711
Maintenance
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reachnormal operating temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for a few minutes (about 5 minutes) for the oil to
return to the oil pan.
4. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and re-insert it fully.
5. Pull the dipstick out again and check the level. The level should be between
F and L. If it is near or at L, add enough oil to bring
the level to F.
Do not overfill.Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer
to “Recommended Lubricants” later inthis section.)
Changing the engine oil and filter
Have engine oil and filter changed by an
Authorized Kia Dealer according to the
Maintenance Schedule at the beginning
of this section. 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
OJB050035
WARNING - Radiator hose
Be very careful not to touch the
radiator hose when checking or
adding the engine oil as it may be
hot enough to burn you.
OJB050036
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
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 and could result in seri-
ous personal injury from escap-
ing hot coolant or steam.
(Continued)
Maintenance
12
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 marks on the side of the
coolant reservoir when the engine is
cool.
(Continued)
• Turn the engine off and wait until
it 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.
1JBA7002
OJB070002L
■Type A
■Type B
WARNING
The electric motor (cool-
ing fan) is controlled by
engine coolant tempera-
ture, refrigerant pres-
sure 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 tem-
perature decreases, the electric
motor will automatically shut off.
This is a normal condition.
713
Maintenance
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.
Engine coolant
Have coolant changed by an authorized
Kia dealer according to the Maintenance
Schedule at the beginning of this section.
Use only soft (de-mineralized) water inthe 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)
Coolant
Solution Water
1JBA7003
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 pressure caus-
ing serious injury.
Maintenance
14
7
BRAKE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
Checking 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 your vehicle is equipped with a manual
transaxle, brake fluid is used as clutch
fluid. 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” later in this section.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
Do not allow brake fluid to contact the
vehicle's body paint, as paint damage
will result. Brake fluid, which has been
exposed to open air for an extended time
should never be used as its quality can-
not be guaranteed. It should be thrown
out. Don't put in the wrong kind of fluid.
A few drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in your brake/clutch sys-
tem can damage brake/clutch system
parts.
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.
1JBA7004
Maintenance
16
7
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (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 selector 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 158~176°F
(70~80°C)), for example by 10 minutes
usual driving, shift the selector lever
through all positions then place the
selector 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 68~86°F
(20~30°C) add the fluid to “COLD” line
and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
1JBA70061LDA5009
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 and transaxle malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could result in transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.
717
Maintenance
✽
✽NOTICE
“COLD” scale is for reference only and
should NOT be used to determine
transaxle fluid level.
New automatic transaxle fluid should
be red. The red dye is added so the
assembly plant can identify it as auto-
matic transaxle fluid and distinguish it
from engine oil or antifreeze. The red
dye, which is not an indicator of fluid
quality, is not permanent. As the vehi-
cle is driven, the automatic transaxle
fluid will begin to look darker. The
color may eventually appear light
brown.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Have an Authorized Kia dealer inspect
or change the automatic transaxle fluid
according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.
Checking 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.
LUBRICANTS AND FLUIDS
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.
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 it's 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.
OJB070008
721
Maintenance
Rear window wiper blade replacement (if equipped)
1. Raise the wiper arm and pull out the wiper blade assembly. 2. Install the new blade assembly by
inserting the center part (1) into the
slot (2) in the wiper arm until it clicks
into place.
3. Make sure the blade assembly is installed firmly by gently pulling on the
blade.
1JBA7048
2
1
1JBA7047
BATTERY
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, which is a highly combustible 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)
Maintenance
22
7
(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
possible, continue to apply
water with a sponge or
cloth until medical attention
is received.
If electrolyte gets on your
skin, thoroughly wash the
contacted area. If you feel a
pain or a burning sensation,
get medical attention imme-
diately.
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)(Continued)The battery contains lead.
Do not dispose of it after
use. Please return the bat-
tery to an authorized KIA
dealer to be recycled.
• 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 charge the bat- tery 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 battery and keep it indoors.
Always charge the battery fully to prevent battery case damage inlow temperature area.
If you use unauthorized electron- ic devices, the battery may be dis-charged. Never use unauthorizeddevices.
WARNING
Separating the battery from the
vehicle should be done in an
authorized KIA dealer.