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723
Maintenance
G052100AUN Suspension mounting bolts
Check the suspension connections for
looseness or damage. Retighten to the
specified torque.
G052200AUN
Steering gear box, linkage &
boots/lower arm ball joint
With the vehicle stopped and engine off,
check for excessive free-play in the
steering wheel.
Check the linkage for bends or damage.
Check the dust boots and ball joints for
deterioration, cracks, or damage.
Replace any damaged parts.
G050500AUN Timing belt (if equipped)
Inspect all parts related to the timing belt
for damage and deformation. Replace
any damaged parts immediately.G052400AUN Drive shafts and boots
Check the drive shafts, boots and clamps
for cracks, deterioration, or damage.
Replace any damaged parts and, if nec-
essary, repack the grease.
G052500AUN
Air conditioning refrigerant (if equipped)
Check the air conditioning lines and con-
nections for leakage and damage.
G060100AUN
Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reachnormal operating temperature.
ENGINE OIL
OSA077003
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Maintenance
24
7
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 betweenF and L. If it is near or at L, add enough oil to bring
the level to F.
Do not overfill.
Use a funnel to help prevent oil frombeing spilled on engine components.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer to “Recommended lubricants and capaci-
ties” in section 9.)
G060200ASA Changing the engine oil and filter
Have the engine oil and filter changed by
an authorized KIA dealer according tothe Maintenance Schedule at the begin-ning of this section.
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.
OSA077004
WARNING
Used engine oil may cause skin irri- tation or cancer if left in contact
with the skin for prolonged periods
of time. Used engine oil contains
chemicals that have caused cancer
in laboratory animals. Always pro-
tect your skin by washing your
hands thoroughly with soap and
warm water as soon as possibleafter handling used oil.
Page 276 of 335

725
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
G070000AUN 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 thebeginning of the winter season, and
before traveling to a colder climate. G070100ASA
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 iscool.
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 leadto cooling system and engine
damage and hot coolant or steam
could cause serious personal
injury.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Turn the engine off and wait untilit 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 aresure 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 radiatorcap 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.
OSA077005
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727
Maintenance
G070200AUN Changing the coolant
Have coolant changed by an authorized KIA dealer according to the MaintenanceSchedule at the beginning of this section.G080100ASA
Checking the brake/clutch 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/clutch fluid, clean the area
around the reservoir cap thoroughly to
prevent brake/clutch 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 linings.
If the fluid level is excessively low, have
the brake system checked by an author-
ized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified brake/clutch fluid.
(Refer to “Recommended lubricants or
capacities” in section 9.)
Never mix different types of fluid.CAUTION
Put a thick cloth around the radiatorcap before refilling the coolant inorder to prevent the coolant from
overflowing into engine parts such as the generator.
WARNING - Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant or antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
Radiator coolant can severely obscure visibility when sprayed
on the windshield and may cause
loss of vehicle control or damage
to paint and body trim.
BRAKE/CLUTCH FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
OSA077007
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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729
Maintenance
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
G100100ASA
Checking the automatic transaxle
fluid level
The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
Keep the vehicle on level ground with the
parking brake applied and check the fluid
level according to the following proce-
dure.
1. Place the shift lever in N (Neutral) posi- tion and confirm if the engine is run-
ning at normal idle speed. 2. After the transaxle is warmed up suffi-
ciently [fluid temperature 70~80°C
(158~176°F)], for example by 10 min-
utes usual driving, move the shift leverthrough all positions then place the
shift lever in N(Neutral) or P(Park)position.
3. Confirm if the fluid level is in the "HOT"range on the level gauge. If the fluid
level is lower, add the specified fluid
from the fill hole. If the fluid level is
higher, drain the fluid from the drain
hole.
4. If the fluid level is checked in cold con- dition [fluid temperature 20~30°C(68~86°F)], add the fluid to the "COLD"
line and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
OSA077008OSA077009
HOT
COLD
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Maintenance
30
7
✽✽
NOTICE
The “COLD” range is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determinethe transaxle fluid level.
✽
✽ NOTICE
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 quali-
ty, is not permanent. As the vehicle isdriven, the automatic transaxle fluid
will begin to look darker. The color may
eventually appear light brown.
Therefore, have an authorized KIA
dealer change the automatic transaxlefluid according to the ScheduledMaintenance at the beginning of thissection.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
lubricants or capacities" in section 9.)
G100200AUN Changing the automatic transaxle fluid
Have the automatic transaxle fluid
changed by an authorized KIA dealeraccording to the Maintenance Scheduleat the beginning of this section.
WARNING - Transaxle fluid
The transaxle fluid level should be
checked when the engine is 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 yourself during
this procedure.
CAUTION
Low fluid level causes transaxle slippage. Overfilling can cause
foaming, loss of fluid and transaxle malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could cause transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.
WARNING - Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply the parking brake
and depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
Page 283 of 335
Maintenance
32
7
FUEL FILTER (FOR DIESEL)
G150100ASA
Draining water from the fuel filter
The fuel filter for diesel engine plays an
important role of separating water from
fuel and accumulating the water in itsbottom.
If water accumulates in the fuel filter, the
warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is in the ON position. If this warn-
ing light illuminates, take your car to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the sys-
tem checked.
Place a water trap under the fuel filter.
Loosen the drain plug and drain thewater.
After water is drained, securely tighten the drain plug.
After starting the engine, check to make sure the fuel filter warning light is
off.
CAUTION
If the water accumulated in the fuel
filter is not drained at proper times, damages to the major parts such as
the fuel system can be caused bywater permeation in the fuel filter.
HSM240-1
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Maintenance
40
7
G190200AUN
Battery recharging
Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged in a
short time (because, for example, the
headlights or interior lights were left on
while the vehicle was not in use),
recharge it by slow charging (trickle)
for 10 hours.
If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while the
vehicle is being used, recharge it at 20-
30A for two hours. G190300ASA Reset items
Items should be reset after the battery
has been discharged or the battery hasbeen disconnected.
Auto down window (See section 4)
Climate control system (See section 4)
Clock (See section 4)
Audio (See section 4)
(Continued)
The electrical ignition system
works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with theengine running or the ignition
switched on.
Failure to follow the above warn-
ings can result in serious bodily
injury or death.WARNING - Recharging
battery
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed from the vehicle and placed in an area with good ventilation.
Do not allow cigarettes, 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.
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.
(Continued)(Continued)
Before performing maintenanceor 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 discon-nected.