KIA Forte (2018 year). Manual — part 31

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

severely air-polluted cities or on dusty

rough roads for a long period, it should

be inspected more frequently and re‐

placed earlier. When you replace the cli‐

mate control air filter, replace it per‐

forming the following procedure, and

be careful to avoid damaging other

components.

1. Open the glove box and pull the

support strap (1).

2. With the glove box open, remove

the stoppers on both sides.

3. Remove the climate control air fil‐

ter case by pulling out both sides of

the cover.

4. Replace the climate control air fil‐

ter.

5. Reassemble in the reverse order of

disassembly.

NOTICE

When replacing the climate control

air filter install it properly.

Otherwise, the system may produce

noise and the effectiveness of the

filter may be reduced.

Maintenance

8-36

WIPER BLADES

Blade inspection

NOTICE

Commercial hot waxes applied by

automatic car washes have been

known to make the windshield diffi‐

cult to clean.

Contamination of either the windshield

or the wiper blades with foreign matter

can reduce the effectiveness of the

windshield wipers. Common sources of

contamination are insects, tree sap,

and hot wax treatments used by some

commercial car washes. If the blades

are not wiping properly, clean both the

window and the blades with a good

cleaner or mild detergent, and rinse

thoroughly with clean water.

CAUTION

To prevent damage to the wiper

blades, do not use gasoline, kero‐

sene, paint thinner, or other solvents

on or near them.

Blade replacement

When the wipers no longer clean ade‐

quately, the blades may be worn or

cracked, and require replacement.

CAUTION

To prevent damage to the wiper

arms or other components, do not
(Continued)

(Continued)

attempt to move the wipers man‐

ually.

CAUTION

The use of a non-specified wiper

blade could result in wiper malfunc‐

tion and failure.

Front windshield wiper blade

Type A

1. Raise the wiper arm.

8-37

8

Maintenance

CAUTION

Do not allow the wiper arm to fall

against the windshield, since it may

chip or crack the windshield.

2. Lift up the wiper blade clip. Then

pull down the blade assembly and

remove it.

3. Install the new blade assembly in

the reverse order of removal.

Type B

1. Raise the wiper and turn the wiper

blade assembly to expose the plas‐

tic locking clip.

CAUTION

Do not allow the wiper arm to fall

against the windshield, since it may

chip or crack the windshield.

Maintenance

8-38

2. Compress the clip and slide the

blade assembly downward.

3. Lift it off the arm.
4. Install the blade assembly in the re‐

verse order of removal.

5. Return the wiper arm on the wind‐

shield.

Rear window wiper blade (5 Door)

1. Raise the wiper arm and pull out

the wiper blade assembly.

2. Install the new blade assembly by

inserting the center part into the

slot in the wiper arm until it clicks

into place.

3. Make sure the blade assembly is in‐

stalled firmly by trying to pull it

slightly.

To prevent damage to the wiper arms

or other components, have the wiper

blade replaced by a professional work‐

shop. Kia recommends to visit an au‐

thorized Kia dealer/service partner.

8-39

8

Maintenance

BATTERY

For best battery service

• Keep the battery securely mounted.
• Keep the battery top clean and dry.
• Keep the terminals and connections

clean, tight, and coated with petrole‐

um jelly or terminal grease.

• Rinse any spilled electrolyte from the

battery immediately with a solution

of water and baking soda.

• If the vehicle is not going to be used

for an extended time, disconnect the

battery cables.

NOTICE

Basically equipped battery is main‐

tenance free type. If your vehicle is

equipped with the battery marked

with LOWER and UPPER on the side,

you can check the electrolyte level.

The electrolyte level should be be‐

tween LOWER and UPPER. If the

electrolyte level is low, it needs to

add distilled (demineralized) water

(Never add sulfuric acid or other

electrolyte). When refill, be careful

not to splash the battery and adja‐

cent components. And do not overfill

the battery cells. It can cause corro‐

sion on other parts. After then en‐

sure that tighten the cell caps. Con‐

tact a professional workshop. Kia

recommends to visit an authorized

Kia dealer/service partner.

WARNING

n Battery dangers

(Continued)

(Continued)

Always read the following

instructions carefully when

handling a battery.
Keep lighted cigarettes and

all other flames or sparks

away from the battery.
Hydrogen, a highly com‐

bustible gas, is always

present in battery cells and

may explode if ignited.
Keep batteries out of the

reach of children because

batteries contain highly

corrosive SULFURIC ACID.

Do not allow battery acid

to contact your skin, eyes,

clothing or paint finish.

(Continued)

Maintenance

8-40

(Continued)

If any electrolyte gets into

your eyes, flush your eyes

with clean water for at

least 15 minutes and get

immediate medical atten‐

tion.

