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Just like going to the doctor, it’s important for your Kia to see a doctor, as well. Okay, maybe we’re not a real doctor but our trained technicians are basically car doctors. This week we want to share with you why it is so important to regularly service your vehicle. Follow along below and we hope to convince you that regular service is important if you’re one of those people that skip out on servicing your ride! Ensure your safety Regularly servicing your vehicle will increase yours, your families, and others safety while they are out on the road. While there are many reasons for automotive collisions, neglect is a cause for concern. Faulty steering and braking systems, improper fluid levels, worn windshield wipers, worn tires, and other vehicle-related neglect can cause a fatal accident. Prevent vehicle malfunctions Being stranded on the side of the road isn’t exactly how you want to find out that something is wrong with your vehicle. If you choose not to regularly service your vehicle, you run the risk of breaking down on the side of the road while repairs and tow costs will be hefty. Increase performance and fuel efficiency When your fluid levels are at the proper levels, internal wear on your vehicle decreases and vehicle performance will increase. Not only will your ride provide you with smoother, more responsive ride but your vehicle will drive as it was intended. Tune-ups and oil changes will also increase your fuel efficiency which means you’ll spend less time at the pump! Increased resale value Not only should you want to keep your Kia in great shape for your own safety, when it comes time to sell or trade-in it will be worth much more than a vehicle that hasn’t been treated with the same TLC. Regular service + more money on resale = happy you! This also creates a maintenance record which will prove that you regularly serviced and will ultimately help you sell your vehicle in the end. Peace of mind Regularly servicing your vehicle will give you peace of mind knowing that there are no major issues currently happening or waiting to blow up in your face. Plus, you’ll be safe, less stressed, and your wallet won’t be hurting from expensive repairs. Service Your Kia With King Kia!

Did you know that servicing your vehicle in the summer is just as important as servicing your vehicle at any other time of the year? Perhaps you didn’t and that’s alright. But, we’re here to tell you that it is important and why you’ll want to start servicing your vehicle before summer temperatures rise to extreme levels. Take a look below and follow up with scheduling an appointment with our service department to get your Kia in tip-top shape this summer! Here’s what to look for: The air conditioner is not working properly Windshield wipers are bad, streaking, making noise Coolant system needs TLC Tires are in poor condition Why you’ll want to get your vehicle serviced: If your A/C is not blowing cold air it is time to see a professional mechanic for some help. Often times, this is caused by a crack within the A/C system which is causing the refrigerant to leak out of your system. Your air filter could also be clogged which is leading to not enough air intake. Also, ask to have your engine’s belts looked over. You can even check these things yourself from the convenience of your own driveway. Many people forget about their windshield wipers in the summer months but this is when a lot of damage can take place. UV rays from the sun, paired with dust and other debris can do major damage to your wipers. Look them over each time you fill up your tank and gently wipe them down with a wet paper towel about twice a month. Don’t forget to fill up with windshield washer fluid, too! Your coolant system is one of the most important components to take care of when the summer heat starts to rise. Not only should your coolant reservoir be filled to the proper level but your system should be in proper working condition. Hoses in your system should NEVER be squishy or cracked. NEVER work on a hot engine, wait for your engine to cool before popping open the hood. It is very common for tires to perform poorly when temperatures start to rise. Be sure to keep an eye on them and look for any signs of deflation. If you have tried to fill them up and the result is the same, it may be time for a set of new tires. Also, look for any issues with the tread. Summertime is known for being road trip season, make sure your tires are in great shape before you head out onto the open road! Service With King Kia!

We all have our own specific skill sets, that’s for certain. My girlfriend can do all kinds of math in her head but can’t spell to save her life. I’m handy with the car, but I know I’m no good at things like plumbing. My girlfriend would also like to note that I seem to have a problem with washing the dishes and operating a vacuum cleaner. This is false and I just take care of those things when she’s not around. Anyway, I wanted to share with y’all some of the things I’ve learned about at-home car repair over the years. As handy as you may be, and as in tune with your engine bay as you might think you are, there are some repairs that you really should just leave to the pros. I’ve found the shop techs at King Kia to really know their stuff, especially on my girl’s Sorento, and so I advise you to trust them when it comes to maintaining and repairing your car. These are the five things that above all I don’t think you should touch when you’re messing around under the hood. Let the pros handle these and you’ll have made a good choice. Don’t touch the transmission. Don’t even change the fluid. If you make a mistake with the transmission you’re in for a much more expensive repair than you had on your hands before you decided to try and repair it. Your windshield is another thing that you need to bring to glass professionals. Even those store bought kits that say they fix cracks, well. A professional will get the job done seamlessly, and the kit won’t provide satisfactory results. Just get a pro in there and you’ll be set. Anything to do with wiring should be off-limits; trying to tinker with anything in the car that has a lot of delicate electronics is a bad idea. So no putting in a new sound system on your own! Do you know how bad electrical fires are? Stay away! Don’t think about touching the fuel pump, either. This is not only a very precise part, but it requires precise installation and even the smallest mixup can total your engine from the inside out. Don’t try your hand at engine diagnostics. This should be a no-brainer. The little code reader you can get that turns off the check engine light doesn’t actually fix anything, so why waste money that you could spend on getting what’s making the light come on repaired? Don’t Pay Too Much For Service!

