Page 185 of 219
79
Maintenance
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OJB058004
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Negative battery terminal
7. Positive battery terminal
8. Auto transaxle oil dipstick
(if equipped)
9. Radiator cap
10. Engine oil dipstick
11. Power steering fluid reservoir
(if equipped)
12. Windshield washer fluid
reservoir
Page 186 of 219
Maintenance
10 7
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reach
normal 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.)
Changing the engine oil and filter
Have engine oil and filter changed by an
Authorized Kia Dealer according to the
Maintenance Schedule at the beginning
of this section.
1JBA7035
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.
1JBA7036
Page 187 of 219

711
Maintenance
ENGINE 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.
1JBA7002
Page 188 of 219
Maintenance
12 7
Engine coolant
Have coolant changed by an authorized
Kia dealer according to the Maintenance
Schedule at the beginning of this section.
• 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.
1JBA7003
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.
-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
TemperatureMixture Percentage (volume)
Coolant
SolutionWater
Page 189 of 219

713
Maintenance
BRAKE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
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.
✽
NOTICE
Do 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.
1JBA7004
Page 190 of 219

Maintenance
14 7
DRIVE BELTS
Drive belts should be checked periodical-
ly for proper tension and adjusted 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. After
a belt is replaced, the new belt should be
adjusted again after two or three weeks
to eliminate slack resulting from initial
stretching after use.
Checking the compressor drive
belt
Have 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 hose
Check the hoses and hose connections
for leaks or damage before driving the
vehicle.
1JBA7005
POWER STEERING (IF EQUIPPED)
Page 191 of 219

715
Maintenance
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
Checking the automatic transaxle
fluid level
The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
Keep the vehicle on the level ground with
the parking brake applied and check the
fluid level according to the following pro-
cedure.
1. Place the selector lever in N (Neutral)
position and confirm the engine is run-
ning at normal idle speed.
2. After the transaxle is warmed up suffi-
ciently (fluid temperature 158~176°F
(70~80°C)), for example by 10 minutes
usual driving, shift the selector lever
through all positions then place the
selector lever in N (Neutral) or P (Park)
position.3. Confirm that the fluid level is in “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 68~86°F
(20~30°C) add the fluid to “COLD” line
and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
1JBA70061LDA5009
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.
WARNING- Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply parking brake and
depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
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 result in transaxle malfunc-
tion and failure.
Page 192 of 219

Maintenance
16 7
✽
NOTICE
“COLD” scale is for reference only and
should NOT be used to determine
transaxle fluid level.
New automatic transaxle fluid should
be red. The red dye is added so the
assembly plant can identify it as auto-
matic transaxle fluid and distinguish it
from engine oil or antifreeze. The red
dye, which is not an indicator of fluid
quality, is not permanent. As the vehi-
cle is driven, the automatic transaxle
fluid will begin to look darker. The
color may eventually appear light
brown.
✽
NOTICE
Have an Authorized Kia dealer inspect
or change the automatic transaxle fluid
according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.
Checking the washer fluid level
The reservoir is translucent so that you
can check the level with a quick visual
inspection.
Check the fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir and add fluid if necessary. Plain
water may be used if washer fluid is not
available. However, use washer solvent
with antifreeze characteristics in cold cli-
mates to prevent freezing.
LUBRICANTS AND FLUIDS
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.
•Windshield washer fluid agents
contain some amounts of alcohol
and can be flammable under cer-
tain circumstances. Do not allow
sparks or flame to contact the
washer fluid or the washer fluid
reservoir. Damage to the vehicle
or it's occupants could occur.
•Windshield washer fluid is poi-
sonous to humans and animals.
Do not drink and avoid contacting
windshield washer fluid. Serious
injury or death could occur.
1JBA7008