2011 KIA Optima coolant reservoir

Your vehicle at a glance
42
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
1. Engine coolant reservoir ...................7-18
2. Engine oil filler cap ...........................7-15
3. Brake/clutch* fluid reservoir ..............7-20
4. Air cleaner.........................................7-23
5. Fuse box ...........................................7-48
6. Positive battery terminal ...................7-31
7. Negative battery terminal..................7-31
8. Windshield washer fluid reservoir .....7-21
9. Radiator cap .....................................7-19
10. Engine oil dipstick ...........................7-15
* : if equipped
OTF070002/OYF071200N
* The actual engine room in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
■
■
2.4L Engine
■
■ 2.0L Engine

What to do in an emergency
66
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, you will experience a loss of
power, or hear loud pinging or knocking,
the engine is probably too hot. If this hap-
pens, you should:
1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as itis safe to do so.
2. Place the shift lever in P (automatic transaxle) or neutral (manual
transaxle) and set the parking brake. If
the air conditioning is on, turn it off.
3. If engine coolant is running out under the vehicle or steam is coming out
from underneath the hood, stop the
engine. Do not open the hood until the
coolant has stopped running or the
steaming has stopped. If there is no
visible loss of engine coolant and no
steam, leave the engine running and
check to be sure the engine cooling
fan is operating. If the fan is not run-
ning, turn the engine off.
4. Check to see if the water pump drive belt is missing. If it is not missing,
check to see that it is tight. If the drive
belt seems to be satisfactory, check for
coolant leaking from the radiator,
hoses or under the vehicle. (If the air
conditioning had been in use, it is nor-
mal for cold water to be draining from
it when you stop). 5. If the water pump drive belt is broken
or engine coolant is leaking out, stop
the engine immediately and call the
nearest authorized KIA dealer for
assistance. 6. If you cannot find the cause of the
overheating, wait until the engine tem-
perature has returned to normal. Then,
if coolant has been lost, carefully add
coolant to the reservoir to bring the
fluid level in the reservoir up to the
halfway mark.
7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheating. If over-
heating happens again, call an author-
ized KIA dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
Serious loss of coolant indicates
there is a leak in the cooling systemand this should be checked as soonas possible by an authorized KIAdealer.
WARNING
While the engine is running, keep
hair, hands and clothing away from
moving parts such as the fan and
drive belts to prevent injury.
WARNING
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This can
allow coolant to be blown out of the
opening and cause serious burns.

Maintenance
27
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
■
■2.4L Engine
■
■ 2.0L Engine
* The actual engine room in the vehicle may differ from the illustration. 1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake/clutch fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Positive battery terminal
7. Negative battery terminal
8. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
9. Engine oil dipstick
10. Radiator cap
OTF070002/OYF071200N

75
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed by
the owner or an authorized KIA dealer at
the frequencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your dealer as
soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks are
generally not covered by warranties and
you may be charged for labor, parts and
lubricants used.Owner maintenance schedule
When you stop for fuel:
Check the engine oil level.
Check the coolant level in coolantreservoir.
Check the windshield washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of the exhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering
wheel, or change in its straight-ahead
position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling on smooth, level road.
When stopping, listen and check for unusual sounds, pulling to one side,
increased brake pedal travel or “hard-
to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the oper- ation of your transaxle occurs, check
the transaxle fluid level.
Check the automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check the parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-
mal).
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause burns
or other serious injury.

Maintenance
67
At least monthly:
Check the coolant level in the enginecoolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.
At least twice a year (i.e., every Spring and Fall) :
Check the radiator, heater and air con- ditioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check the windshield washer spray and wiper operation. Clean the wiper
blades with clean cloth dampened with
washer fluid.
Check the headlight alignment.
Check the muffler, exhaust pipes, shields and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel lug nuts.
At least once a year :
Clean the body and door drain holes.
Lubricate the door hinges and checks,and hood hinges.
Lubricate the door and hood locks and latches.
Lubricate the door rubber weather- strips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Check the power steering fluid level.
Inspect and lubricate automatic transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean the battery and terminals.
Check the brake/clutch fluid level.

713
Maintenance
Air cleaner filter
A Genuine KIA air cleaner filter is recom-
mended when the filter is replaced.
Spark plugs
Make sure to install new spark plugs of
the correct heat range.
Valve clearance
Inspect excessive valve noise and/or
engine vibration and adjust if necessary.
An authorized KIA dealer should perform
the operation.
Cooling system
Check cooling system components, such
as radiator, coolant reservoir, hoses and
connections for leakage and damage.
Replace any damaged parts.
Coolant
The coolant should be changed at the
intervals specified in the maintenance
schedule.
Manual transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Inspect the manual transaxle fluid
according to the maintenance schedule.
Automatic transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Automatic transaxle fluid should not be
checked under normal usage conditions.
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 transaxle fluid color is basi-
cally red.
As the vehicle is driven, the automatic
transaxle 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.
Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and any
leakage. Replace any deteriorated or
damaged parts immediately.
Brake/clutch fluid
Check 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.

717
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
The high-pressure cooling system has a
reservoir filled with year-round antifreeze
coolant. The reservoir is filled at the fac-
tory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at the
beginning of the winter season, and
before traveling to a colder climate.
Checking the coolant level
WARNING- Removing
radiator cap
Never attempt to remove the radi-
ator cap while the engine is oper-
ating or hot. Doing so might lead
to cooling system and engine
damage. Also, hot coolant or
steam could cause serious per-
sonal injury.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Turn the engine off and wait untilit cools down. Use extreme care
when removing the radiator cap.
Wrap a thick towel around it, and
turn it counterclockwise slowly to
the first stop. Step back while the
pressure is released from the
cooling system. When you are
sure all the pressure has been
released, press down on the cap,
using a thick towel, and continue
turning counterclockwise to
remove it.
Even if the engine is not operat- ing, do not remove the radiator
cap or the drain plug while the
engine and radiator are hot. Hot
coolant and steam may still blow
out under pressure, causing seri-
ous injury.WARNING
The electric motor (cooling fan) is
controlled by engine coolant tem-
perature, refrigerant pressure and
vehicle speed. It may sometimes
operate even when the engine is
not running. Use extreme caution
when working near the blades of
the cooling fan so that you are not
injured by a rotating fan blades. As
the engine coolant temperature
decreases, the electric motor will
automatically shut off. This is a nor-
mal condition.
If your vehicle is equipped with
GDI, the electric motor (cooling fan)
may operate untill you disconnect
the negative battery cable.

Maintenance
18
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 (MAX) and L (MIN) marks on
the side of the coolant reservoir when the
engine is cool. If the coolant level is low, add enough
distilled (deionizer) water to provide pro-
tection against freezing and corrosion.
Bring the level to F (MAX), but do not
overfill. If frequent coolant addition is
required, see an authorized KIA dealer
for a cooling system inspection.
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 specified
coolant.
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
OTF070006