Nissan Altima (L34) 2019-2024 Owners Manual: Cleaning exterior

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 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 (if so equipped) 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 inches (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.

Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean water.

Inside edges, seams and folds on the doors, hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable to the effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas must be cleaned regularly.

Take care 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.

A damp chamois can be used to dry the vehicle to avoid water spots.

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 re-applying wax.

It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer to 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 compounding 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 surface of the paint to avoid lasting damage or staining. Special cleaning products are available at a NISSAN dealer or any automotive accessory store. It is recommended that you visit a NISSAN dealer for these products.

Underbody

In areas where road salt is used in winter, it is necessary to clean the underbody regularly in order to 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

When cleaning the rear window, it may be easier to clean if the high-mounted stop light is removed first.

Be careful when removing the high-mounted stop light to reduce the risk of damaging the high-mounted stop light wires.

To remove the high-mounted stop light:

1. Push downward on the plastic shelf around the stop light 1, lift upwards on the stop light, releasing it from the shelf 2.

2. Once it is released from the shelf, gently pull the stop light towards the rear seatback 3 .

The high-mounted stop light must be properly reinstalled before driving your vehicle.

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.

To reinstall the high-mounted stop light, reverse steps 3, then 2.

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, radio antenna elements or rear window defroster elements.

Aluminum alloy wheels (if so equipped)

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

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 all chrome parts regularly with a non-abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.

CAUTION

Follow the directions below to avoid staining or discoloring the chrome parts:

• Do not use a cleaner that uses strong acid or alkali contents to clean the chrome parts.

Tire dressings

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 than 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 the tire dressing manufacturer.