If electrolyte gets on your

skin, thoroughly wash the

contacted area. If you feel

pain or burning sensation,

get medical attention im‐

mediately.
Wear eye protection when

charging or working near a

battery. Always provide

ventilation when working

in an enclosed space.
An inappropriately dis‐

posed battery can be

harmful to the environ‐

ment and human health.

Dispose the battery ac‐

cording to your local law(s)

or regulation.

(Continued)

(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 the

engine running or the ignition

switched on.

Failure to follow the above warnings

can result in serious bodily injury or

death.

CAUTION

• When you don’t use the vehicle for

a long time in the low temperature

area, separate the battery and

keep it indoors.

• Always charge the battery fully to

prevent the battery case damaged

in low temperature area.

(Continued)

(Continued)

• If you connect unauthorized elec‐

tronic devices to the battery, the

battery may be discharged. Never

use unauthorized devices.

• Make sure the battery cap is

closed. If the battery cap is not

closed securely, it can malfunction

because the electric components

are exposed to moisture.

WARNING

Have the system serviced by a pro‐

fessional workshop. Kia recommends

to visit an authorized Kia dealer/

service partner.

8-41

8

Maintenance

Battery capacity label

❈

The actual battery label in the vehi‐

cle may differ from the illustration.

1. CMF60L-BCI : The Kia model name

of battery

2. 12V : The nominal voltage
3. 60Ah(20HR) : The nominal capacity

(in Ampere hours)

4. 92RC : The nominal reserve capaci‐

ty (in min.)

5. 550CCA : The cold-test current in

amperes by SAE

6. 440A : The cold-test current in am‐

peres by EN

Battery recharging

Your vehicle has a maintenance-free,

calcium-based battery.

• If the battery becomes discharged in

a short 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.

WARNING

n Recharging battery

When recharging the battery, ob‐

serve 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.

(Continued)

(Continued)

• 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 ter‐

minal.

3. Unhook the positive clamp from

the positive battery terminal.

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 disconnected.

(Continued)

Maintenance

8-42

(Continued)

• Have the system serviced by a

professional workshop. Kia recom‐

mends to visit an authorized Kia

dealer/service partner.

CAUTION

• Keep the battery away from wa‐

ter or any liquid.

• When replacing the AGM battery,

use parts for replacement from a

professional workshop. Kia recom‐

mends to visit an authorized Kia

dealer/service partner.

Reset items

Items should be reset after the battery

has been discharged or the battery has

been disconnected.

• Auto up/down window (see Chapter

5, Features of your vehicle)

• Sunroof (see Chapter 5, Features of

your vehicle)

• Trip computer (see Chapter 5, Fea‐

tures of your vehicle)

• Climate control system (see Chapter

5, Features of your vehicle)

• Clock (See Chapter 5, Features of

your vehicle)

• Audio (see Chapter 6, Audio system)

8-43

8

Maintenance

TIRES AND WHEELS

Tire care

For proper maintenance, safety, and

maximum fuel economy, you must al‐

ways maintain recommended tire infla‐

tion pressures and stay within the load

limits and weight distribution recom‐

mended 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 than 1.6 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 on page

9-08.

All specifications (sizes and pressures)

can be found on a label attached to the

vehicle.

WARNING

n Tire underinflation

Severe

underinflation

(70

kPa

(10 psi) or more) can lead to severe

heat build-up, causing blowouts,

tread separation and other tire fail‐

ures that can result in the loss of ve‐

hicle control leading to severe injury

or death. This risk is much higher on
(Continued)

(Continued)

hot days and when driving for long

periods at high speeds.

CAUTION

• Underinflation also results in ex‐

cessive wear, poor handling and

reduced fuel economy. Wheel de‐

formation also is possible. Keep

your tire pressures at the proper

levels. If a tire frequently needs

refilling, have the system checked

by a professional workshop. Kia

recommends to visit an authorized

Kia dealer/service partner.

• Overinflation produces a harsh

ride, excessive wear at the center

of the tire tread, and a greater

possibility of damage from road

hazards.

Maintenance

8-44

CAUTION

• Warm tires normally exceed rec‐

ommended cold tire pressures by

28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6 psi). Do not

release air from warm tires to ad‐

just the pressure or the tires will

be underinflated.

• Be sure to reinstall the tire infla‐

tion valve caps. Without the valve

cap, dirt or moisture could get into

the valve core and cause air leak‐

age. If a valve cap is missing, in‐

stall a new one as soon as possi‐

ble.

WARNING

n Tire Inflation

Overinflation or underinflation can

reduce tire life, adversely affect ve‐

hicle handling, and lead to sudden

tire failure. This could result in loss

of vehicle control and potential in‐

jury.

