2009 KIA Optima Owner's Manual

Maintenance18
7
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.
CAUTION
Put a thick cloth or fabric around
the radiator cap before refilling the coolant in order to prevent thecoolant from overflowing into engine parts such as the 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.
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719
Maintenance
BRAKE FLUIDG080100AMGChecking 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/clutch fluid, clean the area
around the reservoir cap thoroughly to
prevent brake/clutch 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/clutch fluid.(Refer to “Recommended lubricants orcapacities” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
WARNING -
Brake fluid
When changing and adding brake/
clutch fluid, handle it carefully. Do
not let it come in contact with your
eyes. If brake fluid should come in
contact with your eyes, immediate-
ly 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 contactthe vehicle's body paint, as paintdamage will result. Brake fluid,which has been exposed to open air for an extended time should neverbe used as its quality cannot be guaranteed. It should be disposedof properly. Don't put in the wrong kind of fluid. A few drops of miner-al-based oil, such as engine oil, inyour brake system can damage brake system parts.
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Maintenance20
7POWER STEERING FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)G090100AMGChecking 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.
✽ ✽
NOTICE - (if equipped)Check that the fluid level is in the
"HOT" range on the reservoir. If the
fluid is cold, check that it is in the
"COLD" range (if equipped).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 lubricantsor capacities" in section 8.)G090200AENChecking the power steering
hoseCheck the connections for oil leaks, dam-
age and twists in the power steering
hose before driving.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the power steering pump, do not operate thevehicle for prolonged periods with a low power steering fluidlevel.
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/ornoise from the power steeringsystem.
The use of the non-specified fluid could reduce the effectiveness ofthe power steering system andcause damage to it.
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721
Maintenance
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)G100100AMGChecking 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 shift 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, move the shift lever
through all positions then place the
shift 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 “C” (COLD)
line and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
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Maintenance22
7
✽
✽
NOTICE“C” (COLD) range is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determine
transaxle fluid level.✽ ✽NOTICENew automatic transaxle fluid should be
red. The red dye is added so the assem-
bly plant can identify it as automatic
transaxle fluid and distinguish it from
engine oil or antifreeze. The red dye,
which is not an indicator of fluid quali-
ty, is not permanent. As the vehicle is
driven, the automatic transaxle fluid
will begin to look darker. The color may
eventually appear light brown.
Therefore, 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 and capacities” in section 8.)
G100200AUNChanging the automatic transaxle
fluidHave automatic transaxle fluid changed
by an authorized KIA dealer according to
the Maintenance Schedule at the begin-
ning of this section.
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 causefoaming, loss of fluid and transaxle malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could result in transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.

723
Maintenance
WASHER FLUIDG120100AUNChecking 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.
G140100AMGChecking the parking brake Check the stroke of the parking brake by
counting the number of “clicks’’ heard
while fully applying it from the released
position. Also, the parking brake alone
should securely hold the vehicle on a fair-
ly steep grade. If the stroke is more or
less than specified, have the parking
brake adjusted by an authorized KIA
dealer.
Stroke : 8 “clicks’’ at a force of 20 kg (44 lbs, 196 N).
WARNING -
Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant orantifreeze 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 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.
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PARKING BRAKE

Maintenance24
7AIR CLEANER G160100AUN-ECFilter replacement It must be replaced when necessary, and
should not be cleaned and reused. Replace the filter according to the
Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is operated in extremely
dusty or sandy areas, replace the ele-ment more often than the usual recom-mended intervals.
G170100AUN-ECFilter inspectionIf the vehicle is operated in severely air-
polluted cities or on dusty rough roads for
a long period, it should be inspected
more frequently and replaced earlier.
When you replace the climate control air
filter, replace it performing the following
procedure, and be careful to avoid dam-
aging other components.
OMG075012
CAUTION
Do not drive with the air cleaner removed; this will result in exces-sive engine wear.
Use a KIA genuine part. Use of non-genuine parts could damagethe air flow sensor.
CLIMATE CONTROL AIR FILTER

725
Maintenance
WIPER BLADES G180100AUNBlade inspection✽
✽NOTICECommercial hot waxes applied by auto-
matic car washes have been known to
make the windshield difficult to clean.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the wiper blades with foreign matter can
reduce the effectiveness of the wind-
shield wipers. Common sources of con-
tamination are insects, tree sap, and hot
wax treatments used by some commer-
cial car washes. If the blades are not wip-
ing properly, clean both the window and
the blades with a good cleaner or mild
detergent, and rinse thoroughly with
clean water.
G180200AUNBlade replacement When the wipers no longer clean ade-
quately, the blades may be worn or
cracked, and require replacement.
1JBA5122
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, do not use gasoline, kerosene, paint thinner, or othersolvents on or near them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiperarms or other components, do not attempt to move the wipers manual-ly.
CAUTION
The use of a non-specified wiperblade could result in wiper malfunc- tion and failure.