Get Cleaning and caring for your vehicle -> Care of the vehicle exterior Guide for Seat Ibiza SUV Fifth Generation (2018-2026)

154

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle

–

Clean the wheels, sill panels etc. last using a different sponge or

glove.

Care of the vehicle exterior

–

Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.

Automatic car washes

Dry the surface of the vehicle gently using a chamois leather.

The paint is so durable that the car can normally be washed without problems

in an automatic car wash. However, the effect on the paint depends to a large

extent on the design of the car wash, the brushes used, the filtering of the

wash water and the type of detergents and wax solutions used, etc.

If it is cold, dry the rubber seals and the surfaces they touch with

a cloth to prevent them freezing. Apply silicone spray to the

rubber seals.

After the car has been washed, the brakes could respond later than normal

as the brake discs and brake pads will be wet, or even frozen in winter. You

must “dry” the brakes by applying the brakes carefully several times

⇒ page 143, “Braking effect and braking distance”.

After cleaning the vehicle

–

If possible, avoid sudden braking directly after washing the

vehicle. You must “dry” the brakes by applying the brakes care-

fully several times ⇒ page 143, “Braking effect and braking

distance”.

WARNING

Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk of

accident.

WARNING

•

The ignition must always be switched off before the vehicle is washed.

Protect your hands and arms from cuts on sharp metal edges when

•

Washing by hand

Washing the vehicle

cleaning the underbody, the inside of the wheel housings etc. Risk of

injury.

•

Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk

–

First soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse off.

of accident.

Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a glove or a brush. Start on

the roof and work your way down. Use only light pressure.

Caution

Never attempt to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle is

•

–

Rinse the sponge or glove as much as possible.

dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes. This could scratch

the paintwork or glass on your vehicle.

Special car shampoo should only be used for very stubborn dirt.

•

Washing the vehicle in cold weather: if the vehicle is rinsed with a hose,

do not direct the water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around the doors,

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle

155

luggage compartment, or bonnet. This could cause them to freeze. Otherwise

there is a risk of malfunction.

WARNING

•

Never wash tyres with a concentrated jet or cylindrical jet (“rotating

nozzle”). Even at large spraying distances and short cleaning times, visible

and invisible damage can occur to the tyres. This may be an accident risk.

For the sake of the environment

In the interests of environmental protection, the car should be washed only

in specially provided wash bays. This prevents toxic, oil-laden waste water

entering the sewerage system. In some districts, washing vehicles anywhere

else may be prohibited.

•

Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk

of accident.

Caution

°

•

Do not use water hotter than 60 C. This could damage the car.

Note

Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.

To avoid damage to the vehicle, maintain a sufficient distance from sensi-

tive materials for example: flexible hoses, plastic, sound proofing, etc. This is

especially important for bumpers painted in the same colour as the vehicle.

The closer the nozzle is to the surface, the greater the wear on the material.

Washing the car with a high pressure cleaner

Be particularly careful when using a high pressure cleaner!

Waxing the car

–

Always observe the instructions for the high-pressure cleaner,

particularly those concerning the pressure and the spraying

distance.

Regular waxing protects the paintwork.

You need to apply wax to your car if water does not form small drops and run

off the paintwork when it is clean.

–

Increase the spraying distance for soft materials and painted

bumpers.

Good quality hard wax is available from your Authorised Service Centre.

A good coat of wax helps to protects the paintwork from environmental

contaminants ⇒ page 153. It is also effective in protecting against minor

scratches.

Do not use a high pressure cleaner to remove ice or snow from

windows ⇒ page 156.

Never use concentrated jet nozzles or so-called “dirt blasters”

Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the car wash, it is advisable to

⇒

.

protect the paint with a coat of hard wax at least twice a year.

If possible, avoid sudden braking directly after washing the

vehicle. You must “dry” the brakes by applying the brakes care-

fully several times ⇒ page 143.

Safety First

Operating instructions

Tips and Maintenance

Technical Data

156

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle

Polishing the paintwork

Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors

Cleaning the windows

Polishing brings back gloss to the paintwork.

–

Moisten the windows with commercially available, alcohol based

glass cleaner.

Polishing is only necessary if the paint has lost its shine, and the gloss cannot

be brought back by applying wax. Polish can be obtained from your Author-

ised Service Centre.

–

Dry the windows with a clean chamois leather or a lint-free cloth.

The car must be waxed after polishing if the polish used does not contain wax

compounds to seal the paint ⇒ page 155, “Waxing the car”.

Removing snow

Use a small brush to remove snow from the windows and mirrors.

–

Caution

Removing ice

Use a de-icer spray.

