KIA PICANTO 2012 Owners Manual

739
Maintenance
Battery recharging
Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,
calcium-based battery.
If the battery becomes discharged in ashort 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 theengine running or the ignition
switched on.
Failure to follow the above warn-
ings can result in serious bodily
injury or death.CAUTION
When you don’t use the vehicle for a long time in the low temper-
ature area, separate the batteryand keep it indoors.
Always charge the battery fully to prevent battery case damage in
low temperature area.
If you use unauthorized electron- ic devices, the battery may be dis-charged. Never use unauthorized devices.
WARNING
Separating the battery from the
vehicle should be done in an
authorized KIA dealer.

Maintenance
40
7
Reset items
Items should be reset after the battery
has been discharged or the battery hasbeen disconnected.
Auto up/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)
WARNING
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.
Operation related to the battery should be done in an authorized
KIA dealer.
CAUTION
Keep the battery away from water
or any liquid.
For your safety, use the authentic- ity by approved authorized KIAdealer, when you replace the bat-tery.
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.

741
Maintenance
CAUTION
Underinflation also results inexcessive wear, poor handlingand reduced fuel economy. Wheel deformation also ispossible. Keep your tire pres-sures at the 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, anda greater possibility of dam-age from road hazards.
TIRES AND WHEELS
Tire 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. 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 section8. 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 speeds.
OTA080002

Maintenance
42
7
Checking tire inflation pressure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to check
Use a good quality gauge to check
tire pressure. You can not tell if your
tires are properly inflated simply by
looking 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 your vehicle 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 a new one as soon as possible.

743
Maintenance
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gauge 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 gauge. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.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 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 8.
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 little pressure wear unevenly caus-
ing poor handling, loss of vehi-
cle control, and sudden tirefailure leading to accidents,
injuries, and even death. Therecommended cold tire pres-
sure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and onthe tire label located on the dri-
ver's side center pillar.
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.

Maintenance
44
7
Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.
✽✽ NOTICE
Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only from
front to rear and not from right to
left.
Wheel alignment and tire balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may needto be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
S2BLA790
S2BLA790A
CBGQ0707A
Without a spare tire
With a full-size spare tire (if equipped) Directional tires (if equipped)WARNING
Do not use the compact spare tire for tire rotation.
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.
CAUTION
Improper wheel weights can
damage your vehicle's alu-minum wheels. Use onlyapproved wheel weights.

745
Maintenance
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there isless than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.
OEN076053
Tread wear indicatorWARNING - Replacing
tires
To reduce the chance of serious
or fatal injuries from an acci-
dent caused by tire failure or
loss of vehicle control:
Replace tires that are worn, show uneven wear, or are
damaged. Worn tires can
cause loss of braking effec-
tiveness, steering control, andtraction.
Do not drive your vehicle with too little or too much pressure
in your tires. This can lead to
uneven wear and tire failure.
When replacing tires, never mix radial and bias-ply tires
on the same car. You must
replace all tires (including the
spare) if moving from radial to
bias-ply tires.
(Continued)(Continued)
Using tires and wheels otherthan the recommended sizes
could cause unusual handling
characteristics and poor vehi-
cle control, resulting in a seri-ous accident.
Wheels that do not meet KIA’s specifications may fit poorly
and result in damage to the
vehicle or unusual handling
and poor vehicle control.
The ABS works by comparing the speed of the wheels. The
tire size affects wheel speed.
When replacing tires, all 4
tires must use the same size
originally supplied with the
vehicle. Using tires of a differ-
ent size can cause the
ABS(Anti-lock Brake System)
and ESP(Electronic Stability
Program) to work irregularly.(if equipped)

Maintenance
46
7
Compact spare tire replacement
(if equipped)
A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new vehicle and should be mountedon the same compact spare tire
wheel. The compact spare tire is notdesigned to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size tire. Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim widthand offset.
Tire traction
Tire traction can be reduced if you
drive on worn tires, tires that are
improperly inflated or on slippery
road surfaces. Tires should be
replaced when tread wear indicators
appear. Slow down whenever there
is rain, snow or ice on the road toreduce the possibility of losing con-
trol of the vehicle. Tire maintenance In addition to proper inflation, correct wheel alignment helps to decrease
tire wear. If you find a tire is worn
unevenly, have your dealer check thewheel alignment.
When you have new tires installed,
make sure they are balanced. This
will increase vehicle ride comfort and
tire life. Additionally, a tire should
always be rebalanced if it is removedfrom the wheel.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct
size may adversely affect wheel
and bearing life, braking and
stopping abilities, handling char-
acteristics, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, snow
chain clearance, speedometer
and odometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height.

747
Maintenance
Tire sidewall labeling
This information identifies and
describes the fundamental charac-
teristics of the tire and also provides
the tire identification number (TIN)
for safety standard certification. TheTIN can be used to identify the tire incase of a recall.
1. Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or Brand name is
shown.
2. Tire size designation
A tire’s sidewall is marked with a tire
size designation. You will need this
information when selecting replace-
ment tires for your car. The following
explains what the letters and num-
bers in the tire size designationmean.
Example tire size designation:
(These numbers are provided as an
example only; your tire size designa-
tor could vary depending on your
vehicle.) 175/50R15 75H
175 - Tire width in millimeters.
50 - Aspect ratio. The tire’s sectionheight as a percentage of its width.
R - Tire construction code (Radial).
15 - Rim diameter in inches. 75 - Load Index, a numerical code
associated with the maximum
load the tire can carry.
H - Speed Rating Symbol. See the
speed rating chart in this section
for additional information.
Wheel size designation
Wheels are also marked with impor-
tant information that you need if you
ever have to replace one. The follow-
ing explains what the letters and
numbers in the wheel size designa-tion mean.
Example wheel size designation: 5.5JX15
5.5 - Rim width in inches. J - Rim contour designation.
15 - Rim diameter in inches.
I030B04JM
1
1
23
4
5,6
7

Maintenance
48
7
Tire speed ratings
The chart below lists many of the dif-
ferent speed ratings currently being
used for passenger car tires. The
speed rating is part of the tire size
designation on the sidewall of the
tire. This symbol corresponds to that
tire's designed maximum safe oper-ating speed.3. Checking tire life (TIN : Tire
Identification Number)
Any tires that are over 6 years old,
based on the manufacturing date,(including the spare tire) should be
replaced by new ones. You can find
the manufacturing date on the tire
sidewall (possibly on the inside of the
wheel), displaying the DOT Code.
The DOT Code is a series of num-
bers on a tire consisting of numbers
and English letters. The manufactur-
ing date is designated by the last four
digits (characters) of the DOT code.
DOT : XXXX XXXX OOOO
The front part of the DOT means a
plant code number, tire size and
tread pattern and the last four num-
bers indicate week and year manu-
factured.
For example:
DOT XXXX XXXX 1611 represents
that the tire was produced in the 16th
week of 2011.
S 180 km/h (112 mph)
T 190 km/h (118 mph)
H 210 km/h (130 mph) V 240 km/h (149 mph)
Z Above 240 km/h (149 mph)
Maximum Speed
Speed
Rating
Symbol
WARNING - Tire age
Tires degrade over time, even
when they are not being used.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, it is recommended that
tires generally be replaced after
six (6) years of normal service.
Heat caused by hot climates orfrequent high loading condi-
tions can accelerate the aging
process. Failure to follow this
warning can result in sudden
tire failure, which could lead to
a loss of control and an acci-
dent involving serious injury ordeath.