When was your last oil change? Think on that for a second, and then think on this information that we have for you on the subject of the Oil Change! People often say that there is a specific time- or mileage-based interval that you need to strictly adhere to between oil changes. Usually, that’s 6 months or 3,000 miles. However, based on some variables, that interval is totally off: The age of your car The type of oil you use How many miles are on your car What conditions you usually drive in How hard you drive your car So based on these, your oil changes might not need to be as frequent, or they might need to be more frequent. Only your dealer can really tell you, since they know exactly what your vehicle might need at every stage of its life. You should also be checking your oil at least once a month to make sure your engine is healthy and that nothing catastrophic has happened that you didn’t know about. Other than that, make sure you get regular oil changes and remember to check your oil regularly! Stay in contact with your dealer and listen to their advice! You got this!! Let Us Do The Dirty Work For Less

Are your headlights busted? If the reason they’re dead isn’t that they are missing from your car or otherwise broken due to physical damage, keep reading for some great fixes for your dead headlights! If only one headlight is broken….. - You probably have a burnt out bulb that needs to be replaced. If both headlights are broken….. - If your headlights died at the same time as each other, that’s super unusual. Check your battery. - Have your dealer look into your fuses/relays/modules, because that could be part of the problem. - Your wiring could also be shot, so ask your shop to look at that as well. Your high beams or low beams don’t work….. - It’s probably the bulb. - Well, that or a relay, if only one or the other works. Again, have your dealer take a look under the hood. Your headlights are just dim….. - Clean your headlights, silly! If that doesn’t help, look into reconditioning kits. Your dealer is a great source of information on this type of thing. - It could also be down to a charging system issue, if reconditioning and cleaning didn’t do anything about the dimness (or if it was very clearly that the bulb itself was dim). Check it out with your dealer. Service For Less! Thanks, Coupons!

Wiper blades are what keep your windshield working the way it’s supposed to work - which is to say, it’s supposed to let you see the road. When your windshield wipers are working properly, this is what happens! When they’re broken, however, you don’t get what you need out of your wipers, which is vision. So, how do you take care of your wipers? First, you need to know when they’re broken and what the signs of broken or worn wipers are. When you check your wiper blades (which should ideally be every month or so), check for: - Broken frame – you’ll see this manifest as the frame arms are disconnected at the joints or connection points. - Metal Corrosion – take a close look at the joints and claws of the wiper frame. - Tears, cracks, and chunks missing out of the edge of the squeegee. In order to check on the health of your wipers themselves, do these things: - Flex the squeegee back and forth to make sure it’s flexible. If the squeegee is too old, it won’t conform to your windshield and it won’t bend as easily. - Make sure the edges of the squeegee are sharp and not rounded. If the edges are rounded, they are too worn down and won’t make good contact with the windshield or wipe correctly. - Give the wiper a little tug to make sure that it’s firmly attached to the wiper arm. - Make sure the squeegee is tightly fitted in the wiper frame. Wiper blades deteriorate just like everything else in our cars. Things they’re exposed to every day can destroy them over time, such as: - The sun can break down your wipers through ultraviolet light and even ozone exposure. - The oils in car waxes and exhaust can deteriorate the rubber of your wipers. - Things like dust, sand, salt, mud, and any other kind of airborne particles can stick to your wipers and break them down. - Saltwater and acid rain can break down your wipers - no matter if you’re on the coast or inland. Make sure that you’re cleaning your wipers every time you fill up your gas tank with the solution in the things at the station and a clean paper towel. This will keep them clean of the aforementioned dust and grit and will let them live even longer. When it’s time to replace your wipers, don’t put it off. Just take care of it, and your windshield will stay clear and you’ll know that you’re seeing the road as clearly as possible. If you want help with wipers and finding out which are right for your vehicle, come see us here at King Kia! Our Service Department Is Tops!

Hi there! It's me, your check engine light. I know, I know, you're not really my biggest fan. I get it! Usually, when I appear on your dashboard, you have to go get your vehicle serviced. It sends you into a big panic - trust me, I see when it happens. I just wanted to give you some reasons why I might be appearing, because that might help you know what's going on a little better, which will make you less anxious, which will help you drive safely and not worry so much. It's a big cycle. Anyway, here are some of those reasons why I show up from time to time. And no, none of those reasons are to "ruin your life." So, first of all, this isn't the same as the "maintenance required" or "service" light. Usually, when I appear, it means there's a problem in your engine. I'm just here to tell you about it so that you don't end up in an accident or with super costly repairs on your hands. If I show up, you should take your vehicle into your dealer or garage as soon as you can afterward. But, there are some things you can do to check yourself before you take your vehicle in for a check by a professional. First, you should check to see if your gas cap is loose or not on all the way. This is a common reason why I show up - a loose cap sends an error message to your vehicle's computer, reporting a leak in the vapor recovery system, which is a part of your vehicle's emissions system. If the gas cap is loose, tighten it and keep driving. If I don't go away after a little while, then you might have to dig a little deeper. There are other reasons why I might come on as well - the O2 sensor, which monitors and adjusts the air-fuel mixture; an issue with your catalytic converter (or cat, as some like to call it); a problem with the mass air flow sensor, which also monitors the amount of air mixed in the fuel injection system; or your spark plug wires might have something happening with them. You should always take your vehicle in to your dealer or your garage when I show up on your dash! It's not an everyday occurrence, but it is important to take note of when I'm around. You can bring your vehicle into a dealership like King Kia and have it checked out if you're worried - or if I'm illuminated at all. They'll take care of you and your vehicle and have you back on the road in no time. King Kia Keeps You Going