2008 KIA CERATO check oil

Driving your vehicle
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Engine oil pressure warning
This warning light indicates the
engine oil pressure is low.
If the warning light illuminates while
driving:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road
and stop.
2. With the engine off, check the engine oil level. If the level is low, add oil as required.
If the warning light remains on after
adding oil or if oil is not available, call
an Authorized Kia Dealer.
✽✽
NOTICE
If the engine is not stopped immedi-
ately, severe damage could result.
Charging system warning
This warning light indicates a mal-
function of either the generator or
electrical charging system.
If the warning light comes on while
the vehicle is in motion:
1. Drive to the nearest safe location.
2. With the engine off, check the gen- erator drive belt for looseness or
breakage.
3. If the belt is adjusted properly, a problem exists somewhere in the
electrical charging system. Have
an Authorized Kia Dealer correct
the problem as soon as possible. Safety belt warning
Ty p e A
As a reminder to the driver and pas-
senger, safety belt warning light will
blink for approximately 6 seconds
each time you turn the ignition switchON.
If the driver’s lap/shoulder belt is not
fastened when the key is turned ON
or if it is unfastened after the key is
ON, the safety belt warning light
blinks for 6 seconds. If the system
does not operate as described, see
an Authorized Kia Dealer for assis-
tance.
Ty p e B
As a reminder to the driver, safety
belt warning light will blink or illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds
each time you turn the ignition switchON.

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Driving your vehicle
Checking the amount of air
conditioner refrigerant andcompressor lubricant
When the amount of refrigerant is
low, the performance of the air con-
ditioning is reduced. Overfilling alsohas a bad influence on the air condi-tioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer.Air conditioner refrigerant andcompressor lubricant
✽✽ NOTICE
When the performance of the air
conditioning system is reduced it is
important that the correct type and
amount of oil and refrigerant isused. Otherwise, damage to the
compressor and abnormal system
operation may occur.
CAUTION
The air conditioning system should be serviced by an authorized Kia dealer. Improperservice may cause seriousinjury.

Driving your vehicle
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The air conditioning system
includes a function that automati-
cally turns the air conditioningcompressor off if engine coolant
temperature approaches an over
heating level. The air conditioning
compressor operation will resume
once engine coolant temperature
returns to the normal range. Also,the air conditioning compressor is
automatically turned off for a few
seconds when the accelerator isfully depressed (wide open throt-tle).
When operating the air condition- ing system use the outside (fresh)air position.
Operating the air conditioning sys- tem in the recirculated air position
does provide maximum cooling,
however, continual operation in this
mode may cause the air inside the
vehicle to become stale. Checking the amount of air
conditioner refrigerant andcompressor lubricant
When the amount of refrigerant is
low, the performance of the air con-
ditioning is reduced. Overfilling alsohas a bad influence on the air condi-tioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer.Air conditioner refrigerant and
compressor lubricant
✽✽ NOTICE
When the performance of the air
conditioning system is reduced it is
important that the correct type and
amount of oil and refrigerant isused. Otherwise, damage to the
compressor and abnormal system
operation may occur.
CAUTION
The air conditioning system should be serviced by anauthorized Kia dealer. Improperservice may cause serious injury.

Driving tips
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BEFORE DRIVING
Before entering vehicle:
Be sure that all windows, outside mirror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in Section 7,
Maintenance. Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-
trols are easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning lightgoes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and itsequipment.
WARNING - Driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Drunk driving is the num-
ber one contributor to the high-
way death toll each year. Even asmall amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgement.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink and drive.
If you are drinking or taking
drugs, don’t drive. Do not ridewith a driver who has beendrinking or taking drugs.Choose a designated driver orcall a cab. Driving while under the influ-
ence of drugs is as dangerous
or more dangerous than drivingdrunk.

Driving tips
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Driving too fast through large pud-
dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns. Winter driving
We recommend that you carry
emergency equipment, including
tire chains, a window scraper,
windshield de-icer, a bag of sand
or salt, flares, a small shovel and
jumper cables.
Make sure you have sufficient eth- ylene-glycol coolant in the radiator.
Check the battery condition and cables. Cold temperatures reduce
the capacity of any battery, so it
must be in excellent condition to
provide enough winter starting
power.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for cold weather.
Check the ignition system for loose connections and damage.
Use antifreeze-formulated wind- shield washer fluid. (Do not use
engine coolant antifreeze.)
Do not use the parking brake if it might freeze. When parking, shift
to 1 (First) or R (Reverse) with a
manual transaxle or P (Park) with
an automatic transaxle and block
the rear wheels.Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your Kia,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the
original tires. Mount snow tires on all
four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
Keep in mind that the traction provid-
ed by snow tires on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local, state and munic-ipal regulations for possible restric-tions against their use.
WARNING - Snow tire
size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-ed.

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Driving tips
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Maintenance when trailer tow- ing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particularattention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review these sections before you
start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your
trailer and hitch. Follow the mainte-nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and boltsshould be tight.✽✽NOTICE

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In case of an emergency
OVERHEATING
If your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss
of power, or if you hear a loud knock-
ing or pinging noise, the engine has
probably overheated. Should any of
these symptoms occur, use the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flash- er, then drive to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle; set
the automatic transaxle in P
(Park), or shift the manual
transaxle to N (Neutral) and apply
the parking brake.
2. Make sure the air conditioner is off.
3. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator, stop the engine and
call an Authorized Kia Dealer for
assistance. If coolant is not boiling out, allowthe engine to idle and open the
hood to permit the engine to cool
gradually.
If the temperature does not go
down with the engine idling, stop
the engine and allow sufficient
time for it to cool.
4. The coolant level should then be checked. If the level in the reser-
voir is low, look for leaks at the
radiator hoses and connections,
heater hoses and connections,
radiator, and water pump. If youfind a major leak or another prob-
lem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operatethe engine until it has been cor-
rected. Call an Authorized Kia
Dealer for assistance. If you do not
find a leak or other problem, care-
fully add coolant to the reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats,
have the cooling system checkedand repaired by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
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WARNING - Removing
radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap when the engine and radiator
are hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause seri-
ous injury.

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Maintenance
NORMAL MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
I : Inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace.
R : Replace or change. *1: Adjust alternator and power steering (and water pump drive belt) and air conditioner drive belt (if equipped).
Inspect and if necessary correct or replace.
*2 : Check the engine oil level and leak every 500 km (350 miles) or before starting a long trip.
*3 : For your convenience, it can be replaced prior to it's interval when you do maintenance of other items.
MAINTENANCE
INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE ITEMNumber of months or driving distance, whichever comes first
Months 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
Miles×1,000 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Km×1,000 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120
Drive belts *1 Gasoline I I I I I I I I
Diesel I I I I
Engine oil and Gasoline R R R R R R R R
engine oil filter *2
Diesel For Europe R R R R R R R R
Except Europe
Gasoline (2.0L)Engine timing belt
Tensioner/idler Gasoline (2.0L)
Air cleaner filter
I I R I I R I I
Air cleaner filter For Middle East
Spark plugs (Gasoline)
Replace every 10,000 km (6,000 miles) or 12 months
Inspect every 90,000 km (60,000 miles) or 48 months
and replace every 140,000 km (90,000 miles) or 72 months*3
Replace every 40,000 km (25,000 miles) *3
Replace every 15,000 km (10,000 miles)
Inspect when timing belt is inspected or replaced