suspension KIA FORTE 2018 User Guide

Maintenance
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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.
Dual clutch transmission Fluid
Inspect the dual clutch transmission
fluid according to the maintenance
schedule.
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. When checking engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid,
always be sure to clean the area
around any filler plug, drain plug, or
dipstick before checking or draining
any lubricant or fluid. This is espe-
cially 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.
CHECKING FLUID LEVELS

795
Maintenance
Finish damage repair
Deep scratches or stone chips in the
painted surface must be repaired
promptly. Exposed metal will quickly
rust and may develop into a major
repair expense.
✽ ✽NOTICE
If your vehicle is damaged and
requires any metal repair or
replacement, be sure the body shop
applies anti-corrosion materials to
the parts repaired or replaced.
Bright-metal maintenance
To remove road tar and insects,
use a tar remover, not a scraper or
other sharp object.
To protect the surfaces of bright- metal parts from corrosion, apply a
coating of wax or chrome preser-
vative and rub to a high luster.
During winter weather or in coastal areas, cover the bright metal parts
with a heavier coating of wax or
preservative. If necessary, coat the
parts with non-corrosive petroleum
jelly or other protective compound.
Underbody maintenance
Road salt and other corrosive chemi-
cals are used in cold weather states to
melt snow and prevent ice accumula-
tion. If these chemicals are not regu-
larly removed, they will corrode the
vehicle underbody and over time dam-
age fuel lines, the fuel tank retention
system, the vehicle suspension, the
exhaust system, and even the body
frame. The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration has warned all
vehicle owners of all brands of the
need to take the following steps:
Wash the undercarriage of yourvehicle regularly during the winter
and whenever your vehicle has
been exposed to such 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 cor-
rosion. 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 direc-
tional control, suspension noises
or rattling metal straps.
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated with
a clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-ishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminum wheels. They
may scratch or damage the finish.
Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
Use only a mild soap or neutral deter- gent, and rinse thoroughly with water.
Also, be sure to clean the wheels
after driving on salted roads. This
helps prevent corrosion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high- speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any alkaline or acid deter- gent. It may damage and corrode the
aluminum wheels coated with a clear
protective finish.