637
What to do in an emergency
• Use a towing strap less than 16feet (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.
The driver must be in the vehicle for steering and braking operations
when the vehicle is towed and pas-
sengers other than the driver must
not be allowed to be on board.
Emergency towing precautions
Turn the ignition switch to ACC sothe steering wheel isn’t locked.
Place the transmission shift lever in N (Neutral).
Release the parking brake.
Press the brake pedal with more force than normal since you will
have reduced brake performance.
More steering effort will be required because the power steer-
ing system will be disabled.
If you are driving down a long hill, the brakes may overheat and brake
performance will be reduced. Stop
often and let the brakes cool off.
To avoid serious damage to the automatic transmission, limit the
vehicle speed to 10 mph (15 km/h)
and drive less than 1 mile (1.5 km)
when towing. (for Automatic trans-
mission vehicle.)CAUTION - Automatic
transmission
• If the car is being towed with all four wheels on the ground, itcan be towed only from thefront. Be sure that the trans-mission is in neutral. Be surethe steering is unlocked byplacing the ENGINESTART/STOP button to ACCposition. A driver must be inthe towed vehicle to operatethe steering and brakes.
Before towing, check the auto- matic transmission for fluidleaks under your vehicle. If theautomatic transmission fluid isleaking, flatbed equipment or atowing dolly must be used.
OQL065021
Maintenance
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Maintenance services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
• Owner’s responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
• Owner maintenance precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Owner maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
• Owner maintenance schedule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Scheduled maintenance service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items . . . 7-21
Checking fluid levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-26
Engine oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-27
• Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-27
• Changing the engine oil and filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-28
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-29
• Checking the coolant level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-29
• Changing the coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
• Checking the brake fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
• Checking the washer fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35
• Checking the parking brake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35
Air cleaner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
• Filter replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
Climate control air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38
• Filter inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38
Wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40
• Blade inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40
• Blade replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-\
43
• For best battery service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43
• Recharging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44
• Reset items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-45\
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
• Tire care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
7-46
• Recommended cold tire inflation pressures . . . . . . . 7-46
• Tire pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-47
• Checking tire inflation pressure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-47
• Tire rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
• Wheel alignment and tire balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-49
• Tire replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50
• Wheel replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
• Tire traction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
• Tire maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
• Tire sidewall labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
• All season tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-58
• Summer tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-58
• Snow tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-\
58
• Tire chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-58\
7
73
Maintenance
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OQLE075095/OQLA075109
■ ■Theta II 2.4L GDI
❈ The actual engine compartment in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
■ ■Theta II 2.0L T-GDI 1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Negative battery terminal
7. Positive battery terminal
8. Engine oil dipstick
9.Windshield washer fluid reservoir
75
Maintenance
✽ ✽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 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. (Continued)(Continued)
• 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.
77
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an author-
ized Kia dealer at the frequencies
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 thecoolant reservoir.
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
roads.
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, take your vehicle to an
authorized Kia dealer.
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.
Maintenance
87
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 for tires
that are worn, show uneven wear,
or are damaged.
Check for loose wheel lug nuts.
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.
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.
713
Maintenance
Number of months or driving distance, whichever comes first
Months1224364860728496108120132144156168180
Miles×1,00061218243036424854606672788490
Km×1,000102030405060708090100110120130140150
Fuel lines, hoses and connections---I---I---I---
Parking brake-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-
Brake fluidInspect every 6,000 miles (10,000 km) or 12 months,
Replace every 48,000 miles (80,000 km) or 48 months
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
14
7
Maintenance Under Severe Usage Conditions - 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 2.0L T-GDIREvery 3,000 miles (5,000 km) or 6 monthsA, B, C, D, E,
F, G, H, I, J, K
Air cleaner filterIMore frequentlyC, E
Spark plugs RMore frequentlyA, B, F, G, H, I, K
Automatic transmission fluidREvery 60,000 miles (100,000 km) A, C, E, F, G, H, I, J
Front brake disc/pads, calipersIMore frequentlyC, D, E, G, H
Rear brake disc/padsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, G, H
Parking brakeIMore frequentlyC, D, G, H
Steering gear box, linkage & boots/
Lower arm ball joint, upper arm ball jointIMore frequentlyC, D, E, F, G