2018 KIA SOUL Owners Manual

Maintenance
110
8
High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehi-
cle is regularly exposed to corrosive
materials, corrosion protection is
particularly important. Some of the
common causes of accelerated cor-
rosion are road salts, dust control
chemicals, ocean air and industrial
pollution.
Moisture breeds corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in
which corrosion is most likely to
occur. For example, corrosion is
accelerated by high humidity, partic-
ularly when temperatures are just
above freezing. In such conditions,
the corrosive material is kept in con-
tact with the vehicle’s surface by
moisture that evaporates slowly.
Mud is particularly corrosive
because it dries slowly and holds
moisture in contact with the vehicle.
Although the mud appears to be dry,
it can still retain the moisture and
promote corrosion. High temperatures can also acceler-
ate corrosion of parts that are not
properly ventilated so the moisture
can be dispersed. For all these rea-
sons, it is particularly important to
keep your vehicle clean and free of
mud or accumulations of other mate-
rials. This applies not only to the vis-
ible surfaces but particularly to the
underside of the vehicle.
To help prevent corrosion
You can help prevent corrosion from
beginning by observing the following:
Keep your vehicle clean
The best way to prevent corrosion is
to keep your vehicle clean and free
of corrosive materials. Attention to
the underside of the vehicle is partic-
ularly important.
If you live in a high-corrosion area
— where road salts are used, near
the ocean, areas with industrial
pollution, acid rain, etc.—, you
should take extra care to prevent
corrosion. In winter, hose off the
underside of your vehicle at least
once a month and be sure to clean
the underside thoroughly when
winter is over.
vehicle, give particular attention to
the components under the fenders
and other areas that are hidden
from view. Do a thorough job; just
dampening the accumulated mud
rather than washing it away will
accelerate corrosion rather than
prevent it. Water under high pres-
sure and steam are particularly
effective in removing accumulated
mud and corrosive materials.

8111
Maintenance
When cleaning lower door panels,rocker panels and frame members,
be sure that drain holes are kept
open so that moisture can escape
and not be trapped inside to accel-
erate corrosion.
Keep your garage dry
Don't park your vehicle in a damp,
poorly ventilated garage. This cre-
ates a favorable environment for cor-
rosion. This is particularly true if you
wash your vehicle in the garage or
drive it into the garage when it is still
wet or covered with snow, ice or
mud. Even a heated garage can con-
tribute to corrosion unless it is well
ventilated so moisture is dispersed. Keep paint and trim in good con-
dition
Scratches or chips in the finish
should be covered with "touch-up"
paint as soon as possible to reduce
the possibility of corrosion. If bare
metal is showing through, the atten-
tion of a qualified body and paint
shop is recommended.
Bird droppings : Bird droppings are
highly corrosive and may damage
painted surfaces in just a few hours.
Always remove bird droppings as
soon as possible.
Don't neglect the interior
Moisture can collect under the floor
mats and carpeting and cause corro-
sion. Check under the mats periodi-
cally to be sure the carpeting is dry.
Use particular care if you carry fertil-
izers, cleaning materials or chemi-
cals in the vehicle.
These should be carried only in prop-
er containers and any spills or leaks
should be cleaned up, flushed with
clean water and thoroughly dried.Interior care
Interior general precautions
Prevent chemicals such as perfume,
cosmetic oil, sun cream, hand clean-
er, and air freshener from contacting
the interior parts because they may
cause damage or discoloration. If
they do contact the interior parts,
wipe them off immediately. If neces-
sary, use a vinyl cleaner, see product
instructions for correct usage.

