KIA Forte 2010 1.G Owner's Manual

719
Maintenance
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)G100100AFD-EUChecking the automatic transaxle
fluid level The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
Keep the vehicle on the level ground with
the parking brake applied and check the
fluid level according to the following pro-
cedure.
1. Place the shift lever in N (Neutral)position and confirm the engine is run-
ning at normal idle speed.
2. After the transaxle is warmed up suffi- ciently (fluid temperature 70~80°C
(158~176°F), for example by 10 min-
utes usual driving, move the shift lever
through all positions then place the
shift lever in N (Neutral) or P (Park)
position. 3. Confirm that the fluid level is in the
“HOT” range on the level gauge. If the
fluid level is lower, add the specified
fluid in the fill hole. If the fluid level is
higher, drain the fluid from the drain
hole. 4. If the fluid level is checked in cold con-
dition (fluid temperature 20~30°C
(68~86°F) add the fluid to “C” (COLD)
line and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
✽ ✽NOTICE“C” (COLD) range is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determine
the transaxle fluid level.
OTD079010
OTD079038OSA077009
■ Type A■ Type B
HOT
COLD
WARNING -
Transaxle fluid
The transaxle fluid level should be
checked when the engine is at nor-
mal operating temperature. This
means that the engine, radiator,
radiator hose and exhaust system
etc., are very hot. Exercise great
care not to burn yourself during
this procedure.

Maintenance20
7
✽
✽
NOTICEA new automatic transaxle fluid should
be red. The red dye is added so the
assembly plant can identify it as auto-
matic transaxle fluid and distinguish it
from engine oil or antifreeze. The red
dye, which is not an indicator of fluid
quality, is not permanent. As the vehicle
is driven, the automatic transaxle fluid
will begin to look darker. The color may
eventually appear light brown.
Therefore, have an authorized KIA
dealer change the automatic transaxle
fluid according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to “Recommended
lubricants and capacities” in section 8.)
G100200ATDChanging the automatic transaxle
fluidHave the automatic transaxle fluid
changed by an authorized KIA dealer
according to the Maintenance Schedule
at the beginning of this section.
WARNING
- Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply the parking brake
and depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.
CAUTION
Low fluid level causes transaxle
slippage. Overfilling can causefoaming, loss of fluid and transaxle malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could result in transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.

721
Maintenance
WASHER FLUIDG120100AUN-U1Checking the washer fluid level Check the fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir and add fluid if necessary. Plain
water may be used if washer fluid is not
available. However, use washer solvent
with antifreeze characteristics in cold cli-
mates to prevent freezing.
G140100ATDChecking the parking brake Check the stroke of the parking brake by
counting the number of “clicks’’ heard
while fully applying it from the released
position. Also, the parking brake alone
should securely hold the vehicle on a fair-
ly steep grade. If the stroke is more or
less than specified, have the parking
brake adjusted by an authorized KIA
dealer.
Stroke : 6~8 “clicks’’ at a force of 20 kg (44 lbs, 196 N).
WARNING -
Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant orantifreeze in the washer fluid
reservoir.
Radiator coolant can severely obscure visibility when sprayed
on the windshield and may cause
loss of vehicle control or damage
to paint and body trim.
Windshield washer fluid agents contain some amounts of alcohol
and can be flammable under cer-
tain circumstances. Do not allow
sparks or flame to contact the
washer fluid or the washer fluid
reservoir. Damage to the vehicle
or occupants could occur.
Windshield washer fluid is poi- sonous to humans and animals.
Do not drink and avoid contact-
ing windshield washer fluid.
Serious injury or death could
occur.
OTD079011
OTD059010
PARKING BRAKE

Maintenance22
7AIR CLEANER G160100AAM-ECFilter replacement It must be replaced when necessary, and
should not be washed.
You can clean the filter when inspecting
the air cleaner element.
Clean the filter by using compressed air. Replace the filter according to the
Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is operated in extremely
dusty or sandy areas, replace the ele-ment more often than the usual recom-mended intervals.
G170100AUN-ECFilter inspectionIf the vehicle is operated in severely air-
polluted cities or on dusty rough roads for
a long period, it should be inspected
more frequently and replaced earlier.
When you replace the climate control air
filter, replace it performing the following
procedure, and be careful to avoid dam-
aging other components.
OTD079014
CAUTION
Do not drive with the air cleaner removed; this will result in exces-sive engine wear.
When removing the air cleaner fil- ter, be careful that dust or dirtdoes not enter the air intake, ordamage may result.
Use a KIA genuine part. Use of nongenuine part could damagethe air flow sensor.
CLIMATE CONTROL AIR FILTER
(IF EQUIPPED)

