Nissan Ariya: Cleaning exterior

Basic information

In order to maintain the appearance of your vehicle, it is important to take proper care of it.

To protect the paint surfaces, wash your vehicle as soon as you can:

• after a rainfall to prevent possible damage from acid rain
• after driving on coastal roads
• when contaminants such as soot, bird droppings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs get on the paint surface
• when dust or mud builds up on the surface

Whenever possible, store or park your vehicle inside a garage or in a covered area.

When it is necessary to park outside, park in a shady area or protect the vehicle with a body cover.

Be careful not to scratch the paint surface when putting on or removing the body cover.

Washing

Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet sponge and plenty of water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly using a mild soap, a special vehicle soap or general purpose dishwashing liquid mixed with clean, lukewarm (never hot) water.

CAUTION

• Do not concentrate water spray directly on the sonar sensors on the bumper as this will result in damage to the sensors.
• Do not use pressure washers capable of spraying water over 1,200 psi (8,274 kPa) to wash your vehicle. Use of high-pressure washers over, 1,200 psi (8,274 kPa) can result in damage to or removal of paint or graphics.

  Avoid using a high-pressure washer closer than 12 in (30 cm) to the vehicle. Always use a wide-angle nozzle only, keep the nozzle moving and do not concentrate the water spray on any one area.

• Do not use car washes that use acid in the detergent. Some car washes, especially brushless ones, use some acid for cleaning.

  The acid may react with some plastic vehicle components, causing them to crack. This could affect their appearance, and also could cause them not to function properly. Always check with your car wash to confirm that acid is not used.

• Do not wash the vehicle with strong household soap, strong chemical detergents, gasoline or solvents.
• Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight or while the vehicle body is hot, as the surface may become water-spotted.
• Avoid using tight-napped or rough cloths, such as washing mitts. Care must be taken when removing caked-on dirt or other foreign substances so the paint surface is not scratched or damaged.
• Do not wash the motor compartment.

  Doing so may damage the electrical parts.

• Before washing the vehicle by an automatic car wash, make sure that the charge port lid is completely closed.

Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean water.

Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors, hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable to the effects of road salt.

Therefore, these areas must be regularly cleaned. Make sure that the drain holes in the lower edge of the door are open.

Spray water under the body and in the wheel wells to loosen the dirt and wash away road salt.

Avoid leaving water spots on the paint surface by using a damp chamois to dry the vehicle.

Waxing

Regular waxing protects the paint surface and helps retain new vehicle appearance.

Polishing is recommended to remove built-up wax residue and to avoid a weathered appearance before reapplying wax.

A NISSAN certified ARIYA dealer can assist you in choosing the proper product.

• Wax your vehicle only after a thorough washing. Follow the instructions supplied with the wax.
• Do not use a wax containing any abrasives, cutting compounds or cleaners that may damage the vehicle finish.

Machine compound or aggressive polishing on a base coat/clear coat paint finish may dull the finish or leave swirl marks.

Removing spots

Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, insects, and tree sap as quickly as possible from the paint surface to avoid lasting damage or staining. Special cleaning products are available at a NISSAN certified ARIYA dealer or any automotive accessory stores. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN certified ARIYA dealer for these products.

Underbody

WARNING

Never use high-pressure washers capable of spraying water under the vehicle when the vehicle undercover has been removed. Doing so can damage the Li-ion battery and cause an electrical shock that may result in serious injury or death.

In areas where road salt is used in winter, the underbody must be cleaned regularly.

This will prevent dirt and salt from building up and causing the acceleration of corrosion on the underbody and suspension.

Before the winter period and again in the spring, the underseal must be checked and, if necessary, re-treated.

Glass

Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust film from the glass surfaces. It is normal for glass to become coated with a film after the vehicle is parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner and a soft cloth will easily remove this film.

CAUTION

When cleaning the inside of the windows, do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant cleaners. They could damage the electrical conductors or rear window defroster elements.

Wheels

Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle to maintain their appearance.

• Clean the inner side of the wheels when the wheel is changed or the underside of the vehicle is washed.
• Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or corrosion. Such damage may cause loss of pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
• NISSAN recommends that the road wheels be waxed to protect against road salt in areas where it is used during winter.

CAUTION

Do not use abrasive cleaners when washing the wheels.

Aluminum alloy wheels

Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in a mild soap solution, especially during winter months in areas where road salt is used. Salt could discolor the wheels if not removed.

CAUTION

Follow the directions below to avoid staining or discoloring the wheels:

• Do not use a cleaner that uses strong acid or alkali contents to clean the wheels.
• Do not apply wheel cleaners to the wheels when they are hot. The wheel temperature should be the same as ambient temperature.
• Rinse the wheel to completely remove the cleaner within 15 minutes after the cleaner is applied.

Chrome parts

Clean chrome parts regularly with a nonabrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.

Tire dressing

NISSAN does not recommend the use of tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating to the tires to help reduce discoloration of the rubber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires, it may react with the coating and form a compound. This compound may come off the tire while driving and stain the vehicle paint.

If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the following precautions:

• Use a water-based tire dressing. The coating on the tire dissolves more easily with an oil-based tire dressing.
• Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help prevent it from entering the tire tread/grooves (where it would be difficult to remove).
• Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing is completely removed from the tire tread/grooves.
• Allow the tire dressing to dry as recommended by tire dressing manufacturer.