Maintenance
112
8
Cleaning the upholstery and inte-
rior trim
Vinyl
Remove dust and loose dirt from
vinyl with a whisk broom or vacuum
cleaner. Clean vinyl surfaces with a
vinyl cleaner.
Fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt from fab-
ric with a whisk broom or vacuum
cleaner. Clean with a mild soap solu-
tion recommended for upholstery or
carpets. Remove fresh spots imme-
diately with a fabric spot cleaner. If
fresh spots do not receive immediate
attention, the fabric can be stained
and its color can be affected. Also, its
fire-resistant properties can be
reduced if the material is not proper-
ly maintained.
Using anything but recommended
cleaners and procedures may affect
the fabric’s appearance and fire-
resistant properties.
Cleaning the lap/shoulder beltwebbing
Clean the belt webbing with any mild
soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpet. Follow
the instructions provided with the
soap. Do not bleach or re-dye the
webbing because this may weaken
it.
Cleaning the interior window glass
If the interior glass surfaces of the
vehicle become fogged (that is, cov-
ered with an oily, greasy or waxy
film), they should be cleaned with a
glass cleaner. Follow the directions
on the glass cleaner container.
CAUTION- Electrical components
Never allow water or other liq-uids to come in contact withelectrical/electronic compo-nents inside the vehicle as thismay damage them.
CAUTION- Leather
When cleaning leather products(steering wheel, seats etc.), useneutral detergents or low alco-hol content solutions. If you usehigh alcohol content solutionsor acid/alkaline detergents, thecolor of the leather may fade orthe surface may get stripped off.
CAUTION- Rear window
Do not scrape or scratch theinside of the rear window. Thismay result in damage of the rearwindow defroster grid.

8113
Maintenance
Taking care of leather seats
Vacuum the seat periodically toremove dust and sand on the seat.
It will prevent abrasion or damage of
the leather and maintain its quality.
Wipe the natural leather seat cover often with dry or soft cloth.
Sufficient use of a leather protec- tive may prevent abrasion of the
cover and helps maintain the color.
Be sure to read the instructions
and consult a specialist when
using leather coating or protective
agents.
Leather with bright colors(beige, cream beige) is easily contaminat-
ed and clear in appearance. Clean
the seats frequently.
Avoid wiping with wet cloth. It may cause the surface to crack.
Cleaning the leather seats
Remove all contaminations instant-ly. Refer to instructions below for
removal of each contaminant.
Cosmetic products(sunscreen, foundation, etc.)
- Apply cleansing cream on a clothand wipe the contaminated point.
Wipe off the cream with a wet
cloth and remove water with a dry
cloth.
Beverages(coffee, soft drink, etc.) - Apply a small amount of neutraldetergent and wipe until contami-
nations do not smear.
Oil - Remove oil instantly withabsorbable cloth and wipe with
stain remover for natural leather
only.
Chewing gum - Harden the gum with ice andremove gradually.
Fabric seat cover (If equipped)
Please clean the fabric seats regu-
larly with a vacuum cleaner in con-
sideration of fabric material charac-
teristics. If they are heavily soiled
with beverage stains, etc., use a suit-
able interior cleaner. To prevent dam-
age to seat covers, wipe off the seat
covers down to the seams with a
large wiping motion and moderate
pressure using a soft sponge or
microfiber cloth.
Velcro closures on clothing or sharp
objects may cause snagging or
scratches on the surface of the
seats. Make sure not to rub such
objects against the surface.

Maintenance
114
8
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
The emission control system of your
vehicle is covered by a written limited
warranty. Please see the warranty
information contained in the
Warranty & Maintenance booklet in
your vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an
emission control system to meet all
applicable emission regulations.
There are three emission control
systems, as follows.
(1) Crankcase emission control sys-
tem
(2) Evaporative emission control sys- tem
(3) Exhaust emission control system
In order to assure the proper function
of the emission control systems, it is
recommended that you have your
vehicle inspected and maintained by
an authorized Kia dealer in accor-
dance with the maintenance sched-
ule in this manual. Caution for the Inspection and
Maintenance Test (With Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system)
To prevent the vehicle from mis-
firing during dynamometer test-
ing, turn the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system off by
pressing the ESC switch.
After dynamometer testing is completed, turn the ESC system
back on by pressing the ESC
switch again.1. Crankcase emission control system
The positive crankcase ventilation
system is employed to prevent air
pollution caused by blow-by gases
being emitted from the crankcase.
This system supplies fresh filtered air
to the crankcase through the air
intake hose. Inside the crankcase,
the fresh air mixes with blow-by
gases, which then pass through the
PCV valve into the induction system.
2. Evaporative emission con-trol (including ORVR:
Onboard Refueling Vapor
Recovery)
system
The Evaporative Emission Control
System is designed to prevent fuel
vapors from escaping into the atmos-
phere.
(The ORVR system is designed to
allow the vapors from the fuel tank to
be loaded into a canister while refu-
eling at the gas station, preventing
the escape of fuel vapors into the
atmosphere.)

