725
Maintenance
EXPLANATION OF SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ITEMS
Engine oil and filter
The engine oil and filter should be
changed at the intervals specified in
the maintenance schedule. If the car
is being driven in severe conditions,
more frequent oil and filter changes
are required.
Drive belts
Inspect all drive belts for evidence of
cuts, cracks, excessive wear or oil
saturation and replace if necessary.
Drive belts should be checked peri-
odically for proper tension and
adjusted as necessary.
Fuel filter
A clogged filter can limit the speed at
which the vehicle may be driven,
damage the emission system and
cause multiple issues such as hard
starting. If an excessive amount of
foreign matter accumulates in the
fuel tank, the filter may require
replacement more frequently.
After installing a new filter, run the
engine for several minutes, and
check for leaks at the connections.
Fuel filters should be installed by an
authorized Kia dealer.
Fuel lines, fuel hoses and con-
nections
Check the fuel lines, fuel hoses and
connections for leakage and dam-
age. Have an authorized Kia dealer
replace any damaged or leaking
parts immediately.
Vapor hose and fuel filler cap
The vapor hose and fuel filler cap
should be inspected at those inter-
vals specified in the maintenance
schedule. Make sure that a new
vapor hose or fuel filler cap is cor-
rectly replaced.
Maintenance
26
7
Vacuum crankcase ventilation
hoses
Inspect the surface of hoses for evi-
dence of heat and/or mechanical
damage. Hard and brittle rubber,
cracking, tears, cuts, abrasions, and
excessive swelling indicate deterio-
ration. Particular attention should be
paid to examine those hose surfaces
nearest to high heat sources, such
as the exhaust manifold.
Inspect the hose routing to assure
that the hoses do not come in con-
tact with any heat source, sharp
edges or moving component which
might cause heat damage or
mechanical wear. Inspect all hose
connections, such as clamps and
couplings, to make sure they are
secure, and that no leaks are pres-
ent. Hoses should be replaced
immediately if there is any evidence
of deterioration or damage.
Air cleaner filter
A Genuine Kia air cleaner filter is
recommended when the filter is
replaced.
Spark plugs
Make sure to install new spark plugs
of the correct heat range.
Cooling system
Check cooling system components,
such as radiator, coolant reservoir,
hoses and connections for leakage
and damage. Replace any damaged
parts.
Coolant
The coolant should be changed at
the intervals specified in the mainte-
nance schedule.
Manual transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Inspect the manual transaxle fluid
according to the maintenance sched-
ule.
727
Maintenance
Automatic transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Automatic transaxle fluid should not
be checked under normal usage
conditions.
But in severe conditions, the fluid
should be changed at an authorized
Kia dealer in accordance to the
scheduled maintenance at the begin-
ning of this chapter.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Automatic transaxle fluid color is
basically red.
As the vehicle is driven, the auto-
matic transaxle fluid will begin to
look darker.
It is normal condition and you
should not judge the need to replace
the fluid based upon the changed
color.
Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and
any leakage. Replace any deteriorat-
ed or damaged parts immediately.
Brake/clutch fluid
Check brake fluid level in the brake
fluid reservoir. The level should be
between “MIN” and “MAX” marks on
the side of the reservoir. Use only
hydraulic brake fluid conforming to
DOT 3 or DOT 4 specification.
Parking brake
Inspect the parking brake system
including the parking brake pedal
and cables.
Brake discs, pads, calipers
and rotors
Check the pads for excessive wear,
discs for run out and wear, and
calipers for fluid leakage.
Maintenance
28
7
Exhaust pipe and muffler
Visually inspect the exhaust pipes,
muffler and hangers for cracks, dete-
rioration, or damage. Start the
engine and listen carefully for any
exhaust gas leakage. Tighten con-
nections or replace parts as neces-
sary.
Suspension mounting bolts
Check the suspension connections
for looseness or damage. Retighten
to the specified torque.
Steering gear box, linkage &
boots/lower arm ball joint
With the vehicle stopped and engine
off, check for excessive free-play in
the steering wheel.
Check the linkage for bends or dam-
age. Check the dust boots and ball
joints for deterioration, cracks, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts.
Drive shafts and boots
Check the drive shafts, boots and
clamps for cracks, deterioration, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts and, if necessary, repack the
grease.
Air conditioning refrigerant
Check the air conditioning lines and
connections for leakage and dam-
age.
