Kia automobiles and SUVs are popular vehicles from the South Korean-based automaker. Like their corporate cousins at Hyundai, they are known for their famous 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, which to this day is still a rarity in the industry. These United States- or South Korean-built vehicles have a reputation for reliability and value that is on par with their Pacific Rim rivals. As is the case with all vehicles, in order to achieve such reliability, it is necessary as an owner to have the vehicle properly serviced. As a result, Kia has a prescribed service schedule that will keep your Kia vehicle running like new.

Kia’s maintenance guidelines have been cycled to occur every 7,500 miles, whether it involves a simple oil change and tire rotation or a more extensive service. Throughout the menu of scheduled services, Kia technicians will perform multi-point inspections on fluid levels and other needs that your Kia has. By following Kia’s guidelines, owners will be aware of all aspects of their maintenance schedules.

Kia mechanics will change the vehicle’s synthetic oil and oil filter, as well as rotate the tires, and replace the in-cabin air filter. The rest of the service call involves a multi-point inspection to examine brake pads and the engine’s air filter. Additionally, they will check the wipers, tire pressure, inspect for fluid leaks, and provide a visual inspection of the suspension and chassis components.

This service continues at 15,000 –, 22,500 –, 30,000 –, and so on, for every 7,500 miles. It’s always a good idea to follow the Kia owner’s manual to stay abreast of what other services will be performed at your local dealership.

Extended Warranty and Maintenance Plans

Kia offers a standard 10-year/100,000-mile vehicle warranty that provides limited powertrain coverage, 5-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty, 5-year/100,000-mile limited anti-perforation warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan. Still, an owner needs to properly maintain their vehicles by consulting with their Kia service adviser and their Kia Owner’s Manual.

This plan has applied to Kia vehicles from model year 2008 going forward. In addition to the limited warranties, above, it offers Toll-free assistance, and emergency roadside assistance that utilizes a network of over 17,000 roadside assistance providers who will provide usual services including dead batteries, flat tires, and running out of gas, at no charge.

If the event is not fixed on the spot, Kia will pay to have your vehicle towed to the nearest Kia (or alternate service location) service center, whichever is closer. Finally, Kia wraps the program up with their Trip Interruption Policy that covers repairs that are needed more than 150 miles from the customer’s home, and require more than 24 hours to complete. Terms and conditions apply. See owner’s manual for more details.

For owners wanting to expand their coverage, Kia offers their pre-paid Kia Care Maintenance plan, which, depending on your driving habits, includes oil and filter changes every 3,750- or 7,500-mile interval. It is available in three levels including basic Kia Care (oil and filter changes), Kia Care Plus (with tire rotations every 7,500 miles, key replacement and a Driver’s OneCard Membership) and Kia Care Premium Plan which includes all of the features of the Plus membership and adds engine air filter and in-cabin filter replacements.