These instructions apply to the Kia Picanto Mk3 (JA) 2017-Present.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
Blown a fuse in your Kia Picanto JA (2017–present)? The car has two fuse boxes — one in the cabin and one under the bonnet — and swapping a blown blade fuse is a five-minute job once you know where to look and how to read the box’s own legend.
Where the Fuse Boxes Are
- Cabin fuse panel — low on the driver’s side, behind a pull-off cover at the end of the dashboard (you see it when you open the driver’s door). This holds most of the interior and comfort circuits.
- Engine-bay fuse and relay box — a larger box under the bonnet, near the battery, holding the high-current main fuses and relays for the charging, cooling and engine-management systems.
The OBD-II diagnostic socket sits just below the cabin fuse panel, behind the same trim cover — useful to know if you are also chasing a warning light.
Read Your Car’s Own Legend
Fuse positions and amperages vary by engine, transmission, trim and market, so no single chart fits every Picanto. The correct layout for your car is printed on the inside of each fuse-box cover (and in the owner’s handbook). Match the symbol or name on the legend to the circuit you are chasing — that is always more reliable than a generic table.
How to Replace a Blown Fuse
- Switch off the ignition and the circuit that failed (for example, turn the lights off if a lighting fuse blew).
- Open the relevant box and take off the cover.
- Read the legend on the cover to find the fuse for the dead circuit.
- Pull the suspect fuse straight out with the plastic fuse puller clipped inside the box — never use pliers or anything metal.
- Look through the fuse’s clear top: a broken or scorched metal strip means it has blown.
- Fit a new fuse of the same amperage — the number printed on top, and the colour, must match. Never fit a higher rating; the extra current can melt the wiring or start a fire.
- Refit the cover and test the circuit.
If the New Fuse Blows Too
A fuse that blows again straight away means there is a fault in that circuit — a chafed wire, a failed component or a short. Stop replacing fuses and have the circuit traced; repeatedly forcing power through a fault is a fire risk.
Fuses to Leave to a Workshop
- Airbag / SRS, ABS, the engine (ECU) and transmission control fuses, and any high-current main fuse.
- These protect safety-critical or expensive systems, and a blown one usually points to a fault that needs proper diagnosis rather than just a new fuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the fuse box on a Kia Picanto?
There are two: a cabin panel low on the driver’s side behind an end-of-dash cover, and a larger fuse-and-relay box in the engine bay near the battery.
Which fuse is the cigarette lighter, radio or a specific circuit?
Read the legend printed on your car’s fuse-box cover. Assignments differ between engines, trims and markets, so a generic chart can send you to the wrong fuse.
What tool do I need to change a fuse?
The small plastic fuse puller clipped inside the fuse box. If it is missing, needle-nose pliers will do — gently, with the ignition off.
Why does my Picanto keep blowing the same fuse?
A fuse that fails repeatedly points to a persistent short or a failing component on that circuit. Have it traced rather than fitting an ever-larger fuse, which only moves the risk to the wiring.
If a fuse for an engine or electronic system blows and lights a warning, you can decode the trouble code on autodtcs.com — the OBD-II port is right below the cabin fuse panel.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Kia. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.