2015 KIA SOUL Owners Manual

729
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 levelTurn 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.
When you are sure all the pressure
has been released, press down on
the cap, using a thick towel, and con-
tinue turning counterclockwise to
remove it.
WARNING
Removing radiator
cap
Never attempt to remove the
radiator 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.

Maintenance
30
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.
OAM072005
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.

731
Maintenance
For mixture percentage, refer to the
following table.Changing the coolant
Have the coolant changed by an
authorized Kia dealer according to
the Maintenance Schedule at the
beginning of this chapter.
Put a thick cloth around the radiator
cap before refilling the coolant in
order to prevent the coolant from
overflowing into engine parts such as
the alternator.
OPS073005
Ambient
Temperature Mixture Percentage
(volume)
Antifreeze Water
5°F (-15°C)35 65
-13°F (-25°C)4060
-31°F (-35°C)5050
-49°F (-45°C)6040
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
pressure which may result in
serious injury.

Maintenance
32
7
BRAKE/CLUTCH FLUID
Checking the brake/clutch*
fluid level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir
periodically. The fluid level should be
between MAX and MIN marks on the
side of the reservoir.
Before removing the reservoir cap
and adding brake/clutch* fluid, clean
the area around the reservoir cap
thoroughly to prevent brake/clutch*
fluid contamination.
* if equipped If the level is low, add fluid to the
MAX level. The level will fall with
accumulated mileage. This is a nor-
mal condition associated with the
wear of the brake linings and/or
clutch disc (if equipped). If the fluid
level is excessively low, have the
brake/clutch* system checked by an
authorized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified brake/clutch*
fluid. (Refer to “Recommended lubri-cants and capacities” in chapter 8.) Never mix different types of fluid.
In the event the brake/clutch* system
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer.
When changing and adding
brake/clutch* fluid, handle it carefully.
Do not let it come in contact with
your eyes. If brake/ clutch* 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 doc-
tor as soon as possible.
OXM079008
CAUTION - Proper fluid
Only use brake fluid in brake
system. Small amounts ofimproper fluids (such as engineoil) can cause damage to thebrake system.

733
Maintenance
Brake/clutch* 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.
CAUTION - Brake/clutch*
fluid
Do not allow brake/clutch* fluidto contact the vehicle's bodypaint, as paint damage willresult.

Maintenance
34
7
PARKING BRAKE
WASHER FLUID
Checking the washer fluid
level
The reservoir is translucent so that
you can check the level with a quick
visual inspection. Check the fluid level in the washer
fluid reservoir and add fluid if neces-
sary. 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’’ heard while fully applying it
from the released position. Also, the
parking brake alone should securely
hold the vehicle on a fairly steep
grade. If the stroke is more or less
than specified, have the parking
brake adjusted by an authorized Kia
dealer.
Stroke : 6~8 “clicks’’ at a force of
44 lbs (20 kg, 196 N).
OPS073006
OPS073007
■Type A
■Type B
WARNING- Flammable
Fluid
Do not allow the washer fluid to
come in contact with open
flames or sparks. The windshield
washer fluid reservoir is flamma-
ble under certain circumstances.
This can result in a fire.
OPS053011

735
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.1. Loosen the air cleaner cover
attaching clips and open the cover. 2. Wipe the inside of the air cleaner.
3. Replace the air cleaner filter.
4. Lock the cover with the cover
attaching clips.
AIR CLEANER
OAM079043
OAM079044OAM079046

Maintenance
36
7
Replace the filter according to the
Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is operated in extreme-
ly dusty or sandy areas, replace the
element more often than the usual
recommended intervals. (Refer to
“Maintenance under severe usage
conditions” in this chapter.)CAUTION- Air filter main-
tenance
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 non-genuine parts could dam-age the air flow sensor.