2012 KIA Forte Owner's Manual

Maintenance
58
7
Description Fuse rating Protected component
B/UP LP10A Inhibitor Switch, Pulse Generater 'B', Back Up Lamp Switch
SPARE 15A -
SPARE 20A -
IGN COIL 20A Condenser (G4KF), Ignition Coil #1~4
SNSR 2 10AOil Control Valve (#1, #2), Camshaft Position Sensor (Intake, Exhaust), F/PUMP Relay,
C/FAN LO Relay, Immobilizer Module
ECU 2 10A PCM, Purge Control Solenoid Valve, Oxygen Sensor (Down)
INJECTOR 10A A/CON Relay, Crankshaft Position Sensor, Oxygen Sensor (UP), Injector #1~4,
Variable Intake Sensor
SNSR 1 15A PCM, Canister Close Valve
ECU 1 10A PCM
A/CON 10A A/CON Relay
F/PUMP 15A F/FUMP Relay
FUSE

759
Maintenance
APPEARANCE CARE
Exterior care
G230101AUN
Exterior general caution
It is very important to follow the label
directions when using any chemical
cleaner or polish. Read all warning and
caution statements that appear on the
label.
G230102BUN
Finish maintenance
Washing
To help protect your vehicle’s finish from
rust and deterioration, wash it thoroughly
and frequently at least once a month with
lukewarm or cold water.
If you use your vehicle for off-road driv-
ing, you should wash it after each off-
road trip. Pay special attention to the
removal of any accumulation of salt, dirt,
mud, and other foreign materials. Make
sure the drain holes in the lower edges of
the doors and rocker panels are kept
clear and clean.
Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,
industrial pollution and similar deposits
can damage your vehicle’s finish if not
removed immediately.
Even prompt washing with plain water
may not completely remove all these
deposits. A mild soap, safe for use on
painted surfaces, may be used.
After washing, rinse the vehicle thor-
oughly with lukewarm or cold water. Do
not allow soap to dry on the finish.
WARNING - Wet brakes
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.
CAUTION
Do not use strong soap, chemicaldetergents or hot water, and donot wash the vehicle in direct sunlight or when the body of thevehicle is warm.
Be careful when washing the side windows of your vehicle.
Especially, with high-pressurewater, water may leak through thewindows and wet the interior.
To prevent damage to the plastic parts and lamps, do not cleanwith chemical solvents or strongdetergents.

Maintenance
60
7
Waxing
Wax the vehicle when water will no
longer bead on the paint.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing. Use a good quality liquid or
paste wax, and follow the manufacturer’s
instructions. Wax all metal trim to protect
it and to maintain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materials
with a spot remover will usually strip the
wax from the finish. Be sure to re-wax
these areas even if the rest of the vehicle
does not yet need waxing.G230103AUN
Finish damage repair
Deep scratches or stone chips in the
painted surface must be repaired
promptly. Exposed metal will quickly rust
and may develop into a major repair
expense.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
If your vehicle is damaged and requires
any metal repair or replacement, be sure
the body shop applies anti-corrosion
materials to the parts repaired or
replaced.
CAUTION
Water washing in the engine com-
partment including high pressurewater washing may cause the fail-ure of electrical circuits located in the engine compartment.
Never allow water or other liquids to come in contact with electri-cal/electronic components insidethe vehicle as this may damagethem.
OJB037800
CAUTION
Wiping dust or dirt off the body with a dry cloth will scratch thefinish.
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong detergentscontaining highly alkaline orcaustic agents on chrome-platedor anodized aluminum parts. Thismay result in damage to the pro- tective coating and cause discol-oration or paint deterioration.

