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Exterior care and cleaning -> Cleaning windows and outside mirrors for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Sixth Generation (2005-2010)

WARNING  
Improper use of power washers can cause serious invisible permanent damage leading to tire  
failure and loss of vehicle control. This can cause accidents and severe personal injury.  
Keep sufficient distance between water jet and tires. Never wash tires with a nozzle that  
sprays the water out in a direct stream regardless of the distance to the tire and even for a  
very short time.  
Never use “dirt blasters” to clean tires. Even spraying from a relatively long distance for a  
very short time can do visible or invisible damage to tires.  
WARNING  
After the vehicle has been washed, the wet brakes or, in winter, brake discs or pads coated  
with ice, react slower and need longer stopping distances.  
Always dry the brakes and clean off any ice coatings with a few careful applications of the  
brake. Make sure not to endanger other motorists or cyclists or disobey legal requirements.  
NOTICE  
Water temperature should not be more than +140 °F (+60 °C).  
To help prevent damage to the paint, do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.  
Do not clean icy or snow-covered windows with a power washer.  
When washing or rinsing the vehicle in cold weather, do not let water get into the lock  
cylinders or point the hose at gaps around the doors, hood, or luggage compartment lid. The  
water could freeze on the locks and seals and make it difficult to open the vehicle!  
Cleaning windows and outside mirrors  
Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS  
Cleaning windows and outside mirrors  
Spray windows and outside mirrors with a commercially available alcohol-based window cleaner.  
Dry windows and mirrors with a clean chamois or a lint-free cloth. Do not use a chamois that has been  
used to wipe painted surfaces because it will have absorbed an oily residue that will smear the glass  
surfaces.  
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to remove rubber, oil, grease and silicone deposits ⇒ꢀ  
.
Removing wax residue  
Automatic car washes and vehicle care products can leave a wax residue on all glass surfaces.  
These wax residues can only be removed with special cleaners or cleaning cloths. Wax residue left on  
the windshield can cause the windshield wipers to grab and squeak instead of gliding smoothly. We  
recommend that after every car wash you remove any wax residue left on the windshield with a  
cleaning cloth / chamois G 052 522 A1 or equivalent.  
Windshield wiper squeak and grab can be reduced by filling the windshield washer fluid tank with a  
wiper fluid containing wax-removing agents. Make sure to maintain the proper mixing ratio when  
refilling the washer fluid tank. Grease-removing cleaning agents cannot remove wax residue ⇒ꢀ  
.
Windshield cleaners, special cleaners, and cleaning cloths are available from your authorized  
Volkswagen dealer and authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Removing snow  
Remove snow from all windows and outside mirrors with an appropriate brush.  
Removing ice  
The best way to remove ice is with a deicer spray. When using an ice scraper always scrape in one  
direction, never back and forth. Dirt can scratch the glass when moving the scraper backward.  
WARNING  
Dirty or fogged up windows reduce visibility and increase the risk of accidents and severe  
injuries.  
Don't drive until you have clear visibility through all windows.  
Remove ice, snow and condensation from all inside and outside window surfaces.  
NOTICE  
Never mix recommended cleaning agents with other cleaning agents in the windshield  
washer reservoir. If you do, this could cause sediments or other by-products that can clog the  
windshield wiper nozzles.  
Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and mirrors. This could  
cause the glass to crack!  
The heating elements for the rear defroster are on the inside of the rear window. Do not put  
stickers over the heating elements on the inside of the rear window and never clean the inside  
of the windows with corrosive or acidic cleaning agents or other chemicals that could damage  
the heating elements.  
Antennas installed on the insides of windows can be damaged by abrasive objects or by  
corrosive or acidic cleaning agents or other chemicals. Do not place any stickers on the  
windshield-integrated antenna and never clean the antenna with corrosive or acidic cleaning  
agents or other chemicals.  
Cleaning and changing the windshield wiper blades  
Fig. 187 Changing the windshield wiper blades.  
Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS  
Factory-installed wiper blades have a graphite coating. The graphite coating lets the wiper blades glide  
smoothly over the windshield. If this coating is worn or damaged, the wipers may grab or squeak.