oil level KIA FORTE 2020 Owners Manual

485
Features of your vehicle
If there is a malfunction with either
the alternator or electrical charging
system:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safelocation and stop your vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and check the alternator drive belt for looseness
or breakage.
If the belt is adjusted properly,
there may be a problem in the
electrical charging system.
In this situation, have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.Engine Oil Pressure Warning Light
This warning light illuminates:
Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON
position.
- It remains on until the engine isstarted.
When the engine oil pressure is low.
If the engine oil pressure is low:
1.Drive carefully to the nearest safe location and stop your vehicle.
2.Turn the engine off and check the engine oil level (For more details,
refer to the “Engine Oil” section in
Chapter 8). If the level is low, add
oil as required.
If the warning light remains on after
adding oil or if oil is not available,
have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer as soon as
possible.
CAUTION - Engine
damage
If the engine is not stopped immediately after the engine oilpressure warning light is illumi-nated and stays on while theengine is running, seriousengine damage may result.
CAUTION - Engine over-
heating
Do not continue driving with theengine overheated. Otherwise,the engine may be damaged.

Features of your vehicle
86
4
If the warning light stays on while the
engine is running, there may be seri-
ous engine damage. In this case,
1. Stop the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so.
2. Turn off the engine and check the oil level. If the oil level is low, fill the
engine oil to the proper level.
3. Start the engine again. If the warn- ing light stays on after the engine
is started, turn the engine off
immediately. In this situation, have
your vehicle inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer.Low Fuel Level Warning
Light
This warning light illuminates:
When the fuel tank is nearly empty.
If the fuel tank is nearly empty:
Add fuel as soon as possible.
Low Tire PressureWarning Light
This warning light illuminates:
Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON
position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3seconds and then goes off.
When one or more of your tires are significantly underinflated.
❈ For more details, refer to the “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TMPS)” section in Chapter 6.
CAUTION - Low Fuel
Level
Driving with the Low Fuel Level
warning light on or with the fuellevel below “E” can cause theengine to misfire and damagethe catalytic converter (ifequipped).

55
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outsidemirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, at the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in chapter 7,
“Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-trols are easily reached.
Buckle your seat belt.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light
goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING - Distracted driving
Focus on the road while driving.
The driver's primary responsi-
bility is in the safe and legal
operation of the vehicle. Use of
any handled devices, other
equipment or vehicle systems
that distract the driver should
not be used during vehicle
operation.

5113
Driving your vehicle
Various driving situations which you
may encounter in SMART mode
The driving mode automaticallychanges to ECO mode after a cer-
tain period of time when you gently
depress the accelerator pedal
(Your driving is categorized to be
mild).
The driving mode automatically changes from SMART ECO mode
to SMART NORMAL mode after a
certain period of time when you
sharply or repetitively depress the
accelerator pedal.
The driving mode automatically changes to SMART NORMAL
mode with the same driving pat-
terns when the vehicle starts to
drive on an upward slope of a cer-
tain angle. The driving mode auto-
matically returns to SMART ECO
mode when the vehicle enters a
leveled road. The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART SPORT when
you abruptly accelerate the vehicle
or repetitively operate the steering
wheel (Your driving is categorized
to be sporty). In this mode, your
vehicle drives in a lower gear for
faster accelerating/decelerating
and increased engine brake per-
formance.
You may still sense the engine brake performance, even when you
release the accelerator pedal in
SMART SPORT mode. It is
because your vehicle remains in a
lower gear over a certain period of
time.
The driving mode automatically changes to SMART SPORT mode
only in dynamic driving situations.
In most normal driving situations
the driving mode sets to either
SMART ECO mode or SMART
NORMAL mode. Limitation of SMART mode
The SMART mode may be limited in
following situations. (The OFF indica-
tor illuminates in those situations.)
The driver manually moves the
shift lever : It deactivates SMART
mode.
The cruise control is activated : The cruise system may deactivate
the SMART mode. (SMART mode
is not automatically deactivated
just by activing the cruise system.)
The transmission oil temperature is either extremely low or extremely
high : The SMART mode can be
active in most of the normal driving
situations. However an extremely
high/ low transmission oil tempera-
ture may temporarily deactivate the
SMART mode, because the trans-
mission condition is out of normal
operation condition.

