2012 KIA PICANTO Owners Manual

Maintenance
70
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.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
Wiping dust or dirt off the body with a dry cloth will scratch the
finish.
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong detergentscontaining high alkaline or caus-tic agents on chrome-plated or
anodized aluminum parts. Thismay result in damage to the pro-tective coating and cause discol-oration or paint deterioration.
CAUTION
Water washing in the engine com-
partment including high pressurewater washing may cause the fail- ure of electrical circuits or engineand related part located in the
engine compartment.
Never allow water or other liquids to come in contact with electri-cal/electronic components and
air duct inside the vehicle as thismay damage them.
OJB037800

771
Maintenance
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.
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. Payspecial 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 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 whilst driving slowly to see
if they have been affected by water.
If braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly whilst maintaining a slow
forward speed.

Maintenance
72
7
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 acid detergent. It may damage and corrode the aluminum
wheels coated with a clear protectivefinish.
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design and
construction practices to combat corro-
sion, we produces cars 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 isalso required.
Common causes of corrosion The most common causes of corrosion
on your car are:
allowed to accumulate underneath the
car.
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 car is
regularly exposed to corrosive materials,
corrosion protection is particularly impor-
tant. 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 car surfaces by mois-
ture that is slow to evaporate.
Mud is particularly corrosive because it is
slow to dry and holds moisture in contact
with the vehicle. Although the mud
appears to be dry, it can still retain themoisture 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 car 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 car.

773
Maintenance
To help prevent corrosion
You can help prevent corrosion from get-
ting started by observing the following:
Keep your car clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is to
keep your car clean and free of corrosive
materials. Attention to the underside of
the car is particularly important.
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 car atleast once a month and be sure toclean the underside thoroughly when
winter is over.
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 sothat moisture can escape and not be
trapped inside to accelerate corrosion.
Keep your garage dry
Don't park your car in a damp, poorly
ventilated garage. This creates a favor-
able environment for corrosion. This is
particularly true if you wash your car 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 paintshop 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 to 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
74
7
Interior care
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 that follow for
the proper way to clean vinyl.
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 fabriccan be stained and its colour can be
affected. Also, its fire-resistant properties
can be reduced if the material is not
properly maintained.
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.
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 glass cleaner. Follow the
directions on the glass cleaner container.
CAUTION
Using anything but recommended cleaners and procedures may affect
the 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.
CAUTION
Never allow water or other liquidsto 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 alcohol
content solutions. If you use highalcohol content solutions oracid/alkaline detergents, the colour of the leather may fade or the sur-
face may get stripped off.

775
Maintenance
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
The emission control system of your
vehicle is covered by a written limited
warranty. Please see the warranty infor-
mation contained in the Service Passport
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 recom-
mended that you have your car inspected
and maintained by an authorised KIAdealer in accordance with the mainte-
nance schedule in this manual. Caution for the Inspection and
Maintenance Test (With Electronic
Stability Program (ESP) system)
To prevent the vehicle from misfir-
ing during dynamometer testing,
turn the Electronic Stability
Program (ESP) system off by press-
ing the ESP switch.
After dynamometer testing is com- pleted, turn the ESP system back on
by pressing the ESP switch again. 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 valveinto the induction system.
2. Evaporative emission control system
The Evaporative Emission Control
System is designed to prevent fuel
vapors from escaping into the atmos-
phere.

Maintenance
76
7
Canister
Fuel vapors generated inside the fuel tank are absorbed and stored in the
onboard canister. When the engine is
running, the fuel vapors absorbed in the
canister are drawn into the surge tank
through the purge control solenoid valve.
Purge Control Solenoid Valve (PCSV)
The purge control solenoid valve is con-
trolled by the Engine Control Module
(ECM); when the engine coolant temper-
ature is low during idling, the PCSV clos-
es so that evaporated fuel is not taken
into the engine. After the engine warms-
up during ordinary driving, the PCSV
opens to introduce evaporated fuel to the
engine. 3. Exhaust emission control
system
The Exhaust Emission Control System is
a highly effective system which controls
exhaust emissions whilst maintaining
good vehicle performance.
Vehicle modifications
This vehicle should not be modified. Modification of your vehicle could
affect its performance, safety or dura-
bility and may even violate governmen-
tal safety and emissions regulations.
In addition, damage or performance
problems resulting from any modification
may not be covered under warranty.
If you use unauthorised electronic devices, it may cause the vehicle to
operate abnormally, wire damage, bat-
tery discharge and fire. For your safety,
do not use unauthorized electronic
devices.
Engine exhaust gas precautions (car-
bon monoxide)
Carbon monoxide can be present with other exhaust fumes. Therefore, if you
smell exhaust fumes of any kind inside
your vehicle, have it inspected and
repaired immediately. If you ever sus-
pect exhaust fumes are coming into
your vehicle, drive it only with all the
windows fully open. Have your vehicle
checked and repaired immediately.
WARNING - Exhaust
Engine exhaust gases contain car-
bon monoxide (CO). Though
colourless and odourless, it is dan-
gerous and could be lethal if
inhaled. Follow the instructions on
this page to avoid CO poisoning.

777
Maintenance
Do not operate the engine in confinedor closed areas (such as garages) any
more than what is necessary to move
the vehicle in or out of the area.
When the vehicle is stopped in an open area for more than a short time
with the engine running, adjust the
ventilation system (as needed) to draw
outside air into the vehicle.
Never sit in a parked or stopped vehi- cle for any extended time with the
engine running.
When the engine stalls or fails to start, excessive attempts to restart the
engine may cause damage to theemission control system.Operating precautions for catalytic
converters (if equipped)Your vehicle is equipped with a catalytic
converter emission control device.
Therefore, the following precautions
must be observed:
Make sure to refuel your vehicle according to the "Fuel requirements" suggested in section 1.
Do not operate the vehicle when there are signs of engine malfunction, such
as misfire or a noticeable loss of per-
formance.
Do not misuse or abuse the engine. Examples of misuse are coasting withthe ignition off and descending steep
grades in gear with the ignition off.
Do not operate the engine at high idle speed for extended periods (5 minutesor more).
Do not modify or tamper with any part of the engine or emission control sys-
tem. All inspections and adjustments
must be made by an authorised KIA
dealer.
Avoid driving with a extremly low fuel level. Running out of fuel could cause
the engine to misfire, damaging the
catalytic converter.
Failure to observe these precautionscould result in damage to the catalytic
converter and to your vehicle. Additionally,
such actions could void your warranties.
WARNING - Fire
A hot exhaust system can ignite flammable items under your vehi-
cle. Do not park, idle, or drive the
vehicle over or near flammable
objects, such as grass, vegeta-
tion, paper, leaves, etc.
The exhaust system and catalytic system are very hot whilst the
engine is running or immediately
after the engine is turned off.
Keep away from the exhaust sys-
tem and catalytic, you may get
burned.
Also, do not remove the heat sink
around the exhaust system, do
not seal the bottom of the vehicle
or do not coat the vehicle for cor-
rosion control. It may present a
fire risk under certain conditions.