2008 KIA PICANTO Owners Manual

Maintenance
62
7
6. Install the socket in the assembly by
aligning the tabs on the socket with the
slots in the assembly. Push the socket
into the assembly and turn the socket
clockwise.
7. Replace the service cover and tighten the screws.
G220400AUN High mounted stop light replacement (if equipped)
If the light does not operate, have the
vehicle checked by an authorized KIA
dealer. G220500ASA
License plate light bulb replace- ment
1. Loosen the light assembly retaining
screws with a cross-tip screwdriver.
2. Disconnect the bulb electrical connec- tor.
3. Separate the socket and the lens parts by turning the socket counterclockwise
until the tabs on the socket align with
the slots on the lens part.
4. Remove the bulb by pulling it straight out.
5. Insert a new bulb in the socket.
6. Reassemble the socket and the lens part.
7. Connect the bulb electrical connector.
8. Reinstall the light assembly securely with the retaining screws.
OSA0770361SAE5036

763
Maintenance
G220600ASA
Interior light bulb replacement
1. Using a flat-blade screwdriver, gentlypry the lens from the interior light housing.
2. Remove the bulb by pulling it straight out.
3. Install a new bulb in the socket.
4. Align the lens tabs with the interior light housing notches and snap the
lens into place.
WARNING
Prior to working on the Interior
Lights, ensure that the “OFF” but-
ton is depressed to avoid burning
your fingers or receiving an electric
shock.
CAUTION
Be careful not to dirty or damage lens, the lens tab, and plastic hous-ings.
OSA077059
OSA077060
Dome light
Luggage room lamp

Maintenance
64
7
Exterior care
G230101AUN
Exterior general caution
It is very important to follow the label
directions when using any chemical
cleaner or polish. Read all warning andcaution statements that appear on thelabel.
G230102BUN
Finish maintenance
Washing
To help protect your vehicle’s finish from
rust and deterioration, wash it thoroughlyand frequently at least once a month with
lukewarm or cold water.
If you use your vehicle for off-road driv-
ing, you should wash it after each off-
road trip. Pay special attention to the
removal of any accumulation of salt, dirt,
mud, and other foreign materials. Make
sure the drain holes in the lower edges of
the doors and rocker panels are keptclear and clean. Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial pollution and similar deposits
can damage your vehicle’s finish if not
removed immediately.
Even prompt washing with plain water
may not completely remove all these
deposits. A mild soap, safe for use on
painted surfaces, may be used.
After washing, rinse the vehicle thor-
oughly with lukewarm or cold water. Do
not allow soap to dry on the finish.
APPEARANCE CARECAUTION
Do not use strong soap, chemical
detergents or hot water, and do notwash the vehicle in direct sunlight
or when the body of the vehicle is warm.
WARNING - Wet brakes
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.
CAUTION
Water washing in the engine com- partment including high pressure
water washing may cause the fail-ure of electrical circuits located in
the engine compartment.
Never allow water or other liquids to come in contact with electri-
cal/electronic components inside the vehicle as this may damage
them.
OJB037800

765
Maintenance
Waxing
Wax the vehicle when water will no longer bead on the paint.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing. Use a good quality liquid or
paste wax, and follow the manufacturer’s
instructions. Wax all metal trim to protect
it and to maintain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materials
with a spot remover will usually strip the
wax from the finish. Be sure to re-wax
these areas even if the rest of the vehicle
does not yet need waxing.G230103AUN
Finish damage repair
Deep scratches or stone chips in the
painted surface must be repaired
promptly. Exposed metal will quickly rust
and may develop into a major repair
expense.
✽✽
NOTICE
If your vehicle is damaged and requires
any metal repair or replacement, be sure
the body shop applies anti-corrosion
materials to the parts repaired or
replaced.
G230104AUN
Bright-metal maintenance
To remove road tar and insects, use a tar remover, not a scraper or other
sharp object.
To protect the surfaces of bright-metal parts from corrosion, apply a coating of
wax or chrome preservative and rub to
a high luster.
During winter weather or in coastal areas, cover the bright metal parts with
a heavier coating of wax or preserva-
tive. If necessary, coat the parts with
non-corrosive petroleum jelly or other
protective compound.
CAUTION
Wiping dust or dirt off the body
with a dry cloth will scratch thefinish.
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong detergentscontaining highly alkaline or
caustic agents on chrome-plated or anodized aluminum parts. This
may cause damage to the protec-tive coating and cause discol- oration or paint deterioration.

Maintenance
66
7
G230105ASA
Underbody maintenance
Corrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may col-
lect on the underbody. If these materials
are not removed, accelerated rusting can
occur on the underbody parts such as
the fuel lines, frame, floor pan and
exhaust system, even though they have
been treated with rust protection.
Thoroughly flush the vehicle underbody
and wheel openings with lukewarm or
cold water once a month, after off-road
driving and at the end of each winter. Payspecial attention to these areas because
it is difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet down
the road grime without removing it. The
lower edges of the doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes
that should not be allowed to clog with
dirt; trapped water in these areas can
cause rusting. G230106AUN
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated with a
clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-
ishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminum wheels. They
may scratch or damage the finish.
Use only a mild soap or neutral deter- gent, and rinse thoroughly with water.
Also, be sure to clean the wheels after
driving on salted roads. This helps pre-
vent corrosion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high- speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any acid detergent. It may damage and corrode the aluminum
wheels coated with a clear protectivefinish.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.

