2012 KIA PICANTO maintenance

355
Safety features of your vehicle
Air bag inflation conditions
Front air bags
Front air bags are designed to inflate in a frontal collision depending on the intensi-
ty, speed or angles of impact of the frontcollision.
OPA037040/H
(Continued)
Problems may arise if the sensorinstallation angles are changed
due to the deformation of the
front bumper, body or B pillars
where side collision sensors are
installed. Have the vehicle
checked and repaired by an
authorised KIA dealer.
Your vehicle has been designed to absorb impact and deploy the
air bag(s) in certain collisions.
Installing bumper guards or
replacing a bumper with non-gen-
uine parts may adversely affect
your vehicle’s collision and air
bag deployment performance.WARNING
Do not hit or allow any objects to impact the locations where air
bags or sensors are installed.
This may cause unexpected air
bag deployment, which could
result in serious personal injuryor death.
If the installation location or angle of the sensors is altered in
any way, the air bags may deploy
when they should not or they may
not deploy when they should,
causing severe injury or death.
Therefore, do not try to perform
maintenance on or around the air
bag sensors. Have the vehicle
checked and repaired by an
authorised KIA dealer.
(Continued)

359
Safety features of your vehicle
SRS Care
The SRS is virtually maintenance-free
and so there are no parts you can safely
service by yourself. If the SRS air bag
warning light does not illuminate
when you turn the ignition ON, or if it con-
tinuously remains on, have your vehicle
immediately inspected by an authorised
KIA dealer.
Any work on the SRS system, such as
removing, installing, repairing, or any
work on the steering wheel must be per-
formed by an authorised KIA dealer.Improper handling of the SRS system
may result in serious personal injury.
WARNING
Modification to SRS components or wiring, including the addition
of any kind of badges to the pad
covers or modifications to the
body structure, can adversely
affect SRS performance and lead
to possible injury.
For cleaning the air bag pad cov- ers, use only a soft, dry cloth or
one which has been moistened
with plain water. Solvents or
cleaners could adversely affect
the air bag covers and proper
deployment of the system.

No objects should be placed over
or near the air bag modules on the
steering wheel, instrument panel,
and the front passenger's panel
above the glove box, because any
such object could cause harm if the
vehicle is in a crash severe enough
to cause the air bags to inflate.
(Continued)
(Continued)
If the air bags inflate, they must be replaced by an authorised KIA
dealer.
Do not tamper with or disconnect SRS wiring, or other components
of the SRS system. Doing so
could result in injury, due to acci-
dental inflation of the air bags or
by rendering the SRS inopera-
tive.
If components of the air bag sys- tem must be discarded, or if the
vehicle must be scrapped, certain
safety precautions must be
observed. An authorised KIA
dealer knows these precautions
and can give you the necessary
information. Failure to follow
these precautions and proce-dures could increase the risk of
personal injury.
If your car was flooded and has soaked carpeting or water on the
flooring, you shouldn't try to start
the engine; have the car towed to
an authorised KIA dealer.

Features of your vehicle
44
4
Odometer (km or mi.) The odometer indicates the total dis-
tance the vehicle has been driven.
You will also find the odometer useful to
determine when periodic maintenance
should be performed.
The odometer is always displayed until
the display is turned off. Tripmeter (km or mi.)
TRIP A : Tripmeter A
TRIP B : Tripmeter BThis mode indicates the distance of indi-
vidual trips selected since the last trip-meter reset.
The meter's working range is from 0.0 to 999.9 km (0.0 to 999.9 miles).
Pressing the TRIP/RESET button for
more than 1 second, when the tripmeter
(TRIP A or TRIP B) is being displayed,
clears the tripmeter to zero (0.0).
TRIP A
TRIP B
Elapsed time
Distance to empty*
Average fuel consumption*
Instant fuel consumption*
Outside temperature*
ECO ON/OFF
* : if equipped
Average refuel consumption*
OTA040038
OTA042038
■
Type A
■ Type B
OTA040039
OTA042039
■
Type A
■ Type B

489
Features of your vehicle
✽✽NOTICE
 Replace the filter according to the Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is being driven in severe
conditions such as dusty or rough
roads, more frequent air conditioner
filter inspections and changes are
required.
 When the air flow rate suddenly
decreases, the system should be
checked at an authorised KIA dealer.Checking the amount of air con-
ditioner refrigerant and compres-sor lubricant
When the amount of refrigerant is low,
the performance of the air conditioning is
reduced. Overfilling also has a negativeimpact on the air conditioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by an
authorised KIA dealer.
✽✽ NOTICE
It is important that the correct type and
amount of oil and refrigerant is used.
Otherwise, damage to the compressor
and abnormal system operation may
occur.
WARNING
The air conditioning system should
be serviced by an authorised KIA
dealer. Improper service may cause
serious injury to the person per-
forming the service.

