2015 KIA Sorento coolant level

53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle• Be sure that all windows, outsidemirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
 Check the condition of the tires.
 Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
 Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspectionsFluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, at the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in chapter 7,
“Maintenance”.
Before starting  Close and lock all doors.
 Position the seat so that all con-trols are easily reached.
 Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
 Be sure that all lights work.
 Check all gauges.
 Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
 Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light
goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
Driving while distracted can
result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol, that may lead to an acci-
dent, severe personal injury,
and death. The driver’s primary
responsibility is in the safe and
legal operation of a vehicle, and
use of any handheld devices,
other equipment, or vehicle sys-
tems which take the driver’s
eyes, attention and focus away
from the safe operation of a
vehicle or which are not permis-
sible by law should never be
used during operation of the
vehicle.
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 5.QXP 1/23/2013 3:29 PM Page 3

Driving your vehicle64
5Use high quality ethylene gly-
col coolantYour vehicle is delivered with high
quality ethylene glycol coolant in the
cooling system. It is the only type of
coolant that should be used because
it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-
ing system, lubricates the water
pump and prevents freezing. Be sure
to replace or replenish your coolant
in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in section 7. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure
that its freezing point is sufficient for
the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.Check battery and cablesWinter puts additional burdens on
the battery system. Visually inspect
the battery and cables as described
in section 7. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by an
authorized Kia dealer or a service
station.
Change to "winter weight" oil
if necessaryIn some climates it is recommended
that a lower viscosity "winter weight"
oil be used during cold weather. See
section 8 for recommendations. If
you aren't sure what weight oil you
should use, consult an authorized
Kia dealer.Check spark plugs and igni-
tion systemInspect your spark plugs as
described in section 7 and replace
them if necessary. Also check all
ignition wiring and components to be
sure they are not cracked, worn or
damaged in any way.
To keep locks from freezingTo keep the locks from freezing,
squirt an approved de-icer fluid or
glycerine into the key opening. If a
lock is covered with ice, squirt it with
an approved de-icing fluid to remove
the ice. If the lock is frozen internally,
you may be able to thaw it out by
using a heated key. Handle the heat-
ed key with care to avoid injury.Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in systemTo keep the water in the window
washer system from freezing, add an
approved window washer anti-freeze
solution in accordance with instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er anti-freeze is available from an
authorized Kia dealer and most auto
parts outlets. Do not use engine
coolant or other types of anti-freeze
as these may damage the paint fin-
ish.
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 5.QXP 1/23/2013 3:31 PM Page 64

67
What to do in an emergency
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATSIf your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, you experience a loss
of power, or hear loud pinging or
knocking, the engine will probably be
too hot. If this happens, you should:
1.Pull off the road and stop as soonas it is safe to do so.
2.Place the shift lever in P (Park, automatic transaxle) or Neutral
(manual transaxle) and set the
parking brake. If the air condition-
ing is on, turn it off.
3.If engine coolant is running out under the vehicle or steam is com-
ing out from underneath the hood,
stop the engine. Do not open the
hood until the coolant has stopped
running or the steaming has
stopped. If there is no visible loss
of engine coolant and no steam,
leave the engine running and
check to be sure the engine cool-
ing fan is operating. If the fan is not
running, turn the engine off. 4.Check to see if the water pump
drive belt is missing. If it is not
missing, check to see that it is
tight. If the drive belt seems to be
satisfactory, check for coolant leak-
ing from the radiator, hoses or
under the vehicle. (If the air condi-
tioning had been in use, it is nor-
mal for cold water to be draining
from it when you stop).
5.If the water pump drive belt is bro- ken or engine coolant is leaking
out, stop the engine immediately
and call the nearest authorized Kia
dealer for assistance. 6.If you cannot find the cause of the
overheating, wait until the engine
temperature has returned to nor-
mal. Then, if coolant has been lost,
carefully add coolant to the reser-
voir to bring the fluid level in the
reservoir up to the halfway mark.
7.Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheat-
ing. If overheating happens again,
call an authorized Kia dealer for
assistance.
WARNING
While the engine is running,
keep hair, hands and clothing
away from moving parts such
as the fan and drive belts to pre-
vent injury.
WARNING
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This
may result in coolant being
blown out of the opening and
cause serious burns.
CAUTION
Serious loss of coolant indi-cates there is a leak in the cool-ing system and this should bechecked as soon as possible byan authorized Kia dealer.
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 6.QXP 1/23/2013 3:33 PM Page 7

