KIA PICANTO 2012 Owners Manual

Maintenance
24
7
Check the condition and connections of all cooling system hoses and heater
hoses. Replace any swollen or deterio-
rated hoses.
The coolant level should be filled
between F (Full) and L (Low) marks on
the side of the coolant reservoir when theengine is cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
distilled (deionized) or soft water to pro-vide protection against freezing and cor-
rosion. Bring the level to F (Full) , but do
not overfill. If frequent additions are
required, see an authorised KIA dealer
for a cooling system inspection.
Recommended engine coolant
When adding coolant, use only deion-
ized water or soft water for your vehicle
and never mix hard water in the
coolant filled at the factory. An improp-
er coolant mixture can result in serious
malfunction or engine damage.
The engine in your vehicle has alu- minum engine parts and must be pro-
tected by an ethylene-glycol-based
coolant to prevent corrosion and freez-ing.
DO NOT USE alcohol or methanol coolant or mix them with the specifiedcoolant.
Do not use a solution that contains more than 60% antifreeze or less than
35% antifreeze, which would reduce
the effectiveness of the solution. For mixture percentage, refer to the fol-
lowing table.
-15°C (5°F) 35 65
-25°C (-13°F) 40 60
-35°C (-31°F) 50 50
-45°C (-49°F) 60 40
Ambient
Temperature Mixture Percentage (volume)
Antifreeze Water
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Maintenance
Changing the coolant
Have coolant changed by an authorised KIA dealer according to the MaintenanceSchedule at the beginning of this section.
WARNING Radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap when the engine and radiator are
hot. Scalding hot coolant and
steam may blow out under pres-
sure causing serious injury.
CAUTION
Put a thick cloth around the radiator cap before refilling the coolant in order 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 windscreen and may
cause loss of vehicle control or
damage to paint and body trim.
OTA070005
OTA070005L
■Type A
■Type B

Maintenance
26
7
BRAKE FLUID
Checking the brake fluid level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir peri-
odically. The fluid level should be
between MAX (Maximum) and MIN
(Minimum) marks on the side of the
reservoir.
Before removing the reservoir cap and
adding brake fluid, clean the area around
the reservoir cap thoroughly to prevent
brake fluid contamination.
If the level is low, add fluid to the MAX
(Maximum) level. The level will fall with
accumulated mileage. This is a normal
condition associated with the wear of the
brake linings. If the fluid level is exces-
sively low, have the brake system
checked by an authorised KIA dealer.
Use only the specified brake fluid. (Refer to “Recommended lubricants or capaci-ties” in section 8.)
Never mix different types of fluid.
WARNING - Brake fluid
When changing and adding brake
fluid, handle it carefully. Do not let it
come in contact with your eyes. Ifbrake 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 doctor as soon as possible.
WARNING - Loss of brake fluid
In the event the brake system
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an authorised KIA dealer.
CAUTION
Do not allow brake fluid to contact the vehicle's body paint, as paintdamage will result. Brake fluid, which has been exposed to open air
for an extended time should never be used as its quality cannot beguaranteed. It should be disposedof properly. Don't put in the wrong
kind of fluid. A few drops of miner- al-based oil, such as engine oil, inyour brake system can damage brake system parts.
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Maintenance
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID (IF EQUIPPED)
Checking the automatic transaxle
fluid level
The automatic transaxle fluid level
should be checked regularly.
Keep the vehicle on level ground with the
parking brake applied and check the fluid
level according to the following proce-
dure.
1. Place the shift lever in N (Neutral) posi- tion and confirm if the engine is run-
ning at normal idle speed. 2. After the transaxle is warmed up suffi-
ciently [fluid temperature 70~80°C
(158~176°F)], for example by 10 min-
utes usual driving, move the shift leverthrough all positions then place the
shift lever in N(Neutral) or P(Park)position.
3. Confirm if the fluid level is in the "HOT"range on the level gauge. If the fluid
level is lower, add the specified fluid
from the fill hole. If the fluid level is
higher, drain the fluid from the drain
hole.
4. If the fluid level is checked in cold condi- tion [fluid temperature 20~30°C(68~86°F)], add the fluid to the "COLD"
line and then recheck the fluid level
according to the above step 2.
OTA070008LOSA077009
HOT
COLD

Maintenance
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7
✽✽
NOTICE
The “COLD” range is for reference only
and should NOT be used to determine
the 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 is
driven, the automatic transaxle fluid
will begin to look darker. The colour
may eventually appear light brown.
Therefore, have an authorised KIA
dealer change the automatic transaxle
fluid according to the Scheduled
Maintenance at the beginning of this
section.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
lubricants or capacities" in section 8.) Changing the automatic transaxle fluid
Have the automatic transaxle fluid
changed by an authorised 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 shift slippage. Overfilling cancause foaming, loss of fluid andtransaxle 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.

729
Maintenance
WASHER FLUID
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. Checking the parking brake
Check the stroke of the parking brake by
counting the number of “clicks’’ heardwhilst 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 speci-
fied, have the parking brake adjusted by
an authorised 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 windscreen and may
cause loss of vehicle control or
damage to paint and body trim.
Windscreen Washer fluid agents contain some amounts of alcohol
and can be flammable under cer-
tain circumstances. Do not allowsparks or flame to contact thewasher fluid or the washer fluid
reservoir. Damage to the vehicle
or occupants could occur.
Windscreen washer fluid is poi- sonous to humans and animals.
Do not drink and avoid contacting
windscreen washer fluid. Serious
injury or death could occur.
OTA070009 PARKING BRAKE OTA050012/H

Maintenance
30
7
AIR CLEANER
Filter replacement
It must be replaced when necessary, and
should not be washed.
You can clean the filter when inspecting the air cleaner element.
Clean the filter by using compressed air. 1. Loosen the air cleaner cover attaching
clips and open the cover.
2. Loosen the air cleaner hose band byscrew driver.
3. Wipe the inside of the air cleaner.
4. Replace the air cleaner filter.
5. Lock the cover with the cover attaching clips.
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OTA070012
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731
Maintenance
Replace the filter according to the
Maintenance Schedule.
If the vehicle is operated in extremelydusty or sandy areas, replace the element more often than the usual
recommended intervals. (Refer to“Maintenance under severe usage condi-tions” in this section.)
CAUTION
Do not drive with the air cleaner removed; this will result in exces-
sive engine wear.
When removing the air cleaner fil- ter, be careful that dust or dirtdoes not enter the air intake, or
damage may result.
Use a KIA genuine part. Use of non-genuine parts could damagethe air flow sensor.

Maintenance
32
7
CLIMATE CONTROL AIR FILTER
Filter inspection The climate control air filter should be replaced according to the maintenance
schedule. If the vehicle is operated in the
severely air-polluted cities or on dusty
rough roads for a long period, it shouldbe inspected more frequently and
replaced earlier. When you, the owner,
replace the climate control air filter,
replace it performing the following proce-
dure, and be careful to avoid damaging
other components. Replace the filter according to the main-
tenance Schedule. Filter replacement
1. With the glove box open, remove the
stoppers on both sides. 2. Remove the climate control air filter
cover whilst pressing the lock on the
both side of the cover.
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733
Maintenance
3. Replace the climate control air filter.
4. Reassemble in the reverse order ofdisassembly.
✽✽ NOTICE
When replacing the climate control air
filter install it properly. Otherwise, the
system may produce noise and the effec-
tiveness of the filter may be reduced.
OTA070016