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.
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.
Maintenance
34
7
BRAKE FLUID
Checking the brake fluid level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir
periodically. The fluid level should be
between MAX (Maximum) and MIN
(Minimum) marks on the side of the
reservoir.
Before removing the reservoir cap
and adding brake fluid, clean the
area around the reservoir cap thor-
oughly to prevent brake fluid contam-
ination. If the level is low, add fluid to the
MAX (Maximum) level. The level will
fall with accumulated mileage. This is
a normal condition associated with
the wear of brake linings. If the fluid
level is excessively low, have the
brake system checked by an author-
ized Kia Premium dealer.
Use only the specified brake fluid.
(Refer to “Recommended lubricantsor capacities” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
In the event the brake system
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an authorized Kia Premium dealer.
When changing and adding brake
fluid, handle it carefully. Do not let it
come in contact with your eyes. If
brake fluid should come in contact
with your eyes, immediately flush
them with a large quantity of fresh
tap water. Have your eyes examined
by a doctor as soon as possible.
Brake fluid, which has been exposed
to open air for an extended time
should never be used as its quality
cannot be guaranteed. It should be
disposed of properly.
OVG079007L
CAUTION - Proper fluid
Only use brake fluid in brakesystem. Small amounts ofimproper fluids (such as engineoil) can cause damage to thebrake system.
CAUTION - Brake fluid
Do not allow brake fluid to con-tact the vehicle's body paint, aspaint damage will result.
737
Maintenance
Filter replacement
It must be replaced when necessary,
and should not be washed.
You can clean the filter when inspect-
ing the air cleaner element.
Clean the filter by using compressed
air.Replace the filter according to the
Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is operated in extreme-
ly dusty or sandy areas, replace theelement more often than the usualrecommended intervals. (Refer to“Maintenance under severe usageconditions” in this section.)
AIR CLEANER
OVG079010L
CAUTION - Air filter
maintenance
Do not drive with the air clean- er removed; this will result inexcessive engine wear.
When removing the air cleaner filter, be careful that dust ordirt does not enter the airintake, or damage may result.
Use a Kia genuine part. Use of nongenuine part could dam-age the air flow sensor.
Maintenance
48
7
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gauge firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-
ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gauge. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture. Inspect your tires frequently for
proper inflation as well as wear and
damage. Always use a tire pres-
sure gauge.
Tires with too much or too little pressure wear unevenly causing
poor handling, loss of vehicle con-
trol, and sudden tire failure leading
to accidents, injuries, and even
death. The recommended cold tire
pressure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and on the tire
label located on the driver's side
center pillar.
Remember to check the pressure of your spare tire. Kia recommends
that you check the spare every
time you check the pressure of the
other tires on your vehicle.Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness.
Refer to “Tire and wheels” in section 8.
Maintenance
54
7
4. Tire ply composition and mate-
rial
The number of layers or plies of rub-
ber-coated fabric in the tire. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate the
materials in the tire, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
The letter "R" means radial ply con-
struction; the letter "D" means diago-
nal or bias ply construction; and the
letter "B" means belted-bias ply con-
struction.
5. Maximum permissible inflationpressure
This number is the greatest amount
of air pressure that should be put in
the tire. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible inflation pressure. Refer
to the Tire and Loading Information
label for recommended inflation
pressure.
6. Maximum load rating
This number indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and pounds that
can be carried by the tire. When
replacing the tires on the vehicle,
always use a tire that has the same
load rating as the factory installed
tire.
7. Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
For example:
TREADWEAR 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Regardless of the remaining tread,
we recommend that tires be replaced
after approximately six (6) years of
normal service. Heat caused by hot
climates or frequent high loading
conditions can accelerate the aging
process.
These grades are molded on the
side-walls of passenger vehicle tires.
The tires available as standard or
optional equipment on your vehicles
may vary with respect to grade.
755
Maintenance
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.Temperature -A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of perform-
ance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Tire terminology and definitions
Air Pressure: The amount of air
inside the tire pressing outward on
the tire. Air pressure is expressed in
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilo-
pascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight
: This means the
combined weight of optional acces-
sories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic
transaxle, power seats, and air con-
ditioning.
Aspect Ratio : The relationship of a
tire's height to its width.
Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords
that is located between the plies and
the tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead: The tire bead contains steel
wires wrapped by steel cords that
hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire : A pneumatic tire in
which the plies are laid at alternate
angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
759
Maintenance
Low aspect ratio tire
(if equipped)
Low aspect ratio tires, whose aspect
ratio is lower than 50, are provided
for sporty looks.
Because the low aspect ratio tires
are optimized for handling and brak-
ing, it may be more uncomfortable to
ride in and there is more noise com-
pare with normal tires.
CAUTION
Because the sidewall of the lowaspect ratio tire is shorter thanthe normal, the wheel and tire ofthe low aspect ratio tire is easi-er to be damaged. So, follow theinstructions below.
- When driving on a rough road or off road, drive cautiouslybecause tires and wheels maybe damaged. And after driving,inspect tires and wheels.
- When passing over a pothole, speed bump, manhole, or curbstone, drive slowly so that thetires and wheels are not dam-aged.
- If the tire is impacted, we rec- ommend that you inspect thetire condition or contact anauthorized Kia Premium deal-er.
- To prevent damage to the tire, inspect the tire condition andpressure every 3,000km.
CAUTION
It is not easy to recognize the tire damage with your owneyes. But if there is the slight-est hint of tire damage, eventhough you cannot see the tiredamage with your own eyes,have the tire checked orreplaced because the tiredamage may cause air leak-age from the tire.
If the tire is damaged by driv- ing on a rough road, off road,pothole, manhole, or curbstone, it will not be covered bythe warranty.
You can find out the tire infor- mation on the tire sidewall.
Maintenance
78
7
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’s surface by
moisture that evaporates slowly.
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
beginning by observing the following:
Keep your vehicle clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is
to keep your vehicle clean and free
of corrosive materials. Attention to
the underside of the vehicle is partic-
ularly 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 corro-
sion. In winter, hose off the under-
side of your vehicle at least once a
month and be sure to clean the
underside thoroughly when winter
is over.
When cleaning underneath the vehicle, give particular attention to
the components under the fenders
and other areas that are hidden
from view. Do a thorough job; just
dampening the accumulated mud
rather than washing it away will
accelerate corrosion rather than
prevent it. Water under high pres-
sure and steam are particularly
effective in removing accumulated
mud and corrosive materials.