maintenance KIA SOUL 2015 Owner's Guide

Maintenance
24
7
Vacuum crankcase ventilation
hoses (if equipped)
Inspect the surface of hoses for evi-
dence of heat and/or mechanical
damage. Hard and brittle rubber,
cracking, tears, cuts, abrasions, and
excessive swelling indicate deterio-
ration. Particular attention should be
paid to examine those hose surfaces
nearest to high heat sources, such
as the exhaust manifold.
Inspect the hose routing to assure
that the hoses do not come in con-
tact with any heat source, sharp
edges or moving components which
might cause heat damage or
mechanical wear. Inspect all hose
connections, such as clamps and
couplings, to make sure they are
secure, and that no leaks are pres-
ent. Hoses should be replaced
immediately if there is any evidence
of deterioration or damage.
Air cleaner filter
A Genuine Kia air cleaner filter is
recommended when the filter is
replaced.
Spark plugs
Make sure to install new spark plugs
of the correct heat range.
Valve clearance (if equipped)
Inspect for excessive valve noise
and/or engine vibration and adjust if
necessary. An authorized Kia dealer
should perform the operation.
Cooling system
Check the cooling system compo-
nents, such as the radiator, coolant
reservoir, hoses and connections for
leakage and damage. Replace any
damaged parts.
Coolant
The coolant should be changed at
the intervals specified in the mainte-
nance schedule.

725
Maintenance
Manual transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Inspect the manual transaxle fluid
according to the maintenance sched-
ule.
Automatic transaxle fluid
(if equipped)
Automatic transaxle fluid should not
be checked under normal usage
conditions.
But in severe conditions, the fluid
should be changed at an authorized
Kia dealer in accordance to the
scheduled maintenance at the begin-
ning of this section.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Automatic transaxle fluid color is
basically red.
As the vehicle is driven, the auto-
matic transaxle fluid will begin to
look darker.
It is the normal condition and you
should not judge the need to replace
the fluid based upon the changed
color.
Brake hoses and lines
Visually check for proper installation,
chafing, cracks, deterioration and
any leakage. Replace any deteriorat-
ed or damaged parts immediately.
Brake/clutch (if equipped) fluid
Check the brake fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir. The level should
be between “MIN” and “MAX” marks
on the side of the reservoir. Use only
hydraulic brake fluid conforming to
DOT 3 or DOT 4 specification.
Parking brake
Inspect the parking brake system
including the parking brake lever (or
pedal) and cables.
CAUTION- Transaxle
fluids
The use of a non-specified fluidcould result in transaxle mal-function and failure.

Maintenance
26
7
Brake discs, pads, calipers
and rotors
Check the pads for excessive wear,
discs for run out and wear, and
calipers for fluid leakage.
For more information on checking
the pads or lining wear limit, we rec-
ommend you to refer to the Kia web-
site.
(http://www
.kiatechinfo.com)
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.

727
Maintenance
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on levelground.
2. Start the engine and allow it to reach normal operating tempera-
ture. 3. Turn the engine off and wait for a
few minutes (about 5 minutes) for
the oil to return to the oil pan.
4. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and re-insert it fully.
5. Pull the dipstick out again and check the level. The level should
be between F and L.
If it is near or at L, add enough oil to
bring the level to F.Do not overfill.
Use a funnel to help prevent oil
from being spilled on engine com-
ponents.
WARNING - Radiator
hose
Be very careful not to touch the
radiator hose when checking or
adding the engine oil as it may
be hot enough to burn you.
CAUTION- Replacing
engin oil
Do not overfill the engine oil. It may damage the engine.
Do not spill engine oil, when adding or changing engineoil. If you drop the engine oilon the engine room, wipe it offimmediately.
OAM072001
OPS073003
■ Type A
■Type B
OAM072003
OPS073004
■Type A
■Type B

Maintenance
28
7
Use only the specified engine oil.
(Refer to “Recommended lubricantsand capacities” in chapter 8.)Changing the engine oil and
filter
Have engine oil and filter changed by
an authorized Kia dealer according
to the Maintenance Schedule at the
beginning of this chapter.
CALIFORNIA PROPO-
SITION 65 WARNING
Engine oil contains chemicals
known to the State of California
to cause cancer, birth defects
and reproductive harm. Used
engine oil may cause irritation
or cancer of the skin if left in
contact with the skin for pro-
longed periods of time. Always
protect your skin by washing
your hands thoroughly with
soap and warm water as soon
as possible after handling used
oil.

