2008 KIA Optima Owner's Manual

Maintenance8 7At least once a year : Clean body and door drain holes.
Lubricate door hinges and checks, and
hood hinges.
Lubricate door and hood locks and
latches.
Lubricate door rubber weatherstrips.
Check the air conditioning system
before the warm weather season.
Check the power steering fluid level.
Inspect and lubricate automatic
transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean battery and terminals.
Check the brake fluid level.
Owner maintenance precautions Improper or incomplete service may
result in problems. This section gives
instructions only for the maintenance
items that are easy to perform.
As explained earlier in this section, sev-
eral procedures can be done only by an
authorized Kia dealer with special tools.
Improper owner maintenance during
the warranty period may affect war-
ranty coverage. For details, read the
separate Kia Warranty & Consumer
Information Manual provided with the
vehicle. If you're unsure about any
servicing or maintenance procedure,
have it done by an Authorized Kia
Dealer.
WARNING
- Maintenance
work
Performing maintenance work on
a vehicle can be dangerous. You
can be seriously injured while per-
forming some maintenance pro-
cedures. If you lack sufficient
knowledge and experience or the
proper tools and equipment to do
the work, have it done by an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
Working under the hood with the
engine running is dangerous. It
becomes even more dangerous
when you wear jewelry or loose
clothing. These can become
entangled in moving parts and
result in injury. Always remove all
loose or hanging clothing and all
jewelry before working on the
engine.

79
Maintenance
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OMG077001
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Negative battery terminal
7. Radiator cap
8. Positive battery terminal
9. Auto transaxle oil dipstick (if equipped)
10. Engine oil dipstick
11. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
12. Power steering fluid reservoir
■ ■
2.4L Gasoline Engine

Maintenance10
7
OMG077002
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Negative battery terminal
7. Radiator cap
8. Positive battery terminal
9. Auto transaxle oil dipstick (if equipped)
10. Engine oil dipstick
11. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
12. Power steering fluid reservoir
■ ■
2.7L Gasoline Engine

711
Maintenance
ENGINE OILChecking the engine oil level 1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reachnormal operating temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for a few minutes (about 5 minutes) for the oil to
return to the oil pan.
4. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and re-insert it fully.
5. Pull the dipstick out again and check the level. The level should be between
F and L. If it is near or at L, add enough oil to bring
the level to F.
Do not overfill.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer
to “Recommended Lubricants” later in this section.)
✽ ✽ NOTICEAlthough oil filters may have the same
external appearance, their internal
designs differ significantly. These filters
are not interchangeable. To avoid poten-
tial engine damage, use only the speci-
fied filter. Consult an authorized Kia
dealer.
WARNING -
Radiator hose
Be very careful not to touch the
radiator hose when checking or
adding the engine oil as it may be
hot enough to burn you.
WARNING
Used engine oil may cause irritation
or cancer of the skin if left in con-
tact with the skin for prolonged
periods of time. Used engine oil
contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory ani-
mals. Always protect your skin by
washing your hands thoroughly
with soap and warm water as soon
as possible after handling used oil.
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OMG077004

Maintenance12 7ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM The high-pressure cooling system has a
reservoir filled with year-round antifreeze
coolant. The reservoir is filled at the fac-
tory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at the
beginning of the winter season, and
before traveling to a colder climate.Checking the coolant level
Check the condition and connections of
all cooling system hoses and heater
hoses. Replace any swollen or deterio-
rated hoses.
The coolant level should be filled
between F and L marks on the side of the
coolant reservoir when the engine is
cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
specified coolant to provide protection
against freezing and corrosion. Bring the
level to F, but do not overfill. If frequent
additions are required, see an authorized
Kia dealer for a cooling system inspec-
tion.
WARNING
- Removing
radiator cap
Never attempt to remove the radi-
ator cap while the engine is oper-
ating or hot. Doing so might lead
to cooling system and engine
damage and could result in seri-
ous personal injury from escap-
ing hot coolant or steam.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Turn the engine off and wait until
it cools down. Use extreme care
when removing the radiator cap.
Wrap a thick towel around it, and
turn it counterclockwise slowly to
the first stop. Step back while the
pressure is released from the
cooling system. When you are
sure all the pressure has been
released, press down on the cap,
using a thick towel, and continue
turning counterclockwise to
remove it.
Even if the engine is not operat-
ing, do not remove the radiator
cap or the drain plug while the
engine and radiator are hot. Hot
coolant and steam may still blow
out under pressure, causing seri-
ous injury.
OMG075005

713
Maintenance
Engine coolant Use only soft (de-mineralized) water in
the coolant mixture.
The engine in your vehicle has alu-
minum engine parts and must be pro-
tected by an ethylene-glycol-based
coolant to prevent corrosion and freez-
ing.
DO NOT USE alcohol or methanol
coolant or mix them with the specified
coolant.
Do not use a solution that contains
more than 60% antifreeze or less than
35% antifreeze, which would reduce
the effectiveness of the solution.For mixture percentage, refer to the fol-
lowing table.
WARNING -
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 caus-
ing serious injury.
5°F (-15°C) 35 65
-13°F (-25°C) 40 60
-31°F (-35°C) 50 50
-49°F (-45°C) 60 40Ambient
TemperatureMixture Percentage (volume)
Coolant
SolutionWater
OMG075006

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.
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715
Maintenance
DRIVE BELTSDrive belts should be checked periodical-
ly for proper tension and replaced if nec-
essary. At the same time, belts should be
examined for cracks, wear, fraying or
other evidence of deterioration and
replaced if necessary.
Belt routing should also be checked to be
sure there is no interference between the
belts and other parts of the engine.
If the belt is too loose, have it replaced by
an authorized Kia dealer.Checking the compressor drive
beltHave the drive belts checked in accor-
dance with the maintenance schedule.
Checking 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.
✽ ✽
NOTICE• To avoid damage to the power steer-
ing pump, do not operate the vehicle
for prolonged periods with a low
power steering fluid level.
• Never start the engine when the reser-
voir tank is empty.
• When adding fluid, be careful that
dirt does not get into the tank.
• Insufficient fluid can result in
increased steering effort; excessive
noise may also be present as the steer-
ing wheel is turned.
• The use of the non-specified fluid
could reduce the effectiveness of the
power steering wheel and cause dam-
age to it.Use only the specified power steering
fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
Lubricants" later in this section.)Power steering hoseCheck the hoses and hose connections
for leaks or damage before driving the
vehicle.
POWER STEERING (IF EQUIPPED)
OMG075008