723
Maintenance
WIPER BLADES G180100AUNBlade inspection✽
✽NOTICECommercial hot waxes applied by auto-
matic car washes have been known to
make the windshield difficult to clean.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the wiper blades with foreign matter can
reduce the effectiveness of the wind-
shield wipers. Common sources of con-
tamination are insects, tree sap, and hot
wax treatments used by some commer-
cial car washes. If the blades are not wip-
ing properly, clean both the window and
the blades with a good cleaner or mild
detergent, and rinse thoroughly with
clean water.
G180200AUNBlade replacement When the wipers no longer clean ade-
quately, the blades may be worn or
cracked, and require replacement.
1JBA5122
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, do not use gasoline, kerosene, paint thinner, or othersolvents on or near them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper arms or other components, do notattempt to move the wipers manual-ly.
CAUTION
The use of a non-specified wiperblade could result in wiper malfunc-tion and failure.

Maintenance24
7G180201AUNFront windshield wiper blade1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the wiper
blade assembly to expose the plastic
locking clip.
2. Compress the clip and slide the bladeassembly downward.
3. Lift it off the arm.
4. Install the blade assembly in the reverse order of removal.
1LDA5023
CAUTION
Do not allow the wiper arm to fallagainst the windshield, since it maychip or crack the windshield.
1JBA70371JBA7038

725
Maintenance
BATTERYG190100ATDFor best battery service Keep the battery securely mounted.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connectionsclean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease.
Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the battery immediately with a solution of
water and baking soda.
If the vehicle is not going to be used for an extended time, disconnect the bat-
tery cables.
WARNING
- Battery dangers
Always read the following
instructions carefully when
handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarettes and all other flames or sparks
away from the battery.
Hydrogen, a highly com- bustible gas, is always
present in battery cells and
may explode if ignited.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children because
batteries contain highly
corrosive SULFURIC ACID.
Do not allow battery acid to
contact your skin, eyes,
clothing or paint finish.
(Continued)
(Continued)If any electrolyte gets intoyour eyes, flush your eyes
with clean water for at least
15 minutes and get immedi-
ate medical attention.
If electrolyte gets on your
skin, thoroughly wash the
contacted area. If you feel a
pain or a burning sensa-
tion, get medical attention
immediately.
Wear eye protection when charging or working near a
battery. Always provide
ventilation when working in
an enclosed space.
An inappropriately disposed battery can be harmful to
the environment and human
health. Dispose the battery
according to your local
law(s) or regulation.
(Continued)
OTD079019

Maintenance26
7
G190200AUNBattery recharging Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged in a
short time (because, for example, 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.
(Continued)
When lifting a plastic-cased bat-tery, excessive pressure on the
case may cause battery acid to
leak, resulting in personal injury.
Lift with a battery carrier or with
your hands on opposite corners.
Never attempt to recharge the battery when the battery cables
are connected.
The electrical ignition system works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with the
engine running or the ignition
switched on.
Failure to follow the above warn-
ings can result in serious bodily
injury or death.
WARNING
- Recharging battery
When recharging the battery,
observe the following precautions:
The battery must be removed
from the vehicle and placed in an
area with good ventilation.
Do not allow cigarettes, sparks, or flame near the battery.
Watch the battery during charg- ing, and stop or reduce the charg-
ing 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.
(Continued)

727
Maintenance
G130300ATDReset itemsItems should be reset after the battery
has been discharged or the battery has
been disconnected.
Auto down window (See section 4)
Sunroof (See section 4)
Trip computer (See section 4)
Climate control system (See section 4)
Clock (See section 4)
Audio (See section 4)
(Continued)
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.
Before performing maintenance or recharging the battery, turn off
all accessories and stop the
engine.
The negative battery cable must be removed first and installed
last when the battery is discon-
nected.

Maintenance28
7TIRES AND WHEELS G200100AUNTire care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.G200200AUN-EURecommended cold tire inflation
pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked when the
tires are cold. “Cold Tires” means the
vehicle has not been driven for at
least three hours or driven less than
one mile (1.6 km).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear.
For recommended inflation pressure
refer to “Tire and wheels” in section
8. All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the driver’s side center
pillar.
WARNING
- Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation (10 psi
(70 kPa) or more) can lead to
severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to severe injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for long periods at high speeds.
OMG055004