Maintenance
12
7
G050800AUN
Air cleaner filter
A Genuine KIA air cleaner filter is recom-
mended when the filter is replaced.
G050900AUN
Spark plugs
Make sure to install new spark plugs of
the correct heat range.
G051000AHM
Valve clearance (3.8L)
Inspect for excessive valve noise and/or
engine vibration and adjust if necessary.
An authorized KIA dealer should perform
the operation.
G051100AHM
Cooling system
Check the cooling system components,
such as the radiator, coolant reservoir,
hoses and connections for leakage and
damage. Replace any damaged parts.
G051200AUN
Coolant
The coolant should be changed at the
intervals specified in the maintenance
schedule.
Automatic transmission fluid
(if equipped)
Automatic transmission fluid should not
be checked under normal usage condi-
tions.
But in severe conditions, the fluid should
be changed at an authorized KIA dealer
in accordance to the scheduled mainte-
nance at the beginning of this chapter.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Automatic transmission fluid color is
basically red.
As the vehicle is driven, the automatic
transmission fluid will begin to look
darker.
It is normal condition and you should
not judge the need to replace the fluid
based upon the changed color.
G051500AUN
Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and any
leakage. Replace any deteriorated or
damaged parts immediately.
G051600AHM
Brake fluid
Check the brake fluid level in the brake
fluid reservoir. The level should be
between “MIN” and “MAX” marks on the
side of the reservoir. Use only hydraulic
brake fluid conforming to DOT 3 or DOT
4 specification.
CAUTION
The use of a non-specified fluid
could result in transmission mal-function and failure.
Use only specified automatic trans-mission fluid. (Refer to“Recommended lubricants andcapacities” in section 8.)
713
Maintenance
G051700AUN
Parking brake
Inspect the parking brake system includ-
ing the parking brake pedal and cables.
G051900AUN
Brake discs, pads, calipers and
rotors
Check the pads for excessive wear, discs
for run out and wear, and calipers for fluid
leakage.
G052000AUN
Exhaust pipe and muffler
Visually inspect the exhaust pipes, muf-
fler and hangers for cracks, deterioration,
or damage. Start the engine and listen
carefully for any exhaust gas leakage.
Tighten connections or replace parts as
necessary.
G052100AUN
Suspension mounting bolts
Check the suspension connections for
looseness or damage. Retighten to the
specified torque.
G052200AUN
Steering gear box, linkage &
boots/lower arm ball joint
With the vehicle stopped and engine off,
check for excessive free-play in the
steering wheel.
Check the linkage for bends or damage.
Check the dust boots and ball joints for
deterioration, cracks, or damage.
Replace any damaged parts.
G052300AEN
Power steering pump, belt and
hoses
Check the power steering pump and
hoses for leakage and damage. Replace
any damaged or leaking parts immedi-
ately. Inspect the power steering belt (or
drive belt) for evidence of cuts, cracks,
excessive wear, oiliness and proper ten-
sion. Replace or adjust it if necessary.
G052400AUN
Drive shafts and boots
Check the drive shafts, boots and clamps
for cracks, deterioration, or damage.
Replace any damaged parts and, if nec-
essary, repack the grease.
G052500AUN
Air conditioning refrigerant
Check the air conditioning lines and con-
nections for leakage and damage.
Maintenance
18
7
BRAKE FLUID
G080100AHM
Checking 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 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 author-
ized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified brake fluid. (Refer
to “Recommended lubricants and capac-ities” in section 8.)
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.
OHM078005N
CAUTION
Do not allow brake fluid to contactthe vehicle's body paint, as paintdamage will result. Brake fluid, which has been exposed to open airfor 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, in your brake system can damagebrake system parts.
Maintenance
30
7
Remove 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.G200400AUN
Tire 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.
Refer to “Tire and wheels” in section
8.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.
Maintenance
38
7
G201100AHM-EC
Tire terminology and definitions
Air Pressure: The amount of air
inside the tire pressing outward on
the tire. Air pressure is expressed in
kilopascal (kPa) or pounds per
square inch (psi).
Accessory Weight : This means the
combined weight of optional acces-
sories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic transmis-
sion, power seats, and air condition-
ing.
