Get Appearance Care Guide for Suzuki Baleno 4 Door Second Generation (2015-2021)

APPEARANCE CARE

60G412

APPEARANCE CARE

Corrosion Prevention ......................................................... 9-1

Vehicle Cleaning ................................................................. 9-2

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APPEARANCE CARE

Corrosion Prevention

It is important to take good care of your

vehicle to protect it from corrosion. Listed

below are instructions for how to maintain

your vehicle to prevent corrosion. Please

read and follow these instructions carefully.

Important Information About Corro-

sion

Common causes of corrosion

1) Accumulation of road salt, dirt, mois-

ture, or chemicals in hard-to-reach

areas of the vehicle underbody or

frame.

2) Chipping, scratches and any damage to

treated or painted metal surfaces

resulting from minor accidents or abra-

sion by stones and gravel.

Environmental conditions which accel-

erate corrosion

1) Road salt, dust control chemicals, sea

air or industrial pollution will all acceler-

ate the corrosion of metal.

2) High humidity will increase the rate of

corrosion particularly when the tem-

perature range is just above the freez-

ing point.

3) Moisture in certain areas of a vehicle

for an extended period of time may pro-

mote corrosion even though other body

sections may be completely dry.

4) High temperatures will cause an accel-

erated rate of corrosion to parts of the

vehicle which are not well ventilated to

permit quick drying.

This information illustrates the necessity of

keeping your vehicle (particularly the

underbody) as clean and dry as possible. It

is equally important to repair any damage

to the paint or protective coatings as soon

as possible.

How to Help Prevent Corrosion

Wash your vehicle frequently

The best way to preserve the finish on your

vehicle and to help avoid corrosion is to

keep it clean with frequent washing.

Wash your vehicle at least once during the

winter and once immediately after the win-

ter. Keep your vehicle, particularly the

underside, as clean and dry as possible.

If you frequently drive on salted roads,

your vehicle should be washed at least

once a month during the winter. If you live

near the ocean, your vehicle should be

washed at least once a month throughout

the year.

For washing instructions, refer to the “Vehi-

cle Cleaning” section.

Remove foreign material deposits

Foreign material such as salts, chemicals,

road oil or tar, tree sap, bird droppings and

industrial fall-out may damage the finish of

your vehicle if it is left on painted surfaces.

Remove these types of deposits as quickly

as possible. If these deposits are difficult to

wash off, an additional cleaner may be

required. Be sure that any cleaner you use

is not harmful to painted surfaces and is

specifically intended for your purposes.

Follow the manufacturer’s directions when

using these special cleaners.

Repair finish damage

Carefully examine your vehicle for damage

to the painted surfaces. If you find any

chips or scratches in the paint, touch them

up immediately to prevent corrosion from

starting. If the chips or scratches have

gone through to the bare metal, have a

qualified body shop make the repair.

Keep passenger and luggage compart-

ments clean

Moisture, dirt or mud can accumulate

under the floor mats and may cause corro-

sion. Occasionally, check under these

mats to ensure that this area is clean and

dry. More frequent checks are necessary if

the vehicle is used off road or in wet

weather.

Certain cargos such as chemicals, fertiliz-

ers, cleaners, salts, etc. are extremely cor-

rosive by nature. These products should

be transported in sealed containers. If a

9-2

APPEARANCE CARE

spill or leak does occur, clean and dry the

area immediately.

Store your vehicle in a dry, well-venti-

lated area

Do not park your vehicle in a damp, poorly

ventilated area. If you often wash your

vehicle in the garage or if you frequently

drive it in when wet, your garage may be

damp. The high humidity in the garage

may cause or accelerate corrosion. A wet

vehicle may corrode even in a heated

garage if the ventilation is poor.

Vehicle Cleaning

76G044S

Cleaning the Interior

Vinyl upholstery

Prepare a solution of soap or mild deter-

gent mixed with warm water. Apply the

solution to the vinyl with a sponge or soft

cloth and let it soak for a few minutes to

loosen dirt.

Rub the surface with a clean, damp cloth

to remove dirt and the soap solution. If

some dirt still remains on the surface,

repeat this procedure.

Fabric upholstery

Remove loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.

Using a mild soap solution, rub stained

areas with a clean damp cloth. To remove

soap, rub the areas again with a cloth

dampened with water. Repeat this until the

stain is removed, or use a commercial fab-

ric cleaner for tougher stains. If you use a

fabric cleaner, carefully follow the manu-

facturer’s instructions and precautions.

WARNING

Do not apply additional undercoating

or rust preventive coating on or

around exhaust system components

such as the catalytic converter,

exhaust pipes, etc. A fire could be

started if the undercoating substance

becomes overheated.

WARNING

When cleaning the interior or exterior

of the vehicle, NEVER USE flammable

solvents such as lacquer thinners,

petrol, benzene or cleaning materials

such as bleaches or strong house-

hold detergents. The materials could

cause personal injury or damage to

the vehicle.

EXAMPLE

9-3

APPEARANCE CARE

Leather upholstery

Remove loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.

Using a mild soap or saddle soap solution,

wipe dirt off with a clean damp soft cloth.

