3 Signs Your Kia Needs a New Car Battery

Motor oil is the lifeblood of your car's engine. The oil must be kept fresh and in tip-top condition to keep your engine fully lubricated, clean, and corrosion-free. Read on to find out the optimal oil change intervals for your car. If in doubt, you can visit your local Kia dealer for expert guidance and to arrange a convenient oil change schedule. more Check Your Owner's Manual In most cases, oil should be changed at least twice a year. However, there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to oil changes. As such, the first place to look should be in your owner's manual. Follow whatever oil type and change intervals are recommended for your particular model. Keep Your Powertrain Warranty Valid If you have a valid warranty, you'll need to maintain a certain maintenance and oil change schedule to make sure you don't void the warranty's conditions. A warranty's servicing stipulations are there for a reason; if you stick to them, you're sure to keep your car's engine in great condition while enjoying the peace of mind a warranty provides. Consider Your Usual Driving Habits Always take your regular daily driving conditions into account when deciding how frequently to change your oil. Driving habits make a big difference to how rapidly motor oil wears down. One common example of more severe driving habits is regular short drives of under five miles. If you mostly use your car for very short trips, you're putting a great deal of strain on the engine and oil, which isn't given time to fully warm up. Other examples include the regular use of particularly dusty, dirty, sandy, or salty roads, which increases the volume of contaminants that get into the oil. Towing trailers for long distances, prolonged driving at low speeds, and extreme heat can all cause motor oil to wear down faster. If any of these conditions reflect your regular driving, consider having your oil changed three or four times a year. Book Routine Oil Changes With Your Kia Dealer The best way to know for sure how often to change your oil is with the guidance of a trusted technician. A technician can discuss your usual driving habits with you and determine an ideal interval for your car. If you book routine oil changes with us, we'll send you courteous reminders whenever you have an upcoming oil change. That way, you'll never accidentally forget to refresh your oil, and your engine will stay safe from excessive wear and tear. Have your oil changed today at Randy Marion Kia in Salisbury, NC. We're a local full-service Kia dealership offering a broad range of excellent vehicles, competitive deals, and high-quality customer care.

Good tires are one of your vehicle's first lines of defense, but your tires take a beating every time you're on the road, so it's important to maintain them and replace them when it's time. But how can you tell when it's time to schedule a Kia tire service at your Kia dealer? more Your Tire Treads Are Worn With repeated use, the treads on your tires will eventually wear down, reducing the traction you have on the road. When your treads wear down to 1/16 of an inch or less, it's time to buy replacement tires. Some tires have built-in wear indicator bars that make it easy to tell when replacement tires are in order. We also check out your tires each time your vehicle is in the shop and can make a recommendation about the proper timing for a new set of tires. But the penny test is a great at-home way of testing your tread depths yourself. Simply place a penny in your tread with Lincoln's head facing toward the center of the wheel. If you can see Lincoln's entire head, you still have enough tread left to safely drive. Your Tires Have Visible Signs of Wear or Damage Cracks in the sidewalls or bulges in the outer rubber surface of your tires are both signs that you need new tires. These blemishes sometimes develop as a result of exposure to heat or the salt and chemicals your tires encounter over time on roads. Hitting a pothole or brushing the curb can also cause tire bulges and blisters. These signs of wear indicate weak spots and damage, and they can put you at risk of leaks and tire failure. Your Tires Frequently Lose Pressure Tires lose pressure from time to time, but if your tires are consistently experiencing air pressure issues, you may have a small puncture that needs repair. Our service department can easily check your tire pressure, and if you want to keep an eye on it yourself, you might keep an inexpensive tire gauge on hand. If you've got a punctured tire, our team can make a recommendation about whether to repair the tire or replace it. Your Tires Are Old New tires usually last anywhere from three to five years. If you drive frequently, or at high speeds, they might need to be replaced sooner than that. If you can't remember when you last purchased new tires, check with our service department to see what our records show. Our Kia-trained technicians can repair your tires and advise you when it's time to purchase a replacement set. When it's time to schedule your next service appointment, come see us at Randy Marion Kia in Salisbury, NC.

Your new or used Kia is a reliable vehicle designed to provide years of driving enjoyment. However, you need to do your part by adhering to proper Kia maintenance. Visit your Kia dealer for regular maintenance and checkups to enjoy proper service from your ride. more Catch Problems Early Routine maintenance helps catch minor issues before they escalate into costly repairs. During each service, our Kia-certified technicians will inspect the car's crucial systems and components. Their trained eyes can spot minor signs of wear and impending failure that you'd likely miss. These include issues like worn brake pads, low fluid levels, worn-out belts and hoses, faulty spark plugs, and battery problems. Enjoy Better Handling and Performance Your Kia will drive better and perform at its best if it's well maintained. Tasks like timely tire rotation, wheel alignment, and brake service optimize traction, steering response, and stopping power. Under-the-hood services like replacing worn air filters, spark plugs, starter components, belts, and hoses will keep your Kia's engine operating at peak efficiency. Increase Your Safety on the Road Servicing your Kia regularly increases the reliability of safety systems. Oil and filter changes keep the engine running optimally, preventing overheating and failure. Regular brake service ensures your brakes are working perfectly when you need to use them. Your technician will also routinely check transmission components and top up the fluid to avoid gear slippage. Monitor Your Engine's Health As the heart of your Kia, the engine requires regular monitoring to make sure all parts are working properly. Scheduling regular engine diagnostic tests can help you keep things running smoothly under the hood. These tests usually check the following components: Spark plugs and coils Fuel injection system Throttle system Engine cooling system Oxygen sensors Catalytic converter Wheel and ABS sensor Improve Fuel Efficiency Timely oil and filter changes keep the engine running at maximum efficiency. Minor tasks like rotating and inflating the tires can also increase fuel efficiency by reducing rolling resistance. Enjoy Longer Service If you adhere to service schedules and preventive maintenance checks, your Kia's systems will perform better and last longer. Remember to use OEM Kia parts for all repairs to ensure optimal operation. Even if you don't plan to own the Kia until the end of its usable life, proper maintenance will increase its value. Routine vehicle maintenance offers many benefits, so there is no excuse for skipping it. If you're ready to cash in on these perks, schedule a maintenance appointment for your Kia at Randy Marion Kia in Salisbury, NC.