767
Maintenance
G230107ASA
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design and
construction practices to combat corro-
sion, we produce cars of the highest
quality. However, this is only part of the
job. To achieve the long-term corrosion
resistance your vehicle can deliver, the
owner's cooperation and assistance isalso required.
Common causes of corrosion The most common causes of corrosion
on your car are:
allowed to accumulate underneath the
car.
Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abrasion or minor
scrapes and dents which leave unpro-
tected metal exposed to corrosion. High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your car is
regularly exposed to corrosive materials,
corrosion protection is particularly impor-
tant. Some of the common causes of
accelerated corrosion are road salts,
dust control chemicals, ocean air and
industrial pollution.
Moisture breeds corrosion Moisture creates the conditions in which
corrosion is most likely to occur. For
example, corrosion is accelerated by
high humidity, particularly when tempera-
tures are just above freezing. In such
conditions, the corrosive material is kept
in contact with the car’s surface by mois-
ture that evaporates slowly.
Mud is particularly corrosive because it
dries slowly and holds moisture in con-
tact with the vehicle. Although the mud
appears to be dry, it can still retain mois-ture and promote corrosion.
High temperatures can also accelerate
corrosion of parts that are not properly
ventilated so the moisture can be dis-
persed. For all these reasons, it is par-
ticularly important to keep your car clean
and free of mud or accumulations of
other materials. This applies not only to
the visible surfaces but particularly to the
underside of the car.

Maintenance
68
7
To help prevent corrosion
You can help prevent corrosion from get-
ting started by observing the following:
Keep your car clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is to
keep your car clean and free of corrosive
materials. Attention to the underside of
the car is particularly important.
If you live in a high-corrosion area —
where road salts are used, near the
ocean, areas with industrial pollution,
acid rain, etc.—, you should take extra
care to prevent corrosion. In winter,
hose off the underside of your car atleast once a month and be sure toclean the underside thoroughly when
winter is over.
give particular attention to the compo-
nents under the fenders and other
areas that are hidden from view. Do a
thorough job; just dampening the accu-
mulated mud rather than washing it
away will accelerate corrosion rather
than prevent it. Water under high pres-
sure and steam are particularly effec-
tive in removing accumulated mud and
corrosive materials.
rocker panels and frame members, be
sure that drain holes are kept open sothat moisture can escape and not be
trapped inside to accelerate corrosion.
Keep your garage dry
Don't park your car in a damp, poorly
ventilated garage. This creates a favor-
able environment for corrosion. This is
particularly true if you wash your car in
the garage or drive it into the garage
when it is still wet or covered with snow,
ice or mud. Even a heated garage can
contribute to corrosion unless it is well
ventilated so moisture is dispersed. Keep paint and trim in good condition
Scratches or chips in the finish should be
covered with "touch-up" paint as soon as
possible to reduce the possibility of cor-
rosion. If bare metal is showing through,the attention of a qualified body and paintshop is recommended.
Bird droppings : Bird droppings are high-
ly corrosive and may damage painted
surfaces in just a few hours. Always
remove bird droppings as soon as possi-
ble. Don't neglect the interior Moisture can collect under the floor mats
and carpeting and cause corrosion.
Check under the mats periodically to be
sure the carpeting is dry. Use particular
care if you carry fertilizers, cleaning
materials or chemicals in the car.
These should be carried only in proper
containers and any spills or leaks should
be cleaned up, flushed with clean water
and thoroughly dried.

769
Maintenance
Interior care
G230201AUN
Interior general precautions
Prevent caustic solutions such as per- fume and cosmetic oil from contacting
the dashboard because they may cause
damage or discoloration. If they do con-tact the dashboard, wipe them off imme-
diately. See the instructions for the prop-
er way to clean vinyl.G230202AUN
Cleaning the upholstery and interior
trim
Vinyl
Remove dust and loose dirt from vinyl
with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.
Clean vinyl surfaces with a vinyl cleaner. Fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt from fabric
with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.Clean with a mild soap solution recom-
mended for upholstery or carpets.
Remove fresh spots immediately with a
fabric spot cleaner. If fresh spots do not
receive immediate attention, the fabriccan be stained and its color can be
affected. Also, its fire-resistant properties
can be reduced if the material is not
properly maintained. G230203ASA
Cleaning the lap/shoulder belt web-
bing
Clean the belt webbing with any mild
soap solution recommended for cleaning
upholstery or carpet. Follow the instruc-
tions provided with the soap. Do not
bleach or re-dye the webbing because
this may weaken it.
G230204AUN
Cleaning the interior window glass
If the interior glass surfaces of the vehi-
cle become fogged (that is, covered with
an oily, greasy or waxy film), they should
be cleaned with glass cleaner. Follow the
directions on the glass cleaner container.CAUTION
Never allow water or other liquidsto come in contact withelectrical/electronic components
inside the vehicle as this may dam- age them.
CAUTION
Using anything but recommendedcleaners and procedures may affectthe fabric’s appearance and fire-
resistant properties.
CAUTION
Do not scrape or scratch the insideof the rear window. This may cause
damage to the rear windowdefroster grid.