Maintaining your vehicle yourself regularly is important. Here are some handy tips to get the most out of your maintenance.
Cleaning the Interior
A few handy tips for cleaning the interior of your Mitsubishi:
- Clean plastic, vinyl, leather, fabric and flocked parts with a soft cloth soaked in lukewarm water and a small amount of neutral detergent.
- Don’t use cleaners, conditioners or protectants that contain silicone or wax. These products may cause annoying reflections that obscure your vision.
- Clean the carpet with a vacuum cleaner and remove any stains with carpet cleaner.
Oil and grease can be removed from carpets by lightly dabbing with a clean, colourfast cloth and stain remover.
Cleaning the Exterior
Keep the exterior of your Mitsubishi looking clean and new by ensuring the following:
- If the exterior of your vehicle comes into contact with saltwater, anti-freeze, soot or dust, iron powder, bird droppings or any corrosive chemical substances, be sure to wash it immediately.
- After washing your vehicle, make sure all traces of soap or detergent are removed, and wipe it dry with a soft cloth.
- After washing, also carefully clean the joints and flanges of the doors and engine hood where dirt is likely to hide from view.
- If you live in a coastal area, it’s particularly important to wash your car regularly. Wind-born spray from the sea can distribute salt for a distance of up to 20 kilometres from the shore.
Cleaning the Underside
For 4WD vehicles such as the Pajero, Outlander and Triton, it’s important to keep the underside clean – particularly if you drive off-road. This will remove corrosive dirt, dust and salt water.
When washing the underside:
- Be sure to wear a pair of rubber gloves and exercise caution.
- Be careful not to spray water onto any electrical components in the engine compartment.
Weather Protection – Cold Weather Care
As the salt and other chemicals spread on the roads in some areas in winter can have a harmful effect on your vehicle, you should clean it as often as possible to prevent corrosion and lasting damage.
Also: If you live in a particularly cold area, be sure to wipe off all water from the rubber parts around the doors to prevent the doors from freezing.
It’s also recommended you book in for a Mitsubishi Preventative Service before and after the winter months – to ensure your Mitsubishi remains in optimal condition.
Paintwork – Waxing
Applying wax to your vehicle can help prevent the build up of dust and road chemicals on your paintwork. When doing so, be mindful that:
- You should apply a wax solution after washing your vehicle, at least once every three months.
- You shouldn’t wax your vehicle in direct sunlight and should only apply wax after the surfaces have cooled.
Paintwork – Polishing
When it comes to polishing your paintwork:
- Only polish your vehicle if the paintwork has become stained or lost its luster.
- Matt-finish parts and plastic bumpers mustn’t be polished as this may stain them or damage their finish.
Paintwork – Damaged Paint
Often, your paintwork may be damaged due to flying stones or corrosion. If this is the case:
- Small cracks and scratches can be touched up with Mitsubishi touch-up paint to prevent corrosion – and to keep your vehicle looking new.
- The paint code number for your vehicle can be found on the vehicle information code plate in the engine compartment.