Kia Sportage 2023 Manual page 527

Maintenance
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
僅 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.
僅 Matte paint finish vehicle (if
equipped)
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, we
recommend that you have your vehi-
cle maintained and repaired by an
authorised Kia dealer/service partner.
Take extreme care, as it is difficult to
restore the quality after the repair.
Bright-metal maintenance
僅 To remove road tar and insects, use a
tar remover, not a scraper or other
sharp object.
僅 To protect the surfaces of bright
metal parts from corrosion, apply a
coating of wax or chrome preserva-
tive and rub to a high luster.
僅 During winter weather or in coastal
areas, cover the bright metal parts
with a heavier coating of wax or pre-
servative. If necessary, coat the parts
with non-corrosive petroleum jelly or
other protective compound.
Underbody maintenance
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 the
doors, rocker panels, and frame mem-
bers have drain holes that should not
clog with dirt; trapped water in these
areas can cause rusting.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes whilst driving slowly to see if they
have been affected by water. If braking
performance is impaired, dry the brakes
by applying them lightly whilst maintain-
ing a slow forward speed.
Aluminium wheel maintenance
The aluminium wheels are coated with a
clear protective finish.
僅 Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-
ishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminium wheels. They
may scratch or damage the finish.
Appearance care
9
9 83