Maintenance -> Washing matte painted vehicles for Your Volkswagen Caddy SUV Fifth Generation (2020-2025)

Automatic car washes  
Always observe all the car wash operator's specifications, in particular if your vehicle features add-on parts  
.
The windows must be closed and the exterior mirrors must be folded away.  
Vehicles with steering column lock: If the vehicle is mechanically pulled through the car wash(wash tunnel), the  
steering column must not unlock (→ Steering).  
The windscreen wipers and the rain and light sensor (→ Rain and light sensor) are switched off.  
The Auto Hold function (→ Auto Hold function) is switched off.  
Further information:  
Please observe any information provided by the car wash operator, especially where add-on parts are concerned.  
Preferably use textile car washes without brushes.  
Do not select cleaning programmes with hot wax for vehicles with decorative and protective films.  
Regularly have the bottom of the vehicle thoroughly cleaned to remove residue.  
High-pressure cleaner  
Observe information issued by the manufacturer and do not use rotating nozzles under any circumstances→  
Use water only up to a maximum temperature of +60°C(+140°F).  
!
Do not clean windows that are iced up or covered in snow with a high-pressure cleaner.  
Move the jet of water uniformly so that the nozzle is at least 50 cm(20 inches) away from the vehicle components.  
Do not point the water jet at the same location for too long.  
Do not direct the jet of water at rubber seals or other sensitive vehicle components such as side windows, glossy  
strips, tyres, sensors, camera lenses, decorative and protective film.  
Washing by hand  
Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a wash mitt or a brush applying only light pressure. Start with the roof and  
work from the top to the bottom →  
.
Use a shampoo for very stubborn dirt only.  
Wash the vehicle only in specially designated washing bays. This prevents waste water that is possibly  
contaminated with oil from entering the sewerage system.  
Waxing  
Waxing protects the paintwork. If water no longer clearly forms small drops and runs off the paintwork when the  
vehicle is clean, the vehicle should be re-waxed with a good wax preservative.  
Even if a preservative wax is applied regularly in the automatic car wash, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles  
recommends protecting the vehicle paintwork at least twice a year using Volkswagen Genuine hard wax  
(000 096 317).  
Polishing  
Polishing is only necessary if the paint has lost its shine, and the gloss cannot be brought back by applying wax.  
Matt-painted surfaces must not be polished! The surface gets irreparably damaged by the gloss of the paint.  
Washing matte painted vehicles  
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Clean vehicles with matt-painted surfaces by hand or in a textile car washwithout wax preservation→  
.
When washing the vehicle by hand, start by removing the coarse dirt with plenty of water. Then wash the surface  
with a mild soap solution.  
Minor dirt or contamination such as grease spots or insect residues can be removed with a special cleaner for matte  
paint.  
NOTICE  
Painted parts and surfaces with a matt finish, unpainted plastic parts, headlight lenses and tail light clusters can be  
damaged if the vehicle is not washed correctly.  
Do not use hard or abrasive brushes.  
Cleaning and caring for the vehicle exterior  
Windows and glass surfaces  
Remove dirt with a suitable glass cleaner or a Volkswagen Genuine Cleaning Cloth 0( 00 096 166 A).  
Use a hand brush to remove snow. When using a plastic scraper to remove ice, make sure you only move it in one  
direction. Use the Volkswagen Genuine de-icing agent (000 096 322) to remove ice.  
Wiper blades  
Follow the instructions for changing the wiper blades (→ Wiper blades).  
Paint  
Use a clean, soft cloth and a mild soap solution(made with a maximum of two tablespoons of neutral soap to one  
litre of water) or cleaning clay to remove any light dirt immediately, e.g. deposits or insect residue→  
NOTICE  
.
You can damage the paint if you clean the vehicle incorrectly.  
Always treat painted surfaces with care when cleaning.  
Further information:  
Clean up any spilt fuel or service fluids immediately.  
Moisten flash rust deposits with a soap solution. Then remove any deposits with cleaning clay.  
Have corrosion removed by a qualified workshop.  
You can repair minor paint damage with a touch-up pen. The paint code is located on the vehicle data sticker .  
Consult a qualified workshop in the event of damage to surfaces with matt paintwork.  
Decorative film and protective film  
Observe information on cleaning the paintwork. Always use Volkswagen Genuine plastic cleaner0(00 096 314) for  
matt decorative films.  
Treat the vehicle with liquid hard wax every three months after washing and removing dust. Only use clean, soft  
microfibre cloths to apply it. Do not use hot wax, even in car washes.  
The durability and colour of decorative and protective films are affected by environmental factors such as  
sunshine, moisture, air pollution, stone chips, etc. Decorative films can show signs of wear and ageing after  
approximately one to three years and protective films after approximately two to three years. In very hot  
climates, decorative films may start to fade within one year and protective films within two years.  
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