
Maintenance14
7BRAKE FLUID Checking brake fluid level Check the fluid level in the reservoir peri-
odically. The fluid level should be
between MAX and MIN marks on the
side of the reservoir.
Before removing the reservoir cap and
adding brake fluid, clean the area around
the reservoir cap thoroughly to prevent
brake fluid contamination.
If your vehicle is equipped with a manual
transaxle, brake fluid is used as clutch
fluid. If the level is low, add fluid to the MAX
level. The level will fall with accumulated
mileage. This is a normal condition asso-
ciated with the wear of the brake linings.
If the fluid level is excessively low, have
the brake system checked by an author-
ized Kia dealer.
Use only the specified brake fluid. (Refer
to “Recommended Lubricants” later in this section.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
✽ ✽ NOTICEDo not allow brake fluid to contact the
vehicle's body paint, as paint damage
will result. Brake fluid, which has been
exposed to open air for an extended time
should never be used as its quality can-
not be guaranteed. It should be thrown
out. Don't put in the wrong kind of fluid.
A few drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in your brake/clutch sys-
tem can damage brake/clutch system
parts.
WARNING -
Brake fluid
When changing and adding brake
fluid, handle it carefully. Do not let it
come in contact with your eyes. If
brake fluid should come in contact
with your eyes, immediately flush
them with a large quantity of fresh
tap water. Have your eyes examined
by a doctor as soon as possible.
WARNING -
Loss of brake
fluid
In the event the brake system
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer.
OMG075007

Maintenance16
7AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)Checking the automatic transaxle
fluid level The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
The volume of the transaxle fluid
changes with temperature. Although it is
best to check the level after having driv-
en the vehicle for at least 30 minutes, the
level can be checked after warming the
fluid using the following procedure.
1. Park the vehicle on level ground and
firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Allow the engine to idle for about 2 minutes.
3. Depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever slowly through all ranges
then set it in P (Park). 4. With the engine still idling, pull out the
dipstick, wipe it clean and reinsert it
fully.
5. Pull out the dipstick again and check the fluid level.
✽ ✽NOTICE• Low fluid level causes transaxle slip-
page. Overfilling can cause foaming,
loss of fluid and transaxle malfunc-
tion.
• The use of a non-specified fluid could result in transaxle malfunction and
failure.
If the fluid has been warmed to normal
operating temperature of approximately
70~80°C (158~176°F), the fluid level
should be within “HOT” range.
“COLD” scale is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determine
transaxle fluid level.
WARNING -
Transaxle fluid
The transaxle fluid level should be
checked when the engine is at nor-
mal operating temperature. This
means that the engine, radiator,
radiator hose and exhaust system
etc., are very hot. Exercise great
care not to burn yourself during this
procedure.
WARNING
- Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply parking brake and
depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
OMG075009
OMG075010

717
Maintenance
New automatic transaxle fluid should
be red. The red dye is added so the
assembly plant can identify it as auto-
matic transaxle fluid and distinguish it
from engine oil or antifreeze. The red
dye, which is not an indicator of fluid
quality, is not permanent. As the vehi-
cle is driven, the automatic transaxle
fluid will begin to look darker. The
color may eventually appear light
brown.✽ ✽NOTICEHave an Authorized Kia dealer inspect
or change the automatic transaxle fluid
according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.Changing automatic transaxle
fluidHave automatic transaxle fluid changed
by an authorized Kia dealer according to
the Maintenance Schedule at the begin-
ning of this section.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
Lubricants" later in this section.)
Checking the washer fluid level The reservoir is translucent so that you
can check the level with a quick visual
inspection.
Check the fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir and add fluid if necessary. Plain
water may be used if washer fluid is not
available. However, use washer solvent
with antifreeze characteristics in cold cli-
mates to prevent freezing.
Body lubrication All moving points of the body, such as
door hinges, hood hinges, and locks,
should be lubricated each time the
engine oil is changed. Use a non-freez-
ing lubricant on locks during cold weath-
er.
Make sure the engine hood secondary
latch keeps the hood from opening when
the primary latch is released.
LUBRICANTS AND FLUIDS
WARNING
- Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant or
antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Radiator coolant can severelyobscure visibility when sprayed
on the windshield and may cause
loss of vehicle control or damage
to paint and body trim.
Windshield washer fluid agents contain some amounts of alcohol
and can be flammable under cer-
tain circumstances. Do not allow
sparks or flame to contact the
washer fluid or the washer fluid
reservoir. Damage to the vehicle
or it's occupants could occur.
Windshield washer fluid is poi- sonous to humans and animals.
Do not drink and avoid contacting
windshield washer fluid. Serious
injury or death could occur.
OMG075011

