Service Tips
Regular maintenance is important to ensure safety, reliability, drivability, comfort and longevity of your KIA vehicle and make you avoid expensive repairs and breakdowns. Regular car maintenance is not only essential to obtain best performance of your KIA vehicle, but it is also very important to increase its life span;
Herewith a few tips shall help you to maintain your vehicle in best condition in between services.
Engine oil level checking & replacement
Be sure to check engine oil level every couple of weeks (remember to make sure that the vehicle is on level ground when you do that). Oil level should be maintained within the gauge marks shown on the oil dipstick and should not fall below the min level or exceed the max level.A regular oil change (within 10,000 Km or 6 months whichever comes first) is the service most likely to prolong the lifespan of your engine. Skipping oil changes, exceeding mileage or going long periods of time before your next oil change can effect on oil viscosity (oil consistency); as a result of that accelerating the wear in the engine moving parts eventually will lead to a premature failure, Checking the oil condition on regular basis can save costly repair and prevents breakdown, the vehicle owner’s manual will guide how to check the engine oil condition.
Other fluid levels checking and replacement
A variety of other vital fluids as brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid and coolant need to be checked and replace periodically.
_ Engine coolant shall be maintained within specified limit in the transparent coolant reservoir, KIA service center will replace the coolant every two years or 40,000 km; in the scope of the fact that coolant can become more acidic over time and lose its rust-inhibiting properties causing corrosion and damage in the radiator, water pump, thermostat and other cooling component..
_ Brake fluid level should be check regularly to ensure best brake performance, low fluid level can result low braking force, which is fatal during emergency.
_ Automatic Transaxle Fluid (ATF) will be replaced depending on the transmission type in each model, KIA owner’s manual will provide you with further details about ATF changing interval.
Checking your vehicle fluid level regularly can prevent breakdown and costly repairs. Vehicle owner’s manual will guide about how to check these fluids and where they are contained.
Battery testing and maintenance
Regular battery testing can ensure a battery that is ready to start your KIA vehicle, It is important to test your battery and electrical system regularly not just when it’s starting to show signs of weakness. Proactively testing at each service will help reduce your chances of failure.
To prevent battery discharge in case of long-term parking like going for a vacation and keeping your KIA vehicle parked, it is highly recommended to removing the battery negative terminal to protect your battery from being discharged.
Tire maintenance and treatment
Maintaining the “right” inflation pressure is very important for better handling characteristic and longer lifespan, you can find the tire recommended inflation pressure close to the B-pillar on the driver side or in the vehicle owner’s manual.
Noting that tire pressure must be checked with a quality air gauge as the inflation pressure cannot be accurately estimated through visual inspection.
Long-term parking can effect on the tires causing a permanent deformation in the tires (tire flat spot) which is not resorted after driving, this symptom can be noticeable through ride disturbance or vibration.
Best practice to avoid this concern can be achieved by maintaining the tires at high pressure at 45 PSI by using air compressor; on the other hand, it is important to know that the vehicle should not be driven at this high inflation pressure and the pressure to adjust to the optimum tire pressure upon driving.
