2009 KIA Optima Owner's Manual

Maintenance26
7G180201AUNFront windshield wiper blade1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the wiper
blade assembly to expose the plastic
locking clip.
2. Compress the clip and slide the bladeassembly downward.
3. Lift it off the arm.
4. Install the blade assembly in the reverse order of removal.
1LDA5023
CAUTION
Do not allow the wiper arm to fallagainst the windshield, since it maychip or crack the windshield.
1JBA70371JBA7038

727
Maintenance
G190100AUNFor best battery service Keep the battery securely mounted.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connectionsclean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease.
Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the battery immediately with a solution of
water and baking soda.
If the vehicle is not going to be used for an extended time, disconnect the bat-
tery cables.BATTERY
OMG075021
(Continued)
If any electrolyte gets intoyour eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at least
15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention.
If electrolyte gets on your
skin, thoroughly wash the
contacted area. If you feel a
pain or a burning sensa-
tion, get medical attention
immediately.
Wear eye protection whencharging or working near a
battery. Always provide
ventilation when working in
an enclosed space.
An inappropriately dis- posed battery can be harm-
ful to the environment and
human health. Dispose the
battery according to your
local law(s) or regulation.
(Continued)
WARNING
- Battery dangers
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarettes and all other flames or sparks
away from the battery.
Hydrogen, a highly com- bustible gas, is always
present in battery cells and
may explode if ignited.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children because
batteries contain highly
corrosive SULFURIC ACID.
Do not allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
(Continued)

Maintenance28
7
G190200AUNBattery recharging Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged in a
short time (because, for example, the
headlights or interior lights were left on
while the vehicle was not in use),
recharge it by slow charging (trickle)
for 10 hours.
If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while the
vehicle is being used, recharge it at 20-
30A for two hours.
(Continued)
When lifting a plastic-cased bat-tery, excessive pressure on the
case may cause battery acid to
leak, resulting in personal injury.
Lift with a battery carrier or with
your hands on opposite corners.
Never attempt to recharge the battery when the battery cables
are connected.
The electrical ignition system works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with the
engine running or the ignition
switched on.
Failure to follow the above warn-
ings can result in serious bodily
injury or death.
CAUTION
When you don’t use the vehicle for a long time in the low temper-ature area, separate the batteryand keep it indoors.
Always charge the battery fully to prevent the battery case dam-aged in low temperature area.
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 49°C (120°F).
Wear eye protection when check- ing the battery during charging.
(Continued)

729
Maintenance
G190300AUNReset itemsItems should be reset after the battery
has been discharged or the battery has
been disconnected.
Auto up/down window (See section 4)
Sunroof (See section 4)
Trip computer (See section 4)
Climate control system (See section 4)
Clock (See section 4)
Audio (See section 4)
(Continued)
Disconnect the battery charger in the 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.
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 discon-
nected.

Maintenance30
7
CAUTION
Underinflation also results in
excessive wear, poor handlingand reduced fuel economy.Wheel deformation also ispossible. Keep your tire pres-sures at the proper levels. If atire frequently needs refilling,have it checked by an author-ized KIA dealer.
Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear atthe center of the tire tread, anda greater possibility of dam-age from road hazards.
TIRES AND WHEELS G200100AUNTire care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.G200200AUN-EURecommended cold tire inflation
pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked when the
tires are cold. “Cold Tires” means the
vehicle has not been driven for at
least three hours or driven less than
1.6 km (one mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, vehicle
handling, and minimum tire wear.
For recommended inflation pressure,
refer to “Tire and wheels” in section
8. All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the driver’s side center
pillar.
WARNING
- Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation can lead
to severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to severe injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for long periods at high speeds.
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731
Maintenance
G200300AUNChecking tire inflation pressure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.G200301AUNHow to checkUse a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile).
WARNING
- Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and
lead to sudden tire failure. This
could result in loss of vehicle
control and potential injury.
CAUTION
- Tire pressure
Always observe the following:
Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. (After vehiclehas been parked for at leastthree hours or hasn't beendriven more than 1.6 km (onemile) since startup.)
Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you checkthe pressure of other tires.
Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload avehicle luggage rack if yourvehicle is equipped with one.
Worn, old tires can cause acci- dents. If your tread is badlyworn, or if your tires havebeen damaged, replace them.
CAUTION
Warm tires normally exceed recommended cold tire pres-sures by 28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6psi). Do not release air fromwarm tires to adjust the pres-sure or the tires will be under-inflated.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation valve caps. Withoutthe valve cap, dirt or moisturecould get into the valve coreand cause air leakage. If avalve cap is missing, install anew one as soon as possible.

Maintenance32
7Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gage firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-
ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.
G200400ABHTire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness.
WARNING
Inspect your tires frequently
for proper inflation as well as
wear and damage. Always use
a tire pressure gauge.
Tires with too much or too little pressure wear unevenly caus-
ing poor handling, loss of vehi-
cle control, and sudden tire
failure leading to accidents,
injuries, and even death. The
recommended cold tire pres-
sure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and on
the tire label located on the dri-
ver's side center pillar.
Worn tires can cause acci- dents. Replace tires that are
worn, show uneven wear, or
are damaged.
Remember to check the pres- sure of your spare tire. KIA
recommends that you check
the spare every time you
check the pressure of the
other tires on your vehicle.

733
Maintenance
Disc brake pads should be inspectedfor wear whenever tires are rotated.✽
✽ NOTICERotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only from
front to rear and not from right to
left.
G200500AUNWheel alignment and tire balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
OBH078040
Without a spare tire
WARNING
Do not use the compact spare
tire for tire rotation.
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.
CAUTION
Improper wheel weights candamage your vehicle's alu-minum wheels. Use onlyapproved wheel weights.