Kia Forte: Battery / Recharging the battery

Your vehicle has a maintenance-free, calcium-based battery.

• If the battery becomes discharged in a short time (because, for example, the headlamps or interior lamps were left on while the vehicle was not in use), recharge it by slow charging (trickle) for 10 hours.
• If the battery gradually discharges because of high electric load while the vehicle is being used, recharge it at 20-30A for two hours.

When recharging the battery, observe the following precautions:

• The battery must be removed from the vehicle and placed in an area with good ventilation.
• Do not allow cigarettes, sparks, or flame near the battery.
• Watch the battery during charging, and stop or reduce the charging rate if the battery cells begin gassing (boiling) violently or if the temperature of the electrolyte of any cell exceeds 49°C (120°F).
• Wear eye protection when checking the battery during charging.
• Disconnect the battery charger in the following order.
  1. Turn off the battery charger main switch.
  2. Unhook the negative clamp from the negative battery terminal.
  3. Unhook the positive clamp from the positive battery terminal.
• Before performing maintenance or recharging the battery, turn off all accessories and stop the engine.
• The negative battery cable must be removed first and installed last when the battery is disconnected.