2008 KIA Carens Owner's Manual

Maintenance20 7BRAKE FLUIDG080100AUN-EUChecking the 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 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 or capaci-
ties” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
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.
OUN056023
CAUTION
Do 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 cannot be
guaranteed. It should be disposed
of properly. Don't put in the wrong
kind of fluid. A few drops of miner-
al-based oil, such as engine oil, in
your brake system can damage
brake system parts.

721
Maintenance
POWER STEERING FLUIDG090100AUNChecking the power steering fluid
level With the vehicle on level ground, check
the fluid level in the power steering reser-
voir periodically. The fluid should be
between MAX and MIN marks on the
side of the reservoir at the normal tem-
perature.
Before adding power steering fluid, thor-
oughly clean the area around the reser-
voir cap to prevent power steering fluid
contamination.
If the level is low, add fluid to the MAX
level.In the event the power steering system
requires frequent addition of fluid, the
vehicle should be inspected by an
authorized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified power steering
fluid. (Refer to "Recommended lubricants
or capacities" in section 8.)
G090200AUNChecking the power steering
hoseCheck the connections for oil leaks,
severe damage and twists in the power
steering hose before driving.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the power
steering pump, do not operate the
vehicle for prolonged periods
with a low power steering fluid
level.
Never start the engine when the
reservoir tank is empty.
When adding fluid, be careful that
dirt does not get into the tank.
Too little fluid can result in
increased steering effort and/or
noise from the power steering
system.
The use of the non-specified fluid
could reduce the effectiveness of
the power steering system and
cause damage to it.
OUN056021

Maintenance22 7AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUIDG100100BUNChecking the automatic transaxle
fluid level The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
Keep the vehicle on the level ground with
the parking brake applied and check the
fluid level according to the following pro-
cedure.
1. Place the selector lever in N (Neutral)
position and confirm the engine is run-
ning at normal idle speed.
2. After the transaxle is warmed up suffi-
ciently (fluid temperature 70~80°C
(158~176°F)), for example by 10 min-
utes usual driving, shift the selector
lever through all positions then place
the selector lever in N (Neutral) or P
(Park) position.3. Confirm that the fluid level is in “HOT”
range on the level gauge. If the fluid
level is lower, add the specified fluid
from the fill hole. If the fluid level is
higher, drain the fluid from the drain
hole.
4. If the fluid level is checked in cold con-
dition (fluid temperature 20~30°C
(68~86°F) add the fluid to “COLD” line
and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
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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.
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723
Maintenance
✽ ✽
NOTICE“COLD” range is for reference only and
should NOT be used to determine
transaxle fluid level.
✽ ✽
NOTICENew automatic transaxle fluid should be
red. The red dye is added so the assem-
bly plant can identify it as automatic
transaxle fluid and distinguish it from
engine oil or antifreeze. The red dye,
which is not an indicator of fluid quali-
ty, is not permanent. As the vehicle is
driven, the automatic transaxle fluid
will begin to look darker. The color may
eventually appear light brown.
Therefore, have an authorized KIA
dealer change the automatic transaxle
fluid according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
lubricants or capacities" in section 8.)
G100200AUNChanging the automatic transaxle
fluidHave automatic transaxle fluid changed
by an authorized KIA dealer according to
the Maintenance Schedule at the begin-
ning of this section.
WARNING
- Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply parking brake and
depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
CAUTION
Low fluid level causes transaxle
slippage. Overfilling can cause
foaming, loss of fluid and transaxle
malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid
could result in transaxle malfunc-
tion and failure.

Maintenance24 7WASHER FLUIDG120100AUNChecking 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.
G140100AUNChecking the parking brake Check whether the stroke is within spec-
ification when the parking brake pedal is
depressed with 20 kg (44 lb, 196 N) of
force. Also, the parking brake alone
should securely hold the vehicle on a fair-
ly steep grade. If the stroke is more or
less than specified, have the parking
brake adjusted by an Authorized KIA
Dealer.
Stroke : 88~98 mm (3.5~3.8 in)
WARNING
- Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant or
antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
Radiator coolant can severely
obscure 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 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.
OUN056024
OUN036009
PARKING BRAKE

725
Maintenance
AIR CLEANER G160100AUN-ECFilter replacement It must be replaced when necessary, and
should not be cleaned and reused.Replace the filter according to the
Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is operated in extremely
dusty or sandy areas, replace the ele-
ment more often than the usual recom-
mended intervals. (Refer to
“Maintenance under severe usage condi-
tions” in this section.)
G170100AUN-ECFilter inspectionThe climate control air filter should be
replaced every 15,000 km (10,000
miles). If the vehicle is operated in the
severely air-polluted cities or on dusty
rough roads for a long period, it should
be inspected more frequently and
replaced earlier. When you, the owner,
replace the climate control air filter,
replace it performing the following proce-
dure, and be careful to avoid damaging
other components.
OUN056012
CAUTION
Do not drive with the air cleaner
removed; this will result in exces-
sive engine wear.
Use a KIA genuine part. Use of
non-genuine parts could damage
the air flow sensor.
OUN028322
CLIMATE CONTROL AIR FILTER

Maintenance26 7WIPER BLADES G180100AUNBlade inspection✽
✽
NOTICECommercial hot waxes applied by auto-
matic car washes have been known to
make the windshield difficult to clean.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the wiper blades with foreign matter can
reduce the effectiveness of the wind-
shield wipers. Common sources of con-
tamination are insects, tree sap, and hot
wax treatments used by some commer-
cial car washes. If the blades are not wip-
ing properly, clean both the window and
the blades with a good cleaner or mild
detergent, and rinse thoroughly with
clean water.
G180200AUNBlade replacement When the wipers no longer clean ade-
quately, the blades may be worn or
cracked, and require replacement.
1JBA5122
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, do not use gasoline,
kerosene, paint thinner, or other
solvents on or near them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper
arms or other components, do not
attempt to move the wipers manual-
ly.
CAUTION
The use of a non-specified wiper
blade could result in wiper malfunc-
tion and failure.

727
Maintenance
G180201AUNFront windshield wiper blade1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the wiper
blade assembly to expose the plastic
locking clip.
2. Compress the clip and slide the blade
assembly downward.
3. Lift it off the arm.
4. Install the blade assembly in the
reverse order of removal.
G180202AUNRear window wiper blade To prevent damage to the wiper arms or
other components, have an authorized
KIA dealer replace the wiper blade.
1LDA5023
CAUTION
Do not allow the wiper arm to fall
against the windshield, since it may
chip or crack the windshield.
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