CAUTION

n Tire pressure

Always observe the following:

• Check tire pressure when the tires

are cold. (After vehicle has been

parked for at least three hours or

hasn't been driven more than

1.6 km (one mile) since startup.)

• Check the pressure of your spare

tire each time you check the pres‐

sure of other tires.

• Never overload your vehicle. Be

careful not to overload a vehicle

luggage rack if your vehicle is

equipped with one.

• Worn, old tires can cause acci‐

dents. If your tread is badly worn,

or if your tires have been dam‐

aged, replace them.

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 underinfla‐

ted.

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 no more than

1.6 km (1 mile).

Remove the valve cap from the tire

valve stem. Press the tire gauge firmly

onto the valve to get a pressure meas‐

urement. If the cold tire inflation pres‐

sure matches the recommended pres‐

sure on the tire and loading information

label, no further adjustment is necessa‐

ry. If the pressure is low, add air until

you reach the recommended amount.

If you overfill the tire, release air by

pushing on the metal stem in the cen‐

ter 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 moisture.

8-45

8

Maintenance

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 causing

poor handling, loss of vehicle con‐

trol, and sudden tire failure leading

to accidents, injuries, and even

death. The recommended cold tire

pressure for your vehicle can be

found in this manual and on the

tire label located on the driver's

side center pillar.

• Worn tires can cause accidents.

Replace tires that are worn, show

uneven wear, or are damaged.

• Remember to check the pressure

of your spare tire. Kia recom‐

mends that you check the spare

every time you check the pressure

of the other tires on your vehicle.

Tire rotation

To equalize tread wear, it is recommen‐

ded that the tires be rotated every

15,000 km (10,000 miles) or sooner if

irregular wear develops.

During rotation, check the tires for cor‐

rect 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. Re‐

place 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 tight‐

ness.

Refer to Tire and wheels on page

9-08.

Maintenance

8-46

Disc brake pads should be inspected for

wear whenever tires are rotated.

NOTICE

Rotate radial tires that have an di‐

rectional tread pattern only from

front to rear and not from right to

left.

WARNING

• Do not use the compact spare tire

(if equipped) for tire rotation.

• Do not mix bias ply and radial ply

tires under any circumstances.

This may cause unusual handling

characteristics that could result in

death, severe injury, or property

damage.

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 need to be reset.

If you notice your vehicle vibrating

when driving on a smooth road, your

wheels may need to be rebalanced.

CAUTION

Improper wheel weights can damage

your vehicle's aluminum wheels. Use

only approved wheel weights.

Tire replacement

If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear

indicator will appear as a solid band

across the tread. This shows there is

less than 1.6 mm (1/16 in.) 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 replacing

the tire.

8-47

8

Maintenance

NOTICE

We recommend that when replacing

tires, use the same originally sup‐

plied with the vehicles. If not, that

affects driving performance.

CAUTION

When replacing the tires, recheck

and tighten the wheel nuts after

driving about 50 km (31 miles). If the

steering wheel shakes or the vehicle

vibrates while driving, the tire is out

of balance. Align the tire balance. If

the problem is not solved, contact a

professional workshop. Kia recom‐

mends to visit an authorized Kia

dealer/service partner.

WARNING

n Replacing tires

To reduce the chance of serious or

fatal injuries from an accident
(Continued)

(Continued)

caused by tire failure or loss of vehi‐

cle control:

• Replace tires that are worn, show

uneven wear, or are damaged.

Worn tires can cause loss of brak‐

ing effectiveness, steering control,

and traction.

• 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 ra‐

dial and bias-ply tires on the same

car. You must replace all tires (in‐

cluding the spare) if moving from

radial to bias-ply tires.

• Using tires and wheels other than

the recommended sizes could

cause unusual handling character‐

istics and poor vehicle control, re‐

sulting in a serious 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.

(Continued)

(Continued)

• The ABS works by comparing the

speed of the wheels. The tire size

affects wheel speed. When replac‐

ing 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 ESC (Elec‐

tronic Stability Control) to work ir‐

regularly.

Compact spare tire replacement (if

equipped)

A compact spare tire has a shorter

tread life than a regular size tire. Re‐

place it when you can see the tread

wear indicator bars on the tire. The re‐

placement compact spare tire should be

the same size and design tire as the

one provided with your new vehicle and

should be mounted on the same com‐

pact spare tire wheel. The compact

spare tire is not designed to be moun‐

ted on a regular size wheel, and the

compact spare tire wheel is not de‐

signed for mounting a regular size tire.

Maintenance

8-48

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 width and offset.

WARNING

A wheel that is not the correct size

may adversely affect wheel and

bearing life, braking and stopping

abilities, handling characteristics,

ground

clearance,

body-to-tire

clearance, snow chain clearance,

speedometer and odometer calibra‐

tion, headlight aim and bumper

height.

