warning KIA PICANTO 2008 Owners Manual

727
Maintenance
G070200AUN Changing the coolant
Have coolant changed by an authorized KIA dealer according to the MaintenanceSchedule at the beginning of this section.G080100ASA
Checking the brake/clutch fluid
level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir peri-
odically. The fluid level should be
between MAX and MIN marks on the
side of the reservoir.
Before removing the reservoir cap and
adding brake/clutch fluid, clean the area
around the reservoir cap thoroughly to
prevent brake/clutch fluid contamination.If the level is low, add fluid to the MAX
level. The level will fall with accumulated
mileage. This is a normal condition asso-
ciated with the wear of the brake linings.
If the fluid level is excessively low, have
the brake system checked by an author-
ized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified brake/clutch fluid.
(Refer to “Recommended lubricants or
capacities” in section 9.)
Never mix different types of fluid.CAUTION
Put a thick cloth around the radiatorcap before refilling the coolant inorder to prevent the coolant from
overflowing into engine parts such as the generator.
WARNING - Coolant
Do not use radiator coolant or antifreeze 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.
BRAKE/CLUTCH FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
OSA077007
WARNING - Loss of brake fluid
In the event the brake system
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an authorized KIA dealer.

Maintenance
28
7
WARNING - Brake/clutch fluid
When changing and adding
brake/clutch fluid, handle it careful-
ly. Do not let it come in contact with
your eyes. If brake/clutch fluid
should come in contact with your
eyes, immediately flush them with a
large quantity of fresh tap water.
Have your eyes examined by a doc-
tor as soon as possible.CAUTION
Do not allow brake/clutch fluid con- tact the vehicle's body paint, aspaint damage will result.
Brake/clutch fluid, which has been exposed to open air for an extendedtime should never be used as its
quality cannot be guaranteed. It should be disposed of properly.
Don't put in the wrong kind of fluid. A few drops of mineral-based oil,
such as engine oil, in yourbrake/clutch system can damage
brake system parts.

Maintenance
30
7
✽✽
NOTICE
The “COLD” range is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determinethe transaxle fluid level.
✽
✽ NOTICE
New automatic transaxle fluid should be
red. The red dye is added so the assem-bly plant can identify it as automatic
transaxle fluid and distinguish it from
engine oil or antifreeze. The red dye,
which is not an indicator of fluid quali-
ty, is not permanent. As the vehicle isdriven, 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 transaxlefluid according to the ScheduledMaintenance at the beginning of thissection.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
lubricants or capacities" in section 9.)
G100200AUN Changing the automatic transaxle fluid
Have the automatic transaxle fluid
changed by an authorized KIA dealeraccording to the Maintenance Scheduleat the beginning of this section.
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.
CAUTION
Low fluid level causes transaxle slippage. Overfilling can cause
foaming, loss of fluid and transaxle malfunction.
The use of a non-specified fluid could cause transaxle malfunc-tion and failure.
WARNING - Parking brake
To avoid sudden movement of the
vehicle, apply the parking brake
and depress the brake pedal before
moving the shift lever.

731
Maintenance
WASHER FLUID
G120100ASA
Checking the washer fluid level
The reservoir is translucent so that you
can check the level with a quick visualinspection.
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. G140100ASA
Checking the parking brake
Check the stroke of the parking brake by
counting the number of “clicks’’ heardwhile 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 or antifreeze 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 the paint and body trim.
Windshield Washer fluid agents contain some amounts of alcohol
and can be flammable under cer-
tain circumstances. Do not allowsparks or flame come in contactwith the washer fluid or the wash-
er 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 coming incontact with the windshield wash-
er fluid. Serious injury or death
could occur.
OSA077010OSA057021
PARKING BRAKE