MaintenanceEngine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Maintenance services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5• Owner’s responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
• Owner maintenance precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6Owner maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7• Owner maintenance schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7Scheduled maintenance service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items . . . 7-27
Engine oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31• Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31
• Changing the engine oil and filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33• Checking the coolant level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
• Changing the coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35Brake/clutch fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36• Checking the brake/clutch fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37• Checking the washer fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38• Checking the parking brake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38Air cleaner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39• Filter replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
Climate control air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-41• Filter inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-41Wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43• Blade inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43
• Blade replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-\
47• For best battery service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-47
• Battery recharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
• Reset items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-49\
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50• Tire care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
7-50
• Recommended cold tire inflation pressures . . . . . . . 7-50
• Checking tire inflation pressure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
• Tire rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-52
• Wheel alignment and tire balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-53
• Tire replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-54
• Wheel replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
• Tire traction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
• Tire maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
• Tire sidewall labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-56
7
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 7.QXP 1/23/2013 3:35 PM Page 1

77
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an author-
ized Kia dealer at the frequencies
indicated to help ensure safe,
dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your deal-
er as soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks
are generally not covered by war-
ranties 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 the coolant level in thecoolant reservoir.
 Check the windshield washer fluid level.
 Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle: Note any changes in the sound of the exhaust or any smell of
exhaust fumes in the vehicle.
 Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steer-
ing effort or looseness in the steer-
ing wheel, or change in its straight-
ahead position.
 Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side
when traveling on smooth, level
road.
 When stopping, listen and check for unusual sounds, pulling to one
side, increased brake pedal travel
or “hard-to-push” brake pedal.
 If any slipping or changes in the operation of your transaxle occurs,
check the transaxle fluid level.
 Check the automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
 Check the parking brake.
 Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air
conditioning system during or after
use is normal).
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.
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 7.QXP 1/23/2013 3:35 PM Page 7

Maintenance87At least monthly: Check the coolant level in theengine coolant reservoir.
 Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn
signals and hazard warning flash-
ers.
 Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall): Check the radiator, heater and air conditioning hoses for leaks or
damage.
 Check the windshield washer spray and wiper operation. Clean
the wiper blades with clean cloth
dampened with washer fluid.
 Check the headlight alignment.
 Check the muffler, exhaust pipes, shields and clamps.
 Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear and function.
 Check for worn tires and loose wheel lug nuts.
At least once a year: Clean the body and door drainholes.
 Lubricate the door hinges and checks, and hood hinges.
 Lubricate the door and hood locks and latches.
 Lubricate the door rubber weather- strips.
 Check the air conditioning system.
 Inspect and lubricate the automat- ic transaxle linkage and controls.
 Clean the battery and terminals.
 Check the brake fluid level.
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 7.QXP 1/23/2013 3:35 PM Page 8

733
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANTThe 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
(Continued)When you are sure all the
pressure has been released,
press down on the cap, using
a thick towel, and continue
turning counterclockwise to
remove it.
 Even if the engine is not oper- ating, do not remove the radi-
ator 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
Removing radiator
cap
 Never attempt to remove theradiator cap while the engine
is operating or hot. Doing so
might lead to cooling system
and engine damage and could
result in serious personal
injury from escaping 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 cooling system.
(Continued)
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 7.QXP 1/23/2013 3:36 PM Page 33

Maintenance34
7
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 and L marks on the side
of the coolant reservoir when the
engine is cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
specified coolant to provide protec-
tion against freezing and corrosion.
Bring the level to F, but do not over-
fill. If frequent additions are required,
see an authorized Kia dealer for a
cooling system inspection.
Recommended engine coolant When adding coolant, use only
deionized 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
The electric motor
(cooling fan) is con-
trolled by the engine
coolant temperature,
refrigerant pressure
and vehicle speed. It may some-
times 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. As the
engine coolant temperature
decreases, the electric motor
will automatically shut off. This
is a normal condition.
If your vehicle is equipped with
GDI, the electric motor (cooling
fan) may operate until you dis-
connect the negative battery
cable.
OXM079006
XM(FL) CAN(ENG) 7.QXP 1/23/2013 3:36 PM Page 34