2012 KIA Forte Owner's Manual

k i a ,

t h e
c o m p a n y
Thank you for becoming the owner of a new Kia vehicle.
As a global car manufacturer focused on building high-quality, value
for money prices, Kia Motors is dedicated to providing you with a
customer service experience that exceeds your expectations.
All information contained in this Owner’s Manual is accurate at the
time of publication. However, Kia reserves the right to make changes
at any time so that our policy of continual product improvement can
be carried out.
This manual applies to all Kia models and includes descriptions and
explanations of optional as well as standard equipment. As a result,
you may encounter material in this manual that is not applicable to
your specific Kia vehicle.
Drive safely and enjoy your Kia!

i
Thank you for choosing a KIA vehicle.
When you require service, remember that your KIA Dealer
knows your vehicle best. Your dealer has factory-trained tech-
nicians, recommended special tools, genuine KIA replacement
parts and is dedicated to your complete satisfaction.
Because subsequent owners require this important information
as well, this publication should remain with the vehicle if it is
sold.
This manual will familiarize you with operational, mainte-
nance and safety information about your new vehicle. It is sup-
plemented by a Warranty and Consumer Information manual
that provides important information on all warranties regarding
your vehicle.
We urge you to read these publications carefully and follow the
recommendations to help assure enjoyable and safe operation
of your new vehicle.
KIA offers a great variety of options, components and features
for its various models. Therefore, some of the equipment
described in this manual, along with the various illustrations,
may not be applicable to your particular vehicle.
The information and specifications provided in this manual
were accurate at the time of printing. KIA reserves the right to
discontinue or change specifications or design at any time
without notice and without incurring any obligation. If you
have questions, always check with your KIA dealer.
We assure you of our continuing interest in your motoring
pleasure and satisfaction in your KIA vehicle.
© 2011 Kia Canada Inc.
All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system or translation in
whole or part is not permitted without written authorization
from Kia Canada Inc..
Printed in Korea
Foreword

ii
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
I
Introduction
Your vehicle at a glance
Safety features of your vehicle
Features of your vehicle
Driving your vehicle
What to do in an emergency
Maintenance
Specifications & Consumer information
Index
table of contents

IIndex

Index
2I
Air cleaner ··················\
··················\
··················\
···············7-31
Airbag-supplemental restraint system ··················\
·········3-35
Appearance care··················\
··················\
··················\
·······7-59
Audio system ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········4-94
Automatic climate control system ··················\
···············4-78
Automatic transaxle ··················\
··················\
··················\
·5-15
Automatic transaxle fluid ··················\
··················\
··········7-30
Battery··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
····7-34
Before driving ··················\
··················\
··················\
············5-3
Brake system··················\
··················\
··················\
············5-23
Brake/clutch fluid ··················\
··················\
··················\
····7-28
Bulb wattage ··················\
··················\
··················\
··············8-2
Child restraint system ··················\
··················\
················3-27
Climate control air filter ··················\
··················\
············7-32
Cruise control system ··················\
··················\
················5-33
Defroster ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
4-67
Dimensions ··················\
··················\
··················\
················8-2
Door locks··················\
··················\
··················\
················4-12Economical operation ··················\
··················\
················5-37
Emergency starting ··················\
··················\
··················\
····6-4
Emission control system ··················\
··················\
············7-65
Engine compartment ··················\
··················\
·············2-4/7-2
Engine coolant ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········7-25
Engine number ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········8-7
Engine oil ··················\
··················\
··················\
·················7-24\
ENGINE START/STOP button ··················\
··················\
···5-6
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items ···············7-21
Fuel filler lid ··················\
··················\
··················\
············4-25
Fuel requirements ··················\
··················\
··················\
······1-3
Fuses ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
······7-50
Hazard warning flasher ··················\
··················\
··············4-58
Hood··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·······4-23
How to use this manual ··················\
··················\
···············1-2
If the engine overheats··················\
··················\
·················6-6
If the engine will not start ··················\
··················\
···········6-3
If you have a flat tire ··················\
··················\
··················\
·6-7
AE
F
H
I
B
C
D

I3
Index
In case of an emergency while driving ··················\
··········6-2
Indicator symbols on the instrument cluster ··················\
·1-5
Instrument cluster ··················\
··················\
··················\
····4-39
Instrument panel overview··················\
··················\
···········2-3
Interior features··················\
··················\
··················\
········4-96
Interior light ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············4-66
Interior overview··················\
··················\
··················\
········2-2
Key positions ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············5-4
Keys ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·········4-2
Lighting··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
··4-59
Maintenance schedule··················\
··················\
··················\
7-6
Maintenance services ··················\
··················\
··················\
·7-3
Manual climate control system··················\
··················\
··4-69
Manual transaxle··················\
··················\
··················\
······5-12
Mirrors ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···4-35
Owner maintenance ··················\
··················\
··················\
···7-4Parking brake ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········7-31
Power steering fluid ··················\
··················\
··················\
·7-29
Rearview camera··················\
··················\
··················\
······4-58
Recommended lubricants and capacities ··················\
·······8-4
Remote keyless entry ··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-8
Road warning ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············6-2
Seat··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···········3-2
Seat belts ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
3-15
Smart key ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-6
Special driving conditions ··················\
··················\
·········5-39
Starting the engine ··················\
··················\
··················\
·····5-9
Steering wheel ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········4-32
Storage compartment ··················\
··················\
·················4-88\
Sunroof··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···4-28
Tire specification and pressure label ··················\
·············8-7
Tires and wheels ··················\
··················\
··················\
7-37/8-3
Towing ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···6-15
Trailer towing··················\
··················\
··················\
···········5-45
K
L
M
O
P
R
S
T

Index
4I
Trunk ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
······4-16
Vehicle break-in process ··················\
··················\
··············1-4
Vehicle certification label ··················\
··················\
············8-6
Vehicle identification number (VIN) ··················\
·············8-6
Vehicle load limit ··················\
··················\
··················\
·····5-46
Vehicle weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········5-51
Washer fluid ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············7-30
Windows ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
4-20
Windshield defrosting and defogging··················\
··········4-85
Winter driving ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········5-43
Wiper blades ··················\
··················\
··················\
············7-32
Wipers and washers ··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-63
V
W

1
How to use this manual / 1-2
Fuel requirements / 1-3
Vehicle break-in process / 1-4
Indicator symbols on the instrument cluster / 1-5
Introduction