2012 KIA Forte Section 7

615
What to do in an emergency
TOWING
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Towing service
If emergency towing is necessary, we
recommend having it done by an author-
ized KIA dealer or a commercial tow-
truck service. Proper lifting and towing
procedures are necessary to prevent
damage to the vehicle. The use of wheel
dollies or flatbed is recommended.
For trailer towing guidelines information,refer to “Trailer towing” in section 5.
It is acceptable to tow the vehicle with the
rear wheels on the ground (without dol-
lies) and the front wheels off the ground.
If any of the loaded wheels or suspen-
sion components are damaged or the
vehicle is being towed with the front
wheels on the ground, use a towing dolly
under the front wheels.
When being towed by a commercial tow
truck and wheel dollies are not used, the
front of the vehicle should always be lift-
ed, not the rear.
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CAUTION
Do not tow the vehicle backwards with the front wheels on theground as this may cause dam- age to the vehicle.
Do not tow with sling-type equip- ment. Use wheel lift or flatbedequipment.
dolly

73
Maintenance
MAINTENANCE SERVICES
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You should exercise the utmost care to
prevent damage to your vehicle and
injury to yourself whenever performing
any maintenance or inspection proce-
dures.
Should you have any doubts concerning
the inspection or servicing of your vehi-
cle, we strongly recommend that you
have an authorized KIA dealer perform
this work.
An authorized KIA dealer has factory-
trained technicians and genuine KIA
parts to service your vehicle properly. For
expert advice and quality service, see an
authorized KIA dealer.
Inadequate, incomplete or insufficient
servicing may result in operational prob-
lems with your vehicle that could lead to
vehicle damage, an accident, or person-
al injury.
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Owner’s responsibility
✽ ✽NOTICE
Maintenance Service and Record
Retention are the owner's responsibility.
You should retain documents that show
proper maintenance has been performed
on your vehicle in accordance with the
scheduled maintenance service charts
shown on the following pages. You need
this information to establish your compli-
ance with the servicing and maintenance
requirements of your vehicle warranties.
Detailed warranty information is provided
in your Warranty & Consumer Information
manual.
Repairs and adjustments required as a
result of improper maintenance or a lack
of required maintenance are not covered.
We recommend you have your vehicle
maintained and repaired by an author-
ized KIA dealer. An authorized KIA deal-
er meets KIA’s high service quality stan-
dards and receives technical support
from KIA in order to provide you with a
high level of service satisfaction.
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Owner maintenance precautions
Improper or incomplete service may
result in problems. This section gives
instructions only for the maintenance
items that are easy to perform.
As explained earlier in this section, sev-
eral procedures can be done only by an
authorized KIA dealer with special tools.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Improper owner maintenance during
the warranty period may affect warran-
ty coverage. For details, read the sepa-
rate Warranty & Consumer Information
manual provided with the vehicle. If
you're unsure about any servicing or
maintenance procedure, have it done by
an authorized KIA dealer.

Maintenance
22
7
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Air cleaner filter
A Genuine KIA air cleaner filter is recom-
mended when the filter is replaced.
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Spark plugs
Make sure to install new spark plugs of
the correct heat range.
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Valve clearance (if equipped)
Inspect for excessive valve noise and/or
engine vibration and adjust if necessary.
An authorized KIA dealer should perform
the operation.
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Cooling system
Check the cooling system components,
such as the radiator, coolant reservoir,
hoses and connections for leakage and
damage. Replace any damaged parts.
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Coolant
The coolant should be changed at the
intervals specified in the maintenance
schedule.
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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.
This is a normal condition and you
should not judge the need to replace the
fluid based upon the changed color.
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Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and any
leakage. Replace any deteriorated or
damaged parts immediately.
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Brake/Clutch (if equipped) 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.
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Parking brake
Inspect the parking brake system includ-
ing the parking brake lever and cables.
CAUTION - Specified fluid
The use of a non-specified fluid
could result in transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.
Use only specified automatictransaxle fluid. (Refer to“Recommended lubricants andcapacities” in section 8.)

Maintenance
24
7
ENGINE OIL
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Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reach
normal 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
reinsert 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 a funnel to help prevent oil from
being spilled on engine components.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer to “Recommended lubricants and capaci-ties” in section 8.)
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.
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CAUTION
Do not overfill the engine oil. It may damage the engine.

725
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
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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.
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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.
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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
Used engine oil may cause skin irri-
tation or cancer if left in contact
with the skin for prolonged periods
of time. Used engine oil contains
chemicals that have caused cancer
in laboratory animals. Always pro-
tect your skin by washing your
hands thoroughly with soap and
warm water as soon as possible
after handling used oil.

727
Maintenance
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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 or fabric aroundthe radiator cap before refilling the coolant in order to prevent thecoolant from overflowing into engine parts such as 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
to paint and body trim.
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■ Type A
■Type B

Maintenance
28
7
BRAKE/CLUTCH (IF EQUIPPED) FLUID
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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.
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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.

729
Maintenance
POWER STEERING FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
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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.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 or 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.
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