2012 KIA PICANTO Owners Manual

What to do in an emergency
22
6
CAUTION
Failure to place the shift lever in N
(Neutral) may cause internal dam- age to the transaxle.
When towing your vehicle in an emer- gency without wheel dollies :
1. Set the ignition switch in the ACC posi- tion.
2. Place the shift lever in N (Neutral).
3. Release the parking brake.
Removable towing hook
(front, if equipped)
1. Open the trunk, and remove the tow-ing hook from the tool case.
2. Remove the hole cover pressing the lower part of the cover on the front
bumper.
3. Install the towing hook by turning it clockwise into the hole until it is fullysecured.
4. Remove the towing hook and install the cover after use. Emergency towing
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by an authorized
KIA dealer or a commercial tow truck
service.
OTA060010
OTA060012
Front
RearOTA060011

623
What to do in an emergency
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using a cable or chain
secured to the emergency towing hook
under the front/rear of the vehicle. Use
extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it
and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, power train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
Do not use the tow hooks to pull a vehi-cle out of mud, sand or other condi-
tions from which the vehicle cannot be
driven out under its own power.
Avoid towing a vehicle heavier than the vehicle doing the towing.
The drivers of both vehicles should com- municate with each other frequently. Before emergency towing, check that
the hook is not broken or damaged.
Fasten the towing cable or chain securely to the hook.
Do not jerk the hook. Apply steady and even force.
To avoid damaging the hook, do not pull from the side or at a vertical angle.
Always pull straight ahead.CAUTION
Attach a towing strap to the tow
hook.
Using a portion of the vehicle other than the tow hooks for tow-ing may damage the body of yourvehicle.
Use only a cable or chain specifi- cally intended for use in towingvehicles. Securely fasten thecable or chain to the towing hook provided.
WARNING
Use extreme caution when towing
the vehicle.
driving maneuvers which would
place excessive stress on the
emergency towing hook and tow-
ing cable or chain. The hook and
towing cable or chain may break
and cause serious injury or dam-
age.
If the disabled vehicle is unable to be moved, do not forcibly con-
tinue the towing. Contact an
authorized KIA dealer or a com-
mercial tow truck service for
assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight ahead as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle dur- ing towing.

What to do in an emergency
24
6
Use a towing strap less than 5 m (16
feet) long. Attach a white or red cloth (about 30 cm (12 inches) wide) in the
middle of the strap for easy visibility.
Drive carefully so that the towing strap is not loosened during towing.
Emergency towing precautions
Place the ignition switch in ACC so thesteering wheel isn’t locked.
Place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral).
Release the parking bake.
Press the brake pedal with more force than normal since you will have
reduced brake performance.
More steering effort will be required because the power steering system
will be disabled.
If you are driving down a long hill, the brakes may overheat and brake per-
formance will be reduced. Stop often
and let the brakes cool off.CAUTION - Automatic
transaxle
If the car is being towed with all four wheels on the ground, it can
be towed only from the front. Besure that the transaxle is in neu-tral. Be sure the steering isunlocked by placing the ignition
switch in the ACC position. Adriver must be in the towed vehi- cle to operate the steering and
brakes.
To avoid serious damage to the automatic transaxle, limit thevehicle speed to 15 km/h (10 mph)and drive less than 1.5 km (1
mile) when towing.
Before towing, check the level of the automatic transaxle fluid. If itis below the "HOT" range on the dipstick, add fluid. If you cannot
add fluid, a towing dolly must beused.
OPA067014