761
Maintenance
B230104AUN
Bright-metal maintenance
To remove road tar and insects, use atar remover, not a scraper or other
sharp object.
To protect the surfaces of bright-metal parts from corrosion, apply a coating of
wax or chrome preservative and rub to
a high luster.
During winter weather or in coastal areas, cover the bright metal parts with
a heavier coating of wax or preserva-
tive. If necessary, coat the parts with
non-corrosive petroleum jelly or other
protective compound.
G230105ASA
Underbody maintenance
Corrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may col-
lect on the underbody. If these materials
are not removed, accelerated rusting can
occur on underbody parts such as the
fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust
system, even though they have been
treated with rust protection.
Thoroughly flush the vehicle underbody
and wheel openings with lukewarm or
cold water once a month, after off-road
driving and at the end of each winter. Pay
special attention to these areas because
it is difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It
will do more harm than good to wet down
the road grime without removing it. The
lower edges of the doors, rocker panels,
and frame members have drain holes
that should not be allowed to clog with
dirt; trapped water in these areas can
cause rusting.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.

Maintenance
62
7
G230106AAM
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated with a
clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-
ishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminum wheels. They
may scratch or damage the finish.
Use only a mild soap or neutral deter- gent, and rinse thoroughly with water.
Also, be sure to clean the wheels after
driving on salted roads. This helps pre-
vent corrosion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high- speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any cleaners containing acid or acid detergents. It may damage
and corrode the aluminum wheels
coated with a clear protective finish.
G230107AHM
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design and
construction practices to combat corro-
sion, we produces vehicles of the highest
quality. However, this is only part of the
job. To achieve the long-term corrosion
resistance your vehicle can deliver, the
owner's cooperation and assistance is
also required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corrosion
on your vehicle are:
allowed to accumulate underneath the
vehicle.
Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abrasion or minor
scrapes and dents which leave unpro-
tected metal exposed to corrosion.
High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehicle
is regularly exposed to corrosive materi-
als, corrosion protection is particularly
important. Some of the common causes
of accelerated corrosion are road salts,
dust control chemicals, ocean air and
industrial pollution. Moisture breeds corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in which
corrosion is most likely to occur. For
example, corrosion is accelerated by
high humidity, particularly when tempera-
tures are just above freezing. In such
conditions, the corrosive material is kept
in contact with the vehicle surfaces by
moisture that evaporate slowy.
Mud is particularly corrosive because it
dries slowly and holds moisture in con-
tact with the vehicle. Although the mud
appears to be dry, it can still retain the
moisture and promote corrosion.
High temperatures can also accelerate
corrosion of parts that are not properly
ventilated so the moisture can be dis-
persed. For all these reasons, it is partic-
ularly important to keep your vehicle
clean and free of mud or accumulations
of other materials. This applies not only
to the visible surfaces but particularly to
the underside of the vehicle.

763
Maintenance
To help prevent corrosion
You can help prevent corrosion from get-
ting started by observing the following:
Keep your vehicle clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is to
keep your vehicle clean and free of cor-
rosive materials. Attention to the under-
side of the vehicle is particularly impor-
tant.
If you live in a high-corrosion area —where road salts are used, near the
ocean, areas with industrial pollution,
acid rain, etc.—, you should take extra
care to prevent corrosion. In winter,
hose off the underside of your vehicle
at least once a month and be sure to
clean the underside thoroughly when
winter is over. When cleaning underneath the vehicle,
give particular attention to the compo-
nents under the fenders and other
areas that are hidden from view. Do a
thorough job; just dampening the accu-
mulated mud rather than washing it
away will accelerate corrosion rather
than prevent it. Water under high pres-
sure and steam are particularly effec-
tive in removing accumulated mud and
corrosive materials.
rocker panels and frame members, be
sure that drain holes are kept open so
that moisture can escape and not be
trapped inside to accelerate corrosion.
Keep your garage dry
Don't park your vehicle in a damp, poorly
ventilated garage. This creates a favor-
able environment for corrosion. This is
particularly true if you wash your vehicle
in the garage or drive it into the garage
when it is still wet or covered with snow,
ice or mud. Even a heated garage can
contribute to corrosion unless it is well
ventilated so moisture is dispersed. Keep paint and trim in good condition
Scratches or chips in the finish should be
covered with "touch-up" paint as soon as
possible to reduce the possibility of cor-
rosion. If bare metal is showing through,
the attention of a qualified body and paint
shop is recommended.
Bird droppings : Bird droppings are high-
ly corrosive and may damage painted
surfaces in just a few hours. Always
remove bird droppings as soon as possi-
ble.
Don't neglect the interior
Moisture can collect under the floor mats
and carpeting and cause corrosion.
Check under the mats periodically to be
sure the carpeting is dry. Use particular
care if you carry fertilizers, cleaning
materials or chemicals in the car.
These should be carried only in proper
containers and any spills or leaks should
be cleaned up, flushed with clean water
and thoroughly dried.

