Kia Sportage: Waxing

Wax the vehicle when water will no longer bead on the paint.

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.

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.

Be careful not to touch the lens when waxing the lamps.

CAUTION

Drying vehicle

• Wiping dust or dirt off the body with a dry cloth will scratch the finish.
• Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, acid detergents or strong detergents containing high alkaline or caustic agents on chrome-plated or anodized aluminum parts. This may result in damage to the protective coating and cause discoloration or paint deterioration.

NOTICE

Matte paint finish vehicle (if eqipped)

Do not use any polish protector such as a detergent, an abrasive or a polish. In case wax is applied, remove the wax immediately using a silicon remover and if any tar or tar contaminant is on the surface use a tar remover to clean.

However, be careful not to apply too much pressure on the painted area.

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.

NOTICE

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.

NOTICE

Matte paint finish vehicle (if eqipped)

In case of matte paint finish vehicles, it is impossible to modify only the damaged area and repair of the whole part is necessary.

If the vehicle is damaged and painting is required, have your vehicle maintained and repaired by an authorized Kia dealer. Take extreme care, as it is difficult to restore the quality after the repair.

Bright-metal maintenance

To remove road tar and insects, use a tar remover, not a scraper or other sharp object.

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 preservative.

If necessary, coat the parts with non-corrosive petroleum jelly or other protective compound.

Underbody maintenance

Road salt and other corrosive chemicals are used in cold weather states to melt snow and prevent ice accumulation. If these chemicals are not regularly removed, they will corrode the vehicle underbody and, over time, damage many parts: the fuel lines, the fuel tank retention system, the vehicle's suspension, the exhaust system, and even the body frame.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has warned all vehicle owners of all brands of the need to take the following steps:

• Wash the undercarriage of your vehicle regularly during the winter and whenever your vehicle has been exposed to such salts or chemicals.
• Do a thorough washing of the undercarriage at the end of the winter.
• Use professional service technicians or governmental inspection stations to annually inspect for corrosion.
• Immediately seek an inspection of your vehicle if you become visually aware of corrosion flaking or scaling or if you become aware of a change in vehicle performance, such as soft or spongy brakes, fluids leaking, impairment of directional control, suspension noises or rattling metal straps.

Aluminum wheel maintenance

The aluminum wheels are coated with a clear protective finish.

• Do not use any abrasive cleaner, polishing 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 detergent, and rinse thoroughly with water.

  Also, be sure to clean the wheels after driving on salted roads. This helps prevent corrosion.

• Avoid washing the wheels with high speed vehicle wash brushes.
• Do not use any alkaline or acid detergents It may damage and corrode the aluminum wheels coated with a clear protective finish.

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