
87
Maintenance
At 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.
Check the power steering fluid level.
Inspect and lubricate automatic transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean the battery and terminals.
Check the brake fluid level.

Maintenance
48
8
TIRES AND WHEELS
Tire care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.
Recommended cold tire infla-
tion pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked when the
tires are cold. “Cold Tires” means the
vehicle has not been driven for at
least three hours or driven less than
1.6 km (one mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear.
For recommended inflation pressure
refer to “Tire and wheels” in section
9.
WARNING
Tire failure may cause loss of
vehicle control resulting in an
accident. To reduce risk of
SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH,
take the following precautions:
Inspect your tires monthly for
proper inflation as well as
wear and damage.
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.
Always use a tire pressure
gauge to measure tire pres-
sure. Tires with too much or too
little pressure wear unevenly
causing poor handling.
Check the pressure of the spare every time you check
the pressure of the other tires
on your vehicle.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Replace tires that are worn,show uneven wear, or are
damaged. Worn tires can
cause loss of braking effec-
tiveness, steering) control, or
traction.
ALWAYS replace tires with the same size as each tire that
was originally supplied with
this vehicle. Using tires and
wheels other than the recom-
mended sizes could cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics, poor vehicle control, or
negatively affect your vehi-
cle's Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) resulting in a serious
accident.

849
Maintenance
All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the driver’s side center
pillar.
WARNING - Tire underin-flation
Inflate your tires consistent with
the instructions provided in this
manual. Severe underinflation
(70 kPa (10 psi) or more) can
lead to severe heat build-up,
causing blowouts, tread separa-
tion and other tire failures that
can result in the loss of vehicle
control. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for long periods at high speeds.WARNING
Recommended pressures must
be maintained for the best ride,
vehicle handling, and minimum
tire wear.
Over-inflation or under-inflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and
lead to sudden tire failure that
could result in loss of vehicle
control resulting in an accident.
Severe under-inflation can lead
to severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident. This
risk is much higher on hot days
and when driving for long peri-
ods at high speeds.
OUB071018

Maintenance
50
8
CAUTION
Underinflation also results in
excessive wear, poor handlingand reduced fuel economy.Wheel deformation also ispossible. Keep your tire pres-sures at the proper levels. If atire frequently needs refilling,have it checked by an author-ized Kia dealer.
Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear atthe center of the tire tread, anda greater possibility of dam-age from road hazards.
WARNING- Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and
lead to sudden tire failure. This
could result in loss of vehicle
control and potential injury.
CAUTION - Tire pressure
Always observe the following: Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. (After vehiclehas been parked for at leastthree hours or hasn't beendriven more than 1.6 km (onemile) since startup.)
Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you checkthe pressure of other tires.
Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload avehicle luggage rack if yourvehicle is equipped with one.
Worn, old tires can cause acci- dents. If your tread is badlyworn, or if your tires havebeen damaged, replace them.
CAUTION
Warm tires normally exceed recommended cold tire pres-sures by 28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6psi ). Do not release air fromwarm tires to adjust the pres-sure or the tires will be under-inflated.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation valve caps. Withoutthe valve cap, dirt or moisturecould get into the valve coreand cause air leakage. If avalve cap is missing, install anew one as soon as possible.

851
Maintenance
Checking tire inflation pres-
sure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to check
Use a good quality gauge to check
tire pressure. You can not tell if your
tires are properly inflated simply by
looking at them. Radial tires may
look properly inflated even when
they're underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile).Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire guage 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 guage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.
WARNING
Inspect your tires frequently
for proper inflation as well as
wear and damage. Always use
a tire pressure gauge.
Tires with too much or too little pressure wear unevenly caus-
ing poor handling, loss of vehi-
cle control, and sudden tire
failure leading to accidents,
injuries, and even death. The
recommended cold tire pres-
sure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and on
the tire label located on the dri-
ver's side center pillar.
Worn tires can cause acci- dents. Replace tires that are
worn, show uneven wear, or
are damaged.
Remember to check the pres- sure of your spare tire. Kia
recommends that you check
the spare every time you
check the pressure of the
other tires on your vehicle.

859
Maintenance
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 440
TRACTION A
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.
Tires degrade over time, even when
they are not being used. Regardless
of the remaining tread, we recom-
mend 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.

861
Maintenance
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. Cold Tire Pressure:
The amount of
air pressure in a tire, measured in
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilo-
pascals (kPa) before a tire has built
up heat from driving.
Curb Weight: This means the weight
of a motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil and
coolant, but without passengers and
cargo.
DOT Markings: The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric des-
ignator which can also identify the
tire manufacturer, production plant,
brand and date of production.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the Front Axle.
GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the Rear axle. Intended Outboard Sidewall:
The
side of an asymmetrical tire, that
must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa): The metric unit for
air pressure.
Light truck (LT) tire: A tire designat-
ed by its manufacturer as primarily
intended for use on lightweight trucks
or multipurpose passenger vehicles.
Load Index: An assigned number
ranging from 1 to 279 that corre-
sponds to the load carrying capacity
of a tire.
Load ratings: The maximum load
that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure.
Maximum Inflation Pressure: The
maximum air pressure to which a
cold tire may be inflated. The maxi-
mum air pressure is molded onto the
sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating: The load
rating for a tire at the maximum per-
missible inflation pressure for that tire.

Maintenance
62
8
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight:
The sum of curb weight; accessory
weight; vehicle capacity weight; and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight: The
number of occupants a vehicle is
designed to seat multiplied by 150
pounds (68 kg).
Occupant Distribution: Designated
seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall: The side
of a asymmetrical tire that has a par-
ticular side that faces outward when
mounted on a vehicle. The outward
facing sidewall bears white lettering
or bears manufacturer, brand, and/or
model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same moldings on
the inner facing sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire: A tire
used on passenger cars and some
light duty trucks and multipurpose
vehicles.
Ply: A layer of rubber-coated parallel
cords. Pneumatic tire:
A mechanical
device made of rubber, chemicals,
fabric and steel or other materials,
that, when mounted on an automo-
tive wheel, provides the traction and
contains the gas or fluid that sustains
the load.
Production options weight: The
combined weight of installed regular
production options weighing over 5
lb.(2.3 kg) in excess of the standard
items which they replace, not previ-
ously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy
duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Recommended Inflation Pressure:
Vehicle manufacturer's recommend-
ed tire inflation pressure and shown
on the tire placard.
Radial Ply Tire: A pneumatic tire in
which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Rim: A metal support for a tire and
upon which the tire beads are seated. Sidewall:
The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead.
Speed Rating: An alphanumeric
code assigned to a tire indicating the
maximum speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction: The friction between the
tire and the road surface. The
amount of grip provided.
Tread: The portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators: Narrow
bands, sometimes called "wear bars,"
that show across the tread of a tire
when only 2/32 inch of tread remains.
UTQGS: Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards, a tire information
system that provides consumers with
ratings for a tire's traction, tempera-
ture and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers
using government testing proce-
dures. The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire.
Vehicle Capacity Weight: The num-
ber of designated seating positions
multiplied by 150 lbs. (68 kg) plus the
rated cargo and luggage load.