Car Cleaning and Care

How to Wash Your Car

When washing your car, avoid directing water spray towards the engine air intake vents, the heater air intake, body seals, or the sunroof seals, as this can cause damage. Do not use a high-pressure washer for cleaning components in the engine bay. Before washing, remove heavy dirt and mud with a hose. Regularly wash the car with a soft sponge and plenty of cold or warm water with car shampoo. After rinsing, dry the car with a chamois cloth.

Important Precautions:

• Do not wash the car with hot water.
• Do not use dishwashing or laundry detergents.
• In hot weather, do not wash the car in direct sunlight.

Removing Tar Spots

Tar spots and stubborn stains can be removed using white spirit. Immediately after, rinse the cleaned area with soapy water to remove any solvent residue.

Cleaning the Underbody

Substances used for snow and ice removal, and dust control, can be corrosive to the underbody. If these deposits are not removed, they can quickly lead to rust. Regularly wash the underbody with fresh water from a hose, paying special attention to areas where dirt and other deposits can easily accumulate. After driving off-road or through muddy or salty water, you should also wash the underbody and body panels with water from a hose.

Warning: When washing the car with a hose, do not direct water spray at the engine air intake located on the front right wing (as viewed from the driver's seat), the heater air intake, the brake system components through the wheel disc openings, or the window, door, and sunroof seals, through which water can enter the cabin.

If you discover any damage or rust on the underbody, contact your dealer or an authorized Land Rover repair facility as soon as possible to have the vehicle inspected.

Cleaning After Off-Road Driving

Warning: After off-road driving, it is essential to clean the air intake vents and radiator grille. Failure to do so may lead to engine overheating.

After off-road driving, clean the car and its underbody immediately, paying particular attention to areas where dirt and mud can accumulate. To clean the cooling system components, direct a low-pressure water spray from the hose onto the lower section of the radiator grille.

Protecting Bodywork

After washing the car, check the paintwork for damage. Chips, cracks, and deep scratches on the body should be repaired immediately. Exposed metal will rust quickly, and a simple scratch can lead to costly repairs. Some body panels are made of aluminum, which has different anti-corrosion properties than steel. However, any damage to these panels should also be repaired promptly. Small scratches and chips should be treated with special touch-up materials available from your dealer or authorized Land Rover repair facility. Larger damaged areas should be repaired by a body shop as soon as possible.

Polishing

Warning: DO NOT apply polishing compound to unpainted bumper trim areas, as this will cause the textured surface of the trim to become soiled with wax particles. Periodically, painted surfaces should be polished with a recommended polishing compound containing:

• Very mild abrasives to remove surface contaminants without damaging or removing the paint layer.
• Fillers to fill scratches and make them less visible.
• Wax to create a protective layer between body panels and the paint finish.

Glass and Mirrors

Clean the rear window with a soft cloth to avoid damaging the heating elements. DO NOT use solvents or sharp objects to clean the glass. Mirror glass is particularly sensitive to damage. Use soapy water for cleaning. DO NOT use abrasive cleaning agents or metal scrapers to remove ice.

Interior Cleaning

Attention: Before using any cleaning or care products for your car, read the information regarding their application.

Vehicle Care Products

Plastic

Attention: DO NOT polish plastic dashboard elements. For safety reasons, they should not reflect light.

Clean plastic or fabric surfaces with warm water and mild soap, then wipe with a clean cloth.

Leather Care

Warning: Some materials and fabrics have a tendency to transfer color. This can cause unsightly discolored patches on light-colored leather. Clean these areas as soon as possible and restore their protective coating.

Land Rover recommends cleaning leather and applying a protective treatment at least once every six months, or every one to two months if the vehicle is used intensively or in demanding conditions. Land Rover recommends and specifies the Leather Care Kit BAC500490 for this purpose. Follow the instructions for use.

DO NOT use chemicals or abrasive materials to clean leather. Gasoline, white spirit, alcohol, laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids, household cleaners, furniture polishes, and solvents are unsuitable for leather treatment. Although the initial results of using these products may be impressive, they will quickly damage the leather and may void the warranty.

Carpet and Fabric

Clean carpet with a diluted nylon upholstery cleaner. First, test the cleaner on an inconspicuous area.

Dashboard, Clock, and Radio

Use only a dry cloth for cleaning. DO NOT use liquid cleaning agents or aerosols.

Seat Belts

Pull out the seat belts and clean them with mild soap dissolved in warm water. Dry the belts in the air. Do not rewind the belts until they are completely dry.

Airbag Module Covers

Attention: To minimize the risk of damage to the airbag system, you may carefully clean the center of the steering wheel, the surface of the side airbags, and the area of the dashboard under the passenger airbag ONLY with a damp cloth and upholstery cleaner.

DO NOT excessively moisten these areas with any liquid, and DO NOT use gasoline, laundry detergents, cleaning solvents, or furniture cleaning and polishing compounds.