Get Maintenance -> Appearance care Guide for Kia Sportage SUV 2020

Maintenance

APPEARANCE CARE

Exterior care

Finish maintenance

Washing

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.

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 forward

speed.

Exterior general caution

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

driving, 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 mate-

rials. Make sure the drain holes in the

lower edges of the doors and rocker

panels are kept clear and clean.

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.

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

High-pressure washing

• When using high-pressure wash-

ers, make sure to maintain suffi-

cient distance from the vehicle.

Insufficient clearance or excessive

pressure can lead to component

damage or water penetration.

• Do not spray the camera, sensors

or its surrounding area directly with

a high pressure washer. Shock

applied from high pressure water

may cause the device to not oper-

ate normally.

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 main-

tain its luster.

Removing oil, tar, and similar materi-

als 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 wax-

ing.

OJB037800

CAUTION - Wet engine

• Do not bring the nozzle tip close to

boots (rubber or plastic covers) or

connectors as they may be dam-

aged if they come into contact with

high pressure water.

• Water washing in the engine

compartment including high

pressure water washing may

cause the failure of electrical

circuits located in the engine

compartment.

Do not apply wax on embossed

unpainted unit, as it may tarnish the

unit.

• Never allow water or other liq-

uids to come in contact with

electrical/electronic compo-

nents inside the vehicle as

this may damage them.

7 95

Maintenance

Finish damage repair

Underbody maintenance

CAUTION - Drying vehicle

• Wiping dust or dirt off the

body with a dry cloth will

scratch the finish.

• Do not use steel wool, abra-

sive cleaners, acid detergents

or strong detergents contain-

ing 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.

Deep scratches or stone chips in the Road salt and other corrosive chemi-

painted surface must be repaired cals are used in cold weather states to

promptly. Exposed metal will quickly melt snow and prevent ice accumula-

rust and may develop into a major tion. If these chemicals are not regu-

repair expense.

larly removed, they will corrode the

vehicle underbody and over time dam-

age fuel lines, the fuel tank retention

system, the vehicle suspension, the

exhaust system, and even the body

frame.

• Wash the undercarriage of your

vehicle regularly during the winter

and whenever your vehicle has

been exposed to such salts or

chemicals.

If your vehicle is damaged and

requires any metal repair or replace-

ment, be sure the body shop applies

anti-corrosion materials to the parts

repaired or replaced.

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 preser-

vative 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.

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Maintenance

• Do a thorough washing of the Aluminum wheel maintenance

Corrosion protection

undercarriage at the end of the

The aluminum wheels are coated Protecting your vehicle from corrosion

winter.

with a clear protective finish.

By using the most advanced design

• Use professional service techni-

cians or governmental inspection

stations to annually inspect for cor-

rosion.

• Do not use any abrasive cleaner, and construction practices to combat

polishing compound, solvent, or corrosion, we produce vehicles of

wire brushes on aluminum wheels. the excellent quality. However, this is

They may scratch the finish.

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.

• Immediately seek an inspection of

your vehicle if you become visually

aware of corrosion flaking or scal-

ing or if you become aware of a

change in vehicle performance,

such as soft or spongey brakes,

fluids leaking, impairment of direc-

tional control, suspension noises

or rattling metal straps.

• 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 Common causes of corrosion

roads. This helps prevent corro-

The most common causes of corro-

sion.

sion on your vehicle are:

• Road salt, dirt and moisture that is

• Avoid washing the wheels with

highspeed vehicle wash brushes.

allowed to accumulate underneath

• Do not use any alkaline or acid

detergents It may damage and cor-

rode the aluminum wheels coated

with a clear protective finish.

the vehicle.

• Removal of paint or protective

coatings by stones, gravel, abra-

sion or minor scrapes and dents

which leave unprotected metal

exposed to corrosion.

7 97

Maintenance

High-corrosion areas

High temperatures can also acceler- Keep your vehicle clean

ate corrosion of parts that are not

If you live in an area where your vehi-

cle is regularly exposed to corrosive

materials, corrosion protection is

particularly important. Some of the

common causes of accelerated cor-

rosion are road salts, dust control

chemicals, ocean air and industrial

pollution.

The best way to prevent corrosion is

properly ventilated so the moisture

can be dispersed. For all these rea-

sons, it is particularly important to

keep your vehicle clean and free of

mud or accumulations of other mate-

rials. This applies not only to the vis-

ible surfaces but particularly to the

underside of the vehicle.

to keep your vehicle clean and free

of corrosive materials. Attention to

the underside of the vehicle is partic-

ularly important.

• 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 vehicle at least

once a month and be sure to clean

the underside thoroughly when

winter is over.

Moisture breeds corrosion

To help prevent corrosion

You can help prevent corrosion from

beginning by observing the following:

Moisture creates the conditions in

which corrosion is most likely to

occur. For example, corrosion is

accelerated by high humidity, partic-

ularly when temperatures are just

above freezing. In such conditions,

the corrosive material is kept in con-

tact with the vehicle’s surface by

moisture that evaporates slowly.

Mud is particularly corrosive

because it dries slowly and holds

moisture in contact with the vehicle.

Although the mud appears to be dry,

it can still retain the moisture and

promote corrosion.