729
Maintenance
ENGINE COOLANT
The high-pressure cooling system
has a reservoir filled with year round
antifreeze coolant. The reservoir is
filled at the factory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at
the beginning of the winter season,
and before traveling to a colder cli-
mate.Checking the coolant levelTurn 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 cooling system.
When you are sure all the pressure
has been released, press down on
the cap, using a thick towel, and con-
tinue turning counterclockwise to
remove it.
WARNING
Removing radiator
cap
Never attempt to remove the
radiator cap while the engine is
operating or hot. Doing so
might lead to cooling system
and engine damage and could
result in serious personal injury
from escaping hot coolant or
steam.

Maintenance
30
7
Check the condition and connections
of all cooling system hoses and
heater hoses. Replace any swollen
or deteriorated hoses.
The coolant level should be filled
between F and L marks on the side
of the coolant reservoir when the
engine is cool.
If the coolant level is low, add enough
specified coolant to provide protec-
tion against freezing and corrosion.
Bring the level to F, but do not over-
fill. If frequent additions are required,
see an authorized Kia dealer for a
cooling system inspection.
Recommended engine coolant
When adding coolant, use only
deionized water or soft water for
your vehicle and never mix hard
water in the coolant filled at the fac-
tory. An improper coolant mixture
can result in serious malfunction or
engine damage.
The engine in your vehicle has alu- minum engine parts and must be
protected by an ethylene-glycol-
based coolant to prevent corrosion
and freezing.
DO NOT USE alcohol or methanol coolant or mix them with the spec-
ified coolant.
Do not use a solution that contains more than 60% antifreeze or less
than 35% antifreeze, which would
reduce the effectiveness of the
solution.
OAM072005
WARNING- Cooling fan
Use caution when
working near the
blade of the cooling
fan. The electric
motor (cooling fan) is
controlled by engine coolant
temperature, refrigerant pres-
sure and vehicle speed. it may
sometimes operate even when
the engine is not running.

731
Maintenance
For mixture percentage, refer to the
following table.Changing the coolant
Have the coolant changed by an
authorized Kia dealer according to
the Maintenance Schedule at the
beginning of this chapter.
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 alternator.
OPS073005
Ambient
Temperature Mixture Percentage
(volume)
Antifreeze Water
5°F (-15°C)35 65
-13°F (-25°C)4060
-31°F (-35°C)5050
-49°F (-45°C)6040
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
pressure which may result in
serious injury.

Maintenance
32
7
BRAKE/CLUTCH FLUID
Checking the brake/clutch*
fluid level
Check the fluid level in the reservoir
periodically. 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 equipped If the level is low, add fluid to the
MAX level. The level will fall with
accumulated mileage. This is a nor-
mal condition associated with the
wear of the brake linings and/or
clutch disc (if equipped). If the fluid
level is excessively low, have the
brake/clutch* system checked by an
authorized KIA dealer.
Use only the specified brake/clutch*
fluid. (Refer to “Recommended lubri-cants and capacities” in chapter 8.) Never mix different types of fluid.
In the event the brake/clutch* system
requires frequent additions of fluid,
the vehicle should be inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer.
When changing and adding
brake/clutch* fluid, handle it carefully.
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.
OXM079008
CAUTION - Proper fluid
Only use brake fluid in brake
system. Small amounts ofimproper fluids (such as engineoil) can cause damage to thebrake system.

733
Maintenance
Brake/clutch* fluid, which has been
exposed to open air for an extended
time should never be used as its
quality cannot be guaranteed. It
should be disposed of properly.
CAUTION - Brake/clutch*
fluid
Do not allow brake/clutch* fluidto contact the vehicle's bodypaint, as paint damage willresult.