5151
Driving your vehicle
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.
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window
washer system from freezing, add an
approved window washer anti-freeze
solution in accordance with instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er anti-freeze is available from an
authorized Kia dealer and most auto
parts outlets. Do not use engine
coolant or other types of anti-freeze
as these may damage the paint fin-
ish.
Don’t let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to happen
when there is an accumulation of
snow or ice around or near the rear
brakes or if the brakes are wet. If
there is a risk the parking brake may
freeze, apply it only temporarily while
you put the gear shift lever in P
(Park, Automatic Transmission) and
block the rear wheels so the vehicle
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
Don't let ice and snow accu-
mulate underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
vehicle to be sure the movement of
the front wheels and the steering
components are not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the
weather, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of
the items you may want to carry
include tow straps or chains, flash-
light, emergency flares, sand, shov-
el, jumper cables, window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, blan-
ket, etc.
Maintenance
98
7
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.
When cleaning underneath the 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.
