Get Maintenance -> Appearance care Guide for Kia Picanto 4 Door Second Generation (2011-2017)

Maintenance

APPEARANCE CARE

Finish maintenance

Washing

Exterior care

CAUTION

Exterior general caution

• Do not use strong soap, chemical

detergents or hot water, and do

not wash the vehicle in direct

sunlight or when the body of the

vehicle is warm.

To help protect your vehicle’s finish from

rust and deterioration, wash it thoroughly

and frequently at least once a month with

lukewarm or cold water.

It is very important to follow the label

directions when using any chemical

cleaner or polish. Read all warning and

caution statements that appear on the

label.

If you use your vehicle for off-road driv-

ing, you should wash it after each off-

road trip. Pay special attention to the

removal of any accumulation of salt, dirt,

mud, and other foreign materials. Make

sure the drain holes in the lower edges of

the doors and rocker panels are kept

clear and clean.

• Be careful when washing the side

windows

of

your

vehicle.

Especially, with high-pressure

water, water may leak through the

windows and wet the interior.

• To prevent damage to the plastic

parts and lamps, do not clean

with chemical solvents or strong

detergents.

Insects, tar, tree sap, bird droppings,

industrial pollution and similar deposits

can damage your vehicle’s finish if not

removed immediately.

Even prompt washing with plain water

may not completely remove all these

deposits. A mild soap, safe for use on

painted surfaces, may be used.

WARNING - Wet brakes

After washing the vehicle, test the

brakes while driving slowly to see if

they have been affected by water. If

braking performance is impaired,

dry the brakes by applying them

lightly while maintaining a slow for-

ward speed.

After washing, rinse the vehicle thor-

oughly with lukewarm or cold water. Do

not allow soap to dry on the finish.

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Maintenance

Waxing

Wax the vehicle when water will no

longer bead on the paint.

Finish damage repair

Deep scratches or stone chips in the

painted surface must be repaired

promptly. Exposed metal will quickly rust

and may develop into a major repair

expense.

Always wash and dry the vehicle before

waxing. Use a good quality liquid or

paste wax, and follow the manufacturer’s

instructions. Wax all metal trim to protect

it and to maintain its luster.

✽

NOTICE

Removing oil, tar, and similar materials

with a spot remover will usually strip the

wax from the finish. Be sure to re-wax

these areas even if the rest of the vehicle

does not yet need waxing.

If your vehicle is damaged and requires

any metal repair or replacement, be sure

the body shop applies anti-corrosion

materials to the parts repaired or

replaced.

OJB037800

CAUTION

• Water washing in the engine com-

partment including high pressure

water washing may cause the fail-

ure of electrical circuits or engine

and related part located in the

engine compartment.

• Wiping dust or dirt off the body

with a dry cloth will scratch the

finish.

• Do not use steel wool, abrasive

cleaners, or strong detergents

containing high alkaline or caus-

tic agents on chrome-plated or

anodized aluminum parts. This

may result in damage to the pro-

tective coating and cause discol-

oration or paint deterioration.

• Never allow water or other liquids

to come in contact with electri-

cal/electronic components and

air duct inside the vehicle as this

may damage them.

7 70

Maintenance

Bright-metal maintenance

Underbody maintenance

WARNING

• To remove road tar and insects, use a

tar remover, not a scraper or other

sharp object.

Corrosive materials used for ice and

snow removal and dust control may col-

lect on the underbody. If these materials

are not removed, accelerated rusting can

occur on underbody parts such as the

fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust

system, even though they have been

treated with rust protection.

Thoroughly flush the vehicle underbody

and wheel openings with lukewarm or

cold water once a month, after off-road

driving and at the end of each winter. Pay

special attention to these areas because

it is difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It

will do more harm than good to wet down

the road grime without removing it. The

lower edges of doors, rocker panels, and

frame members have drain holes that

should not be allowed to clog with dirt;

trapped water in these areas can cause

rusting.

After washing the vehicle, test the

brakes while driving slowly to see if

they have been affected by water. If

braking performance is impaired,

dry the brakes by applying them

lightly while maintaining a slow for-

ward speed.

• To protect the surfaces of bright-metal

parts from corrosion, apply a coating of

wax or chrome preservative and rub to

a high luster.

• During winter weather or in coastal

areas, cover the bright metal parts with

a heavier coating of wax or preserva-

tive. If necessary, coat the parts with

non-corrosive petroleum jelly or other

protective compound.

7 71

Maintenance

High-corrosion areas

Aluminum wheel maintenance

The aluminum wheels are coated with a

clear protective finish.

Corrosion protection

Protecting your vehicle from corrosion

If you live in an area where your car is

regularly exposed to corrosive materials,

corrosion protection is particularly impor-

tant. Some of the common causes of

accelerated corrosion are road salts,

dust control chemicals, ocean air and

industrial pollution.

By using the most advanced design and

construction practices to combat corro-

sion, we produces cars of the highest

quality. However, this is only part of the

job. To achieve the long-term corrosion

resistance your vehicle can deliver, the

owner's cooperation and assistance is

also required.

• Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-

ishing compound, solvent, or wire

brushes on aluminum wheels. They

may scratch or damage the finish.

• Clean the wheel when it has cooled.

• Use only a mild soap or neutral deter-

gent, and rinse thoroughly with water.

Also, be sure to clean the wheels after

driving on salted roads. This helps pre-

vent corrosion.

