Driving your vehicle54
4Air conditioning system opera-
tion tips If the vehicle has been parked in direct
sunlight during hot weather, open the
windows for a short time to let the hot
air inside the vehicle escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of the windows on rainy humid days,
decrease the humidity inside the vehi-
cle by operating the air conditioning
system.
During air conditioning system opera- tion, you may occasionally notice a
slight change in the engine speed as
the air conditioning compressor cycles
on. This is a normal system operation
characteristics.
Use the air conditioning system every month only for a few minutes to ensure
maximum system performance.
When using the air conditioning sys- tem, you may notice clear water drip-
ping (or even pudding) on the ground
under the passenger side of the vehi-
cle. This is a normal system operation
characteristics. Operating the air conditioning system
in the recirculated air position does
provide maximum cooling, however,
continual operation in this mode may
cause the air inside the vehicle to
become stale.
Checking the amount of air con-
ditioner refrigerant and compres-
sor lubricantWhen the amount of refrigerant is low,
the performance of the air conditioning is
reduced. Overfilling also has a bad influ-
ence on the air conditioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer.
CAUTION
When the performance of the airconditioning system is reduced it isimportant that the correct type and amount of oil and refrigerant isused. Otherwise, damage to the compressor and abnormal systemoperation may occur.
CAUTION
When using the air conditioningsystem, monitor the temperature gauge closely while driving up hillsor in heavy traffic when outside temperatures are high. Air condi-tioning system operation maycause engine overheating. Continue to use the blower fan butturn the air conditioning system off if the temperature gauge indicatesengine overheating.
WARNING
The air conditioning system should
be serviced by an authorized Kia
dealer. Improper service may cause
serious injury to the person per-
forming the service.
59
Driving tips
Driving too fast through large puddlescan affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking oper-
ation returns.
Winter driving We recommend that you carry emer-gency equipment, including tire chains,
a window scraper, windshield de-icer,
a bag of sand or salt, flares, a small
shovel and jumper cables.
Make sure you have sufficient ethyl- ene-glycol coolant in the radiator.
Check the battery condition and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the
capacity of any battery, so it must be in
excellent condition to provide enough
winter starting power.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for cold weather.
Check the ignition system for loose connections and damage. Use antifreeze-formulated windshield
washer fluid. (Do not use engine
coolant antifreeze.)
Do not use the parking brake if it might freeze. When parking, shift to P (Park)
with an automatic transaxle and block
the rear wheels.
63
In case of an emergency
3. Have all passengers get out of the car.Be sure they all get out on the side of
the car that is away from traffic.
4. When changing a flat tire, follow the instruction provided later in this sec-
tion.If engine stalls while driving1. Reduce your speed gradually, keepinga straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try to start the engine again. If your vehicle will not start, contact an
authorized KIA dealer or seek other
qualified assistance. If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, if you experience a loss of
power, or if you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine has probably
overheated. Should any of these symp-
toms occur, use the following procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flasher,
then drive to the nearest safe location
and stop your vehicle; set the automat-
ic transaxle in P (Park) and apply the
parking brake.
2. Make sure the air conditioner is off.
3. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator, stop the engine and call an
Authorized Kia Dealer for assistance.
If coolant is not boiling out, allow the
engine to idle and open the hood to
permit the engine to cool gradually.
If the temperature does not go down
with the engine idling, stop the engine
and allow sufficient time for it to cool. 4. The coolant level should then be
checked. If the level in the reservoir is
low, look for leaks at the radiator hoses
and connections, heater hoses and
connections, radiator, and water
pump. If you find a major leak or anoth-
er problem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operate the
engine until it has been corrected. Call
an Authorized Kia Dealer for assis-
tance. If you do not find a leak or other
problem, carefully add coolant to the
reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats, havethe cooling system checked and repaired by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
WARNING
- Removing
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. This
could cause serious injury.
OVERHEATING
713
Maintenance
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTERChecking the engine oil level 1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reachnormal 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 inthis section.)
