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Driving your vehicle
Use the air conditioning systemevery 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 operation characteristics.
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.
Checking the amount of air
conditioner refrigerant and
compressor lubricantWhen the amount of refrigerant is
low, the performance of the air con-
ditioning is reduced. Overfilling also
has a bad influence on the air condi-
tioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer.
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Driving tips
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMThe emission control system of your
vehicle is covered by a written limited
warranty. Please see the warranty
information contained in the
Warranty & Consumer Information
Manual in your vehicle.Vehicle modifications This vehicle should not be modified.
Modification of your Kia could affect
its performance, safety or durability
and may even violate governmental
safety and emissions regulations.
In addition, damage or performance
problems resulting from any modifi-
cation may not be covered under
warranty.
Engine exhaust gas precau-
tions (carbon monoxide) Carbon monoxide can be presentwith other exhaust fumes.
Therefore, if you smell exhaust
fumes of any kind inside your vehi-
cle, have it inspected and repaired
immediately by an authorized Kia
dealer or other competent repair
shop. If you ever suspect exhaust
fumes are coming into your vehi-
cle, drive it only with all the win-
dows fully open. Have your vehicle
checked and repaired immediately. Do not operate the engine in con-
fined or closed areas (such as
garages) any more than what is
necessary to move the vehicle in or
out of the area.
When the vehicle is stopped in an open area for more than a short
time with the engine running,
adjust the ventilation system (as
needed) to draw outside air into the
vehicle.
Never sit in a parked or stopped vehicle for any extended time with
the engine running.
Carbon monoxide can be present with other exhaust fumes.
Therefore, if you smell exhaust
fumes of any kind inside your vehi-
cle, have it inspected and repaired
immediately by an authorized Kia
dealer. If you ever suspect exhaust
fumes are coming into your vehi-
cle, drive it only with all the win-
dows fully open. Have your vehicle
checked and repaired immediately.
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WARNING
Engine exhaust gases contain
carbon monoxide (CO). Though
colorless and odorless, it is
dangerous and could be lethal if
inhaled. Follow the instructions
following to avoid CO poison-
ing.
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Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING Before entering vehicle: Be sure that all windows, outsidemirror(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.
59
Driving tips
Driving too fast through large pud-dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.
Winter driving We recommend that you carryemergency equipment, including
tire chains, a window scraper,
windshield de-icer, a bag of sand
or salt, flares, a small shovel and
jumper cables.
Make sure you have sufficient eth- ylene-glycol coolant in the radiator.
Check the battery condition and cables. Cold temperatures reduce
the capacity of any battery, so it
must be in excellent condition to
provide enough winter starting
power.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for cold weather.
Check the ignition system for loose connections and damage. Use antifreeze-formulated wind-
shield washer fluid. (Do not use
engine coolant antifreeze.)
Do not use the parking brake if it might freeze. When parking, shift
to P (Park) with an automatic
transaxle and block the rear
wheels.
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511
Driving tips
Chain installation
When installing chains, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the
body or chassis, stop and tighten
them. If they still make contact, slow
down until it stops. Remove the
chains as soon as you begin driving
on cleared roads.
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CAUTION
Make sure the snow chainsare the correct size and typefor your tires. Incorrect snowchains can cause damage tothe vehicle body and suspen-sion and may not be coveredby your vehicle manufacturerwarranty. Also, the snow chainconnecting hooks may bedamaged from contactingvehicle components causingthe snow chains to comeloose from the tire. Make surethe snow chains are SAEclass “S” certified. Cable-type,or plastic-type snow chain canalso be used.
Always check chain installa- tion for proper mounting afterdriving approximately 0.5 to 1km to ensure safe mounting.Retighten or remount thechains if they are loose.
WARNING
When mounting snow chains,
park the vehicle on level ground
away from traffic. Turn on the
vehicle Hazard Warning flashers
and place a triangular emer-
gency warning device behind
the vehicle if available. Always
place the vehicle in park (P),
apply the parking brake and
turn off the engine before
installing snow chains.