731
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
The high-pressure cooling system
has a reservoir filled with year-round
antifreeze coolant. The reservoir is
filled at the factory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at
the beginning of the winter season,
and before traveling to a colder cli-
mate.Checking the coolant level
Check the condition and connections
of all cooling system hoses and
heater hoses. Replace any swollen
or deteriorated hoses.
The coolant level should be filled
between F (MAX) and L (MIN) marks
on the side of the coolant reservoir
when the engine is cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
specified coolant or distilled (deion-
ized) water to provide protection
against freezing and corrosion. Bring
the level to F (MAX), but do not over-
fill. If frequent coolant addition is
required, see an authorized Kia deal-
er for a cooling system inspection.
Recommended engine coolant
When adding coolant, use onlydeionized water or soft water for
your vehicle and never mix hard
water in the coolant filled at the fac-
tory. An improper coolant mixture
can result in serious malfunction or
engine damage.
The engine in your vehicle has alu- minum engine parts and must be
protected by an ethylene-glycol-
based coolant to prevent corrosion
and freezing.
DO NOT USE alcohol or methanol coolant or mix them with the spec-
ified coolant.
Do not use a solution that contains more than 60% antifreeze or less
than 35% antifreeze, which would
reduce the effectiveness of the
solution.
WARNING - Cooling fan
Use caution when
working near the
blade of the cooling
fan. The electric
motor (cooling fan) is
controlled by engine coolant
temperature, refrigerant pres-
sure and vehicle speed. It may
sometimes operate even when
the engine is not running.
OMD070004N
Maintenance
72
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 main-
tain its luster.
Removing oil, tar, and similar materi-
als 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 wax-
ing.
CAUTION - Wetting engine
Water washing in the engine
compartment including highpressure water washing maycause the failure of electricalcircuits located in the enginecompartment.
Never allow water or other liq- uids to come in contact withelectrical/electronic compo-nents inside the vehicle asthis may damage them.
OJB037800
CAUTION - Drying vehicle
Wiping dust or dirt off the body with a dry cloth willscratch the finish.
Do not use steel wool, abra- sive cleaners, or strong deter-gents containing highly alka-line or caustic agents onchrome-plated or anodizedaluminum parts. This mayresult in damage to the protec-tive coating and cause discol-oration or paint deterioration.
773
Maintenance
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.
If your vehicle is damaged and
requires any metal repair or replace-
ment, be sure the body shop applies
anti-corrosion materials to the parts
repaired or replaced.
Bright-metal maintenance
To remove road tar and insects,use a tar 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 preser-
vative 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
preservative. 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
collect on the underbody. If these
materials are not removed, acceler-
ated 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 under-
body and wheel openings with luke-
warm 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 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 rust-
ing.
Aluminum or chrome wheel main-
tenance
The aluminum or chrome wheels are
coated with a clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner, polishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum or
chrome wheels. They may scratch
or damage the finish.
Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent, and rinse thoroughly
with water. Also, be sure to clean
the wheels after driving on salted
roads. This helps prevent corro-
sion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high-speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any alkaline or acid detergent. It may damage and cor-
rode the aluminum or chrome
wheels coated with a clear protec-
tive finish.
Maintenance
74
7
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corro-
sion
By using the most advanced design
and construction practices to combat
corrosion, we produce 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 corro-
sion on your vehicle are:
Road salt, dirt and moisture that is
allowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
coatings by stones, gravel, abra-
sion or minor scrapes and dents
which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion. High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehi-
cle is regularly exposed to corrosive
materials, corrosion protection is
particularly important. Some of the
common causes of accelerated cor-
rosion 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, partic-
ularly when temperatures are just
above freezing. In such conditions,
the corrosive material is kept in con-
tact with the vehicle surfaces by
moisture that is slow to evaporate.
Mud is particularly corrosive
because it dries slowly and holds
moisture in contact with the vehicle.
Although the mud appears to be dry,
it can still retain the moisture and
promote corrosion. High temperatures can also acceler-
ate corrosion of parts that are not
properly ventilated so the moisture
can be dispersed. For all these rea-
sons, it is particularly important to
keep your vehicle clean and free of
mud or accumulations of other mate-
rials. This applies not only to the vis-
ible surfaces but particularly to the
underside of the vehicle.
To help prevent corrosion
You can help prevent corrosion from
getting started by observing the fol-
lowing: