Subaru Forester: 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 depressing the brake pedal
to heat up the brakes.
- Do not wash the engine compartment
and area adjacent to it. If
water enters the engine air intake
or electrical parts, it will cause
engine trouble or a malfunction
of electrical equipment.
- When washing inner fenders, underbody,
bumpers and protruding
objects such as exhaust
pipes and exhaust finishers, be
careful to prevent injuries from
contacting sharp ends.
- 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 surface,
completely rinse off the
detergent with water. Otherwise,
the cover surface may be damaged.
- Since your vehicle is equipped
with a rear wiper, automatic carwash
brushes could become
tangled around it, damaging the
wiper arm and other components.
Ask the automatic carwash
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 car wash, make sure
beforehand that the car wash is of
suitable type.
- The rear view camera lens has a hard
coating to help prevent scratches.
However, when washing the vehicle or
cleaning the camera lens, be careful not
to scratch the camera lens. Do not use a
washing brush directly on the camera
lens. The image quality of the rear view
camera may deteriorate.
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
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. Wear
rubber gloves and use a hand brush when
washing down underbody, inner fenders
and suspension to effectively remove mud
and dirt off.
Chemicals, salts and gravel used for
deicing road surfaces are extremely corrosive,
accelerating the corrosion of underbody
components, such as the exhaust
system, fuel and brake lines, brake cables,
floor pan and fenders, and suspension...
Other information:
The alarm system becomes armed when
the following operation is performed.
Close all windows and the moonroof (if
equipped) and turn the ignition switch to
the “OFF” position.
Carry the key and get out of the
vehicle.
Make sure that the engine hood is
locked...
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weather.
Use only additives that are specifically
designed for this purpose. When an antifreeze
additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty...