Page 450 of 580
What to do in an emergency
24
6
Ensure any metal parts on the
tiedown straps do not contact
painted surfaces or the face of the
wheels.
Do not place straps over the body panels or through the wheels.
WARNING - Side and
curtain Air bag
If your vehicle is equipped with
side and curtain air bag, set the
the Engine Start/Stop button to
ACC position when the vehicle
is being towed.
The side and curtain air bag
may deploy when the ignition is
ON, and the rollover sensor
detects the situation as a
rollover.
ORJ068020
CAUTION
Attaching straps to the chassis, suspension or other parts of thebody can cause damage.
ORJ068021
ORJ068022
CAUTION - Towing
Do not tow the vehicle back- wards with the rear wheels onthe ground as this may causedamage to the vehicle.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Use wheel lift orflatbed equipment.
Page 453 of 580

627
What to do in an emergency
Attach a towing strap to the towhook.
Use only a cable or chain specifical- ly intended for use in towing vehi-
cles. Securely fasten the cable or
chain to the towing hook provided.
Before emergency towing, check if the hook is not broken or damaged.
Fasten the towing cable or chain securely to the hook.
Do not jerk the hook. Apply it steadily and with even force.
To avoid damaging the hook, do not pull from the side or at a vertical
angle. Always pull straight ahead. Use a towing strap less than 16
feet (5 m) long. Attach a white or
red cloth (about 12 inches (30 cm)
wide) in the middle of the strap for
easy visibility.
Drive carefully so that the towing strap is not loosened during tow-
ing.
WARNING- Emergency
Towing Precautions
Use extreme caution when tow-
ing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress
on the emergency towing hook
and towing cable or chain. The
hook and towing cable or
chain may break and cause
serious injury or damage.
If the disabled vehicle is unable to be moved, do not
forcibly continue the towing.
In this case, contact an
authorized K900 Kia dealer or
a commercial tow truck serv-
ice for assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight ahead as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle during towing.
ORJ068028
Page 460 of 580

Maintenance
67
✽ ✽NOTICE - NHTSA Safety
Corrosion Alert
The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) has
issued a general warning to all vehi-
cle owners of all brands regarding
the risks associated with vehicle
underbody corrosion. From your
initial purchase, take the following
steps to prevent unsafe corrosion
damage to your vehicle:
• Wash the undercarriage of your
vehicle regularly during the win-
ter and whenever your vehicle has
been exposed to such salts or
chemicals.
• Do a thorough washing of the undercarriage at the end of the
winter.
• Use professional service techni- cians or governmental inspection
stations to annually inspect for
corrosion. (Continued)(Continued)
• Immediately seek an inspection of
your vehicle if you become visual-
ly aware of corrosion flaking or
scaling or if you become aware of
a change in vehicle performance,
such as soft or spongy brakes, flu-
ids leaking, impairment of direc-
tional control, suspension noises
or rattling metal straps.
NHTSA further advises that after
a vehicle is 7 years old, it is essen-
tial that you take these indicated
maintenance steps to ensure that
you protect yourself from unsafe
corrosion conditions.
Owner maintenance precau-
tions
Improper or incomplete service may
result in problems. This section gives
instructions only for the maintenance
items that are easy to perform.
As explained earlier in this section,
several procedures can be done only
by an authorized K900 Kia dealer
with special tools.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
Improper owner maintenance dur-
ing the warranty period may affect
warranty coverage. For details, read
the separate Warranty & Consumer
Information manual provided with
the vehicle. If you're unsure about
any servicing or maintenance proce-
dure, have it done by an authorized
K900 Kia dealer.
Page 461 of 580
77
Maintenance
WARNING- Maintenancework
Do not wear jewelry or loose
clothing while working under
the hood of your vehicle with
the engine running. These can
become entangled in moving
parts, if you must run the
engine while working under the
hood, make certain that you
remove all jewelry (especially
rings, bracelets, watches, and
necklaces) and all neckties,
scarves, and similar loose
clothing before getting near the
engine or cooling fans.WARNING- Touching metal parts
Do not touch metal parts
(including strut bars) while the
engine is operating or hot.
Doing so could result in serious
bodily injury. Turn the engine off
and wait until the metal parts
cool down to perform mainte-
nance work on the vehicle.
Page 462 of 580

Maintenance
87
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an author-
ized K900 Kia dealer at the frequen-
cies 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 coolantreservoir.
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 transmission
occurs, check the transmission
fluid level.
Check the automatic transmission 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- Hot coolant
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot
coolant and steam may blow
out under pressure.
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79
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 check the hood hinges.
Lubricate the door and hood locks and latches.
Lubricate the door rubber weather- strips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Inspect and lubricate automatic transmission linkage and controls.
Clean the battery and terminals.
Check the brake fluid level.
Page 475 of 580
721
Maintenance
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on levelground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reach normal operating tempera-
ture.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for a few minutes (about 5 minutes) for
the oil to return to the oil pan. 4. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean,
and reinsert it fully. 5. Pull the dipstick out again and
check the level. The level should
be between F and L.
CAUTION - Replacing
engine oil
Do not overfill the engine oil. Itmay damage the engine.
WARNING- Radiator hose
Be very careful not to touch the
radiator hose when checking or
adding the engine oil as it may
be hot enough to burn you.
ORJ078004
■Lambda II 3.3L T-GDI Engine (Gasoline)
Page 476 of 580
Maintenance
22
7
If it is near or at L, add enough oil to
bring the level to F. Do not overfill.
Use a funnel to help prevent oil
from being spilled on engine com-
ponents.
Use only the specified engine oil. (Refer to “Recommended lubricantsand capacities” in chapter 8.)
Changing the engine oil and
filter
Have engine oil and filter changed by
an authorized K900 Kia dealer
according to the Maintenance
Schedule at the beginning of this
chapter.
WARNING- Used engine
oil
Used engine oil may cause irri-
tation or cancer of the skin if
left in contact with the skin for
prolonged periods of time.
Always protect your skin by
washing your hands thoroughly
with soap and warm water as
soon as possible after handling
used oil.
ORJ078005
■Lambda II 3.3L T-GDI Engine (Gasoline)