To prevent damage to the paintwork:

• Do not use polishes and hard wax on painted parts with a matt finish or

on plastic parts.

Do not polish your vehicle in a sandy or dusty environment.

–

•

Use a clean cloth or chamois leather to dry the windows. Chamois leathers

which have been used on painted surfaces are not suitable for use on

windows. They will be soiled with wax deposits which would smear the

windows.

Caring for plastic parts

If possible use a de-icing spray to remove ice. If you use an ice scraper, push

it in one direction only. Do not move it to and fro.

Solvents will damage plastic parts.

Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to clean off rubber, oil, grease and

silicone deposits.

If normal washing fails to clean plastic parts, clean them with special solvent-

free plastic cleaning and care products.

Wax deposits have to be removed with a special cleaner which is available

from your Authorised Service Centre. Wax deposits on the windscreen could

cause the wiper blades to judder. A window cleanser specifically for removing

wax will stop the blades juddering if added to the windscreen washer fluid.

Grease removing cleansers will not remove wax deposits.

Caution

•

The use of liquid air conditioners directly over the air vents of the vehicle

may damage the plastic parts if the liquid is accidentally spilled.

Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material.

•

Caution

•

Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and

mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack!

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle

157

•

The heating element for the rear window is located on the inner side of the

Door lock cylinders

window. To prevent damage, do not put stickers over the heating elements on

the inside of the window.

The door lock cylinders can freeze up in winter.

To de-ice the lock cylinders you should only use spray with lubricating and

anti-corrosive properties.

Cleaning windscreen wiper blades

Clean wiper blades are essential for clear vision.

Cleaning chrome parts

1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the windscreen

wiper blades.

1. Clean chrome parts with a damp cloth.

2. Polish chrome parts with a soft, dry cloth.

2. Use window cleanser to clean the windscreen wiper blades. Use

a sponge or a cloth to remove stubborn stains.

If this does not provide satisfying results, use a specialist chrome cleaning

product. Chrome cleaning products will remove stains and coatings from the

surface.

Care of rubber seals

If rubber seals are well looked after, they will not freeze so

quickly.

Caution

To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:

•

Never use an abrasive care product on chrome.

1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the rubber seals.

2. Apply a specialist care product to the rubber seals.

Do not clean or polish chrome parts in a sandy or dusty environment.

The weather strips on the doors, windows, bonnet and rear lid will remain

pliable and last longer if they are treated with a suitable care product (for

example silicone spray).

Steel wheels

–

Clean steel wheels regularly using a separate sponge.

Caring for rubber seals will also prevent premature ageing and leaks. The

doors will be easier to open. If rubber seals are well looked after, they will not

freeze so quickly in winter.

Use an industrial cleanser to remove brake dust. Any damage to the paint on

steel wheels should be repaired before the metal starts to rust.

Safety First

Operating instructions

Tips and Maintenance

Technical Data

158

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle

WARNING

•

Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distances

•

Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distances

and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to the

tyres. This may be an accident risk.

and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to the

tyres. This may be an accident risk.

•

Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk

•

Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk

of accident. If possible, avoid sudden braking immediately after washing

the vehicle. You must “dry” the brakes by applying the brakes carefully

several times ⇒ page 143, “Braking effect and braking distance”.

of accident. If possible, avoid sudden braking immediately after washing

the vehicle. You must “dry” the brakes by applying the brakes carefully

several times ⇒ page 143, “Braking effect and braking distance”.

Cleaning alloy wheels

Every two weeks

Underbody sealant

The underside of the vehicle is coated to protect it from corro-

sion and damage.

–

Wash salt and brake dust from alloy wheels.

Use an acid free detergent to clean the wheels.

The protective coating could be damaged when driving. We recommend that

the protective coating under the body and on the running gear should be

checked, and reinstated if necessary, before and after the winter season.

Every three months

Apply a hard wax compound to the wheels.

We recommend that repair work and additional anti-corrosion work is carried

out by your Authorised Service Centre.

–

Alloy wheels require regular attention to preserve their appearance. It is

important to remove road salt and brake dust by washing the wheels at

regular intervals, otherwise the finish will be impaired.

WARNING

Do not apply underseal or anti-corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes,

catalytic converter or the heat shields on the exhaust system. The heat of

the exhaust system or the engine could cause them to ignite! This is a fire

hazard.

Always use an acid-free detergent for alloy wheels.

Car polish or other abrasive agents should not be used. If the protective

coating is damaged, e.g. by stone impact, the damaged area should be

repaired immediately.

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle -> Care of the vehicle exterior for Your Seat Ibiza SUV Fifth Generation (2018-2026)

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