2008 KIA Optima radiator cap

Your vehicle at a glance4 2ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OMG077002
1. Engine coolant reservoir ...................7-12
2. Engine oil filler cap............................7-11
3. Brake fluid reservoir ..........................7-14
4. Air cleaner .........................................7-18
5. Fuse box ...........................................6- 8
6. Negative battery terminal ...........6-4/7-21
7. Positive battery terminal .............6-4/7-21
8. Auto transaxle oil dipstick* ................7-16
9. Radiator cap......................................7-13
10. Engine oil dipstick ...........................7-11
11. Power steering fluid reservoir .........7-15
12. Windshield washer fluid reservoir ...7-17
* : if equipped

57
Driving tips
Driving at night Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight, here
are some important tips to remember:
Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare
from other driver's headlights.
Keep your headlights clean and prop-
erly aimed on vehicles not equipped
with the automatic headlight aiming
feature. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlights will make it much more diffi-
cult to see at night.
Avoid staring directly at the headlights
of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the rain Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not pre-
pared for the slick pavement. Here are a
few things to consider when driving in the
rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harder to
see and will increase the distance
needed to stop your vehicle, so slow
down.
Keep your windshield wiping equip-
ment in good shape. Replace your
windshield wiper blades when they
show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield.
If your tires are not in good condition,
making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. Be sure your tires are in
good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it eas-
ier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large puddles
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 oper-
ation returns.
Winter driving We recommend that you carry emer-
gency equipment, including a window
scraper, windshield de-icer, a bag of
sand or salt, flares, a small shovel and
jumper cables.
Make sure you have sufficient ethyl-
ene-glycol coolant in the radiator.
Check the battery condition and
cables. Cold temperatures reduce the
output capability of any battery, so it
must be in excellent condition to pro-
vide 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 windshield
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.

63
In case of an emergency
4. The coolant level should then be
checked. If the level in the reservoir is
low, look for leaks at the radiator hoses
and connections, heater hoses and
connections, radiator, and water
pump. If you find a major leak or anoth-
er problem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operate the
engine until it has been corrected. Call
an authorized Kia dealer for assis-
tance. If you do not find a leak or other
problem, carefully add coolant to the
reservoir.If the engine frequently overheats, have
the cooling system checked and repaired
by an authorized Kia dealer.
Jump starting Jump starting can be dangerous if done
incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to
yourself or damage to your vehicle or
battery, follow the jump starting proce-
dures. If in doubt, we strongly recom-
mend that you have a competent techni-
cian or towing service jump start your
vehicle.✽ ✽
NOTICEUse only a 12-volt jumper system. You
can damage a 12-volt starting motor,
ignition system, and other electrical
parts beyond repair by use of a 24-volt
power supply (either two 12-volt batter-
ies in series or a 24-volt motor generator
set).
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 serious injury.
EMERGENCY STARTING
WARNING
- Battery
• Keep all flames or sparks away
from the battery. The battery pro-
duces hydrogen gas which may
explode if exposed to flame or
sparks.
 Do not attempt to jump start the
vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte level
is low; the battery may rupture or
explode.
WARNING
- Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as this
may cause the battery to rupture or
explode causing serious injury.

69
In case of an emergency
Engine compartment
OMG065006
Fuse/Relay panel descriptionInside the fuse/relay box covers, you can find the fuse/relay
label describing fuse/relay name and capacity.
Engine compartment
Description Fuse rating Protected component
I/P B+ 2 50A In panel B+
ABS 2 40A ABS
DRL 15A Daytime running light
HORN 15A Horn
H/LP LOW 15A Headlight (low)
F/PUMP 20A Fuel pump
H/LP HI 15A Headlight (high)
ECU 10A Engine control unit
ABS 1 40A ABS
ALT 125A (150A)* Alternator
SPARE 10A Spare fuse
SPARE 15A Spare fuse
SPARE 20A Spare fuse
FRT FOG 15A Front fog light
ECU RELAY 30A Engine control unit
POWER AMP 20A Amplifier
SPARE 15A Spare fuse
SPARE 20A Spare fuse
P/OUTLET 25A Power outlet
RAD FAN 30A (40A)* Radiator fan
PCU 10A Power train control system sen-
sors, TCU
ABS 10A ABS
S/WARMER 25A Seat warmer
ATM 20A Automatic transaxle control
S/ROOF 20A Sunroof
SPARE 20A Spare fuse

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

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