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Driving your vehicle
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Outside (fresh) air position
The indicator light on the
button is not illuminated
when the outside (fresh)
air position is selected.
With the outside (fresh) air
position selected, air
enters the vehicle from
outside and is heated or
cooled according to the
function selected.
✽ ✽
NOTICEIt should be noted that prolonged
operation of the heating in recircu-
lated air position will cause fogging
of the windshield and side windows
and the air within the passenger
compartment will become stale.
In addition, prolonged use of the air
conditioning with the “recirculated
air position” selected, will result in
excessively dry air in the passenger
compartment.
WARNING
Continued climate control
system operation in the recir-
culated air position may allow
humidity to increase inside
vehicle which may fog the
glass and obscure visibility.
Do not sleep in a vehicle with
air conditioning or heating
system on. It may cause seri-
ous harm or death due to a
drop in the oxygen level
and/or body temperature.
Continued climate control
system operation in the
reciruclated air position can
cause drowsiness or sleepi-
ness, and loss of vehicle con-
trol. Set the air intake control
to the outside (fresh) air posi-
tion as much as possible
while driving.
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Air quality control system
(if equipped)The air inflow from outside vehicle
can be automatically controlled.
Press the button to activate the air
quality control system.
When using AQS mode, AQS(Air
Quality Control System) automatical-
ly senses outdoor air pollutants and
minimizes them from entering the
vehicle, however, unpleasant or foul
odors that might be present may still
be noticeable within the vehicle.To deactivate the system;
press the button again.
press the air intake button.
press the AUTO button.
set the mode to the ( ) or ( )
position (when the defogging logic
is activated).
set the temperature control to the
lowest setting (Lo) or the highest
setting (HI) position while the sys-
tem is in automatic operation (indi-
cator light in the AUTO button is
illuminated).
press the OFF button.
CAUTION
Prolonged driving with the
“Air Quality Control System”
ON will cause fogging inside
the vehicle.
To defrost inside the vehicle,
press the button or set the
air intake button to the outside
position.
The air quality control sensor
is located at the front of radia-
tor, be careful to avoid damag-
ing the sensor.
1KMA2146
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Instrument panel ventsIf air flow control is not satisfactory,
check the instrument panel vents.
The outlet port ( , ) can be opened
or closed separately using the hori-
zontal thumbwheel. To close the
vent, rotate it left to the maximum
position. To open the vent, rotate it
right to the desired position.
Also, you can adjust the direction of
air delivery from these vents using
the vent control lever as shown.
Air conditioning button Push the A/C button to turn the air
conditioning system on (indicator
light will illuminate).
Push the button again to turn the air
conditioning system off.
OFF buttonPush the OFF button to turn off the
air climate control system. However
you can still operate the mode and
air intake buttons as long as the igni-
tion switch is ON.
1KMA2132
1KMA2147
1KMA2148
B
E
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Air conditioning system oper-
ation tips If the vehicle has been parked in
direct sunlight during hot weather,
open the windows for a short time
to let the hot air inside the vehicle
escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of
windows on rainy humid days,
decrease the humidity inside the
vehicle by operating the air condi-
tioning system.
During air conditioning system
operation, you may occasionally
notice a slight change in engine
speed at idle as the air condition-
ing compressor cycles on. This is
a normal system operating charac-
teristic. Use the air conditioning system
every month if only for a few min-
utes to ensure maximum system
performance.
When using the air conditioning
system, you may notice clear water
dripping (or even pudding) on the
ground under the passenger side
of the vehicle. This is a normal sys-
tem operating characteristic.
The air conditioning system
includes a function that automati-
cally turns the air conditioning
compressor off if engine coolant
temperature approaches an over
heating level. The air conditioning
compressor operation will resume
once engine coolant temperature
returns to the normal range. Also,
the air conditioning compressor is
automatically turned off for a few
seconds when the accelerator is
fully depressed (wide open throt-
tle). When operating the air condition-
ing system use the outside (fresh)
air position.
Operating the air conditioning sys-
tem in the recirculated air position
does provide maximum cooling,
however, continual operation in this
mode may cause the air inside the
vehicle to become stale.
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The indicator light in the air intake
control button will blink 3 times at 0.5
second intervals. This indicates that
the defogging logic is canceled or
has returned to the programmed
condition.
If the battery has been discharged or
disconnected, the defog logic is reset
to the original condition.
Automatic climate control systemTo reduce the probability of fogging
up inside of the windshield, the air
intake control is set to outside (fresh)
air position automatically if any of fol-
lowing occur.
The ignition switch is turned on
while the mode is selected to the
, , .
The OFF button is pushed.
The mode is selected to the ,
or position.
Press the air intake control button to
select the recirculated air position
while the ignition switch is on.How to cancel or return defogging
logic of automatic climate control sys-
tem
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position.
2. Select the defrost position press-
ing defrost button ( ).
3. While holding the air conditioning
button (A/C) pressed, press the air
intake control button ( ) at least
5 times within 3 seconds.
1KMA2156
➀
➁
➂
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Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING Before entering vehicle: Be sure that all windows, outside
mirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any
sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles
behind you if you intend to back up.Necessary inspections Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in Section 7,
Maintenance.
Before starting Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-
trols are easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside
rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning
lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and
make sure the brake warning light
goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
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WARNING
- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Drunk driving is the num-
ber one contributor to the high-
way death toll each year. Even a
small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgement.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink and drive.
If you are drinking or taking
drugs, don’t drive. Do not ride
with a driver who has been
drinking or taking drugs.
Choose a designated driver or
call a cab.
Driving while under the influ-
ence of drugs is as dangerous
or more dangerous than driving
drunk.
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Driving tips
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS Hazardous driving conditions When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extra
distance for braking.
Avoid sudden movements in brak-
ing or steering.
When braking, pump the brake
pedal with a light up-and-down
motion until the vehicle is stopped.✽ ✽
NOTICEDo not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,
use second gear. Accelerate slow-
ly to avoid spinning the drive
wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, tire chains, or
other non-slip material under the
drive wheels to provide traction
when stalled in ice, snow, or mud.
Rocking the vehicle If it is necessary to rock the vehicle
to free it from snow, sand, or mud,
first turn the steering wheel right and
left to clear the area around your
front wheels. Then, shift back and
forth between 1 (First) and R
(Reverse) in vehicles equipped with
a manual transaxle or R (Reverse)
and any forward gear in vehicles
equipped with an automatic
transaxle. Do not race the engine,
and spin the wheels as little as pos-
sible. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a
tow vehicle to avoid engine overheat-
ing and possible damage to the
transaxle.✽ ✽
NOTICEProlonged rocking may cause engine
over-heating, transaxle damage or
failure, and tire damage.
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WARNING
- Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slip-
pery surfaces can cause an
accident. The sudden change in
tire speed could cause the tires
to skid. Be careful when down-
shifting on slippery surfaces.
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Driving tips8 5
Driving at night Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
Slow down and keep more dis-
tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the
glare from other driver's head-
lights.
Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed on vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature. Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head-
lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
Driving in the rain Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harder
to see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
Keep your windshield wiping
equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
If your tires are not in good condi-
tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it
easier for others to see you.
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WARNING
- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 56
km/h (35 mph). Spinning the
wheels at high speeds when the
vehicle is stationary could
cause a tire to overheat, explode
and injure bystanders.
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