2015 KIA Forte oil specs Total Quartz

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Jul 9, 2018
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Location
SK, Canada
What are the requirements for the 2015 KIA Forte, non turbo engine?
The owners manual is pretty vague. States 4.0 L of Class API Service SM/ ILSAC GF-4 or above.

What exactly is the Total Quartz?

A friend has this car, & is low on oil, as in off the dipstick low.

Just checking if it is safe to top off with my Castrol GTX Magnatec 5W-30. Car is due for an oil change, but cant get it done for a few days, & don't want it running low. Car is commuting about 100 miles daily. Hope to change it within 3 or 4 days.

Does it need a Dexos rated oil, or does it require a german oil?

Will any other synthetic oil with a higher rating be just as good?
Not sure how easy it is to find this particular oil
 
Went to the Kia Canada website and downloaded the manual. Owner's manual seems pretty straightforward to me. API SM or higher, like you said. And the viscocity chart lists 5w20 and 5w30 appropriate for all climates. I think you're good to go with the Magnatec you have.

Edit: I should mention that the recommendation for Total Quartz is just a deal between the manufacturer and the oil company. Hyundai has a similar thing going on by recommending Quaker State in US/Canada and Shell Helix pretty much everywhere else in the world and my VW recommends Castrol. But it's just that: a recommendation and not a requirement.
 
Yes, I looked into it for a while & topped off her car. I am not very familiar with the KIA or Hyundai, & seen some comments that some had some issues with oil consumption, & shearing oil, maybe only in the turbo engines.

Also meant Euro formulation oil as opposed to German. Just mixed up the terminology because my parents german volkswagen vehicle specifies/ recomends a Euro formulation I believe. Wish I could edit the original post to correct it.

It was about a liter low, and with the small capacity in the pan, I didn't want to see it run low any longer. Owner is a young woman 24, & always takes it in to quick change oil places for oil change.
Not sure if these places would ever check the oil level to let a driver know if it was low when coming in.

I tried to tell her to check the oil a little more often, so hopefully she keeps an eye on it. Only has about 135000 kilometers.

I did seem to notice that there are not many UOA for these engines.
 
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Went to the Kia Canada website and downloaded the manual. Owner's manual seems pretty straightforward to me. API SM or higher, like you said. And the viscocity chart lists 5w20 and 5w30 appropriate for all climates. I think you're good to go with the Magnatec you have.

Edit: I should mention that the recommendation for Total Quartz is just a deal between the manufacturer and the oil company. Hyundai has a similar thing going on by recommending Quaker State in US/Canada and Shell Helix pretty much everywhere else in the world and my VW recommends Castrol. But it's just that: a recommendation and not a requirement.
it would still be interesting to see a VOA of the oil. I am unfamiliar with this brand.
 
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