Maintenance
50
8
Temperature -A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C cor-
responds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the labora-
tory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.Tire terminology and defini-
tions
Air Pressure: The amount of air
inside the tire pressing outward on
the tire. Air pressure is expressed in
kilopascal (kPa) or pounds per
square inch (psi).
Accessory Weight: This means the
combined weight of optional acces-
sories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, dual clutch trans-
mission, power seats, and air condi-
tioning.
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
kilopascals (kPa) or pounds per
square inch (psi) 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: A code molded into
the sidewall of a tire signifying that
the tire is in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation motor
vehicle safety standards. 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.
851
Maintenance
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.
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
lbs. (68kg). 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.
853
Maintenance
All season tires
Kia specifies all season tires on
some models to provide good per-
formance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All season tires are identified
by ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud
and Snow) on the tire sidewall. Snow
tires have better snow traction than
all season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
Kia specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior perform-
ance on dry roads. Summer tire per-
formance is substantially reduced in
snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M+S
(Mud and Snow) on the tire side wall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions, Kia recom-
mends the use of snow tires or all
season tires on all four wheels.
Snow tires
If you equip your car with snow tires,
they should be the same size and
have the same load capacity as the
original tires. Snow tires should be
installed on all four wheels; other-
wise, poor handling may result.
Snow tires should carry 4 psi (28
kPa) more air pressure than the
pressure recommended for the stan-
dard tires on the tire label on the dri-
ver's side of the center pillar, or up to
the maximum pressure shown on the
tire sidewall, whichever is less.
Do not drive faster than 75 mph (120
km/h) when your vehicle is equipped
with snow tires.WARNING
Do not use summer tires at tem-
peratures below 45°F (7°C) or
when driving on snow or ice. At
temperatures below 45°F (7°C),
summer tires can lose elastici-
ty, and therefore traction and
braking power as well. Change
the tires on your vehicle to win-
ter or all-weather tires of the
same size as the standard tires
of the vehicle. Both types of
tires are identified by the M+S
(Mud and Snow) marking. Using
summer tires at very cold tem-
peratures could cause cracks to
form, thereby damaging the
tires permanently.
Maintenance
54
8
Tire chains
Tire chains, if necessary, should be
installed on the front wheels.
Be sure that the chains are installed
in accordance with the manufactur-
er's instructions.
To minimize tire and chain wear, do
not continue to use tire chains when
they are no longer needed.
When driving on roads covered
with snow or ice, drive at less than
20 mph (30 km/h).
Use the SAE “S” class or wire chains.
If you hear noise caused by chains contacting the body, retighten the
chain to avoid contact with the
vehicle body.
To prevent body damage, retighten the chains after driving 0.3~0.6
miles (0.5~1.0 km).
Do not use tire chains on vehicles equipped with aluminum wheels.
In unavoidable circumstances, use
a wire type chain.
Use wire chains less than 0.47 inches (12 mm) to prevent damage
to the chain’s connection.
Radial-ply tires
Radial-ply tires provide improved
tread life, road hazard resistance and
smoother high speed ride. The radi-
al-ply tires used on this vehicle are
of belted construction and are select-
ed to complement the ride and han-
dling characteristics of your vehicle.
Radial-ply tires have the same load
carrying capacity as bias-ply or bias
belted tires of the same size and use
the same recommended inflation
pressure. Mixing of radial-ply tires
with bias-ply or bias belted tires is
not recommended. Any combina-
tions of radial-ply and bias-ply or bias
belted tires when used on the same
vehicle will seriously deteriorate
vehicle handling. The best rule to fol-
low is: identical radial-ply tires should
always be used as a set of four. Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear. It
is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval shown in this section
to achieve the tread life potential of
these tires. Cuts and punctures in
radial-ply tires are repairable only in
the tread area, because of sidewall
flexing. Consult your tire dealer for
radial-ply tire repairs.
855
Maintenance
Low aspect ratio tire
(if equipped)
Low aspect ratio tires, whose aspect
ratio is lower than 50, are provided
for sporty looks.
Because the low aspect ratio tires
are optimized for handling and brak-
ing, it may be more uncomfortable to
ride in and there is more noise com-
pare with normal tires. It is not easy to recognize the tire
damage with your own eyes. But if
there is the slightest hint of tire
damage, even though you cannot
see it, have the tire checked or
replaced because the tire damage
may cause air leakage from the tire.
If the tire is damaged by driving on a rough road, off road, pothole,
manhole, or curb stone, it will not
be covered by the warranty.
You can find out the tire information on the tire sidewall.
CAUTION
Because the sidewall of the lowaspect ratio tire is shorter thanthe normal, the wheel and tire ofthe low aspect ratio tire is easi-er to be damaged. So, follow theinstructions below.
When driving on a rough road or off road, drive cautiouslybecause tires and wheels maybe damaged. And after driv-ing, inspect tires and wheels.
When passing over a pothole, speed bump, manhole, or curbstone, drive slowly so that thetires and wheels are not dam-aged.
If the tire is impacted, we rec- ommend that you inspect thetire condition or contact anauthorized Kia dealer.
To prevent damage to the tire, inspect the tire condition andpressure every 1,900 miles(3,000 km).
8101
Maintenance
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated with
a clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner,polishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminum wheels. They
may scratch the finish.
Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent, and rinse thoroughly with
water. Also, be sure to clean the
wheels after driving on salted roads.
This helps prevent corrosion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high- speed vehicle wash brushes.
Do not use any alkaline or acid detergents It may damage and cor-
rode the aluminum wheels coated
with a clear protective finish.
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design
and construction practices to combat
corrosion, we produce vehicles of
the highest quality. However, this is
only part of the job. To achieve the
long-term corrosion resistance your
vehicle can deliver, the owner's
cooperation and assistance is also
required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corro-
sion on your vehicle are:
Road salt, dirt and moisture that isallowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abra-
sion or minor scrapes and dents
which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion. 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.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test
the brakes while driving slowly
to see if they have been affected
by water. If braking performance
is impaired, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly while main-
taining a slow forward speed.
8103
Maintenance
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.
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.
Specifications, Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
9-2
Bulb wattage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Gross vehicle weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Luggage volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Air conditioning system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Recommended lubricants and capacities . . . . . . . . 9-7
• Recommended SAE viscosity number. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Vehicle identification number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Vehicle certification label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Tire specification and pressure label . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Engine number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Air conditioner compressor label . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Refrigerant label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11 Consumer Assistance (U.S. only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
•
Toll free consumer assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
• Emergency roadside assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
• Trip interruption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
• Registering your vehicle in a foreign country . . . . . 9-14
Electrical Equipment (U.S. only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
• Installation of a mobile two-way radio system . . . . . 9-15
Reporting Safety Defects (U.S. only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Online factory authorized manuals (U.S. only) . . 9-16
• Service manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
• Electrical troubleshooting manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
• Owner's manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-
16
9