53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tyres.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in sec-
tion 7, “Maintenance”. Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls are
easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING - Driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgment. Drivingwhilst under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerousthan driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
do not drive. Do not ride with a driv-er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driveror call a cab.
WARNING
Driving whilst distracted can result in
a loss of vehicle control, that may
lead to an accident, severe personal
injury, and death. The driver’s pri-
mary responsibility is in the safe and
legal operation of a vehicle, and use
of any handheld devices, other
equipment, or vehicle systems which
take the driver’s eyes, attention and
focus away from the safe operation
of a vehicle or which are not permis-
sible by law should never be used
during operation of the vehicle.

Driving your vehicle
22
5
1 (First gear)
Use for driving up a very steep grade or
for engine braking when descending
steep hills. When downshifting to "1", the
transaxle will temporarily remain in sec-
ond gear until the vehicle has slowed
enough for low gear to engage. Do not
exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) in low gear.
"1" shifts to 1st gear only. However, shift
up to 2nd is performed when the car
exceeds a certain speed and, as speed
increases, the transaxle will shift up to
3rd gear to prevent over-revving the
engine.
✽✽
NOTICE
 For smooth and safe operation, depress the brake pedal when shifting
from "N" (Neutral) position or "P"
(Park) position to a forward or "R"
(Reverse) gear.
 Fully depress the brake pedal in order to move the shift lever from the "P"
(Park) position to any of the other
positions.
 It is always possible to shift from "R",
"N", "D", "3", "2", "1" position to
"P" position. The vehicle must be
fully stopped to avoid transaxle dam-
age.
Shift lock system (if equipped)
For your safety, the automatic transaxle
has a shift lock system which prevents
shifting the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse) unless the brake pedal isdepressed.
To shift the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chattering
noise near the shift lever may be heard.
This is a normal condition.CAUTION
Shift into "R" and "P" position
only when the vehicle has com-
pletely stopped.
Do not accelerate the engine in reverse or any of the forwardpositions with the brakes applied.
Always apply the footbrake when shifting from "P" or "N", to "R","D","3", "2" or "1" position.
Check the automatic transaxle fluid level regularly, and add fluidas necessary.
See the maintenance schedule forthe proper fluid recommendation.
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and whilst shifting out
of the P (Park) position into anoth-
er position to avoid inadvertent
motion of the vehicle which could
injure persons in or around the car.

537
Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where you
drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how many
kilometers (miles) you can get from a
litre (gallon) of fuel. To operate your vehi-
cle as economically as possible, use the
following driving suggestions to help
save money in both fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" startsor full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily. Avoid
heavy traffic whenever possible.
Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unnec-
essary braking. This also reduces
brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your vehicle
uses. Driving at a moderate speed,
especially on the highway, is one of the
most effective ways to reduce fuel con-sumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This can
increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components.
In addition, driving with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal may cause the
brakes to overheat, which reduces
their effectiveness and may lead to
more serious consequences.
Take care of your tyres. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tyre
wear. Check the tyre pressures at leastonce a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting kerbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tyre wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your car in good condition. For
better fuel economy and reduced
maintenance costs, maintain your carin accordance with the maintenance
schedule in section 7. If you drive your
car in severe conditions, more frequentmaintenance is required (see section 7
for details).
Keep your car clean. For maximum service, your vehicle should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel con-
sumption and also contribute to corro-sion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION

Driving your vehicle
38
5
Remember, your vehicle does not
require extended warm-up. After the
engine has started, allow the engine to
run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to plac-
ing the vehicle in gear. In very cold
weather, however, give your engine a
slightly longer warm-up period.
Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging is driving too slowly in too high
a gear resulting in the engine bucking.
If this happens, shift to a lower gear.
Over-revving is racing the engine
beyond its safe limit. This can be avoid-
ed by shifting at the recommended
speeds. Use your air conditioning sparingly.
The air conditioning system is operat-
ed by engine power so your fuel econ-
omy is reduced when you use it.
Open windows at high speeds can reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is less in crosswinds and headwinds. To help offset some of
this loss, slow down when driving in
these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating con-
dition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorised KIA
dealer perform scheduled inspections
and maintenance.
WARNING - Engine off dur-
ing motion
Never turn the engine off to coast
down hills or anytime the vehicle is
in motion. The power steering and
power brakes will not function
properly without the engine run-
ning. Instead, keep the engine on
and downshift to an appropriate
gear for engine braking effect. In
addition, turning off the ignition
whilst driving could engage the
steering wheel lock resulting in
loss of vehicle steering which
could cause serious injury ordeath.