625
What to do in an emergency
EMERGENCY COMMODITY (IF EQUIPPED)
There are some emergency commodities
in the vehicle to help you respond to theemergency situation.
Fire extinguisher
If there is small fire and you know how to
use the fire extinguisher, take the follow-
ing steps carefully.
1. Pull the pin at the top of the extin- guisher that keeps the handle from being accidentally pressed.
2. Aim the nozzle toward the base of the fire.
3. Stand approximately 2.5 m (8 ft) away from the fire and squeeze the handle
to discharge the extinguisher. If you
release the handle, the discharge will
stop.
4. Sweep the nozzle back and forth at the base of the fire. After the fire appears
to be out, watch it carefully since it
may re-ignite. First aid kit
There are some items such as scissors,
bandage and adhesive tape and etc. in
the kit to give first aid to an injured per-son.
Triangle reflector
Place the triangle reflector on the road to
warn oncoming vehicles during emer-
gencies, such as when the vehicle is
parked by the roadside due to any prob-
lems.
Tire pressure gauge (If equipped)
Tires normally lose some air in day-to-
day use, and you may have to add a few
pounds of air periodically and it is not
usually a sign of a leaking tire, but of nor-
mal wear. Always check tire pressurewhen the tires are cold because tire pres-
sure increases with temperature. To check the tire pressure, take the fol-
lowing steps;
1. Unscrew the inflation valve cap that is
located on the rim of the tire.
2. Press and hold the gauge against the tire valve. Some air will escape as you
begin and more will escape if you don't
press the gauge in firmly.
3. A firm non-leaking push will activate the gauge.
4. Read the tire pressure on the gauge to know whether the tire pressure is lowor high.
5. Adjust the tire pressures to the speci- fied pressure. Refer to “Tires and
wheels” in section 8.
6. Reinstall the inflation valve cap.

7
Engine compartment / 7-2
Maintenance services / 7-3
Owner maintenance / 7-4
Scheduled maintenance service / 7-6
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items / 7-19
Engine oil / 7-22
Engine coolant / 7-24
Brake fluid / 7-27
Automatic transaxle fluid / 7-28
Washer fluid / 7-30
Parking brake / 7-30
Air cleaner / 7-31
Climate control air filter / 7-33
Wiper blades / 7-35
Battery / 7-38
Tires and wheels / 7-41
Fuses / 7-51
Light bulbs / 7-62
Appearance care / 7-70
Emission control system / 7-76
Maintenance

Maintenance
2
7
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OTA010004L/OTA010003L/OTA010005L
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Radiator cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Engine oil dipstick
6. Engine oil filler cap
7. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
8. Fuse box
9. Positive battery terminal
10. Negative battery terminal
11. Automatic transaxle fluid dipstick*
* : if equipped ❈ The actual engine compartment in the vehicle may differ
from the illustration.
■
■
1.25 Gasoline
■
■ 1.0 Gasoline ■
■
1.0 LPG

73
Maintenance
MAINTENANCE SERVICES
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. 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 & Maintenance book. 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. 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 & Maintenance book
provided with the vehicle. If you're
unsure about any servicing or mainte-
nance procedure, have it done by an
authorized KIA dealer.

Maintenance
4
7
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed by
the owner or an authorized KIA dealer atthe frequencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your dealer as
soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks are
generally not covered by warranties and
you may be charged for labor, parts and
lubricants used. Owner maintenance schedule
When you stop for fuel:
Check the engine oil level.
Check coolant level in coolant reser-
voir.
Check the windshield washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
Check the radiator and condenser. Check if the front of the radiator and
condenser are clean and not blocked
with leaves, dirt or insects etc.
If any of the above parts are extremely
dirty or you are not sure of their condi-
tion, take your vehicle to an authorized
KIA dealer.
WARNING - Maintenance
work
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can be dangerous. You
can be seriously injured while
performing some maintenance
procedures. If you lack sufficient
knowledge and experience or the
proper tools and equipment to do
the work, have it done by an
authorized KIA dealer.
Working under the hood with the engine running is dangerous. It
becomes even more dangerous
when you wear jewelry or loose
clothing. These can become
entangled in moving parts and
result in injury. Therefore, if you
must run the engine while work-
ing under the hood, make certain
that you remove all jewelry (espe-
cially rings, bracelets, watches,
and necklaces) and all neckties,
scarves, and similar loose cloth-
ing before getting near theengine or cooling fans.
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause burns
or other serious injury.