped)

TIRE DRESSING

NISSAN does not recommend the use of

tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a

coating to the tires to help reduce discolor-

ation of the rubber. If a tire dressing is ap-

plied to the tires, it may react with the coat-

ing and form a compound. This compound

may come off the tire while driving and

stain the vehicle paint.

Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in

a mild soap solution, especially during win-

ter months in areas where road salt is used.

Salt could discolor the wheels if not re-

moved.

Regular care and cleaning is required in

order to maintain the appearance of the

leather (if so equipped).

CAUTION

If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the

following precautions:

Follow the directions below to avoid

staining or discoloring the wheels:

Before using any fabric protector, read the

manufacturer’s recommendations. Some

fabric protectors contain chemicals that

may stain or bleach the seat material.

• Use a water-based tire dressing. The

coating on the tire dissolves more easily

with an oil-based tire dressing.

•

Do not use a cleaner that uses strong

acid or alkali contents to clean the

wheels.

Use a cloth dampened only with water to

clean the meter and gauge lens.

• Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help

prevent it from entering the tire tread/

grooves (where it would be difficult to re-

move).

•

Do not apply wheel cleaners to the

wheels when they are hot. The wheel

temperature should be the same as

ambient temperature.

WARNING

• Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry

towel. Make sure the tire dressing is com-

pletely removed from the tire tread/

grooves.

Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot

steam cleaners) on the seat. This can

damage the seat or occupant classifi-

cation sensor (weight sensor). This can

also affect the operation of the air bag

system and result in serious personal

injury.

•

Rinse the wheel to completely re-

move the cleaner within 15 minutes

after the cleaner is applied.

• Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-

mended by the tire dressing manufac-

turer.

CHROME PARTS

Clean chrome parts regularly with a non-

abrasive chrome polish to maintain the fin-

ish.

7-4 Appearance and care

Appearance and care -> Cleaning exterior for Your Nissan Leaf 4 Door Second Generation (2018-2025)

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