What to Do in an Emergency

If the engine overheats

~2min read

If your temperature gauge indicates overheating, you lose power, or you hear a loud knocking or pinging noise, the engine may be overheating. If this happens, you should:

1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it is safe to do so.

2. Place the shift lever in P (Intelligent Variable Transmission) or Neutral (manual transmission) and apply the parking brake. If the air conditioner is on, turn it off.

3. If engine coolant is leaking from under the vehicle or steam is coming from under the hood, stop the engine. Do not open the hood until the coolant stops leaking or the steam stops. If there is no visible engine coolant loss and no steam, leave the engine running and make sure the engine cooling fan is operating. If the fan does not operate, stop the engine.

4. Check that the water pump drive belt is not missing. If it is not missing, check that it is tight. If the drive belt appears satisfactory, check for coolant leaking from the radiator, hoses, or under the vehicle. (If the air conditioner has been in use, it is normal for cold water to drip from it when you stop.)

WARNING - Under the Hood

While the engine is running, keep hair, hands and clothing away from moving parts such as the cooling fan and drive belts.

5. If the water pump drive belt breaks or engine coolant leaks, stop the engine immediately and seek assistance from the nearest authorized Kia dealer.

WARNING - Radiator Cap

Do not remove the radiator cap while the engine is hot. Coolant may spray out of the opening and cause serious burns.

6. If you cannot find the cause of the overheating, wait until the engine temperature returns to normal. Then, if coolant was lost, carefully add coolant to the reservoir until the coolant level reaches the middle mark.

7. Drive carefully and watch for further signs of overheating. If overheating occurs again, seek assistance from an authorized Kia dealer.

Significant coolant loss indicates a leak in the cooling system, which should be inspected by an authorized Kia dealer as soon as possible.

Test yourself

A quick Kia Rio YB quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.