Aspect Ratio : The relationship of a
tire's height to its width.
Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords
that is located between the plies and
the tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead: The tire bead contains steel
wires wrapped by steel cords that
hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire : A pneumatic tire in
which the plies are laid at alternate
angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread. Cold Tire Pressure: The amount of
air pressure in a tire, measured in
kilopascals (kPa) or pounds per
square inch (psi) before a tire has
built up heat from driving.
Curb Weight: This means the weight
of a motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil and
coolant, but without passengers and
cargo.
DOT Markings: The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric des-
ignator which can also identify the
tire manufacturer, production plant,
brand and date of production.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the Front Axle.
GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the Rear axle.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 possible sudden
tire failure. This can cause loss
of vehicle control and serious
injury or death.
Maintenance
40
7
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire: Load on an individual tire due to
curb and accessory weight plus
maximum occupant and cargo
weight.
Vehicle Normal Load on the Tire :
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each
axle its share of the curb weight,
accessory weight, and normal occu-
pant weight and driving by 2.
Vehicle Placard: A label permanent-
ly attached to a vehicle showing the
original equipment tire size and rec-
ommended inflation pressure. All season tires
KIA specifies all season tires on
some models to provide good per-
formance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All season tires are identified
by ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud
and Snow) on the tire sidewall. Snow
tires have better snow traction than
all season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
KIA specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior perform-
ance on dry roads. Summer tire per-
formance is substantially reduced in
snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M+S
(Mud and Snow) on the tire side wall.
if you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions. KIA recom-
mends the use of snow tires or all
season tires on all four wheels.Snow tires
If you equip your car with snow tires,
they should be the same size and
have the same load capacity as the
original tires. Snow tires should be
installed on all four wheels; other-
wise, poor handling may result.
Snow tires should carry 28 kPa (4
psi) more air pressure than the pres-
sure recommended for the standard
tires on the tire label on the driver's
side of the center pillar, or up to the
maximum pressure shown on the tire
sidewall, whichever is less.
Do not drive faster than 120 km/h (75
mph) when your vehicle is equipped
with snow tires.
Maintenance
56
7
G230107AHM
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 is
also 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 evaporate slowly.
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 the
moisture 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.
761
Maintenance
Do not operate the engine in confinedor closed areas (such as garages) any
more than what is necessary to move
the vehicle in or out of the area.
When the vehicle is stopped in an open area for more than a short time
with the engine running, adjust the
ventilation system (as needed) to draw
outside air into the vehicle.
Never sit in a parked or stopped vehi- cle for any extended time with the
engine running.
When the engine stalls or fails to start, excessive attempts to restart the
engine may cause damage to the
emission control system.G270303CUN
Operating precautions for catalyticconverters (if equipped)
Your vehicle is equipped with a catalytic
converter emission control device.
Therefore, the following precautions
must be observed:
Use only UNLEADED FUEL for gaso- line engines. Do not operate the vehicle when there
are signs of engine malfunction, such
as misfire or a noticeable loss of per-
formance.
Do not misuse or abuse the engine. Examples of misuse are coasting with
the ignition off and descending steep
grades in gear with the ignition off.
Do not operate the engine at high idle speed for extended periods (5 minutes
or more).
Do not modify or tamper with any part of the engine or emission control sys-
tem. All inspections and adjustments
must be made by an authorized KIA
dealer.
Avoid driving with a very low fuel level. If you run out of gasoline, it could
cause the engine to misfire and result
in excessive loading of the catalytic
converter.
Failure to observe these precautions
could result in damage to the catalytic
converter and to your vehicle.
Additionally, such actions could void your
warranties.
WARNING- Fire
A hot exhaust system can ignite flammable items under your vehi-
cle. Do not park, idle or drive the
vehicle over or near flammable
objects, such as grass, vegeta-
tion, paper, leaves, etc.
The exhaust system and catalytic system are very hot while the
engine is running or immediately
after the engine is turned off. Keep
away from the exhaust system
and catalytic, you may get burned.
Also, do not remove the heat sink
around the exhaust system, do
not seal the bottom of the vehicle
or do not coat the vehicle for cor-
rosion control. It may present a
fire risk under certain conditions.