Get Appearance care -> Exterior care Guide for Subaru Outback SUV Fourth Generation (2010-2014)

10-2 Appearance care

Exterior care

& Washing

CAUTION

. When washing the vehicle, the

brakes may get wet. As a result,

the brake stopping distance will

be longer. To dry the brakes,

drive the vehicle at a safe speed

while lightly pressing the brake

pedal to heat up the brakes.

. Do not wash the engine compart-

ment and areas adjacent to it. If

water enters the engine air in-

take, electrical parts or the power

steering fluid reservoir, it will

cause engine trouble or a mal-

function of the power steering.

. Do not use any organic solvents

when washing the surface of the

bulb assembly cover. However, if

a detergent with organic solvents

is used to wash the cover sur-

face, completely ri nse off the

detergent with water. Otherwise,

the cover surface may be da-

maged.

. Outback: Since your vehicle is

equipped with a rear wiper, auto-

mat ic car -wash brushe s could

become tangled around it, dama-

ging the wiper arm and other

components. Ask the automatic

car-wash operator not to let the

brushes touch the wiper arm or

to fix the wiper arm on the rear

window glass with adhesive tape

before operating the machine.

NOTE

When having your vehicle washed in

an automatic ca r wash, make s ure

beforehand that the car wash is of

suitable type.

The best way to preserve your vehicle’s

beauty is frequent washing. Wash the

vehicle at least once a month to avoid

contamination by road grime.

Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty

of lukewarm or cold water. Do not wash

the vehicle with hot water and in direct

sunlight.

Salt, chemicals, insects, tar, soot, tree

sap, and bird droppings should be washed

off by using a light detergent, as required.

If you use a light detergent, make certain

that it is a neutral detergent. Do not use

strong soap or chemical detergents. All

cleaning agents should be promptly

flushed from the surface and not allowed

to dry there. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly

with plenty of lukewarm water. Wipe the

remaining water off with a chamois or soft

cloth.

! Washing the underbody

Chemicals, salts and gra ve l used for

deicing road surfaces are extremely cor-

rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un-

derbody components, such as the exhaust

system, fuel and brake lines, brake

cables, floor pan and fenders, and sus-

pension.

Thoroughly flush the underbody and in-

side of the fenders with lukewarm or cold

water at frequent intervals to reduce the

harmful effects of such agents.

Mud and sand adhering to the underbody

components may accelerate their corro-

sion.

After dr iving off-road or on muddy or

sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off

the underbody.

Carefully flush the suspension and axle

parts, as they are particularly prone to

mud and sand buildup. Do not use a

sharp-edged tool to remove caked mud.

CAUTION

. Be careful not to damage brake

hoses, sensor harness es, and

other parts when washing sus-

pension components.

. Be careful not to flush the engine

bottom for a long time. It may

cause damage of some electrical

parts.

! Using a warm water washer

. Keep a good distance of 12 in (30 cm)

or more between the washer nozzle and

the vehicle.

. Do not wash the same area continu-

ously.

. If a stain will not come out easily, wash

by hand. Some warm water washers are

of the high temperature, high pressure

type, and they can damage or deform the

resin parts such as mouldings, or cause

water to leak into the vehicle.

& Waxing and polishing

Always wash and dry the vehicle before

waxing and polishing.

Use a good quality polish and wax and

apply them according to the manufac-

turer’s instructions. Wax or polish when

the painted surface is cool.

Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim,

as well as the painted surfaces. Loss of

wax on a painted surface leads to loss of

the original luster and also quickens the

deterioration of the surface. It is recom-

mended that a coat of wax be applied at

least once a month, or whenever the

surface no longer repels water.

If the appearance of the paint has dimin-

ished to the point where the luster or tone

cannot be restored, lightly polish t he

surface with a fine-grained compound.

Never polish just the affected area, but

include the surroundi ng area a s well.