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 to reduce the possibility of

losing control 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 uneven‐

ly, have a professional workshop check

the wheel alignment. Kia recommends

to visit an authorized Kia dealer/service

partner.

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 removed from the

wheel.

Tire sidewall labeling

This information identifies and de‐

scribes the fundamental characteristics

of the tire and also provides the tire

identification number (TIN) for safety

standard certification. The TIN can be

used to identify the tire in case of a re‐

call.

1. Manufacturer or brand name

Manufacturer or Brand name is shown.

8-49

8

Maintenance

2. Tire size designation

A tire s sidewall is marked with a tire

size designation. You will need this in‐

formation when selecting replacement

tires for your vehicle. The following ex‐

plains what the letters and numbers in

the tire size designation mean.

Example tire size designation:

(These numbers are provided as an ex‐

ample only; your tire size designator

could vary depending on your vehicle.)

P205/55R16 94H

P -

Applicable vehicle type (tires
marked with the prefix P are
intended for use on passenger
cars or light trucks; however,
not all tires have this marking).

205 -

Tire width in millimeters.

55 - Aspect ratio. The tire s section

height as a percentage of its
width.

R -

Tire construction code (Radial).

16 - Rim diameter in inches.
94 - 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 sec‐
tion for additional information.

Wheel size designation
Wheels are also marked with important

information that you need if you ever

have to replace one. The following ex‐

plains what the letters and numbers in

the wheel size designation mean.

Example

wheel

size

designation:

6.5JX16

6.5 -

Rim width in inches.

J -

Rim contour designation.

16 -

Rim diameter in inches.

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 designa‐

tion on the sidewall of the tire. This

symbol corresponds to that tire's de‐

signed maximum safe operating speed.

Speed

Rating

Symbol

Maximum Speed

S

180 km/h (112 mph)

T

190 km/h (118 mph)

H

210 km/h (130 mph)

V

240 km/h (149 mph)

*1

W speed rating is sub-category of

the Z speed rating.

Speed

Rating

Symbol

Maximum Speed

Z

Above 240 km/h (149

mph)

W

*1

270 km/h (168 mph)

*1

W speed rating is sub-category of

the Z speed rating.

3. Checking tire life (TIN: Tire

Identification Number)

Any tires that are over 6 years old,

based on the manufacturing date, (in‐

cluding the spare tire) should be re‐

placed 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 numbers on a tire consist‐

ing of numbers and English letters. The

manufacturing 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 numbers indi‐

cate week and year manufactured.

For example:

Maintenance

8-50

DOT XXXX XXXX 1617 represents that

the tire was produced in the 16th week

of 2017.

WARNING

n Tire age

Tires degrade over time, even when

they are not being used.

Regardless of the remaining tread,

we recommend that tires be re‐

placed after approximately six (6)

years of normal service. Heat caused

by hot climates or frequent high

loading conditions 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 accident involving se‐

rious injury or death.

4. Tire ply composition and material

The number of layers or plies of rub‐

ber-coated fabric are in the tire. Tire

manufacturers also must indicate the

materials in the tire, which include

steel, nylon, polyester, and others. The

letter "R" means radial ply construction;

the letter "D" means diagonal or bias

ply construction; and the letter "B"

means belted-bias ply construction.

5. Maximum permissible inflation

pressure

This number is the greatest amount of

air pressure that should be put in the

tire. Do not exceed the maximum per‐

missible inflation pressure. Refer to the

Tire and Loading Information label on

page 9-17 for recommended inflation

pressure.

6. Maximum load rating

This number indicates the maximum

load in kilograms and pounds that can

be carried by the tire. When replacing

the tires on the vehicle, always use a

tire that has the same load rating as

the factory installed tire.

7. Uniform tire quality grading

Quality grades can be found where ap‐

plicable on the tire sidewall between

tread shoulder and maximum section

width.

For example:

TREADWEAR 200

TRACTION AA

TEMPERATURE A

Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative

rating based on the wear rate of the

tire when tested under controlled con‐

ditions on a specified government test

course. For example, a tire graded 150

would wear one-and-a-half times (1½)

as well on the government course as a

tire graded 100.

The relative performance of tires de‐

pends upon the actual conditions of

their use, however, and may depart sig‐

nificantly from the norm due to varia‐

tions in driving habits, service practices

and differences in road characteristics

and climate.

These grades are molded on the side-

walls of passenger vehicle tires. The

tires available as standard or optional

equipment on your vehicle may vary

with respect to grade.

Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to

lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those

grades represent the tire s ability to

stop on wet pavement as measured

under controlled conditions on specified

government test surfaces of asphalt

and concrete. A tire marked C may have

poor traction performance.

8-51

8

Maintenance