2009 Mercedes SL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 246

Operation Vehicle care the paintwork as well as the vehicle underbody and cause lasting damage. Such damage is caused not only by extreme and varying climatic conditions, but also by: RAir More frequent washings are necessary to deal with unfavorable conditions: Rnear Rin the ocean pollution salt and stone chipping industrial areas (smoke, exhaust emissions) winter operation RRoad RTar Rduring RGravel To avoid paint damage, you should immediately remove: RGrease RFuel RCoolant RBrake RBird and oil fluid droppings resins etc. RInsects RTree Frequent washing reduces and/or eliminates the aggressiveness and potency of the above adverse influences. You should check your vehicle from time to time for stone chipping or other damage. Any damage should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent corrosion. In doing so, do not neglect the underbody of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thorough check is a washing of the underbody followed by a thorough inspection. Damaged areas need to be re-undercoated. Your vehicle has been treated at the factory with a wax-base rustproofing in the body cavities which will last for the lifetime of the vehicle. Post-production treatment is neither necessary nor recommended by MercedesBenz because of the possibility of incompatibility between materials used in the production process and others applied later. We have selected vehicle-care products and compiled recommendations which are specially matched to our vehicles and which always reflect the latest technology. You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved vehicle-care products at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or damage due to negligent or incorrect care cannot always be removed or repaired with the vehicle-care products recommended here. In such cases it is best to seek aid at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. The following topics deal with the cleaning and care of your vehicle and give important "how-to" information as well as references to Mercedes-Benz approved vehicle-care products. Power washer ! Follow the instructions provided by the power washer manufacturer on maintaining a distance between the vehicle and the nozzle of the power washer. Never use a round nozzle to power-wash tires. The intense jet of water can result in damage to the tire. Always replace a damaged tire. Always keep the jet of water moving across the surface. Do not aim directly at electrical parts, electrical connectors, seals, or other rubber parts. 244