Moisture breeds corrosion

Moisture creates the conditions in which

corrosion is most likely to occur. For

example, corrosion is accelerated by

high humidity, particularly when tempera-

tures are just above freezing. In such

conditions, the corrosive material is kept

in contact with the car surfaces by mois-

ture that is slow to evaporate.

Common causes of corrosion

The most common causes of corrosion

on your car are:

• Avoid washing the wheels with high-

speed car wash brushes.

• Road salt, dirt and moisture that is

allowed to accumulate underneath the

car.

• Do not use any alkaline or acid deter-

gent. It may damage and corrode the

aluminum wheels coated with a clear

protective finish.

• Removal of paint or protective coatings

by stones, gravel, abrasion or minor

scrapes and dents which leave unpro-

tected metal exposed to corrosion.

Mud is particularly corrosive because it is

slow to dry and holds moisture in contact

with the vehicle. Although the mud

appears to be dry, it can still retain the

moisture and promote corrosion.

High temperatures can also accelerate

corrosion of parts that are not properly

ventilated so the moisture can be dis-

persed. For all these reasons, it is partic-

ularly important to keep your car clean

and free of mud or accumulations of

other materials. This applies not only to

the visible surfaces but particularly to the

underside of the car.

7 72

Maintenance

To help prevent corrosion

You can help prevent corrosion from get-

ting started by observing the following:

• When cleaning lower door panels,

rocker panels and frame members, be

sure that drain holes are kept open so

that moisture can escape and not be

trapped inside to accelerate corrosion.

Keep paint and trim in good condition

Scratches or chips in the finish should be

covered with "touch-up" paint as soon as

possible to reduce the possibility of cor-

rosion. If bare metal is showing through,

the attention of a qualified body and paint

shop is recommended.

Keep your car clean

The best way to prevent corrosion is to

keep your car clean and free of corrosive

materials. Attention to the underside of

the car is particularly important.

Keep your garage dry

Don't park your car in a damp, poorly

ventilated garage. This creates a favor-

able environment for corrosion. This is

particularly true if you wash your car in

the garage or drive it into the garage

when it is still wet or covered with snow,

ice or mud. Even a heated garage can

contribute to corrosion unless it is well

ventilated so moisture is dispersed.

Bird droppings : Bird droppings are high-

ly corrosive and may damage painted

surfaces in just a few hours. Always

remove bird droppings as soon as possi-

ble.

• If you live in a high-corrosion area —

where road salts are used, near the

ocean, areas with industrial pollution,

acid rain, etc.—, you should take extra

care to prevent corrosion. In winter,

hose off the underside of your car at

least once a month and be sure to

clean the underside thoroughly when

winter is over.

Don't neglect the interior

Moisture can collect under the floor mats

and carpeting to cause corrosion. Check

under the mats periodically to be sure

the carpeting is dry. Use particular care if

you carry fertilizers, cleaning materials or

chemicals in the car.

• When cleaning underneath the car,

give particular attention to the compo-

nents under the fenders and other

areas that are hidden from view. Do a

thorough job; just dampening the accu-

mulated mud rather than washing it

away will accelerate corrosion rather

than prevent it. Water under high pres-

sure and steam are particularly effec-

tive in removing accumulated mud and

corrosive materials.

These should be carried only in proper

containers and any spills or leaks should

be cleaned up, flushed with clean water

and thoroughly dried.

7 73

Maintenance

Cleaning the upholstery and interior

trim

Vinyl

Remove dust and loose dirt from vinyl

with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.

Clean vinyl surfaces with a vinyl cleaner.

Cleaning the lap/shoulder belt web-

bing

Interior care

Interior general precautions

Clean the belt webbing with any mild

soap solution recommended for cleaning

upholstery or carpet. Follow the instruc-

tions provided with the soap. Do not

bleach or re-dye the webbing because

this may weaken it.

Prevent chemicals such as perfume, cos-

metic oil, sun cream, hand cleaner and

air freshener from contacting the interior

parts because they may cause damage

or discoloration. If they do contact the

interior parts, wipe them off immediately.

See the instructions that follow for the

proper way to clean vinyl.

Fabric

Remove dust and loose dirt from fabric

with a whisk broom or vacuum cleaner.

Clean with a mild soap solution recom-

mended for upholstery or carpets.

Remove fresh spots immediately with a

fabric spot cleaner. If fresh spots do not

receive immediate attention, the fabric

can be stained and its color can be

affected. Also, its fire-resistant properties

can be reduced if the material is not

properly maintained.

Cleaning the interior window glass

If the interior glass surfaces of the vehi-

cle become fogged (that is, covered with

an oily, greasy or waxy film), they should

be cleaned with glass cleaner. Follow the

directions on the glass cleaner container.

CAUTION

Never allow water or other liquids

to come in contact with electrical/

electronic components inside the

vehicle as this may damage them.

CAUTION

Do not scrape or scratch the inside

of the rear window. This may result

in damage to the rear window

defroster grid.

CAUTION

When cleaning leather products

(steering wheel, seats etc.), use

neutral detergents or low alcohol

content solutions. If you use high

alcohol content solutions or

acid/alkaline detergents, the color

of the leather may fade or the sur-

face may get stripped off.

CAUTION

Using anything but recommended

cleaners and procedures may affect

the fabric’s appearance and fire-

resistant properties.

7 74

Maintenance -> Appearance care for Your Kia Picanto 4 Door Second Generation (2011-2017)

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