2013 KIA Soul Owner's Manual

735
Maintenance
WIPER BLADES
Blade inspection
Commercial hot waxes applied by
automatic car washes have been
known to make the windshield diffi-
cult to clean.Contamination of either the wind-
shield or the wiper blades with for-
eign matter can reduce the effective-
ness of the windshield wipers.
Common sources of contamination
are insects, tree sap, and hot wax
treatments used by some commer-
cial car washes. If the blades are not
wiping properly, clean both the win-
dow and the blades with a good
cleaner or mild detergent, and rinse
thoroughly with clean water.
Blade replacement
When the wipers no longer clean
adequately, the blades may be worn
or cracked, and require replacement.
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
or other components, do not attempt
to move the wipers manually.
The use of a non-specified wiper
blade could result in wiper malfunc-
tion and failure.
1JBA5122
CAUTION - Wiper blades
To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, do not use gasoline,kerosene, paint thinner, or othersolvents on or near them.

Maintenance
36
7
Front windshield wiper blade
1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the
wiper blade assembly to expose
the plastic locking clip. 2. Compress the clip and slide the
blade assembly downward.
3. Lift it off the arm. 4. Install the blade assembly in the
reverse order of removal.
1LDA50231JBA7037
CAUTION - Wiper arms
Do not allow the wiper arm tofall against the windshield,since it may chip or crack thewindshield.
1JBA7038

737
Maintenance
Rear window wiper blade
1. Raise the wiper arm and pull outthe wiper blade assembly. 2. Install the new blade assembly by
inserting the center part into the
slot in the wiper arm until it clicks
into place.
3. Make sure the blade assembly is installed firmly by trying to pull it
slightly.
4. Place back the wiper arm to the proper position.
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
or other components, have an
authorized Kia dealer replace the
wiper blade.
OHM078062OED076041

Maintenance
38
7
BATTERY
For best battery service
Keep the battery securely mount-
ed.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connec- tions clean, tight, and coated with
petroleum jelly or terminal grease.
Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the battery immediately with a
solution of water and baking soda.
If the vehicle is not going to be used for an extended time, discon-
nect the battery cables.
OAM079015
WARNING - Risk ofexplosion
Keep lit cigarettes and
all other flames or
sparks away from the
battery.
The battery contains
hydrogen - a highly com-
bustible gas, which will
explode if it comes in
contact with a flame or
spark.
WARNING - Sulfuric acid in
batteries
Keep batteries out of the
reach of children
because batteries con-
tain highly corrosive
SULFURIC ACID and
electrolytes. Do not
allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
Wear eye protection
when charging or work-
ing near a battery.
Always provide ventila-
tion when working in an
enclosed space.

739
Maintenance
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
An inappropriately disposed battery can be harmful to the
environment and human
health. Dispose the battery
according to your local law(s)
or regulation.
The battery contains lead. Do
not dispose of it after use.
Please return the battery to
an authorized Kia dealer to
be recycled. When you don’t use the vehicle for a
long time in the low temperature
area, separate the battery and keep
it indoors.Battery recharging
Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged
in a short time (because, for exam-
ple, the headlights or interior lights
were left on while the vehicle was
not in use), recharge it by slow
charging (trickle) for 10 hours.
If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while
the vehicle is being used, recharge
it at 20-30A for two hours.WARNING - Rechargingbattery
Never attempt to recharge the
battery when the battery cables
are connected.
WARNING - Risk of electrocution
Never touch the electrical igni-
tion system while the vehicle is
running. This system works
with high voltage which can
"zap" you.

Maintenance
40
7
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed from
the vehicle and placed in an area
with good ventilation.
Watch the battery during charging, and stop or reduce the charging
rate if the battery cells begin
gassing (boiling) violently or if the
temperature of the electrolyte of
any cell exceeds 49°C (120°F).
Wear eye protection when check- ing the battery during charging.
Disconnect the battery charger in the following order.
1. Turn off the battery charger main switch.
2. Unhook the negative clamp from the negative battery terminal.
3. Unhook the positive clamp from the positive battery terminal.
Before performing maintenance or recharging the battery, turn off all
accessories and stop the engine.
The negative battery cable must be removed first and installed last
when the battery is disconnected.Reset items
Items should be reset after the bat-
tery has been discharged or the bat-
tery has been disconnected.
Sunroof (See section 4)
Climate control system (See section 4)
Clock (See section 4, Audio)
Audio (See section 4)

741
Maintenance
TIRES AND WHEELS
Tire care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.
Recommended cold tire infla-
tion pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked when the
tires are cold. “Cold Tires” means the
vehicle has not been driven for at
least three hours or driven less than
1.6 km (one mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, vehicle
handling, and minimum tire wear.
For recommended inflation pressure,
refer to “Tire and wheels” in section
8.All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the driver’s side center
pillar.
Underinflation also results in
excessive wear, poor handling and
reduced fuel economy. Wheel
deformation also is possible. Keep
your tire pressures at the proper
levels. If a tire frequently needs
refilling, have it checked by an
authorized Kia dealer.
Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear at the center
of the tire tread, and a greater pos-
sibility of damage from road haz-
ards.OUN086005
WARNING - Tire underinflation
Inflate your tires consistent with
the instructions provided in this
manual. Severe underinflation
can lead to severe heat build-
up, causing blowouts, tread
separation and other tire fail-
ures that can result in the loss
of vehicle control. This risk is
much higher on hot days and
when driving for long periods at
high speeds.

Maintenance
42
7
Warm tires normally exceed rec-
ommended cold tire pressures by
28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6 psi). Do not
release air from warm tires to
adjust the pressure or the tires will
be underinflated.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation valve caps. Without the valve cap,
dirt or moisture could get into the
valve core and cause air leakage. If
a valve cap is missing, install a
new one as soon as possible. Always observe the following:
Check tire pressure when the tires
are cold. (After vehicle has been
parked for at least three hours or
hasn't been driven more than 1.6
km (one mile) since startup.)
Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you check the pres-
sure of other tires.
Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload a vehicle
luggage rack if your vehicle is
equipped with one.Checking tire inflation pres-
sure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to check
Use a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile).