2008 KIA PICANTO coolant temperature

Introduction
6
1
INDICATOR SYMBOLS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
Seat belt warning light
High beam indicator
Passenger’s front air bag OFF indicator (if equipped)
Turn signal indicator
ABS warning light (if equipped)
Parking brake & Brake fluid warning light
Engine oil pressure warning light
ESP indicator (if equipped)
ESP OFF indicator (if equipped)
Malfunction indicator (if equipped)
Air bag warning light (if equipped)
Immobilizer indicator (if equipped)
Low fuel level warning light
Glow indicator (Diesel only)
Fuel filter warning light (Diesel only)
* For more detailed explanations, refer to “Instrument cluster” in section 4.
Charging system warning light
A050000ASA
Door ajar warning light
Overspeed warning light (if equipped)
120km/h
Tailgate open warning light O/D OFF indicator (if equipped)
O/D
OFF
Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system warning light (if equipped) EPS
Engine coolant temperature indicator

429
Features of your vehicle
D150300AUN
Warnings and indicators
All warning lights are checked by turning
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). Any light that does not illuminate
should be checked by an authorized KIA
dealer.
After starting the engine, check to make
sure that all warning lights are off. If anyare still on, this indicates a situation that
needs attention. When releasing the
parking brake, the brake system warning
light should go off. The fuel warning light
will stay on if the fuel level is low.D150301ASA
Engine temperature
indicator
The indicator shows the temperature of the engine coolant when the ignition
switch is ON. The red indicator illuminates if the tem-
perature of the engine coolant is above117±3°C (240±5.5°F).
Do not continue driving with an overheat-
ed engine. If your vehicle overheats, refer
to “Overheating” in the Index.
✽✽ NOTICE
If the red engine temperature indicator illuminates, it indicates overheating thatmay damage the engine.
D150302AUN
Air bag warning light (if equipped)
This warning light will illuminate for
approximately 6 seconds each time you
turn the ignition switch to the ON posi-tion. This light also comes on when the
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is
not working properly. If the air bag warn-
ing light does not come on, or continu-
ously remains on after operating for
about 6 seconds when you turned the
ignition switch to the ON position or start-
ed the engine, or if it comes on while
driving, have the SRS inspected by an
authorized KIA dealer.
Red

Driving your vehicle
34
5
E120200AUN
Use high quality ethylene glycol coolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high quality
ethylene glycol coolant in the cooling
system. It is the only type of coolant that
should be used because it helps prevent
corrosion in the cooling system, lubri-
cates the water pump and prevents
freezing. Be sure to replace or replenish
your coolant in accordance with themaintenance schedule in section 7.
Before winter, have your coolant tested toassure that its freezing point is sufficient
for the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.
E120300AUN
Check battery and cables
Winter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the bat-
tery and cables as described in section
7. The level of charge in your battery can
be checked by an authorized KIA dealer
or a service station. E120400AUN
Change to "winter weight" oil if
necessary In some climates it is recommended that
a lower viscosity "winter weight" oil be
used during cold weather. See section 9
for recommendations. If you aren't sure
what weight oil you should use, consult
an authorized KIA dealer.
E120500AUN
Check spark plugs and ignition
system (for gasoline engine)
Inspect your spark plugs as described in
section 7 and replace them if necessary.
Also check all ignition wiring and compo-
nents to be sure they are not cracked,
worn or damaged in any way.
WARNING
- Tire chains
The use of chains may adversely affect vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 30 km/h (20 mph) or the chain manufacturer’s rec-
ommended speed limit, whichev-
er is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns, and other
road hazards, which may cause
the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked- wheel braking.
CAUTION
Chains that are the wrong size or
improperly installed can damageyour vehicle's brake lines, sus-pension, body and wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear themhitting the vehicle.

Driving your vehicle
40
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E140407ASA
Parking on hills
Generally, you should not park your vehi-
cle with a trailer attached on a hill. People
can be seriously or fatally injured, and
both your vehicle and trailer can be dam-
aged if they begin a downhill trajectory.
However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your brakes, but don’t shift into
gear.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brakes. Apply your park- ing brake, and then shift to R
(Reverse) for a manual transaxle or P
(Park) for an automatic transaxle.
5. Release the brakes. When you are ready to leave after park-ing on a hill
1. With the manual transaxle in Neutral
or automatic transaxle in P (Park),
apply your brakes and hold the brake
pedal down while you:

and

2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
WARNING - Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake is
not firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be seriously or
fatally injured.CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 6%) payclose attention to the engine coolant temperature gauge to
ensure the engine does not over-heat. If the needle of the coolanttemperature gauge moves across the dial towards “H (or 130°C /
260°F)” (HOT), pull over and stopas soon as it is safe to do so, andallow the engine to idle until it cools down. You may proceed
once the engine has cooled suffi- ciently.
You must decide the driving speed depending on trailer
weight and uphill grade to reducethe possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
WARNING - Parking on a
hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause seri-
ous injury or death because the
trailer could break loose.