Maintenance
32
7
FUEL FILTER (FOR DIESEL)
G150100ASA
Draining water from the fuel filter
The fuel filter for diesel engine plays an
important role of separating water from
fuel and accumulating the water in itsbottom.
If water accumulates in the fuel filter, the
warning light comes on when the ignition
switch is in the ON position. If this warn-
ing light illuminates, take your car to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the sys-
tem checked.
Place a water trap under the fuel filter.
Loosen the drain plug and drain thewater.
After water is drained, securely tighten the drain plug.
After starting the engine, check to make sure the fuel filter warning light is
off.
CAUTION
If the water accumulated in the fuel
filter is not drained at proper times, damages to the major parts such as
the fuel system can be caused bywater permeation in the fuel filter.
HSM240-1

739
Maintenance
BATTERY
G190100AUN
For best battery service
Keep the battery securely mounted.
Keep the battery top clean and dry.
Keep the terminals and connections clean, 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.
OSA077020
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 whencharging or working near a
battery. Always provide
ventilation when working in
an enclosed space.
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 cablesare connected.
(Continued)

Maintenance
40
7
G190200AUN
Battery 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. G190300ASA Reset items
Items should be reset after the battery
has been discharged or the battery hasbeen disconnected.
Auto down window (See section 4)
Climate control system (See section 4)
Clock (See section 4)
Audio (See section 4)
(Continued)
The electrical ignition system
works with high voltage. Never
touch these components with theengine 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.
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.
(Continued)(Continued)
Before performing maintenanceor 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.

741
Maintenance
TIRES AND WHEELS
G200100AUN Tire care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain the recommended
tire inflation pressures and stay with-
in the load limits and weight distribu-
tion recommended for your vehicle.
G200200AUN Recommended 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 than1.6 km (one mile).
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 section9. All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the vehicle.
WARNING - Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation can lead
to severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation andother 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 speed.
OSA087005
CAUTION
Underinflation also results in excessive wear, poor handlingand reduced fuel economy.Wheel deformation also ispossible. Keep your tire pres-sures at proper levels. If a tire frequently needs refilling,have it checked by an author-ized KIA dealer.
Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear atthe center of the tire tread, andgreater possibility of damage from road hazards.

Maintenance
42
7
G200300AUN
Checking tire inflation pressure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
G200301AUN
How to check
Use a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven nomore than 1.6 km (1 mile).
WARNING - Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and
lead to sudden tire failure. This
could result in loss of vehicle
control and potential injury.
CAUTION - Tire pressure
Always observe the following:
Check tire pressure when the tires are cold. (After vehiclehas been parked for at leastthree hours or hasn't beendriven more than 1.6 km (one mile) since startup.)
Check the pressure of your spare tire each time you checkthe pressure of other tires.
Never overload your vehicle. Be careful not to overload avehicle luggage rack if yourvehicle is equipped with one.
Worn, old tires can cause acci- dents. If your tread is badlyworn, or if your tires havebeen damaged, replace them.
CAUTION
Warm tires normally exceed recommended cold tire pres-sures by 28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6psi). Do not release air fromwarm tires to adjust the pres-sure or the tires will be under-inflated.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation valve caps. Withoutthe valve cap, dirt or moisture could get into the valve coreand cause air leakage. If avalve cap is missing, install anew one as soon as possible.

743
Maintenance
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gage firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflationpressure matches the recommendedpressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.G200400AUN
Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom- mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of the tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness.
Refer to “Tire and wheels” in section 9.
WARNING
Inspect your tires frequently for proper inflation as well as
wear and damage. Always use
a tire pressure gauge.
Tires with too much or too lit- tle pressure wear unevenly
causing poor handling, loss of
vehicle control, and suddentire failure leading to acci-
dents, injuries, and even
death. The recommended cold
tire pressure for your vehicle
can be found in this manualand on the tire label locatedon the driver's side center pil-
lar.
Worn tires can cause acci- dents. Replace tires that are
worn, show uneven wear, or
are damaged.
Remember to check the pres- sure of your spare tire. KIA
recommends that you check
the spare every time you
check the pressure of the
other tires on your vehicle.