
621
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽NOTICE
If the AWD system warning light
( ) illuminates, this indicates that
there is a malfunction in the AWD
system.
If this occurs, we recommend that
the system be checked by an author-
ized Kia dealer.
Tight corner brake effect
✽ ✽NOTICE- AWD
When turning sharply on a paved
road at low speed while in all wheel
drive, steering control will be difficult.
Tight corner brake effect is a unique
characteristic of all wheel drive vehi-
cles caused by the difference in tire
rotation at the four wheels and the
zero-degree alignment of the front
wheels and suspension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution. 

693
Driving your vehicle
Tire chains 
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner, they can be damaged by
mounting some types of snow chains
on them. Therefore, the use of snow
tires is recommended instead of
snow chains. Do not mount tire
chains on vehicles equipped with
aluminum wheels; snow chains may
cause damage to the wheels. If snow
chains must be used, use wire-type
chains with a thickness of less than
0.59 in (15mm). Damage to your
vehicle caused by improper snow
chain use is not covered by your
vehicle manufacturers warranty.When using tire chains, install tire
chains only on the front tires.
The snow chain connecting hooks
may be damaged from contacting
vehicle components causing the
snow chains to come loose from the
tire. Make sure the snow chains are
SAE class “S” certified.
Always check chain installation for
proper mounting after driving
approximately 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5 to
1 km) to ensure safe mounting.
Retighten or remount the chains if
they are loose.
Chain installation 
When installing chains, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the
body or chassis, stop and tighten
them. If they still make contact, slow
down until it stops. Remove the
chains as soon as you begin driving
on cleared roads.
When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away
from traffic. Turn on the vehicle
Hazard Warning flashers and place a
triangular emergency warning device
behind the vehicle if available.
Always place the vehicle in P (Park),
apply the parking brake and turn off
the engine before installing snow
chains.
CAUTION- Snow chains
Make sure the snow chains are
the correct size and type foryour tires. Incorrect snowchains can cause damage to thevehicle body and suspensionand may not be covered by yourvehicle manufacturer warranty.
OQL055046 

Driving your vehicle
94
6
 The use of chains may adversely
affect vehicle handling.
 Do not exceed 20 mph (30 km/h) or the chain manufacturer’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
 Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns, and other road
hazards, which may cause the
vehicle to bounce.
 Avoid sharp turns or locked-wheel braking.Use high quality ethylene gly-
col coolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high
quality ethylene glycol coolant in the
cooling system. It is the only type of
coolant that should be used because
it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-
ing system, lubricates the water
pump and prevents freezing. Be sure
to replace or replenish your coolant
in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in chapter 8. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure
that its freezing point is sufficient for
the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.
Check battery and cables
Winter puts additional burdens on
the battery system. Visually inspect
the battery and cables as described
in chapter 8. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by an
authorized Kia dealer or a service
station.
Change to "winter weight" oil
if necessary
In some climates it is recommended
that a lower viscosity "winter weight"
oil be used during cold weather. See
chapter 9 for recommendations. If
you aren't sure what weight oil you
should use, consult an authorized
Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition
system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in chapter 8 and replace
them if necessary. Also check all
ignition wiring and components to be
sure they are not cracked, worn or
damaged in any way.CAUTION- Snow chains
 Chains that are the wrong size or improperly installed candamage your vehicle's brakelines, suspension, body andwheels.
 Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear themhitting the vehicle. 

85
Maintenance
(Continued)
• Wash the undercarriage of yourvehicle regularly during the winter
and whenever your vehicle has been
exposed to 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.
• Immediately seek an inspection of your vehicle if you become visually
aware of corrosion flaking or scal-
ing or if you become aware of a
change in vehicle performance, such
as soft or spongey brakes, fluids
leaking, impairment of directional
control, suspension noises or rat-
tling metal straps. NHTSA further
advises that after a vehicle is 7 years
old, it is essential 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 Kia dealer with spe-
cial 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
Kia dealer.
WARNING- Maintenance
work
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. 

