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721
Maintenance
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on level ground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reach normal operating temperature.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for a few minutes (about 5 minutes) for the oil to
return to the oil pan.
4. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and re-insert it fully. 5. Pull the dipstick out again and check
the level. The level should be between
F (Full) and L (Low).
If it is near or at L (Low), add enough oil to
bring the level to F (Full).Do not overfill.
Use a funnel to help prevent oil frombeing spilled on engine components.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer to “Recommended lubricants and capaci- ties” in section 8.)
WARNING - Radiator hose
Be very careful not to touch the
radiator hose when checking or
adding the engine oil as it may be
hot enough to burn you.
OTA070002LOTA070003L
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Maintenance
22
7
Changing the engine oil and filter
We recommend that the engine oil and
filter be replaced by an authorized Kia
dealer.
WARNING
Used engine oil may cause irrita- tion or cancer of the skin if left in
contact with the skin for prolonged
periods of time. Used engine oil
contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory ani-
mals. Always protect your skin by
washing your hands thoroughlywith soap and warm water as soon
as possible after handling used oil.
CAUTION
Do not overfill the engine oil. It may damage the engine.
Do not spill engine oil, when adding or changing engine oil. If you dropthe engine oil on the engine room,wipe it off immediately.
When you wipe the oil level gauge, you should wipe it with a cleancloth. When mixed with debris, itcan cause engine damage.
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723
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
The high-pressure cooling system has a
reservoir filled with year-round antifreeze
coolant. The reservoir is filled at the fac-
tory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at thebeginning of the winter season, and
before traveling to a colder climate. Checking the coolant level
WARNING
Removingradiator cap
Never attempt to remove the radi- ator cap while the engine is oper-
ating or hot. Doing so might leadto cooling system and engine
damage and could result in seri-
ous personal injury from escap-ing hot coolant or steam.
Turn the engine off and wait until it cools down. Use extreme care
when removing the radiator cap.
Wrap a thick towel around it, and
turn it counterclockwise slowly to
the first stop. Step back while the
pressure is released from the cool-
ing system. When you are sure allthe pressure has been released,
press down on the cap, using a
thick towel, and continue turning
counterclockwise to remove it.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Even if the engine is not operat-ing, do not remove the radiator cap or the drain plug while the
engine and radiator are hot. Hot
coolant and steam may still blow
out under pressure, causing seri-
ous injury.
WARNING
The electric motor (cool-ing fan) is
controlled byenginecoolant tem-
perature, refrigerant pressure and
vehicle speed. It may sometimes
operate even when the engine is
not running. Use extreme caution
when working near the blades of
the cooling fan so that you are not
injured by a rotating fan blades. Asthe engine coolant temperature
decreases, the electric motor will
automatically shut off. This is a nor-mal condition.
CAUTION
When the engine overheats from
low engine coolant, suddenly
adding engine coolant may causecracks in the engine. To preventdamage, add engine coolant slowly in small quantities.
Do not drive with no engine coolant. It may cause water pumpfailure and engine seizure, etc.
■ Type B■Type A
■ Type B■Type A
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725
Maintenance
Changing the coolant
We recommend that the coolant be
replaced by an authorized Kia dealer.
WARNING Radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap when the engine and radiator are
hot. Scalding hot coolant and
steam may blow out under pres-
sure causing serious injury.
CAUTION
Put a thick cloth around the radiator cap before refilling the coolant inorder to prevent the coolant from overflowing into engine parts such
as the generator.
WARNING - Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant or antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
Radiator coolant can severely obscure visibility when sprayed
on the windshield and may cause
loss of vehicle control or damage
to paint and body trim.
OTA070005
OTA070005L
■Type A
■Type B
■ Type B■ Type A
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Maintenance
26
7
BRAKE FLUID
Checking the brake fluid level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir peri-
odically. 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 thoroughly to prevent
brake fluid contamination.
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 the
brake linings. If the fluid level is excessive-
ly low, we recommend that the system be
checked by an authorized Kia dealer.
Use only the specified brake fluid. (Refer to “Recommended lubricants or capaci-ties” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
WARNING - Brake fluid
When changing and adding brake
fluid, handle it carefully. Do not let it
come in contact with your eyes. Ifbrake 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.