To remove soap, wipe the areas again with

a soft cloth dampened with water. Wipe the

areas dry with a soft dry cloth. Repeat this

until the dirt or stain is removed, or use a

commercial leather cleaner for tougher dirt

or stains. If you use a leather cleaner,

carefully follow the manufacturer’s instruc-

tions and precautions. Do not use solvent

type cleaners or abrasive cleaners.

NOTE:

• In order to keep leather upholstery look-

ing good, it should be cleaned at least

twice a year.

• If leather upholstery becomes wet,

immediately wipe it dry with tissue paper

or a soft cloth. Water may cause leather

to harden and shrink if it is not wiped off.

• When parking on sunny days, select a

shady place or use a sunshade. If

leather upholstery is exposed to direct

sunlight for a long time, it may discolor

and shrink.

• As it is common with natural materials,

leather is inherently irregular in grain and

cowhide has spots in its natural state.

These do not affect the performance of

the leather in any way.

Seat belts

Clean seat belts with a mild soap and

water. Do not use bleach or dye on the

belts. They may weaken the fabric in the

belts.

Vinyl floor mats

Ordinary dirt can be removed from vinyl

with water or mild soap. Use a brush to

help loosen dirt. After the dirt is loosened,

rinse the mat thoroughly with water and

dry it in the shade.

Carpets

Remove dirt and soil as much as possible

with a vacuum cleaner. Using a mild soap

solution, rub stained areas with a clean

damp cloth. To remove soap, rub the areas

again with a cloth dampened with water.

Repeat this until the stain is removed, or

use a commercial carpet cleaner for

tougher stains. If you use a carpet cleaner,

carefully follow the manufacturer’s instruc-

tions and precautions.

Instrument panel and console

Remove loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.

Gently wipe dirt off with a tightly squeezed

damp clean cloth. Repeat this until the dirt

is removed.

Cleaning the Exterior

Caring for Aluminum Wheels

NOTE:

• Do not use an acidic or alkaline deter-

gent, or a cleaner containing petroleum

solvent to wash aluminum wheels.

These types of cleaner will cause per-

manent spots, discoloration and cracks

on finished surfaces and damage to cen-

ter caps.

• Do not use a bristle brush and soap con-

taining an abrasive material. These will

damage finished surfaces.

NOTICE

Do not use chemical products that

contain silicon to wipe electrical

components such as the air condi-

tioning system, audio, navigation

system, or other switches. These will

cause damage to the components.

NOTICE

It is important that your vehicle be

kept clean and free from dirt. Failure

to keep your vehicle clean may result

in fading of the paint or corrosion to

various parts of the vehicle body.

9-4

APPEARANCE CARE

Washing

60B212S

When washing the vehicle, park it where

direct sunlight does not fall on it and follow

the instructions below:

1) Flush the underside of body and wheel

housings with pressurized water to

remove mud and debris. Use plenty of

water.

2) Rinse the body to loosen the dirt.

Remove dirt and mud from the body

exterior with running water. You may

use a soft sponge or brush. Do not use

hard materials which can scratch the

paint or plastic. Remember that the

headlight covers or lenses are made of

plastic in many cases.

3) Wash the entire exterior with a mild

detergent or car wash soap using a

sponge or soft cloth. The sponge or

cloth should be frequently soaked in the

soap solution.

4) Once the dirt has been completely

removed, rinse off the detergent with

running water.

5) After rinsing, wipe off the vehicle body

with a wet chamois or cloth and allow it

to dry in the shade.

WARNING

• Never attempt to wash and wax

your vehicle with the engine run-

ning.

• When cleaning the underside of the

body and fender, where there may

be sharp-edged parts, you should

wear gloves and a long-sleeved

shirt to protect your hands and

arms from being cut.

• After washing your vehicle, care-

fully test the brakes before driving

to make sure they have maintained

their normal effectiveness.

EXAMPLE

NOTICE

When washing the vehicle:

• Avoid directing steam or hot water

of more than 80°C (176°F) on plas-

tic parts.

• To avoid damaging engine compo-

nents, do not use pressurized

water in the engine compartment.

NOTICE

To avoid damage to the paint or plas-

tic surface, do not wipe the dirt off

without ample water. Be sure to fol-

low above procedure.

NOTICE

When using a commercial car wash

product, observe the cautions speci-

fied by the manufacturer. Never use

strong household detergents or

soaps.

9-5

APPEARANCE CARE

6) Check carefully for damage to painted

surfaces. If there is any damage,

“touch-up” the damage following the

procedure below:

1. Clean all damaged spots and allow

them to dry.

2. Stir the paint and “touch-up” the

damaged spots lightly using a small

brush.

3. Allow the paint to dry completely.

Waxing

60B211S

After washing the vehicle, waxing and pol-

ishing are recommended to further protect

and beautify the paint.

• Only use waxes and polishes of good

quality.

• When using waxes and polishes,

observe the precautions specified by the

manufacturers.

NOTICE

If you use an automatic car wash,

make sure that your vehicle’s body

parts, such as spoilers, cannot be

damaged. If you are in doubt, consult

the car wash operator for advice.

EXAMPLE

Appearance Care for Your Suzuki Baleno 4 Door Second Generation (2015-2021)

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