2004 KIA CERATO warning light

Knowing your vehicle
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Airbag warning light
The purpose of airbag warning light
in your instrument panel is to alert
you of a potential problem with your
airbag - Supplemental RestraintSystem (SRS). When the ignition switch is turned
ON, the indicator light should blink or
illuminate for approximately 6 sec-
onds, then go off.
Have the system checked if:
The light does not turn on briefly
when you turn the ignition ON.
The light stays on after the engine starts.
The light comes on while the vehi- cle is in motion. Airbag (Supplemental
Restraint System) service
Your Supplemental Restraint System
is virtually maintenance-free. There
are no parts which you can service.
You must have the system serviced
under the following circumstances:
If an airbag ever inflates, the airbag
must be replaced. Do not try to
remove or discard the airbag by
yourself. This must be done by an
authorized Kia dealer.
If the airbag warning indicator light alerts you to a problem, have the
airbag system checked as soon as
possible. Otherwise, your airbag
system may be ineffective.
The entire SRS system must be
inspected by an authorized Kia deal-
er 10 years after the vehicle manu-
facture date.
A-BAG-W

Knowing your vehicle
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1. Stop the engine.
2. To open the fuel filler lid, pull the
release lever. 3. Pull the fuel filler lid out to open.
4. To remove the cap, turn the fuel
tank cap counter-clockwise.
5. Refuel as needed.
6. To install the cap, turn it clockwise until it “clicks”. This indicates that the cap is securely tightened.
7. Close the fuel filler lid and push it lightly and make sure that it issecurely closed.
FUEL FILLER LID
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WARNING
- Refueling
If pressurized fuel sprays out, it can cause serious injuries.
Always remove the fuel cap
carefully and slowly. If the cap
is venting fuel or if you hear a
hissing sound, wait until the
condition stops before com-
pletely removing the cap.
Fuel vapor is very hazardous and can explode. When refuel-
ing, always stop the engine.
Never allow sparks or open
flames near the filler neck.
Always put out cigarettes andother smoking materials
before refueling.
CAUTION
To avoid injury from sharp
objects, it is recommended thatprotective gloves be worn when opening the fuel filler door man-ually.

1 23456789Ignition switch / 4-2
Starting the engine / 4-4Manual transaxle / 4-7Automatic transaxle / 4-8Brake system / 4-15
Steering wheel / 4-22
Cruise control / 4-25
Traction control system / 4-30
Instrument cluster / 4-33Gauges / 4-34
Warnings and indicators / 4-38Lighting / 4-46
Wipers and washers / 4-52
Defroster / 4-55
Hazard warning flasher / 4-56
Manual climate control system / 4-57
Automatic climate control system / 4-66
Windshield defrosting and defogging / 4-79Theft-alarm system / 4-84
Driving your vehicle

Driving your vehicle
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Illuminated ignition switch (if equipped)
Whenever a door is opened, the igni-
tion switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition
switch is not in the ON position. The
light will go off approximately 10 sec-onds after closing the door or when
the ignition switch is turned on. Ignition switch and anti-theft
steering column lock
Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to
the LOCK position, push the key
inward at the ACC position and turn
the key toward the LOCK position. ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and
electrical accessories are operative.ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is
the normal running position after the
engine is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if
the engine is not running to preventbattery discharge.
START
Turn the ignition key to the START
position to start the engine. The
engine will crank until you release
the key; then it returns to the ON
position. The brake warning lamp
can be checked in this position.
If difficulty is experienced in turning the ignition key to the START posi-tion, turn the steering wheel rightand left to release the tension and then turn the key.
IGNITION SWITCH
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Driving your vehicle
Manual transaxle operation
The manual transaxle has five for-
ward gears.
Press the clutch pedal down fully
while shifting, then release it slowly.
A special safety feature prevents
inadvertent shifting from 5 (Fifth) to
R (Reverse). The gearshift lever must
be returned to the neutral position
before shifting into R (Reverse).
Make sure the vehicle is completelystopped before shifting into R (Reverse).
Never operate the engine with thetachometer (rpm) in the red zone.
✽✽ NOTICE
To avoid premature clutch wear and
damage, do not drive with your foot
resting on the clutch pedal. Also,don’t use the clutch to hold the vehi-cle stopped on an upgrade, while
waiting for a traffic light, etc.Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or while driving up steep hills,
downshift before the engine starts to
labor. Downshifting reduces the
chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you again need to
increase your speed. When the vehi-
cle is traveling down steep hills,
downshifting helps maintain safe
speed and prolongs brake life.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)1
2 4
R
3
S
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R
4
2
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WARNING - Manual
transaxle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.Then make sure the transaxle isshifted into 1 st
gear when the
vehicle is parked on a level or
uphill grade, and shifted into R
(Reverse) on a downhill grade.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement can occur if these
precautions are not followed in
the order identified.

Driving your vehicle
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Disc brakes wear indicator
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and
it's time for new pads, you will hear a
high-pitched warning sound from
your front brakes or rear brakes (if
equipped). You may hear this sound
come and go or it may occur when-
ever you depress the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.✽✽
NOTICE
To avoid costly brake repairs, do not continue to drive with worn brakepads.
WARNING - Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs serv-
ice. If you ignore this audible
warning, you will eventually lose
braking performance, whichcould lead to a serious accident.
CAUTION
Always replace brake pads as complete front or rear axle sets.
(Continued)
Wet brakes may result in the vehicle not slowing down at the usual rate and pulling toone side when the brakes are
applied. Applying the brakes
lightly will indicate whether
they have been affected in this
way. Always test your brakesin this fashion after driving
through deep water. To dry the
brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe for-
ward speed until brake per-
formance returns to normal.

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Driving your vehicle
Parking brake
To apply the parking brake, pull the
parking brake handle fully and firmly
upward while applying the service
brake.To release the parking brake, pull thehandle up slightly and push the
release button, then lower the handleto the released position while holding
the button in.
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause excessive brake pad and brake rotor wear.
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WARNING - Parking brake
To prevent unintentional movement when stopped and
leaving the vehicle, do not use
the gearshift lever in place of
the parking brake. Set theparking brake AND make sure
the gearshift lever is securely
positioned in 1st (First) gear
or R (Reverse) for manual
transaxle equipped vehicles
and in P (Park) for automatic
transaxle equipped vehicles.
Never allow a person who is unfamiliar with the vehicle or
children to touch the parking
brake. If the parking brake is
released unintentionally, seri-
ous injury may occur.

Driving your vehicle
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Check the brake warning light by
turning the ignition switch ON (do not
start the engine). This light will be
illuminated when the parking brake is
applied with the ignition switch in the
START or ON position.
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off. If the brake warning light remains on
after the parking brake is released,
there may be a malfunction in the
brake system. Immediate attention is
necessary.
If at all possible, cease driving the
vehicle immediately. If that is not pos-
sible, use extreme caution while
operating the vehicle and only con-
tinue to drive the vehicle until you
can reach a safe location or repair
shop.
Parking on curbed streets
When parking your vehicle on an
uphill grade, park as close to the
curb as possible and turn the front
wheels away from the curb so thatthe front wheels will contact the
curb if the vehicle moves back-
ward.
When parking your vehicle on a downhill grade, park as close to the
curb as possible and turn the front
wheels toward the curb so that thefront wheels will contact the curb if
the vehicle moves forward.
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