2021 Subaru Forester Owners Manual - Exterior care

Exterior care

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 sun- light.

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.

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Chemicals, salts and gravel used for deicing road surfaces are extremely cor- rosive, accelerating the corrosion of un- derbody components, such as the exhaust system, fuel and brake lines, brake cables, floor pan and fenders, and suspension.

Thoroughly flush the underbody and inside of the fenders with lukewarm or cold water at frequent intervals to reduce the harmful effects of such agents.

Mud and sand adhering to the underbody components may accelerate their corro- sion.

After driving off-road or on muddy or sandy roads, wash the mud and sand off the underbody. Carefully flush the suspension and axle parts, as they are particularly prone to mud and sand buildup. Do not use a sharp-edged tool to remove caked mud.

Keep a good distance of 12 in (30 cm) or more between the washer nozzle and the vehicle.

Do not wash the same area continu- ously.

If a stain will not come out easily, wash by hand. Some warm water washers are of the high temperature, high pressure type, and they can damage or deform the resin parts such as moldings, or cause water to leak into the vehicle.

Waxing and polishing

Always wash and dry the vehicle before waxing and polishing.

Use a good quality polish and wax and apply them according to the manufac- turer’s instructions. Wax or polish when the painted surface is cool.

Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim, as well as the painted surfaces. Loss of wax on a painted surface leads to loss of the original luster and also quickens the deterioration of the surface. It is recom- mended that a coat of wax be applied at least once a month, or whenever the surface no longer repels water.

If the appearance of the paint has dimin- ished to the point where the luster or tone cannot be restored, lightly polish the sur- face with a fine-grained compound. Never polish just the affected area, but include the surrounding area as well. Always polish in only one direction. A No. 2000 grain compound is recommended. Never use a coarse-grained compound. Coarse- grained compounds have a smaller grain- size number and could damage the paint. After polishing with a compound, coat with wax to restore the original luster. Frequent polishing with a compound or an incorrect polishing technique will result in removing the paint layer and exposing the under-

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coat. When in doubt, it is always best to contact your SUBARU dealer or an auto paint specialist.

Be careful not to block the wind- shield washer nozzles with wax when waxing the vehicle.

Do not wipe the rear view camera with alcohol, benzine or paint thinner. Otherwise, discoloration may occur. To remove contamination, wipe the cam- era with a cloth moistened with diluted neutral detergent and then wipe it with a soft, dry cloth.

When waxing the vehicle, be careful not to apply the wax to the rear view camera. If it comes in contact with the camera, moisten a clean cloth with diluted neutral detergent to remove the wax.

Cleaning alloy wheels

Promptly wipe the alloy wheels clean of any kind of grime or agent. If dirt is left on too long, it may be difficult to clean off.

Do not use soap containing grit to clean the wheels. Be sure to use a neutral cleaning agent, and later rinse thoroughly with water. Do not clean the wheels with a stiff brush or expose them to a high-speed washing device.

Clean the vehicle (including the alloy wheels) with water as soon as possible when it has been splashed with sea water, exposed to sea breezes, or driven on roads treated with salt or other agents.