Page 281 of 326

77
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE
Owner maintenance schedule
The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed by
the owner or an Authorized Kia Dealer at
the frequencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your dealer as
soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks are
generally not covered by warranties and
you may be charged for labor, parts and
lubricants used.
When you stop for fuel:
• Check the engine oil level.
• Check coolant level in coolant reser-
voir.
• Check the windshield washer fluid
level.
• Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle:
• Note any changes in the sound of the
exhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
• Check for vibrations in the steering
wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering
wheel, or change in its straight-ahead
position.
• Notice if your vehicle constantly turns
slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling on smooth, level road.
• When stopping, listen and check for
strange sounds, pulling to one side,
increased brake pedal travel or “hard-
to-push” brake pedal.
• If any slipping or changes in the oper-
ation of your transmission occurs,
check the transmission fluid level.
• Check automatic transmission P (Park)
function.
• Check parking brake.
• Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle
(water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-
mal).
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause burns or
other serious injury.
Page 282 of 326

Maintenance
8 7
At least monthly:
• Check coolant level in the coolant
recovery reservoir.
• Check the operation of all exterior
lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
• Check the inflation pressures of all
tires including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall) :
• Check radiator, heater and air condi-
tioning hoses for leaks or damage.
• Check windshield washer spray and
wiper operation. Clean wiper blades
with clean cloth dampened with wash-
er fluid.
• Check headlight alignment.
• Check muffler, exhaust pipes, shields
and clamps.
• Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear
and function.
• Check for worn tires and loose wheel
lug nuts.
At least once a year :
• Clean body and door drain holes.
• Lubricate door hinges and checks, and
hood hinges.
• Lubricate door and hood locks and
latches.
• Lubricate door rubber weatherstrips.
• Check the air conditioning system
before the warm weather season.
• Check the power steering fluid level.
• Inspect and lubricate automatic trans-
mission linkage and controls.
• Clean battery and terminals.
• Check the brake fluid level.
Page 284 of 326
Maintenance
10 7
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OBL086001N
1. Air cleaner
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Engine oil dipstick
4. Auto transmission fluid dipstick*
5. Brake / clutch* fluid reservoir
6. Fuse box
7. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
8. Power steering fluid reservoir
9. Radiator cap
10. Engine coolant reservoir
11. Battery
* : if equipped
1435 62
7
89
1110
* The actual engine room in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
Page 288 of 326

Maintenance
14 7
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 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.
OBL056008N
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.
Page 290 of 326

Maintenance
16 7
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (IF EQUIPPED)
Checking the automatic transmis-
sion fluid level
The automatic transmission 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 idle speed.2. After the transmission is warmed up
sufficiently (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.
OBL056002
Automatic transmission fluid dipstick
25 C 75 C
E2BLA712A LowHOT
COLDFull
Low
Cold fluid scaleHot fluid scale
Full
Page 291 of 326

717
Maintenance
✽
NOTICE
“COLD” scale is for reference only and
should NOT be used to determine trans-
mission fluid level.
✽
NOTICE
New automatic transmission fluid
should be red. The red dye is added so
the assembly plant can identify it as
automatic transmission fluid and distin-
guish it from engine oil or antifreeze.
The red dye, which is not an indicator of
fluid quality, is not permanent. As the
vehicle is driven, the automatic trans-
mission fluid will begin to look darker.
The color may eventually appear light
brown. Therefore, have an Authorized
Kia dealer change the automatic trans-
mission fluid according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.CAUTION
• Low fluid level causes transmis-
sion slippage. Overfilling can
cause foaming, loss of fluid and
transmission malfunction.
• The use of a non-specified fluid
could result in transmission mal-
function and failure.
WARNING- Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply parking brake and
depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
WARNING - Transmission
fluid
The transmission fluid level should
be checked when the engine is at
normal 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.
Page 302 of 326
Maintenance
28 7
Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.
Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only
from front to rear and not from
right to left.
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch ) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.
WARNING
• Do not use the compact spare
tire for tire rotation.
• Do not mix bias ply and radial
ply tires under any circum-
stance. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.
CBGQ0706
CBGQ0707
CBGQ0707A
Without a spare tire With a full-size spare tire
Directional tires (if equipped)
Tread wear indicator
2GHA5032
Page 312 of 326

Maintenance
38 7
LUBRICANT SPECIFICATIONS
Recommended lubricants
To help achieve proper engine and pow-
ertrain performance and durability, use
only lubricants of the proper quality. The
correct lubricants also help promote
engine efficiency that results in improved
fuel economy.
Engine oils labeled Energy Conserving
Oil are now available. Along with other
additional benefits, they contribute to fuel
economy by reducing the amount of fuel
necessary to overcome engine friction.
Often, these improvements are difficult to
measure in everyday driving, but in a
year’s time, they can offer significant cost
and energy savings.
*¹ Refer to the recommended SAE viscosity numbers on the next page.
*
2LSD : Limited Slip Differential
These lubricants and fluids are recommended for use in your vehicle.
Lubricant Classification
API Service SJ, SL or above,
ILSAC GF-3 or above
Automatic transmission fluid APOLLOIL ATF RED-1K
4WD transfer case fluid DEXRON III (fill-for-life)
Front differential fluid API Service GL-5 (SAE 90)
Rear differential Without LSD *
2API Service GL-5 (SAE 90)
fluidWith LSD *2API Service GL-5 (SAE 85W-90, INFILREX 33)
Power steering fluid PSF-III
Brake fluid FMVSS116 DOT-3 or DOT-4
Engine oil *¹