The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle's finish is to keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don't wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun. Use a car washing soap. Don't use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle well, removing all soap residue completely. You can get GM-approved cleaning products from your dealer. See Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials . Don't use cleaning agents that are petroleum based, or that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents should be flushed promptly and not allowed to dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish with a soft, clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter your vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a car washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses. Follow instructions under "Washing Your Vehicle."
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your vehicle by hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products from your dealer. See Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials .
If your vehicle has a "basecoat/clearcoat" paint finish. The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish.
Notice: Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish may damage it. Use only non-abrasive waxes and polishes that are made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish on the vehicle.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can damage your vehicle's finish if they remain on painted surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible. If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered whenever possible.
Cleaning the Windshield, Backglass and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running, wax, sap or other material may be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a full-strength glass cleaning liquid. The windshield is clean if beads do not form when you rinse it with water.
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades and affect their performance. Clean the blade by wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked in full-strength windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary; replace blades that look worn.
Special Care for Canvas Top and Plastic Windows
Your canvas top should be cleaned often. If you use an automatic car wash, use one with water jets and hanging cloths. High pressure car washes may cause water to enter your vehicle.
When you hand wash the top, do it in partial shade. Use a mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft sponge. A chamois or cloth may leave lint on the top, and a brush can chafe the threads in the top fabric. Don't use detergents, harsh cleaners, solvent or bleaching agents.
Wet the entire vehicle and wash top evenly to avoid spots or rings. Let the soap remain on the fabric for a few minutes. When the top is really dirty, use mild foam-type cleaner. Thoroughly rinse the entire vehicle, then let the top dry in direct sunlight.
To protect the canvas top:
| • | After you wash the vehicle, make sure the top is completely dry before you open or remove it. |
| • | Don't get any vinyl cleaner on the vehicle's painted finish; it could leave streaks. |
| • | If you decide to go through an automatic car wash, ask the manager if the equipment could damage your top. |
The plastic windows are pliable and can be scratched if you don't take these precautions when you clean them:
| • | Wipe off dust with a soft cotton cloth moistened with clean, cool or lukewarm water. Don't use a "dry" cloth. Wipe in one direction only, not back and forth. |
| • | To remove frost, snow or ice, use lukewarm water. Don't use a scraper or any de-icing fluids. |
| • | Wash the windows with a soft cloth and clean, cool or lukewarm water. Never use a dry cloth, hot water, strong soap or detergent, solvents or harsh cleaning agents. Rinse thoroughly and wipe with a slightly moist soft, clean cloth. |
| • | Don't put any labels, stickers or tape on windows. It's hard to remove adhesives left on the windows when such items are removed. If a sticker or label must be removed, remove any adhesive left on the window while the adhesive is still soft and sticky. Press on a new sticker or piece of tape and then lift it off again; keep doing this until all the adhesives lifts off with the sticker or tape. |
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted surface of your vehicle. Don't use strong soaps, chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners, cleaners with acid, or abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could damage the surface. Do not use chrome polish on aluminum wheels.
Don't take your vehicle through an automatic car wash that has silicone carbide tire cleaning brushes. These brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with tire cleaner.
Notice: Using petroleum-based tire dressing products on the vehicle may damage the paint finish and/or tires. When applying a tire dressing, always wipe off any overspray from all painted surfaces on the vehicle.