What to do in an emergency
6
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IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
F050000ASA
If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, you experience a loss of power,
or hear loud pinging or knocking, the
engine is probably too hot. If this hap-
pens, you should:
1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it is safe to do so.
2. Place the gear selector lever in P (auto- matic transaxle) or Neutral (manual
transaxle) and set the parking brake. If
the air conditioning is on, turn it off.
3. If the engine coolant is running out under the car or steam is coming out
from the hood, stop the engine. Do notopen the hood until the coolant has
stopped running or the steaming has
stopped. If there is no visible loss of
engine coolant and no steam, leave
the engine running and check to be
sure the engine cooling fan is operat-
ing. If the fan is not running, turn the
engine off. 4. Check to see if the water pump drive
belt is missing. If it is not missing,
check to see that it is tight. If the drive
belt seems to be satisfactory, check for
coolant leaking from the radiator,
hoses or under the car. (If the air con-
ditioning had been in use, it is normal
for cold water to be draining from it
when you stop).
5. If the water pump drive belt is broken or engine coolant is leaking out, stop the engine immediately and call the
nearest authorized KIA dealer for
assistance. 6. If you cannot find the cause of over-
heating, wait until the engine tempera-
ture has returned to normal. Then,
check to see if the coolant has beenlost, carefully add coolant to the reser-
voir to bring the fluid level in the reser-
voir up to the halfway mark.
7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheating. If over-heating happens again, call an author-
ized KIA dealer for assistance.
WARNING
While the engine is running, keep
hair, hands and clothing away from
moving parts such as the fan and
drive belts to prevent injury.
WARNING
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This can
allow coolant to be blown out of the
opening and cause serious burns.
CAUTION
Serious loss of coolant indicates there is a leak in the cooling systemand this should be checked as soonas possible by an authorized KIA dealer.

Maintenance
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G050800AUN
Air cleaner filter
A Genuine KIA air cleaner filter is recom- mended when the filter is replaced.
G050900AUN
Spark plugs (for gasoline engine)
Make sure to install new spark plugs of
the correct heat range.
G051000AUN
Valve clearance (if equipped)
Inspect excessive valve noise and/or
engine vibration and adjust if necessary.
An authorized KIA dealer should perform
the operation.
G051100AUN Cooling system
Check the cooling system components,
such as radiator, coolant reservoir, hoses
and connections for leakage and dam-
age. Replace any damaged parts. G051200AUN Coolant The coolant should be changed at the
intervals specified in the maintenance
schedule.
G051300AUN
Manual transaxle fluid (if equipped)
Inspect the manual transaxle fluid
according to the maintenance schedule.
G051400AUN
Automatic transaxle fluid (if equipped)
The fluid level should be in the "HOT"
range of the dipstick, after the engine
and transaxle are at normal operating
temperature. Check the automatic
transaxle fluid level with the engine run-
ning and the transaxle in neutral, with the
parking brake properly applied.
G051500AUN Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and any
leakage. Replace any deteriorated or
damaged parts immediately.G051600ASA Brake fluid
Check the brake fluid level in the brake
fluid reservoir. The level should be
between “MIN” and “MAX” marks on the
side of the reservoir. Use only hydraulic
brake fluid conforming to DOT 3 or DOT4 specification.
G051700AUN
Parking brake
Inspect the parking brake system includ-
ing the parking brake pedal and cables.
G051800APA Rear brake drums and linings (if equipped)
Check the rear brake drums and linings
for scoring, burning, leaking fluid, broken
parts, and excessive wear.
G051900AUN
Brake discs, pads, calipers and
rotors
Check the pads for excessive wear, discs
for run out and wear, and calipers for fluid
leakage.

Maintenance
26
7
G070101AUN
Recommended 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 specifiedcoolant.
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.
-15°C (5°F) 35 65
-25°C (-13°F) 40 60
-35°C (-31°F) 50 50
-45°C (-49°F) 60 40
Ambient
Temperature Mixture Percentage (volume)
Antifreeze Water
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 pres-
sure causing serious injury.
OSA077006