suspension KIA NIRO PHEV 2021 Owners Manual

Driving your vehicle
190 5
Tire chains
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner, they can be damaged by
mounting some types of snow chains
on them. Therefore, the use of snow
tires is recommended instead of
snow chains. Do not mount tire
chains on vehicles equipped with
aluminum wheels; snow chains may
cause damage to the wheels. If snow
chains must be used, use wire-type
chains with a thickness of less than
0.47 in (12 mm). Damage to your
vehicle caused by improper snow
chain use is not covered by your
vehicle manufacturers warranty.When using tire chains, install tire
chains only on the front tires.
The snow chain connecting hooks
may be damaged from contacting
vehicle components causing the
snow chains to come loose from the
tire. Make sure the snow chains are
SAE class “S” certified.
Always check chain installation for
proper mounting after driving
approximately 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5 to
1 km) to ensure safe mounting.
Retighten or remount the chains if
they are loose.
If your vehicle has 18 inch tires, do
not use tire chains.
They can damage your vehicle
(wheel, suspension and body).Chain installation
When installing chains, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the
body or chassis, stop and tighten
them. If they still make contact, slow
down until it stops. Remove the
chains as soon as you begin driving
on cleared roads.
When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away
from traffic. Turn on the vehicle
Hazard Warning flashers and place a
triangular emergency warning device
behind the vehicle if available.
Always place the vehicle in P (Park),
apply the parking brake and turn off
the engine before installing snow
chains.
CAUTION- Snow chains
Make sure the snow chains are
the correct size and type for
your tires. Incorrect snow
chains can cause damage to the
vehicle body and suspension
and may not be covered by your
vehicle manufacturer warranty.
ODEP050062N

5191
Driving your vehicle
The use of chains may adversely
affect vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 20 mph (30 km/h)
or the chain manufacturer’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps,
holes, sharp turns, and other road
hazards, which may cause the
vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-wheel
braking.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 chapter 8. 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 chapter 8. 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
chapter 9 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 chapter 8 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.CAUTION- Snow chains
Chains that are the wrong size
or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle's brake
lines, suspension, body and
wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the
chains any time you hear them
hitting the vehicle.

TOWING
Towing service
If emergency towing is necessary,
we recommend having it done by an
authorized Kia dealer or a commer-
cial tow-truck service. Proper lifting
and towing procedures are neces-
sary to prevent damage to the vehi-
cle. The use of wheel dollies (1) or
flatbed is recommended.On FWD vehicles, it is acceptable to
tow the vehicle with the rear wheels
on the ground (without dollies) and
the front wheels off the ground. If any
of the loaded wheels or suspension
components are damaged or the
vehicle is being towed with the front
wheels on the ground, use a towing
dolly under the front wheels. When
being towed by a commercial tow
truck and wheel dollies are not used,
the front of the vehicle should always
be lifted, not the rear.
WARNING - Side and
curtain Air bag
If your vehicle is equipped with
side and curtain air bag, set the
ignition switch to LOCK or ACC
position when the vehicle is
being towed.
The side and curtain air bag
may deploy when the ignition is
ON, and the rollover sensor
detects the situation as a
rollover.
ODE066010L
What to do in an emergency
39 6

Maintenance
6 7
(Continued)
• Wash the undercarriage of your
vehicle regularly during the win-
ter 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
corrosion.
• Immediately seek an inspection of
your vehicle if you become visual-
ly aware of corrosion flaking or
scaling or if you become aware of
a change in vehicle performance,
such as soft or spongy brakes, flu-
ids leaking, impairment of direc-
tional control, suspension noises
or rattling metal straps.
NHTSA further advises that after
a vehicle is 7 years old, it is essen-
tial 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.
WARNING- Maintenance
work
Do not wear jewelry or loose
clothing while working under
the hood of your vehicle with
the engine running. These can
become entangled in moving
parts, if you must run the
engine while working under the
hood, make certain that you
remove all jewelry (especially
rings, bracelets, watches, and
necklaces) and all neckties,
scarves, and similar loose
clothing before getting near the
engine or cooling fans.
WARNING- Touching
metal parts
Do not touch metal parts
(including strut bars) while the
engine is operating or hot.
Doing so could result in serious
bodily injury. Turn the engine off
and wait until the metal parts
cool down to perform any main-
tenance work on the vehicle.

711
Maintenance
Number of months or driving distance, whichever comes first
Months1224364860728496108120132144156168180
Miles×1,0007.51522.530 37.5 45 52.5 60 67.5 75 82.5 90 97.5 105 112.5
Km×1,00012 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144 156 168 180
Vacuum hoseIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Coolant (Engine)At first, replace at 120,000 miles (192,000 km) or 10 years,
after that, replace every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) or 24 months
Battery conditionIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Brake lines, hoses and connectionsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Brake discs and padsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Steering gear rack, linkage and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Driveshaft and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Suspension ball jointsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Air conditioner compressor/refrigerantIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Exhaust systemIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
MAINTENANCE
INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE
ITEM
Normal Maintenance Schedule - Non Turbo Models(CONT.)
I : Inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace.
R : Replace or change.

713
Maintenance
Maintenance Under Severe Usage Conditions - Non 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 necessary
MAINTENANCE ITEMMAINTENANCE
OPERATIONMAINTENANCE INTERVALSDRIVING
CONDITION
Engine oil and engine oil filterREvery 3,750 miles (6,000 km)
or 6 monthsA, B, C, D, E,
F, G, H, I, J, K, L
Air cleaner filterRMore frequentlyC, E
Spark plugs RMore frequentlyA, B, F, G, H, I, K
Dual clutch transmission fluidREvery 75,000 miles (120,000 km)C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J
HSG (Hybrid Starter & Generator) belt
REvery 30,000 miles (48,000 km)
or 24 monthsC, D, E, K
IEvery 3,750 miles (6,000 km)
or 6 monthsC, D, E, K
Brake discs and pads, calipers and rotorsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, G, H
Parking brakeIMore frequentlyC, D, G, H
Steering gear rack, linkage and bootsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, F, G
Suspension ball jointsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, F, G

Maintenance
18 7
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.
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

7107
Maintenance
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 your
vehicle 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.