Changing the engine oil and filterChange engine oil and filter according to
the Scheduled Maintenance at the begin-
ning of this section.
OGH057003
OGH057005
Maintenance28
7✽
✽
NOTICE• Before performing maintenance or
recharging the battery, turn off all
accessories and stop the engine.
• The negative battery cable must be removed first and installed last when
the battery is disconnected.
WARNING
- Recharging
battery
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed
from the vehicle and placed in an
area with good ventilation.
Do not allow cigarettes, sparks, or flame near the battery.
Watch the battery during charg- ing, and stop or reduce the charg-
ing rate if the battery cells begin
gassing (boiling) violently or if
the temperature of the electrolyte
of any cell exceeds 120°F (49°C).
Wear eye protection when check- ing the battery during charging.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Disconnect the battery charger inthe following order.
1. Turn off the battery charger main switch.
2. Unhook the negative clamp from the negative battery terminal.
3. Unhook the positive clamp from the positive battery terminal.
741
Maintenance
BULB REPLACEMENT Use only the bulbs of the specifiedwattage.
Headlight bulb replacement ✽
✽ NOTICEAfter heavy, driving rain or washing,
headlight and taillight lenses could
appear frosty. This condition is caused by
the temperature difference between the
lamp inside and outside. This is similar
to the condensation on your windows
inside your vehicle during the rain and
doesn’t indicate a problem with your
vehicle. If the water leaks into the lamp
bulb circuitry, have the vehicle checked
by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
WARNING
- Working on
the lights
Prior to working on the light, firmly
apply the parking brake and ensure
that the ignition switch is turned to
the “LOCK” position to avoid sud-
den movement of the vehicle and
burning your fingers or receiving an
electric shock.
CAUTION
If you don’t have necessary tools,
the correct bulbs and the expertise,consult an Authorized Kia Dealer. In many cases, it is difficult to replacevehicle light bulbs because otherparts of the vehicle must beremoved before you can get the bulb. Especially if you must removethe front bumper to replace the lightbulbs in the front of the vehicle. This may result in damage to thevehicle.
OGH056016
➀ Headlight (High)
➁ Headlight (Low)
➂ Front fog light
➃ Position light
➄ Front turn signal light
\b Side mark light
WARNING
- Halogen bulbs
Halogen bulbs contain pressur-
ized gas that will produce flying
pieces of glass if broken.
Always handle them carefully, and avoid scratches and abra-
sions. If the bulbs are lit, avoid
contact with liquids. Never touch
the glass with bare hands.
Residual oil may cause the bulb
to overheat and burst when lit. A
bulb should be operated only
when installed in a headlight.
(Continued)
G270A03ON
747
Maintenance
Recommended SAE viscosity
number Engine oil viscosity (thickness) has an
effect on fuel economy and cold weather
operating (starting and oil flow). Lower
viscosity engine oils can provide better
fuel economy and cold weather perform-
ance, however, higher viscosity engine
oils are required for satisfactory lubrica-
tion in hot weather. Using oils of any vis-
cosity other than those recommended
could result in engine damage.
When choosing an oil, consider the range of temperature your vehicle will be operat-
ed in before the next oil change. Proceed to select the recommended oil viscosity
from the chart.
Temperature Range for SAE Viscosity Numbers
TemperatureGasoline
Engine Oil *
1°C
(°F)
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 -10 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
1. For better fuel economy, it is recommended to use the engine oil of a viscosity grade SAE 5W-
20,5W-30 (API SL / ILSAC GF-3). However, the engine oil is not available in your country,
select the proper engine oil using the engine oil viscosity chart.
10W-30
5W-20, 5W-30
CAUTION
Always be sure to clean the areaaround any filler plug, drain plug, or dipstick before checking or drain-ing any lubricant. This is especiallyimportant in dusty or sandy areasand when the vehicle is used on unpaved roads. Cleaning the plugand dipstick areas will prevent dirt and grit from entering the engineand other mechanisms that couldbe damaged.