2008 KIA Rondo engine

715
Maintenance
G052200AUNSteering gear box, linkage &
boots/lower arm ball jointWith 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.G052300AUNPower steering pump, belt and
hosesCheck the power steering pump and
hoses for leakage and damage. Replace
any damaged or leaking parts immedi-
ately. Inspect the power steering belt for
evidence of cuts, cracks, excessive wear,
oiliness and proper tension. Replace or
adjust it if necessary.
G052400AUNDrive shafts and bootsCheck the drive shafts, boots and clamps
for cracks, deterioration, or damage.
Replace any damaged parts and, if nec-
essary, repack the grease.G052500AUNAir conditioning refrigerant
(if equipped)Check the air conditioning lines and con-
nections for leakage and damage.

Maintenance16 7ENGINE OILG060100AUNChecking 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 a funnel to help prevent oil from
being spilled on engine components.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer
to “Recommended lubricants and capaci-
ties” in section 8.)
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.
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717
Maintenance
G060200AUNChanging the engine oil and filterHave engine oil and filter changed by an
authorized KIA dealer according to the
Maintenance Schedule at the beginning
of this section.
G070000AUNThe 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.G070100AUNChecking the coolant level
WARNING
Used engine oil may cause irrita-
tion or cancer of the skin if left in
contact with the skin for prolonged
periods of time. Used engine oil
contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory ani-
mals. Always protect your skin by
washing your hands thoroughly
with soap and warm water as soon
as possible after handling used oil.
ENGINE COOLANT
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.

Maintenance18 7Check 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.
G070101AUNRecommended 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.
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-15°C (5°F) 35 65
-25°C (-13°F) 40 60
-35°C (-31°F) 50 50
-45°C (-49°F) 60 40Ambient
TemperatureMixture Percentage (volume)
Coolant
SolutionWater

719
Maintenance
G070200AUNChanging the coolantHave coolant changed by an authorized
KIA dealer according to the Maintenance
Schedule at the beginning of this section.
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.
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CAUTION
Put a thick cloth or fabric around
the radiator cap before refilling the
coolant in order to prevent the
coolant from overflowing into
engine parts such as 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.

Maintenance20 7BRAKE FLUIDG080100AUN-EUChecking the 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 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 or capaci-
ties” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
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.
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CAUTION
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 cannot be
guaranteed. It should be disposed
of properly. Don't put in the wrong
kind of fluid. A few drops of miner-
al-based oil, such as engine oil, in
your brake system can damage
brake system parts.

721
Maintenance
POWER STEERING FLUIDG090100AUNChecking 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.
Use only the specified power steering
fluid. (Refer to "Recommended lubricants
or capacities" in section 8.)
G090200AUNChecking the power steering
hoseCheck the connections for oil leaks,
severe damage and twists in the power
steering hose before driving.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the power
steering pump, do not operate the
vehicle for prolonged periods
with a low power steering fluid
level.
Never start the engine when the
reservoir tank is empty.
When adding fluid, be careful that
dirt does not get into the tank.
Too little fluid can result in
increased steering effort and/or
noise from the power steering
system.
The use of the non-specified fluid
could reduce the effectiveness of
the power steering system and
cause damage to it.
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Maintenance22 7AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUIDG100100BUNChecking 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 70~80°C
(158~176°F)), for example by 10 min-
utes 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 20~30°C
(68~86°F) add the fluid to “COLD” line
and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
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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.
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