Volkswagen ID.4: Exterior care and cleaning

The following overview gives recommendations for cleaning and caring for individual vehicle components.

NOTICE

Incorrect cleaning and care can cause vehicle damage.

• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Never use cleaning objects that are too hard or abrasive.

Door windows, glass surfaces

• Remove wax residue, for example from care products, with a suitable glass cleaner or the Volkswagen Genuine cleaning cloth.
• Remove snow with a hand brush.
• Remove ice with a plastic scraper. When doing so, scrape in one direction only.
• Defrost the ice with a suitable deicer or Volkswagen Genuine deicer.
• Clean wiper blades or change them if necessary.

Paint

Always treat surfaces with extreme care to prevent paint damage.

• Treat light contaminants, for example deposits, insects, and cosmetics, immediately with a clean soft towel and a mild soap solution of maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in a liter of water, or with a cleaning clay bar.
• Dampen rust spots with soap solution. Then remove with a cleaning clay bar.
• Have corrosion removed by suitably qualified professionals. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
• In the event of paint damage, consult suitably qualified professionals and have the paint damage repaired.

  Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

A preservation treatment protects the vehicle paint. When water no longer clearly beads up and drips off clean vehicle paint, the vehicle should be retreated with a wax protectant if not earlier.

• For matte paint, use a soft sponge to apply a special wax for matte paint to the cleaned vehicle. Remove excess wax with a microfiber cloth.
• Even if a wax protectant is applied regularly in an automatic car wash, Volkswagen recommends protecting the vehicle paint at least twice a year with a suitable hard wax or Volkswagen Genuine hard wax.
• Polishing is only needed if the appearance of the vehicle paint is poor and a shiny finish can no longer be achieved using protectants.

  Never polish matte-finish surfaces. The surface will be permanently damaged by the paint shining.

Plenum chamber, hood space

Fig. 1 Between the hood space and windshield: Plenum chamber (general example).

WARNING

Working in the hood space carries a risk of accident and fire. Serious injuries may occur.

• Always note the necessary handling guidelines and the safety precautions every time before working in the hood space (→ In the engine compartment).
• If you are not familiar with this type of work, arrange for it to be done by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

NOTICE

The plenum chamber drain can be blocked by leaves and dirt. Water that cannot drain may leak into the vehicle interior and cause damage.

• Have the area under the perforated cover regularly cleaned by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility qualified in this respect. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

• Remove leaves or other loose objects with a vacuum or by hand→ fig. 1, → .
• Always have the hood space cleaned by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility qualified in this respect. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Water introduced manually into the plenum chamber, for example with a pressure washer, can cause considerable vehicle damage.

Sensors, camera lenses

Fig. 2 In the rear of the vehicle: Rear View Camera system on the handle (general example).

• Clean the area in front of the sensors or the camera with a soft cloth and solvent-free cleaning solution.
• Clean sensitive surfaces of the rain/light sensor and the camera window on the windshield as you would windows and glass surfaces (depending on the equipment).
• Remove snow with a hand brush.
• Never use warm or hot water.
• Defrost the ice with a suitable deicer or Volkswagen Genuine deicer.

Decorative and protective decals

• Remove contaminants as described for paint. For matte decorative decals, use a suitable plastic cleaner or a Volkswagen Genuine plastic cleaner.
• Treat the vehicle every three months with liquid hard wax. The vehicle must be free of dirt and dust before treating. Apply using only clean, soft microfiber cloths. Do not use hot wax, even in a car wash.
• Hard contaminants: remove gently with ethyl alcohol and then wash with warm water.

The durability and coloring on decorative and protective decals can be affected by environment conditions, such as sunlight, moisture, air pollution, stone chips, etc. Decorative decals may show signs of wear and aging after approximately one to three years, and protective decals after approximately two to three years. In very hot climates, the decorative decals may fade slightly within one year and the protective decals within two years.

Trims made out of chrome-plated plastic, aluminum or stainless steel

• Clean surfaces with a suitable chrome and aluminum product or Volkswagen Genuine chrome and aluminum products.
• Chrome-plated trims can be protected with a suitable hard wax or Volkswagen Genuine hard wax.

Headlights, taillights

• Use a soft sponge saturated with a mild soap solution of maximum two tablespoons of neutral soap in a liter of water to remove dirt. Do not use cleaning solutions containing alcohol and/or solvents.
• Remove stubborn dirt with a suitable chrome and aluminum product or Volkswagen Genuine chrome and aluminum products.

Wheels

• Remove contaminants and road salt with plenty of water.
• Clean dirty alloy wheels with a suitable rim cleaner or with Volkswagen Genuine rim cleaner. Volkswagen recommends applying a suitable hard wax or Volkswagen Genuine hard wax to the rims every three months.
• Repair a damaged protective paint layer immediately with a paint pen. If necessary, contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Volkswagen recommends contacting an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
• Remove brake dust with a suitable rim cleaner or Volkswagen Genuine rim cleaner.

Door lock cylinder

1. Defrost the door lock cylinder with a suitable door lock deicer or Volkswagen Genuine deicer.

Do not use any door lock deicers with degreasing substances.