2011 KIA Soul maintenance

Maintenance
16
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.
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.
G070101AHM
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
OAM079005

717
Maintenance
G070200AHM
Changing the coolant
Have the coolant changed by an author-
ized KIA dealer according to the
Maintenance Schedule at the beginning
of this section.
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 pres-
sure causing serious injury.
CAUTION
Put a thick cloth around the radiatorcap before refilling the coolant inorder to prevent the coolant fromoverflowing into engine parts suchas the alternator.
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
the paint and body trim.
OAM079006

Maintenance
18
7
BRAKE/CLUTCH (IF EQUIPPED) FLUID
G080100AAM
Checking the brake/clutch* 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/clutch* fluid, clean the area
around the reservoir cap thoroughly to
prevent brake/clutch* fluid contamina-
tion.
* : if equipped 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
and/or clutch disc (if equipped). If the
fluid level is excessively low, have the
brake/clutch* system checked by an
authorized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified brake/clutch* fluid.
(Refer to “Recommended lubricants andcapacities” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
WARNING - Brake/clutch*
fluid
When changing and adding
brake/clutch* fluid, handle it care-
fully. Do not let it come in contact
with your eyes. If brake/clutch* 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 doc-
tor as soon as possible.
WARNING - Loss of
brake/clutch* fluid
In the event the brake/clutch* sys-
tem requires frequent additions of
fluid, the vehicle should be inspect-
ed by an authorized KIA dealer.
CAUTION
Do not allow brake/clutch* fluid to
contact the vehicle's body paint, aspaint damage will result.
Brake/clutch* fluid, which has beenexposed to open air for an extendedtime should never be used as its quality cannot be guaranteed. Itshould be disposed of properly. Don't put in the wrong kind of fluid.A few drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in yourbrake/clutch* system can damagebrake/clutch* system parts.
OAM079007

719
Maintenance
POWER STEERING FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
G090100AHM
Checking the power steering fluid
level
With the vehicle on level ground, check
the fluid level in the power steering reser-
voir periodically. The fluid should be
between MAX and MIN marks on the
side of the reservoir at the normal tem-
perature.
Before adding power steering fluid, thor-
oughly clean the area around the reser-
voir cap to prevent power steering fluid
contamination.
If the level is low, add fluid to the MAX
level.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Check that the fluid level is in the
"HOT" range on the reservoir. If the
fluid is cold, check that it is in the
"COLD" range.
In the event the power steering system
requires frequent addition of fluid, the
vehicle should be inspected by an
authorized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified power steering
fluid. (Refer to "Recommended lubricants and capacities" in section 8.)
G090200AEN
Checking the power steering
hose
Check the connections for oil leaks, dam-
age and twists in the power steering
hose before driving.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the power steering pump, do not operate thevehicle for prolonged periodswith a low power steering fluidlevel.
Never start the engine when the reservoir tank is empty.
When adding fluid, be careful that dirt does not get into the tank.
Too little fluid can result in increased steering effort and/ornoise from the power steeringsystem.
The use of the non-specified fluid could reduce the effectiveness ofthe power steering system and cause damage to it.OAM079039N/OHM078006N

Maintenance
20
7
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
G100100BUN-C1
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 lever
through 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
slippage. Overfilling can causefoaming, loss of fluid and transaxlemalfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could result in transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.
OAM079009OSA077009
HOT
COLD

721
Maintenance
✽
✽NOTICE
New automatic transaxle fluid should be
red. The red dye is added so the assem-
bly plant can identify it as automatic
transaxle fluid and distinguish it from
engine oil or antifreeze. The red dye,
which is not an indicator of fluid quali-
ty, is not permanent. As the vehicle is
driven, the automatic transaxle fluid
will begin to look darker. The color may
eventually appear light brown.
Therefore, have an authorized KIA
dealer change the automatic transaxle
fluid according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
lubricants or capacities" in section 8.)
G100200AUN-U1
Changing the automatic transaxle
fluid
Have the automatic transaxle fluid
changed by an authorized KIA dealer
according to the Maintenance Schedule
at the beginning of this section.

Maintenance
22
7
WASHER FLUID
G120100AUN-C1
Checking the washer fluid level
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.
G140100AAM
Checking the parking brake
Check the stroke of the parking brake by
counting the number of “clicks’’ heard
while fully applying it from the released
position. Also, the parking brake alone
should securely hold the vehicle on a fair-
ly steep grade. If the stroke is more or
less than specified, have the parking
brake adjusted by an authorized KIA
dealer.
Stroke : 5~7 “clicks’’ at a force of
20 kg (44 lbs, 196 N).
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 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.
PARKING BRAKE
OAM079039NOAM059004

723
Maintenance
AIR CLEANER
G160100AAM-EC
Filter replacement
It must be replaced when necessary, and
should not be washed.
You can clean the filter when inspecting
the air cleaner element.
Clean the filter by using compressed air.Replace the filter according to the
Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is operated in extremely
dusty or sandy areas, replace the ele-ment more often than the usual recom-mended intervals.
OAM079043
CAUTION
Do not drive with the air cleaner removed; this will result in exces-sive engine wear.
When removing the air cleaner fil- ter, be careful that dust or dirtdoes not enter the air intake, ordamage may result.
Use a KIA genuine part. Use of non-genuine parts could damagethe air flow sensor.