8115
Maintenance
Canister
Fuel vapors generated inside the fuel
tank are absorbed and stored in the
onboard canister. When the engine is
running, the fuel vapors absorbed in
the canister are drawn into the surge
tank through the purge control sole-
noid valve.
Purge Control Solenoid Valve(PCSV)
The purge control solenoid valve is
controlled by the Engine Control
Module (ECM); when the engine
coolant temperature is low during
idling, the PCSV closes so that evap-
orated fuel is not taken into the
engine. After the engine warms up
during ordinary driving, the PCSV
opens to introduce evaporated fuel to
the engine.
3. Exhaust emission control
system
The Exhaust Emission Control
System is a highly effective system
which controls exhaust emissions
while maintaining good vehicle per-
formance.
Vehicle modifications
This vehicle should not be modified.
Modification of your vehicle could
affect its performance, safety or
durability and may even violate gov-
ernmental safety and emissions reg-
ulations.
In addition, damage or performance
problems resulting from any modifi-
cation may not be covered under
warranty.
If you use unauthorized electronic
devices, it may cause the vehicle to
operate abnormally, wire damage,
battery discharge and fire. For your
safety, do not use unauthorized
electronic devices.
Engine exhaust gas precautions
(carbon monoxide)
Carbon monoxide can be present with other exhaust fumes.
Therefore, if you smell exhaust
fumes of any kind inside your vehi-
cle, have it inspected and repaired
immediately. If you ever suspect
exhaust fumes are coming into
your vehicle, drive it only with all
the windows fully open. Have your
vehicle checked and repaired
immediately.
WARNING - Exhaust
Engine exhaust gases contain
carbon monoxide (CO). Though
colorless and odorless, it is
dangerous and could be lethal if
inhaled. Follow the instructions
on this page to avoid CO poi-
soning.

Maintenance
116
8
Do not operate the engine in con-
fined or closed areas (such as
garages) any more than what is
necessary to move the vehicle in or
out of the area.
When the vehicle is stopped in an open area for more than a short
time with the engine running,
adjust the ventilation system (as
needed) to draw outside air into the
vehicle.
Never sit in a parked or stopped vehicle for any extended time with
the engine running.
When the engine stalls or fails to start, excessive attempts to restart
the engine may cause damage to
the emission control system.Operating precautions for catalyt-
ic converters
WARNING- Catalytic converter
Keep away from the catalytic
converter and exhaust system
while the vehicle is running or
immediately thereafter. The
exhaust and catalytic systems
are very hot and may burn you.
WARNING- Fire
Do not park, idle or drive the vehicle over or near flamma-
ble objects, such as grass,
vegetation, paper, leaves, etc.
A hot exhaust system can
ignite flammable items under
your vehicle.
Also, do not remove the heat sink around the exhaust sys-
tem, do not seal the bottom of
the vehicle or do not coat the
vehicle for corrosion control.
It may present a fire risk under
certain conditions.

8117
Maintenance
Your vehicle is equipped with a cat-
alytic converter emission control
device.
Therefore, the following precautions
must be observed:
Use only UNLEADED FUEL forgasoline engines.
Do not operate the vehicle when there are signs of engine malfunc-
tion, such as misfire or a noticeable
loss of performance.
Do not misuse or abuse the engine. Examples of misuse are
coasting with the ignition off and
descending steep grades in gear
with the ignition off.
Do not operate the engine at high idle speed for extended periods (5
minutes or more).
Do not modify or tamper with any part of the engine or emission con-
trol system. All inspections and
adjustments must be made by an
authorized Kia dealer.
Avoid driving with a extremely low fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, dam-
aging the catalytic converter. Failure to observe these precautions
could result in damage to the catalyt-
ic converter and to your vehicle.
Additionally, such actions could void
your warranties.
Perchlorate Material-special handling
may apply, See www.dtsc.ca.gov/haz-
ardouswaste/ perchlorate.
Notice to California Vehicle Dismantlers:
Perchlorate containing materials,
such as air bag inflators, seatbelt
pretensioners and keyless remote
entry batteries, must be disposed of
according to Title 22 California Code
of Regulations Section 67384.10 (a).
CALIFORNIA
PERCHLORATE NOTICE