
Maintenance
10 6
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 a funnel to refill the new oil com-
fortably.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer
to “Recommended Lubricants” later in
this section.)
Have engine oil and filter changed by an
Authorized Kia Dealer according to the
Maintenance Schedule at the beginning
of this section.
WARNING
Used engine oil may cause irritation
or cancer of the skin if left in con-
tact 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.
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.
OVQ066002NOVQ068003N 

611
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
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.
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.
OVQ066004N 

Maintenance
12 6
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.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.
-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
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.
OVQ066010NOVQ066021N 

613
Maintenance
AIR CLEANER 
Element replacement
Have the air cleaner element checked
and replaced in accordance with the
maintenance schedule.
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 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.
OVQ066005N
WARNING - Engine
Driving without an air cleaner
encourages backfiring, which could
cause a fire in the engine compart-
ment.
CAUTION - Engine
Do not drive with the air cleaner
removed; this will result in exces-
sive engine wear.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
OVQ066011NOVQ056002
COLD
HOT 

Maintenance
14 6
“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 change
the automatic transaxle fluid according
to the Scheduled Maintenance at the
beginning of this section.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
Lubricants" later in this section.)
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.
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. 

615
Maintenance
BRAKES
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 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
Authorized Kia Dealer.
Use only the specified brake fluid. (Refer
to “Recommended Lubricants” later in
this section.)
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.
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 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
system can damage brake  system
parts.
OVQ067024N 

Maintenance
16 6
LUBRICANTS AND FLUIDS 
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.
This warning light indicates
the washer fluid reservoir is
near empty. Refill the washer
fluid as soon as possible.
Body lubrication  
All moving points of the body, such as
door hinges, hood hinges, and locks,
should be lubricated each time the
engine oil is changed. Use a non-freez-
ing lubricant on locks during cold weath-
er.
Make sure the engine hood secondary
latch keeps the hood from opening when
the primary latch is released.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.
OVQ066013N 

617
Maintenance
POWER STEERING 
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.
Use only the specified power steering
fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
Lubricants" later in this section.)
Power steering hoses
Check the connections for oil leaks,
severe damage and twists in the power
steering hose before driving.The climate control air filter installed
behind the glove box filters the dust or
other pollutants that come into the vehi-
cle from the outside through the heating
and air conditioning system. If dust or
other pollutants accumulate in the filter
over a period of time, the air flow from the
air vents may decrease, resulting in
moisture accumulation on the inside of
the windshield even when the outside
(fresh) air position is selected. If this hap-
pens, have the climate control air filter
replaced by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
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 sys-
tem.
• The use of the non-specified fluid
could reduce the effectiveness of
the power steering system and
cause damage to it.
OVQ066012N
CLIMATE CONTROL AIR FILTER 
1LDA5047
Outside air
Recirculated
air
Climate control
air filterBlower
Evaporator
coreHeater core