Maintenance
64
7
Interior care
G230201AHM
Interior general precautions
Prevent caustic solutions such as per-
fume and cosmetic oil from contacting
the dashboard because they may cause
damage or discoloration. If they do con-
tact the dashboard, wipe them off imme-
diately. See the instructions for the prop-
er way to clean vinyl.
G230202AUN
Cleaning the upholstery and interior
trim
Vinyl
Remove dust and loose dirt from vinyl
with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.
Clean vinyl surfaces with a vinyl cleaner.
Fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt from fabric
with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.
Clean with a mild soap solution recom-
mended for upholstery or carpets.
Remove fresh spots immediately with a
fabric spot cleaner. If fresh spots do not
receive immediate attention, the fabric
can be stained and its color can be
affected. Also, its fire-resistant properties
can be reduced if the material is not
properly maintained.
G230203AUN
Cleaning the lap/shoulder belt web-bing
Clean the belt webbing with any mild
soap solution recommended for cleaning
upholstery or carpet. Follow the instruc-
tions provided with the soap. Do not
bleach or re-dye the webbing because
this may weaken it.
G230204AHM
Cleaning the interior window glass
If the interior glass surfaces of the vehi-
cle become fogged (that is, covered with
an oily, greasy or waxy film), they should
be cleaned with a glass cleaner. Follow
the directions on the glass cleaner con-
tainer.CAUTION
Never allow water or other liquids to come in contact with electrical/electronic components inside thevehicle as this may damage them.
CAUTION
When cleaning leather products(steering wheel, seats etc.), useneutral detergents or low alcoholcontent solutions. If you use highalcohol content solutions oracid/alkaline detergents, the colorof the leather may fade or the sur-face may get stripped off.CAUTION
Using anything but recommendedcleaners and procedures may affectthe fabric’s appearance and fire-resistant properties.
CAUTION
Do not scrape or scratch the insideof the rear window. This may result in damage to the rear windowdefroster grid.

765
Maintenance
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
G270000AHM-EU
The emission control system of your
vehicle is covered by a written limited
warranty. Please see the warranty infor-
mation contained in the Warranty &
Maintenance booklet in your vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an emis-
sion control system to meet all applicable
emission regulations.
There are three emission control sys-
tems, as follows.
(1) Crankcase emission control system
(2) Evaporative emission control system
(3) Exhaust emission control system
In order to assure the proper function of
the emission control systems, it is rec-
ommended that you have your vehicle
inspected and maintained by an author-
ized KIA dealer in accordance with the
maintenance schedule in this manual.Caution for the Inspection and
Maintenance Test (With Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system)
To prevent the vehicle from misfir-
ing during dynamometer testing,
turn the Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system off by pressing the
ESC switch.
After dynamometer testing is com- pleted, turn the ESC system back on
by pressing the ESC switch again.
G270100AUN
1. Crankcase emission control system
The positive crankcase ventilation sys-
tem is employed to prevent air pollution
caused by blow-by gases being emitted
from the crankcase. This system supplies
fresh filtered air to the crankcase through
the air intake hose. Inside the crankcase,
the fresh air mixes with blow-by gases,
which then pass through the PCV valve
into the induction system.
G270200AUN
2. Evaporative emission control(including ORVR: Onboard
Refueling Vapor Recovery)
system
The Evaporative Emission Control
System is designed to prevent fuel
vapors from escaping into the atmos-
phere.
(The ORVR system is designed to allow
the vapors from the fuel tank to be
loaded into a canister while refueling at
the gas station, preventing the escape of
fuel vapors into the atmosphere.)