5131
Driving your vehicle
DRIVER’S ATTENTION
The driver must be cautious in the
following situations. LKA may not
work properly when recognition of
the lane markers is poor or limited:
• When lane and road condition arepoor
- It is difficult to distinguish thelane marker from the road, such
as when the lane marker is cov-
ered with dust or sand.
- It is difficult to distinguish the color of the lane marker from the
road.
- There is something that looks like a lane marker.
- The lane marker is indistinct or damaged.
- The number of lanes increases/ decreases or the lane lines are
crossing (Driving through a toll
plaza/toll gate, merged/divided
lane).
- There are more than two lane markers.
- The lane marker is very thick or thin. (Continued)(Continued)
- The lane marker is not visibledue to snow, rain, stain, a puddle
or other factors.
- A shadow is on the lane marker because of a median strip,
guardrail, noise barriers or other
objects.
- When the lane markers are com- plicated or a structure substi-
tutes for the lines such as in a
construction
- There are crosswalk signs or other symbols on the road.
- The lane suddenly disappears such as at an intersection.
- The lane marker in a tunnel is covered with dirt or oil, etc.
• When external conditions inter- fere
- The brightness changes suddenlywhen entering/exiting a tunnel or
passing under a bridge.
- The headlamps are not on at night or in a tunnel, or the light
level is low.
- There is a boundary structure in the roadway. (Continued)(Continued)
- The light from a street lamp, sun,oncoming vehicle, etc. reflects off
water on the road.
- When light shines brightly from behind the vehicle.
- The distance from the vehicle ahead is very short or the vehicle
ahead covers up the lane line.
- You drive on a steep grade or a sharp curve.
- The vehicle vibrates heavily.
- The temperature near the inside mirror is very high due to direct
sun light and etc.
• When front visibility is poor - The lens or windshield is coveredby foreign materials.
- The sensor cannot detect the lane because of fog, heavy rain or
snow.
- The windshield is fogged by humid air in the vehicle.
- There is an object on the dash- board that interferes with the
camera.

Driving your vehicle
146
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 Chapte 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 Chapte 7. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by an
authorized 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
Chapte 8 for recommendations. If
you aren't sure what weight oil you
should use, consult an authorized
Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition
system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in Chapte 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.
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.

What to do in an emergency
46
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
If engine doesn't turn over or
turns over slowly
1. If your vehicle has an IntelligentVariable Transmission, be sure the
shift lever is in N (Neutral) or P
(Park) and the emergency brake is
set.
2. Check the battery connections to be sure they are clean and tight.
3. Turn on the interior light. If the light dims or goes out when you oper-
ate the starter, the battery is dis-
charged.
4. Check the starter connections to be sure they are securely tight-
ened.
5. Do not push or pull the vehicle to start it. See instructions for "Jump
starting".
If engine turns over normally
but does not start
1. Check the fuel level.
2. With the ignition switch in theLOCK position, check all connec-
tors at the ignition coils and spark
plugs. Reconnect any that may be
disconnected or loose.
3. Check the fuel line in the engine compartment.
4. If the engine still does not start, call an authorized Kia dealer or
seek other qualified assistance.
WARNING - Push/
pull start
Do not push or pull the vehicle
to start it. Push or pull starting
may cause the catalytic con-
verter to overload and create a
fire hazard.

Maintenance
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Maintenance services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
• Owner’s responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
• Owner maintenance precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Owner maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
• Owner maintenance schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Scheduled maintenance service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items . . . 7-21
Checking fluid levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-25
Engine oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-26
• Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-26
• Changing the engine oil and filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-27
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-28
• Checking the coolant level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-28
• Changing the coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31
Brake/clutch fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32
• Checking the brake/clutch fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32
Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
• Checking the washer fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
• Checking the parking brake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
Air cleaner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35
• Filter replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35
Climate control air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
• Filter inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
Wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
• Blade inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
• Blade replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
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
7

Maintenance
87
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 coolantreservoir.
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
road.
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, check the transmission
fluid level.
Check manual transmission opera- tion, including clutch operation.
Check dual clutch transmission P (Park) function.
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.

725
Maintenance
CHECKING FLUID LEVELS
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 damage.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.