WARNING - Loss of brake fluid
In the event the brake system
requires frequent additions of fluid,we recommend that the system be
inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.
CAUTION
Do not allow brake fluid to contact the vehicle's body paint, as paintdamage will result. Brake fluid, which has been exposed to open air
for an extended time should never be used as its quality cannot beguaranteed. It should be disposedof properly. Don't put in the wrong
kind of fluid. A few drops of miner- al-based oil, such as engine oil, inyour brake system can damage brake system parts.
OTA070006
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Maintenance
28
7
✽✽
NOTICE
The “COLD” range is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determine
the transaxle fluid level.
✽
✽ NOTICE
New automatic transaxle fluid should be
red. The red dye is added so the assem-
bly plant can identify it as automatic
transaxle fluid and distinguish it from
engine oil or antifreeze. The red dye,
which is not an indicator of fluid quali-
ty, is not permanent. As the vehicle is
driven, the automatic transaxle fluid
will begin to look darker. The color may
eventually appear light brown.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
lubricants or capacities" in section 8.) Changing the automatic transaxle fluid
We recommend that the automatic
transaxle fluid be changed by an author-
ized Kia dealer according to theMaintenance Schedule at the beginningof this section.
WARNING - Transaxle fluid
The transaxle fluid level should be
checked when the engine is at nor-
mal operating temperature. This
means that the engine, radiator,
radiator hose and exhaust system
etc., are very hot. Exercise great
care not to burn yourself during
this procedure.
CAUTION
Low fluid level causes transaxle shift slippage. Overfilling cancause foaming, loss of fluid andtransaxle malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could cause transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.
WARNING - Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply the parking brake
and depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
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729
Maintenance
WASHER FLUID
Checking the washer fluid level
The reservoir is translucent so that you
can check the level with a quick visualinspection.
Check the fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir and add fluid if necessary. Plain
water may be used if washer fluid is not
available. However, use washer solvent
with antifreeze characteristics in cold cli-
mates to prevent freezing. Checking the parking brake
Check the stroke of the parking brake by
counting the number of “clicks’’ heardwhile fully applying it from the released
position. Also, the parking brake alone
should securely hold the vehicle on a fair-
ly steep grade.
If the stroke is more or less than speci-
fied, we recommend that the system be
serviced by an authorized Kia dealer.
Stroke : 6~8 “clicks’’ at a force of 20 kg
(44 lbs, 196 N).
WARNING - Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant or antifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
Radiator coolant can severely obscure visibility when sprayed
on the windshield and may cause
loss of vehicle control or damage
to paint and body trim.
Windshield Washer fluid agents contain some amounts of alcohol
and can be flammable under cer-
tain circumstances. Do not allowsparks or flame to contact thewasher fluid or the washer fluid
reservoir. Damage to the vehicle
or occupants could occur.
Windshield washer fluid is poi- sonous to humans and animals.
Do not drink and avoid contacting
windshield washer fluid. Serious
injury or death could occur.
OTA070009 PARKING BRAKE OTA050012
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737
Maintenance
WARNING- Battery
dangers
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarettes and all other flames or sparks
away from the battery.
Hydrogen, a highly com- bustible gas, is always
present in battery cells and
may explode if ignited.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children because
batteries contain highly
corrosive SULFURIC ACID.
Do not allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
(Continued)(Continued)
If any electrolyte gets intoyour eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at least
15 minutes and get immedi-ate medical attention.
If electrolyte gets on your
skin, thoroughly wash the
contacted area. If you feel a
pain or a burning sensa-
tion, get medical attention
immediately.
Wear eye protection whencharging or working near a
battery. Always provide
ventilation when working in
an enclosed space.
An inappropriately disposed
battery can be harmful to
the environment and human
health. Dispose the battery
according to your local
law(s) or regulation.
(Continued)
Pb
(Continued)
The battery contains lead.Do not dispose of it after
use. We recommend that
you contact an authorized
Kia dealer.
When lifting a plastic-cased bat- tery, excessive pressure on the
case may cause battery acid to
leak, resulting in personal injury.
Lift with a battery carrier or with
your hands on opposite corners.
Never attempt to recharge the battery when the battery cables are connected.
The electrical ignition system works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with theengine running or the ignition
switched on.
Failure to follow the above warn-
ings can result in serious bodily
injury or death.