75
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed atthe frequencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
If you have any question, we recommend
that you consult an authorized Kia dealer.
These Owner Maintenance Checks are
generally not covered by warranties 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 coolant level in coolant reservoir.
Check the windshield washer fluid
level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
Check the radiator and condenser. Check if the front of the radiator and
condenser are clean and not blocked
with leaves, dirt or insects etc.
If any of the above parts are extremely
dirty or you are not sure of their condi-
tion, we recommend that you contact
an authorized Kia dealer.
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of theexhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering wheel,
or change in its straight-ahead position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling 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 oper- ation of your transaxle occurs, check
the transaxle fluid level.
Check manual transaxle operation, including clutch operation.
Check automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-mal).
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.
Maintenance
6
7
At least monthly:
Check coolant level in the engine
coolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall):
Check radiator, heater and air condi- tioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check windshield washer spray and wiper operation. Clean wiper blades with
clean cloth dampened with washer fluid.
Check headlight alignment.
Check 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 body and door drain holes.
Lubricate door hinges and checks, andhood hinges.
Lubricate door and hood locks and latches.
Lubricate door rubber weatherstrips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Inspect and lubricate automatic transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean battery and terminals.
Check the brake fluid level.
731
Maintenance
✽✽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.
Maintenance
40
7
BATTERY
For best battery service
Keep the battery securely mounted.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connections clean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease.
Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the battery immediately with a solution of
water and baking soda.
If the vehicle is not going to be used for an extended time, disconnect the bat-
tery cables.
✽✽ NOTICE
Basically equipped battery is mainte-
nance free type. If your vehicle is
equipped with the battery marked with
LOWER and UPPER on the side, you
can check the electrolyte level. The elec-
trolyte level should be between LOWER
and UPPER. If the electrolyte level is
low, it needs to add distilled (demineral-
ized) water (Never add sulfuric acid or
other electrolyte). When refill, be care-
ful not to splash the battery and adja-
cent components. And do not overfill the
battery cells. It can cause corrosion on
other parts. After then ensure that tight-
en the cell caps. We recommend that you
contact an authorized Kia dealer.
OTA070017
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)
Maintenance
42
7
❈ The actual battery label in the vehicle may
differ from the illustration.
Battery capacity label
(see the example)
1. CMF60L-BCI : The Kia model name of battery
2. 12V : The nominal voltage
3. 60Ah(20HR) : The nominal capacity
(in Ampere hours)
4. 92RC : The nominal reserve capacity (in min.)
5. 550CCA : The cold-test current in
amperes by SAE
6. 440A : The cold-test current in amperes by EN Battery recharging
Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged in a
short time (because, for example, the
headlights or interior lights were left on
while the vehicle was not in use),
recharge it by slow charging (trickle)
for 10 hours.
If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while the
vehicle is being used, recharge it at 20-
30A for two hours.
OJD072039
Example
WARNING
- Recharging
battery
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed from the vehicle and placed in an area with good ventilation.
Do not allow cigarettes, sparks, or flame near the battery.
Watch the battery during charg- ing, and stop or reduce the charg-
ing rate if the battery cells begin
gassing (boiling) violently or if
the temperature of the electrolyte
of any cell exceeds 49°C (120°F).
Wear eye protection when check- ing the battery during charging.
Disconnect the battery charger in the following order.
1. Turn off the battery charger main switch.
2. Unhook the negative clamp from the negative battery terminal.
3. Unhook the positive clamp from the positive battery terminal.
749
Maintenance
Compact spare tire replacement (if equipped)
A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new vehicle and should be mountedon the same compact spare tire
wheel. The compact spare tire is notdesigned to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size tire. Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim widthand offset.
Tire traction
Tire traction can be reduced if you
drive on worn tires, tires that are
improperly inflated or on slippery
road surfaces. Tires should be
replaced when tread wear indicators
appear. Slow down whenever there
is rain, snow or ice on the road toreduce the possibility of losing con-
trol of the vehicle. Tire maintenance In addition to proper inflation, correct wheel alignment helps to decrease
tire wear. If you find a tire is worn
unevenly, have your dealer check thewheel alignment.
When you have new tires installed,
make sure they are balanced. This
will increase vehicle ride comfort and
tire life. Additionally, a tire should
always be rebalanced if it is removedfrom the wheel.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct
size may adversely affect wheel
and bearing life, braking and
stopping abilities, handling char-
acteristics, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, snow
chain clearance, speedometer
and odometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height.
Maintenance
54
7
FUSES
A vehicle’s electrical system is protected
from electrical overload damage by fuses.
This vehicle has 2 fuse panels, one locat-
ed in the driver’s side panel bolster, oth-
ers in the engine compartment near the
battery.
If any of your vehicle’s lights, acces-
sories, or controls do not work, check the
appropriate circuit fuse. If a fuse has
blown, the element inside the fuse will bemelted.
If the electrical system does not work,
first check the driver’s side fuse panel.
Always replace a blown fuse with one of
the same rating.
Before replacing a blown fuse, move to
safe place, turn off the engine and all
electric devices, and disconnect the neg-
ative battery cable.
If the replacement fuse blows, this indi-
cates an electrical problem. Avoid using
the system involved and we recommend
that you consult an authorized Kia dealer.
Four kinds of fuses are used: blade typefor lower amperage rating, cartridge type,battery fuse terminal and multi fuse typefor higher amperage ratings.✽✽ NOTICE
The actual fuse/relay panel label may
differ from equipped items.
WARNING - Fuse
replacement
Never replace a fuse with any- thing but another fuse of the same rating.
A higher capacity fuse could cause damage and possibly a fire.
Never install a wire or aluminum foil instead of the proper fuse -
even as a temporary repair. It may
cause extensive wiring damage
and a possible fire.
Do not arbitrarily modify or add-on electric wiring of the vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not use a screwdriver or any
other metal object to remove fuses because it may cause a short circuit
and damage the system.
OTA070039
Blade type
Cartridge type Multi fuse
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Maintenance
56
7
If you do not have a spare, use a fuse of
the same rating from a circuit you maynot need for operating the vehicle, suchas the cigarette lighter fuse.
If the headlights or other electrical com-
ponents do not work and the fuses are
OK, check the fuse panel in the engine
compartment. If a fuse is blown, it mustbe replaced.
Memory fuse
Your vehicle is equipped with a memory
fuse to prevent battery discharge if your
vehicle is parked without being operated
for prolonged periods. Use the following
procedures before parking the vehicle for
prolonged periods.
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Turn off the headlights and tail lights.
3. Open the driver’s side panel cover and pull up the memory fuse.
✽✽ NOTICE
If the memory fuse is pulled up from the fuse panel, the warning chime,
audio, clock and interior lamps, etc.,
will not operate. Some items must be
reset after replacement. Refer to
“Battery” in this section.
Even when the memory fuse is pulled
up, the battery can still be discharged
by operation of the headlights or other
electrical devices.
OTA070020