2001 Mazda Tribute Owner's Manual - Page 209

Maintenance and care • Cover the highlighted areas to prevent water damage when cleaning the engine. • Never wash or rinse the engine while it is running; water in the running engine may cause internal damage. Cleaning the wheels Wash with the same detergent as the body of your vehicle. Do not use acid-based or alcohol-based wheel cleaners, steel wool, fuel or strong detergents. Never use abrasives that will damage the finish of special wheel surfaces. Use a tar remover to remove grease and tar. The brushes used in some automatic car washes may damage the finish on your wheels. Before going to a car wash, find out if the brushes are abrasive. Cleaning non-painted plastic exterior parts Use vinyl cleaner for routine cleaning. Clean with a tar remover if necessary. Do not clean plastic parts with thinners, solvents or petroleum-based cleaners. Cleaning the exterior lamps Wash with the same detergent as the exterior of your vehicle. If necessary, use a tar remover. To avoid scratching the lamps, do not use a dry paper towel, chemical solvents or abrasive cleaners. Cleaning the wiper blades, windshield and rear window If the wiper blades do not wipe properly, clean the wiper blade rubber element with undiluted windshield washer solution or a mild detergent. To avoid damaging the blades, do not use fuel, kerosene, paint thinner or other solvents. If the wiper still does not wipe properly, this could be caused by substances on the windshield or rear window such as tree sap and some hot wax treatments used by commercial car washes. Clean the outside of the windshield or rear window with a non-abrasive cleaner. Do not use abrasive cleansers on glass as they may cause scratches. The windshield or rear window is clean if beads do not form when you rinse it with water. The windshield, rear window and wiper blades should be cleaned on a regular basis, and blades or rubber elements replaced when worn. 209