Maintenance
10
8
Number of months or driving distance, whichever comes first
Months1224364860728496108120132144156168180
Miles×1,00061218243036424854606672788490
Km×1,000102030405060708090100110120130140150
Rotate tiresRotate every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
Climate control air filterRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Vacuum hoseIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Coolant (Engine)At first, replace at 120,000 miles (200,000 km) or 10 years :
after that, replace every 30,000 miles (50,000 km) or 24 months
Battery conditionIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Brake lines, hoses and connectionsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Disc brakes and padsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Steering gear rack, linkage and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Driveshaft and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Suspension mounting boltsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Air conditioner refrigerantIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Air conditioner compressorIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Propeller shaftIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Exhaust pipe and mufflerIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Normal Maintenance Schedule - Turbo Models (CONT.)
I : Inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace.
R : Replace or change.
MAINTENANCE INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE
ITEM 

Maintenance
16
8
Number of months or driving distance, whichever comes first
Months1224364860728496108120132144156168180
Miles×1,0007.51522.530 37.5 45 52.5 60 67.5 75 82.5 90 97.5 105 112.5 
Km×1,00012 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144 156 168 180
Rotate tiresRotate every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
Climate control air filterRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Vacuum hoseIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Coolant (Engine)At first, replace at 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years,
after that, replace every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or 24 months
Battery conditionIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Brake lines, hoses and connectionsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Brake discs and padsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Steering gear rack, linkage and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Driveshaft and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Suspension ball jointsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Air conditioner compressor/refrigerantIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Propeller shaft (AWD)IIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Exhaust systemIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
MAINTENANCE INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE
ITEM
Normal Maintenance Schedule - Non Turbo Models(CONT.)
I : Inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace.
R : Replace or change. 

Maintenance
18
8
Maintenance Under Severe Usage Conditions - Non Turbo Models
The following items must be serviced more frequently on cars normally used under severe driving conditions. Refer
to the chart below for the appropriate maintenance intervals.
R : Replace      I : Inspect and, after inspection, clean, adjust, repair or replace if neces\
sary
MAINTENANCE ITEMMAINTENANCE
OPERATIONMAINTENANCE INTERVALSDRIVING 
CONDITION
Engine oil and engine oil filterTheta II 2.4L GDIREvery 3,750 miles (6,000 km) or 6 monthsA, B, C, D, E,
F, G, H, I, J, K
Air cleaner filterRMore frequentlyC, E
Spark plugs RMore frequentlyA, B, F, G, H, I, K
Automatic transmission fluidREvery 60,000 miles (96,000 km)A, C, D, E,
F, G, H, I, J
Brake discs and pads, calipers and rotorsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, G, H
Parking brake (Foot Type)IMore frequentlyC, D, G, H
Steering gear rack, linkage and bootsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, F, G
Suspension ball jointsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, F, G 

823
Maintenance
(Continued)
1. Wash the undercarriage of yourvehicle regularly throughout the
winter and do a thorough washing
in the spring to remove road salt
and other de-icing chemicals.
2. Monitor the brake system for signs of corrosion by having regu-
lar professional inspections and
watching for signs of problems,
including loss of brake fluid,
unusual leaks and soft or spongy
feel in the brake pedal.
3. Replace the entire brake pipe assembly if you find severe corro-
sion that causes scaling or flaking
of brake components.
Brake fluid
Check the brake fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir. The level should
be between “MIN” and “MAX” marks
on the side of the reservoir. Use only
hydraulic brake fluid conforming to
DOT 3 or DOT 4 specification.
Parking brake
Inspect the parking brake system
including the parking brake pedal
and cables.
Brake discs, pads, calipers
and rotors
Check the pads for excessive wear,
discs for run out and wear, and
calipers for fluid leakage.
Exhaust pipe and muffler
Visually inspect the exhaust pipes,
muffler and hangers for cracks, dete-
rioration, or damage. Start the
engine and listen carefully for any
exhaust gas leakage. Tighten con-
nections or replace parts as neces-
sary.
Suspension mounting bolts
Check the suspension connections
for looseness or damage. Retighten
to the specified torque.
Steering gear box, linkage &
boots/lower arm ball joint
With the vehicle stopped and engine
off, check for excessive free-play in
the steering wheel.
Check the linkage for bends or dam-
age. Check the dust boots and ball
joints for deterioration, cracks, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts.
Drive shafts and boots
Check the drive shafts, boots and
clamps for cracks, deterioration, or
damage. Replace any damaged
parts and, if necessary, repack the
grease.
Air conditioning refrigerant 
Check the air conditioning lines and
connections for leakage and dam-
age.