721
Maintenance
(Continued)If any electrolyte gets intoyour eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at least
15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention. If
possible, continue to apply
water with a sponge or
cloth until medical attention
is received.
If electrolyte gets on your
skin, thoroughly wash the
contacted area. If you feel a
pain or a burning sensation,
get medical attention imme-
diately.
Wear eye protection whencharging or working near a
battery. Always provide
ventilation when working in
an enclosed space.
(Continued)
2. Compress the clip and slide the bladeassembly downward.
3. Lift it off the arm.
4. Install the blade assembly in the reverse order of removal.
1JBA70371JBA7038
BATTERY
WARNING
- Battery dangers
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarettes and all other flames or sparks
away from the battery.
Hydrogen, which is a highly combustible gas, is always
present in battery cells and
may explode if ignited.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children because
batteries contain highly
corrosive SULFURIC ACID.
Do not allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
(Continued)

723
Maintenance
✽
✽NOTICE• Before performing maintenance or
recharging the battery, turn off all
accessories and stop the engine.
• The negative battery cable must be removed first and installed last when
the battery is disconnected.
WARNING
- Recharging
battery
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed
from the vehicle and placed in an
area with good ventilation.
Do not allow cigarettes, sparks, or flame near the battery.
Watch the battery during charg- ing, and stop or reduce the charg-
ing rate if the battery cells begin
gassing (boiling) violently or if
the temperature of the electrolyte
of any cell exceeds 49°C (120°F).
Wear eye protection when check- ing the battery during charging.
Disconnect the battery charger in the following order.
1. Turn off the battery charger main switch.
2. Unhook the negative clamp from the negative battery terminal.
3. Unhook the positive clamp from the positive battery terminal.

Maintenance24
7TIRES AND WHEELS
Tire care For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.Recommended cold tire infla-
tion pressures All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked every day
when the tires are cold. “Cold Tires”
means the vehicle has not been driv-
en for at least three hours or driven
less than 1.6 km (1 mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear. All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the vehicle.
WARNING -
Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation (70 kPa
(10 psi) or more) can lead to
severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to severe injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for protracted periods at high
speeds.
OMG055004N

725
Maintenance
✽
✽NOTICE• Underinflation also results in
excessive wear, poor handling and
reduced fuel economy. Wheel
deformation also is possible. Keep
your tire pressures at the proper
levels. If a tire frequently needs
refilling, have it checked by an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
• Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear at the center
of the tire tread, and a greater pos-
sibility of damage from road haz-
ards. ✽ ✽ NOTICE• Warm tires normally exceed rec-
ommended cold tire pressures by
28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6 psi). Do not
release air from warm tires to
adjust the pressure or the tires will
be underinflated.
• Be sure to reinstall the tire infla- tion valve caps. Without the valve
cap, dirt or moisture could get into
the valve core and cause air leak-
age. If a valve cap is missing,
install a new one as soon as possi-
ble.
Checking tire inflation pres-
sureCheck your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.How to checkUse a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile).
WARNING
- Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and lead
to sudden tire failure. This could
result in loss of vehicle control
and potential injury.
WARNING -
Tire pressure
Always observe the following:
Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. (After vehicle
has been parked for at least
three hours or hasn't been
driven more than 1.6 km (one
mile) since startup.)
Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you check
the pressure of other tires.
Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload a
vehicle luggage rack if your
vehicle is equipped with one.
Worn, old tires can cause acci- dents. If your tread is badly
worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.

Maintenance26
7Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gage firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-
ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.
Tire rotation To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness.
Refer to Section 8, Specifications.
Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only
from front to rear and not from
right to left.
CBGQ0707A
Without a spare tire
Directional tires (if equipped)
CBGQ0707
WARNING
Do not use the temporary
spare tire for tire rotation
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.