
Maintenance
147
BRAKES
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 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 pads. If
the fluid level is excessively low, have the
brake system checked by an Authorized
Kia Dealer.
Use only the specified brake fluid. (Refer
to “Recommended Lubricants” later inthis section.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
WARNING
When changing and adding brake
fluid, handle it carefully. Do not let it
come in contact with your eye s.If
brake fluid should come in contact
with your eyes, immediately flush
them with a large quantity of fre sh
tap water. Have your eye s examined
by a doctor as soon as possible.
WARNING
In the event the brake s ystem
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an Authorized Kia Dealer.
CAUTION
Do not allow brake fluid to contact the vehicle' s body paint, a s paint
damage will res ult. 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 thrown
out. Don't put in the wrong kind of fluid. For example, just a few dropsof mineral-bas ed oil,such as
engine oil, in your brake system can damage brake system parts.
OGH057013

717
Maintenance
✽NOTICE
“COLD” scale is for reference only and
should NOT be used to determine
transaxle fluid level.
New 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 quality, is
not permanent. As the vehicle is driven,
the automatic transaxle fluid will begin to
look darker. The color may eventually
appear light brown.
✽NOTICE
Have an Authorized Kia dealer change
the automatic transaxle fluid according
to the Scheduled Maintenance at the
beginning of this section.CAUTION
• Low fluid level causes transaxle
slippage. Overfilling can caus e
foaming, loss of fluid and transaxle malfunction.
• The use of a non- specified fluid
could result in transaxle malfunc- tion.
WARNING- Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply parking brake and
depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
WARNING - Transaxle fluid
The transaxle fluid level should be
checked when the engine i s 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 your self during this
procedure.

Maintenance
187
LUBRICANTS AND FLUIDS
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.WARNING
• Do not use radiator coolant or
antifreeze in the was her fluid
reservoir.
• Radiator coolant can s everely
obscure visibility when sprayed
on the wind shield and may cau se
loss of vehicle control or damage
to paint and body trim.
•Wind shield 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 wa sher fluid
reservoir. Damage to the vehicle
or it's occupants could occur.
•Wind shield washer fluid is poi-
sonous to humans and animals.
Do not drink and avoid contacting
windshield washer fluid. Seriou s
injury or death could occur.
OGH057500

Maintenance
227
(Continued)
• When lifting a plastic-cased bat-tery, excessive pressure on the
case may cause battery acid to
leak, resulting in per sonal injury.
Lift with a battery carrier or with
your hands on opposite corner s.
• Never attempt to charge the bat- tery when the battery cable s are
connected.
• The electrical ignition s ystem
works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with the
engine running or the ignition
s witched on.
BATTERY
WARNING- Battery
danger s
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarette s and
all other flames or sparks
away from the battery.
Hydrogen, which i s a highly
combustible gas,i s 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 s kin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
(Continued)
(Continued)If any electrolyte gets intoyour eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at lea st
15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention. If
possible, continue to apply
water with a s ponge or
cloth until medical attention
is received.
If electrolyte gets on your
s kin, thoroughly was h 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)

Maintenance
247
✽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 precaution s:
• The battery mus t be removed
from the vehicle and placed in an
area with good ventilation.
• Do not allow cigarette s,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.
(Continued)
(Continued)
•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.

725
Maintenance
TIRES 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 inflation
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 (one 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.
3GHA523
XXX XX XX
XXX XX XXX XX
XXX XX
XXX XX XX
XXX XX XX
X
X
X
X X
X
390390860860390390860860
OGH036905N
WARNING - Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation (70 kPa
(10 ps i) or more) can lead to
s evere heat build-up, caus ing
blowouts , tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to s evere injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for protracted periods at high
s peeds .

Maintenance
267
✽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 pressure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to check
Use a good quality gauge to check
tire pressure. You can not tell if your
tires are properly inflated simply by
looking 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, adver sely
affect vehicle handling, and lead
to sudden tire failure. Thi s could
result in lo ss 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 hour s or has n'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.

Maintenance
287
Disc brake pads should be inspectedfor wear whenever tires are rotated.
Rotate radial tires that have an
a symmetric tread pattern only
from front to rear and not from
right to left.
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.Wheel alignment and tire
balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
✽
NOTICE
Improper wheel weights can dam-
age your vehicle's aluminum wheels.
Use only approved wheel weights.
2GHA5032
Tread wear indicator
WARNING
• Do not us e the temporary
spare tire for tire rotation
• Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stances . This may caus e
unusual handling characteri s-
tics that could re sult in death,
s evere injury, or property
damage.