4169
Features of your vehicle
The refrigerant system should onlybe serviced by trained and certified
technicians to insure proper and
safe operation.
The refrigerant system should be serviced in a well-ventilated place.
The air conditioning evaporator (cooling coil) shall never be repaired
or replaced with one removed from
a used or salvaged vehicle and new
replacement MAC evaporators shall
be certified (and labeled) as meet-
ing SAE Standard J2842. Air conditioning system operation tips
If the vehicle has been parked in
direct sunlight during hot weather,
open the windows for a short time
to let the hot air inside the vehicle
escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of the windows on rainy or humid
days, decrease the humidity inside
the vehicle by operating the air
conditioning system.
During air conditioning system operation, you may occasionally
notice a slight change in engine
speed as the air conditioning com-
pressor cycles. This is a normal
system operation characteristic.
Use the air conditioning system every month only for a few minutes
to ensure maximum system per-
formance.CAUTION- Excessive A/C
When using the air condition- ing system, monitor the tem-perature gauge closely whiledriving up hills or in heavy traf-fic when outside temperaturesare high. Air conditioning sys-tem operation may causeengine overheating. Continueto use the blower fan but turnthe air conditioning system offif the temperature gauge indi-cates engine overheating.
When opening the windows in humid weather air condition-ing may create water dropletsinside the vehicle. Sinceexcessive water droplets maycause damage to electricalequipment, air conditioningshould only be used with thewindows closed.
Driving your vehicle
112
5
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 section 7. 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 7. The level of charge in your
battery can be checked by an author-
ized 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 8 for recommendations. If you
aren't sure what weight oil you should
use, consult an authorized Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and igni-
tion system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in chapter 7 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.
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing,
squirt an approved de-icer fluid or
glycerine into the key opening. If a
lock is covered with ice, squirt it with
an approved de-icing fluid to remove
the ice. If the lock is frozen internally,
you may be able to thaw it out by
using a heated key. Handle the heat-
ed key with care to avoid injury.
Maintenance
26
7
POWER STEERING FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
Checking the power steering
fluid level
With the vehicle on level ground,
check the fluid level in the power
steering reservoir periodically. The
fluid should be between MAX and
MIN marks on the side of the reser-
voir at the normal temperature.
Before adding power steering fluid,
thoroughly clean the area around the
reservoir cap to prevent power steer-
ing fluid contamination.
If the level is low, add fluid to the
MAX level. In the event the power steering sys-
tem requires frequent addition of
fluid, the vehicle should be inspected
by an authorized Kia dealer.
Use only the specified power steer-
ing fluid. (Refer to "Recommendedlubricants or capacities" in chapter8.)
Checking the power steering
hose
Check the connections for oil leaks,
damage and twists in the power
steering hose before driving.
OYP078063N
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the power steering pump, do not operatethe vehicle for prolonged peri-ods with a low power steeringfluid level.
Never start the engine when the reservoir tank is empty.
When adding fluid, be careful that dirt does not get into thetank.
Too little fluid can result in increased steering effortand/or noise from the powersteering system.
The use of the non-specified fluid could reduce the effective-ness of the power steering sys-tem and cause damage to it.
737
Maintenance
✽ ✽NOTICE
If you connect unauthorized elec-
tronic devices to the battery, the bat-
tery may be discharged. Never use
unauthorized devices.
Battery recharging
Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged
in a short time (because, for exam-
ple, the headlights or interior lights
were left on while the vehicle was
not in use), recharge it by slow
charging (trickle) for 10 hours.
If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while
the vehicle is being used, recharge
it at 20-30A for two hours.
Recharging battery
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed fromthe vehicle and placed in an area
with good ventilation.
Do not allow cigarettes, sparks, or flame near the battery.
Watch the battery during charging, and stop or reduce the charging
rate if the battery cells begin
gassing (boiling) violently or if the
temperature of the electrolyte of
any cell exceeds 49°C (120°F).
Wear eye protection when check- ing the battery during charging.
Disconnect the battery charger in the following order.
1. Turn off the battery charger main switch.
2. Unhook the negative clamp from the negative battery terminal.
3. Unhook the positive clamp from the positive battery terminal.WARNING- Risk of elec-
trocution
Never touch the electrical igni-
tion system while the vehicle is
running. This system works
with high voltage which can
shock you.
WARNING- Recharging Battery
Never attempt to recharge the
battery when the battery cables
are connected.
WARNING- Battery lead
compound
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain
lead and lead compounds.
Wash hands after handling.
Recommended SAE viscosity
number
Always be sure to clean the area
around any filler plug, drain plug, or
dipstick before checking or draining
any lubricant. This is especially
important in dusty or sandy areas
and when the vehicle is used on
unpaved roads. Cleaning the plug
and dipstick areas will prevent dirt
and grit from entering the engine and
other mechanisms that could be
damaged.Engine oil viscosity (thickness) has
an effect on fuel economy and cold
weather operating (engine start and
engine oil flowability). Lower viscosi-
ty engine oils can provide better fuel
economy and cold weather perform-
ance, however, higher viscosity
engine oils are required for satisfac-
tory lubrication in hot weather.
Using oils of any viscosity other than
those recommended could result in
engine damage.
When choosing an oil, consider the
range of temperature your vehicle
will be operated in before the next oil
change.
Proceed to select the recommended
oil viscosity from the chart.
Temperature Range for SAE Viscosity Numbers
Temperature
Engine Oil *
1
°C
(°F)-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 -10 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
1. For better fuel economy, it is recommended to use the engine oil of
a viscosity grade SAE 5W-30 (ACEA A5). However, if the engine oil
is not available in your country, select the proper engine oil using the
engine oil viscosity chart.
10W-30
5W-30
87
Specifications & Consumer information