Maintenance
26
7
Check the condition and connections of all cooling system hoses and heater
hoses. Replace any swollen or deterio-
rated hoses.
The coolant level should be filled
between F and L marked on the side of
the coolant reservoir when the engine iscool.
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.
Recommended engine coolant
Use only soft (distilled) 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 specifiedcoolant.
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
Temperature Mixture Percentage (volume)
Antifreeze Water
OYN079005
729
Maintenance
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
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 shift lever in N (Neutral) posi- tion and confirm the engine is running
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 leverthrough all positions then place the
shift lever in N(Neutral) or P(Park)position. 3. Confirm if the fluid level is in the "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 the “C”
(COLD) line and then recheck the fluid
level according to the above step 2.
✽✽
NOTICE
“C” (COLD) range is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determine
transaxle fluid level.
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 shift slippage. Overfilling cancause foaming, loss of fluid andtransaxle malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could result in transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.
OYN079010OSA077009
COLD HOT
Maintenance
38
7
Battery 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 cablesare connected.
The electrical ignition system works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with theengine running or the ignition
switched on.
Failure to follow the above warn-
ings can result in serious bodily
injury or death.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.
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.
Maintenance
48
7
5. Maximum permissible inflation
pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should be put in
the tire. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible inflation pressure. Refer
to the Tire and Loading Information
label for recommended inflation
pressure.
6. Maximum load rating
This number indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and pounds that
can be carried by the tire. When
replacing the tires on the vehicle,
always use a tire that has the same
load rating as the factory installed
tire.
7. Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
For example:
TREAD wear 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate ofthe tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate. These grades are molded on the
side-walls of passenger vehicle tires.
The tires available as standard or
optional equipment on your vehicle
may vary with respect to grade.
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement measuredunder controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include accelera-
tion, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.
749
Maintenance
Temperature -A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation ofheat and its ability to dissipate heatwhen tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratorytest wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of perform-
ance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
WARNING - Tire
temperature
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
build-up and sudden tire failure.
This can cause loss of vehicle
control and serious injury ordeath.
759
Maintenance
LIGHT BULBS
Use only the bulbs of the specifiedwattage.
✽✽ NOTICE
After 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.
Headlight, position light, turn sig-
nal light, front fog light bulbreplacement
(1) Headlight (Low) (2) Headlight (High)
(3) Position light
(4) Front turn signal light
(5) Front fog light (if equipped)
* The actual lamp in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
WARNING - Working on
the lights
Prior to working on the light, firmly
apply the parking brake, ensure
that the ignition switch is turned tothe LOCK position and turn off the
lights to avoid sudden movement
of the vehicle and burning your fin-
gers or receiving an electric shock.
CAUTION
Be sure to replace the burned-out bulb with one of the same wattagerating. Otherwise, it may cause
damage to the fuse or electric wiring system.
CAUTION
If you don’t have necessary tools,the correct bulbs and the expertise,
consult an authorized KIA dealer. Inmany cases, it is difficult to replacevehicle light bulbs because other parts of the vehicle must be
removed before you can get to thebulb. This is especially true if youhave to remove the headlight
assembly to
get to the bulb(s).
Removing/installingthe headlight
assembly can result in damage to the vehicle.OYN079027
771
Maintenance
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design and
construction practices to combat corro-
sion, we produce vehicles of the highest
quality. However, this is only part of the
job. To achieve the long-term corrosion
resistance your vehicle can deliver, the
owner's cooperation and assistance isalso required.
Common causes of corrosion The most common causes of corrosion
on your vehicle are:
allowed to accumulate underneath the
vehicle.
Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abrasion or minor
scrapes and dents which leave unpro-
tected metal exposed to corrosion. High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehicle
is regularly exposed to corrosive materi-
als, corrosion protection is particularly
important. Some of the common causes
of accelerated corrosion are road salts,
dust control chemicals, ocean air and
industrial pollution.
Moisture breeds corrosion Moisture creates the conditions in which
corrosion is most likely to occur. For
example, corrosion is accelerated by
high humidity, particularly when tempera-
tures are just above freezing. In such
conditions, the corrosive material is kept
in contact with the vehicle’s surface by
moisture that slowly evaporates.
Mud is particularly corrosive because it
dries slowly and holds moisture in con-
tact with the vehicle. Although the mud
appears to be dry, it can still retain mois-ture and promote corrosion.
High temperatures can also accelerate
corrosion of parts that are not properly
ventilated so the moisture can be dis-
persed. For all these reasons, it is par-
ticularly important to keep your vehicle
clean and free of mud or accumulations
of other materials. This applies not only
to the visible surfaces but particularly to
the underside of the vehicle.
777
Maintenance
Diesel Particulate Filter (if equipped)
The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) sys-
tem removes the soot emitted from the
vehicle.
Unlike a disposable air filter, the DPF
system automatically burns (oxidizes)
and removes the accumulated soot
according to the driving condition. In
other words, the active burning by engine
control system and high exhaust gas
temperature caused by normal/high driv-
ing condition burns and removes the
accumulated soot.
However, if the vehicle continues to be
driven at low speed for long time, the
accumulated soot may not be automati-
cally removed because of low exhaust
gas temperature. In this particular case,the amount of soot is out of detection
limit, the soot oxidation process by
engine control system may not happen
and the malfunction indicator light may
blink. When the malfunction indicator light
blinks, it may stop blinking by driving the
vehicle at more than 60km/h (37 mph) orat more than second gear with 1500 ~
2000 engine rpm for a certain time (for
about 25 minutes).If the malfunction indicator light contin-
ues to be blinked in spite of the proce-
dure, please visit an authorized KIA deal-
er and then check the DPF system.
If you continue to drive with the malfunc-
tion indicator light blinking for a long
time, the DPF system can be damaged
and fuel consumption can be worsen.