• When cleaning underneath the

vehicle, give particular attention to

the components under the fenders

and other areas that are hidden

from view. Do a thorough job; just

dampening the accumulated mud

rather than washing it away will

accelerate corrosion rather than

prevent it. Water under high pres-

sure and steam are particularly

effective in removing accumulated

mud and corrosive materials.

7 98

Maintenance

• When cleaning lower door panels, Keep paint and trim in good con-

rocker panels and frame members, dition

Interior care

Interior general precautions

be sure that drain holes are kept

Scratches or chips in the finish

Prevent chemicals such as perfume,

cosmetic oil, sun cream, hand clean-

er, 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. If neces-

sary, use a vinyl cleaner, see product

instructions for correct usage.

open so that moisture can escape

should be covered with "touch-up"

and not be trapped inside to accel-

paint as soon as possible to reduce

erate corrosion.

the possibility of corrosion. If bare

metal is showing through, the atten-

tion of a qualified body and paint

shop is recommended.

Keep your garage dry

Don't park your vehicle in a damp,

poorly ventilated garage. This cre-

ates a favorable environment for cor- Bird droppings : Bird droppings are

rosion. This is particularly true if you highly corrosive and may damage

wash your vehicle in the garage or painted surfaces in just a few hours.

drive it into the garage when it is still Always remove bird droppings as

wet or covered with snow, ice or soon as possible.

mud. Even a heated garage can con-

CAUTION - Electrical

components

Never allow water or other liq-

uids to come in contact with

electrical/electronic

tribute to corrosion unless it is well

ventilated so moisture is dispersed.

Don't neglect the interior

compo-

Moisture can collect under the floor

mats and carpeting and cause corro-

sion. Check under the mats periodi-

cally to be sure the carpeting is dry.

Use particular care if you carry fertil-

izers, cleaning materials or chemi-

cals in the vehicle.

nents inside the vehicle as this

may damage them.

These should be carried only in prop-

er containers and any spills or leaks

should be cleaned up, flushed with

clean water and thoroughly dried.

7 99

Maintenance

Taking care of leather seats

• Vacuum the seat periodically to • Remove all contaminations instant-

Cleaning the leather seats

CAUTION - Leather

When cleaning leather products

(steering wheel, seats etc.), use

neutral detergents or low alco-

hol content solutions. If you use

high alcohol content solutions

or acid/alkaline detergents, the

color of the leather may fade or

the surface may get stripped off.

remove dust and sand on the seat.

It will prevent abrasion or damage of

the leather and maintain its quality.

• Wipe the natural leather seat cover

often with dry or soft cloth.

• Sufficient use of a leather protec-

tive may prevent abrasion of the

cover and helps maintain the color.

Be sure to read the instructions

and consult a specialist when • Beverages(coffee, soft drink, etc.)

using leather coating or protective

agents.

• Leather with bright colors(beige,

cream beige) is easily contaminat-

ed and clear in appearance. Clean

the seats frequently.

• Avoid wiping with wet cloth. It may

cause the surface to crack.

ly. Refer to instructions below for

removal of each contaminant.

• Cosmetic

products(sunscreen,

foundation, etc.)

- Apply cleansing cream on a cloth

and wipe the contaminated point.

Wipe off the cream with a wet

cloth and remove water with a dry

cloth.

- Apply a small amount of neutral

detergent and wipe until contami-

nations do not smear.

• Oil

- Remove oil instantly with

absorbable cloth and wipe with

stain remover for natural leather

only.

• Chewing gum

- Harden the gum with ice and

remove gradually.

7 100

Maintenance

Fabric seat cover (If equipped)

Cleaning the upholstery and inte-

rior 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

webbing

Please clean the fabric seats regu-

larly with a vacuum cleaner in con-

sideration of fabric material charac-

teristics. If they are heavily soiled

with beverage stains, etc., use a suit-

able interior cleaner.To prevent dam-

age to seat covers, wipe off the seat

covers down to the seams with a

large wiping motion and moderate

pressure using a soft sponge or

microfiber cloth.

Velcro closures on clothing or sharp

objects may cause snagging or

scratches on the surface of the

seats.

Make sure not to rub such objects

against the surface.

Clean the belt webbing with any mild

soap solution recommended for

cleaning upholstery or carpet. Follow

the instructions provided with the

soap. Do not bleach or re-dye the

webbing because this may weaken it.

Fabric

Cleaning the interior window

glass

Remove dust and loose dirt from fab-

ric with a whisk broom or vacuum

cleaner. Clean with a mild soap solu-

tion recommended for upholstery or

carpets. Remove fresh spots imme-

diately 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 proper-

ly maintained.

If the interior glass surfaces of the

vehicle become fogged (that is, cov-

ered with an oily, greasy or waxy

film), they should be cleaned with a

glass cleaner. Follow the directions

on the glass cleaner container.

CAUTION - Rear window

Do not scrape or scratch the

inside of the rear window. This

may result in damage of the rear

window defroster grid.

Using anything but recommended

cleaners and procedures may affect

the fabric’s appearance and fire-

resistant properties.

7 101

Maintenance -> Appearance care for Your Kia Sportage SUV 2020

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