WARNING
- Tire chains
The use of chains may adversely affect vehicle han-
dling.
Do not exceed 20 mph (30 km/h) or the chain manufac-
turer’s recommended speed
limit, whichever is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns,
and other road hazards, which
may cause the vehicle to
bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked- wheel braking.
Chains that are the wrong size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle's brake
lines, suspension, body and
wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear them
hitting the vehicle.
Driving tips20
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Maintenance when trailer tow-
ing Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention include engine oil, automat-
ic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and
cooling system fluid. Brake condition
is another important item to frequent-
ly check. Each item is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you
find them quickly. If you’re trailering,
it’s a good idea to review these sec-
tions before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your
trailer and hitch. Follow the mainte-
nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight.
✽ ✽
NOTICEDue to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur in
hot days or during uphill driving. If
the coolant gauge indicates over-
heating, switch off the A/C and stop
the vehicle in a safe area to cool
down the engine.
OVERLOADING
CAUTION
The gross axle weight rating
(GAWR) and the gross vehicleweight rating (GVWR) for yourvehicle are on the manufactur-er's label attached to the dri-ver's door. Exceeding these rat-ings can cause an accident orvehicle damage. You can calcu-late the weight of your load byweighing the items (or people)before putting them in the vehi-cle. Be careful not to overloadyour vehicle.
63
In case of an emergency
OVERHEATING If your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss
of power, or if you hear a loud knock-
ing or pinging noise, the engine has
probably overheated. Should any of
these symptoms occur, use the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flash-er, then drive to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle; set
the automatic transaxle in P (Park)
and apply the parking brake.
2. Make sure the air conditioner is off.
3. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator, stop the engine and
call an Authorized Kia Dealer for
assistance. If coolant is not boiling out, allow
the engine to idle and open the
hood to permit the engine to cool
gradually.
If the temperature does not go
down with the engine idling, stop
the engine and allow sufficient
time for it to cool.
4. The coolant level should then be checked. If the level in the reser-
voir is low, look for leaks at the
radiator hoses and connections,
heater hoses and connections,
radiator, and water pump. If you
find a major leak or another prob-
lem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operate
the engine until it has been cor-
rected. Call an Authorized Kia
Dealer for assistance. If you do not
find a leak or other problem, care-
fully add coolant to the reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats,have the cooling system checkedand repaired by an Authorized KiaDealer.
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WARNING
- Removing
radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine and radiator
are hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause seri-
ous injury.
In case of an emergency66Jump starting procedure 1. Make sure the booster battery is12-volt and that its negative termi-
nal is grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, do not allow the vehicles
to touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical loads.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the exact sequence shown in the pre-
vious illustration. First connect one
end of a jumper cable to the posi-
tive terminal of the discharged bat-
tery (
➀), then connect the other
end to the positive terminal on the
booster battery (
➁). Proceed to
connect one end of the other
jumper cable to the negative ter-
minal of the booster battery (
➂),
then the other end to a solid, sta-
tionary, metallic point (for exam-
ple, the engine lifting bracket)
away from the battery (
➃). Do not
connect it to or near any part that
moves when the engine is
cranked. Do not connect the
jumper cable from the negative
terminal of the booster battery to
the negative terminal of the dis-
charged battery. Do not allow the jumper cables to
contact anything except the cor-
rect battery terminals or the cor-
rect ground. Do not lean over the
battery when making connections.
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster battery and let it run at
2,000 rpm, then start the engine of
the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
If the cause of your battery discharg-ing is not apparent, you should haveyour vehicle checked by anAuthorized Kia Dealer.
Refer to illustration on page 6-5.
Push-starting Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section
for jump-starting.
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CAUTION
Never tow a vehicle to start itbecause the sudden surge for-ward when the engine startscould cause a collision with thetow vehicle.