Always polish in only one direction. A

No. 2000 grain compound is recom-

mended. Never use a coarse-gra ined

compound. Coarser grained compounds

have a smaller grain-size number and

could damage the paint. After polishing

with a compound, coat with wax to restore

the original luster. Frequent polishing with

a compound or an inco rrect polishing

technique will result in removing the paint

layer and exposing the undercoat. When

in doubt, it is always best to contact your

SUBARU dealer or an auto paint specia-

list.

CAUTION

Do not use any agents with organic

solvents on the surface of the bulb

assembly cover. However, if a polish

or wax with organic solv ents is

applied to the cover surface, com-

pletely wipe off the polish or wax.

Otherwise, the cover surface may be

damaged.

NOTE

Be careful not to block the windshield

washer nozzles with wax when waxing

the vehicle.

& Cleaning aluminum wheels

. Promptly wipe the aluminum wheels

clean of any kind of grime or agent. If dirt

is left on too long, it may be difficult to

clean off.

. Do not use soap containing grit to

clean the wheels. Be sure to use a neutral

cleaning agent, and later rinse thoroughly

with water. Do not clean the wheels with a

stiff brush or expose them to a high-speed

washing device.

. Clean the vehicle (including the alumi-

num wheels) with water as soon as

possible when it has been splashed with

sea water, exposed to sea breezes, or

driven on roads treated with salt or other

agents.

Appearance care 10-3

10-4 Appearance care

Corrosion protection

Your SUBARU has been designed and

built to resist corrosion. Special materials

and protective finishes have been used on

most parts of the vehicle to help maintain

fine appearance, strength, and reliable

operation.

& Most common causes of

corrosion

The most common causes of corrosion

are:

1. The accumulation of moisture retain-

ing dirt and debris in body panel sections,

cavities, and other areas.

2. Damage to paint and other protective

coatings caused by gra vel and stone

chips or minor accidents.

Corrosion is accelerated on the vehicle

when:

1. It is exposed to road salt or dust

co ntrol chemicals, or used in c oastal

areas where there is more salt in the air,

or in areas where there is considerable

industrial pollution.

2. It is driven in areas of high humidity,

especially when temperatures range just

above freezing.

3. D ampness in certain parts of the

vehicle remains for a long time, even

though other parts of the vehicle may be

dry.

4. High temperatures will cause corro-

sion to parts of the vehicle which cannot

dry quickly due to lack of proper ventila-

tion.

& To help prevent corrosion

Wash the vehicle regularly to prevent

corrosion of the body and suspension

components. Also, wash the vehicle

promptly after driv ing on any of the

following surfaces.

. roads that have been salted to prevent

them from freezing in winter

. mud, sand, or gravel

. coastal roads

After the winter has ended, it is recom-

mended that the underbody be given a

very thorough washing.

Before the beginning of winter, check the

condition of underbody components, such

as the exhaust system, fuel and brake

lines, brake cables, suspension, steering

system, floor pan, and fenders. If any of

them are found to be rusted, they should

be given an appropriate rust prevention

treatment or should be replaced. Contact

your SUBARU dealer to perform this kind

of maintenance and treatment if you need

assistance.

Repair chips and scratches in the paint as

soon as you find them.

Check the interior of the vehicle for water

and dirt accumulation under the floor mats

bec ause that could cause corrosion.

Occasionally check under the mats to

make sure the area is dry.

Keep your garage dry. Do not park your

ve hicle in a damp, poorly ventilated

garage. In such a garage, corrosion can

be caused by dampness. If you wash the

vehicle in the garage or put the vehicle

into the garage when wet or covered with

snow, that can cause dampness.

If your vehicle is operated in cold weather

and/or in areas where road salts and other

corrosive materials are used, the door

hinges and locks, trunk lid lock, and hood

latch should be inspected and lubricated

periodically.

Appearance care -> Exterior care for Your Subaru Outback SUV Fourth Generation (2010-2014)

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