low KIA PICANTO 2015 Owners Manual

723
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
The high-pressure cooling system has a
reservoir filled with year-round antifreeze
coolant. The reservoir is filled at the fac-
tory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at thebeginning of the winter season, and
before traveling to a colder climate. Checking the coolant level
WARNING
Removingradiator cap
Never attempt to remove the radi- ator cap while the engine is oper-
ating or hot. Doing so might leadto cooling system and engine
damage and could result in seri-
ous personal injury from escap-ing hot coolant or steam.
Turn the engine off and wait until it cools down. Use extreme care
when removing the radiator cap.
Wrap a thick towel around it, and
turn it counterclockwise slowly to
the first stop. Step back while the
pressure is released from the cool-
ing system. When you are sure allthe pressure has been released,
press down on the cap, using a
thick towel, and continue turning
counterclockwise to remove it.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Even if the engine is not operat-ing, do not remove the radiator cap or the drain plug while the
engine and radiator are hot. Hot
coolant and steam may still blow
out under pressure, causing seri-
ous injury.
WARNING
The electric motor (cool-ing fan) is
controlled byenginecoolant tem-
perature, refrigerant pressure and
vehicle speed. It may sometimes
operate even when the engine is
not running. Use extreme caution
when working near the blades of
the cooling fan so that you are not
injured by a rotating fan blades. Asthe engine coolant temperature
decreases, the electric motor will
automatically shut off. This is a nor-mal condition.
CAUTION
When the engine overheats from
low engine coolant, suddenly
adding engine coolant may causecracks in the engine. To preventdamage, add engine coolant slowly in small quantities.
Do not drive with no engine coolant. It may cause water pumpfailure and engine seizure, etc.
■ Type B■Type A
■ Type B■Type A

Maintenance
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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) water to provide pro-tection against freezing and corrosion.
Bring the level to F (Full) , but do not
overfill. If frequent additions are required,
we recommend that the system be
inspected by an authorized Kia dealer.
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
OTA070004L

725
Maintenance
Changing the coolant
We recommend that the coolant be
replaced by an authorized Kia dealer.
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 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.
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■Type A
■Type B
■ Type B■ Type A

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 excessive-
ly low, we recommend that the system be
checked by an authorized 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,we recommend that the system be
inspected by an authorized 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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727
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.
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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 color may
eventually appear light brown.
Use only the specified automatic
transaxle fluid. (Refer to "Recommended
lubricants or capacities" in section 8.) Changing the automatic transaxle fluid
We recommend that the automatic
transaxle fluid be changed by an author-
ized Kia dealer according to theMaintenance Schedule at the beginningof 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’’ 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 speci-
fied, we recommend that the system be
serviced 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 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 to contact thewasher fluid or the washer 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 contacting
windshield washer fluid. Serious
injury or death could occur.
OTA070009 PARKING BRAKE OTA050012

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 while pressing the lock on the
both side of the cover.
OTA070015OTA070014

735
Maintenance
Front windshield wiper blade
1. Raise the wiper arm and turn the wiperblade assembly to expose the plastic
locking clip.
2. Compress the clip and slide the bladeassembly downward.
3. Lift it off the arm.
4. Install the blade assembly in the reverse order of removal.
Rear window wiper blade
1. Raise the wiper arm and pull out thewiper blade assembly.
1LDA5023
CAUTION
Do not allow the wiper arm to fall
against the windshield, since it maychip or crack the windshield.
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1JBA7038
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