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Driving tips
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SUGGESTIONS FOR ECONOMICAL OPERATION
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many kilometers (miles) you can get
from a liter (gallon) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in bothfuel and repairs:
Avoid lengthy warm-up idling. Once the engine is running
smoothly, begin driving.
Remember, engine warm-up may
take a little longer on cold days.
Save fuel by accelerating slowly after stopping.
Keep the engine in tune and follow the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule. This will increase
the life of all parts and lower your
operating costs. Do not use the air conditioner
unnecessarily.
Slow down when driving on rough roads.
For longer tire life and better fuel economy, always keep the tiresinflated to the recommended pres-
sures.
Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles to avoid sudden stops.
This will reduce wear on brake lin-
ings and pads. Driving in such a
way will also save fuel because
extra fuel is required to accelerate
back to driving speed.
Do not carry unnecessary weight in the vehicle.
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This can cause
needless wear, possible damage
to the brakes, and poor fuel econo-
my.
Improper wheel alignment results in faster tire wear and lower fuel
economy. Open windows at high speeds can
reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is less in crosswinds and headwinds. To help offset
some of this loss, slow down when
driving in these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating
condition is important both for econ-
omy and safety. Therefore, have an
authorized Kia dealer performscheduled inspections and mainte-
nance.
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WARNING - Engine off
during motion
Never turn the engine off to
coast down hills or anytime the
vehicle is in motion. The power
steering and power brakes willnot function without the engine
running. Instead, keep the
engine on and downshift to an
appropriate gear for engine
braking effect.
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Maintenance
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OWNER MAINTENANCE
Owner maintenance schedule
The following lists are vehicle checks and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an AuthorizedKia Dealer at the frequencies indicat-
ed to help ensure safe, dependable
operation of your vehicle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your deal-
er as soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks
are generally not covered by war-
ranties and you may be charged for
labor, parts and lubricants used.
When you stop for fuel:
Check the engine oil level.
Check coolant level in coolant reservoir.
Check the windshield washer fluid level. Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of
the exhaust or any smell of
exhaust fumes in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steer-
ing effort or looseness in the steer-
ing wheel, or change in its straight-ahead position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side
when traveling on smooth, levelroad.
When stopping, listen and check for strange sounds, pulling to one
side, increased brake pedal travel
or “hard-to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the operation of your transaxle occurs,
check the transaxle fluid level.
Check automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air conditioning system after use is
normal).
At least monthly:
Check coolant level in the coolantrecovery reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn
signals and hazard warning flash-
ers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall) :
Check radiator, heater and air con- ditioning hoses for leaks or da-
mage.
Check windshield washer spray and wiper operation. Clean wiper
blades with clean cloth dampened
with washer fluid.
Check headlight alignment.
Check muffler, exhaust pipes, shields and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel lug nuts.
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot
coolant and steam may blow out
under pressure. This could
cause serious injury.
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Maintenance
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Disc brake pads and rear brake
shoes should be inspected for wearwhenever tires are rotated.
✽✽ NOTICE
Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only from
front to rear and not from right toleft.
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there isless than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire. Wheel alignment and tire balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may needto be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
✽✽
NOTICE
Improper wheel weights can dam-
age your vehicle's aluminum wheels.
Use only approved wheel weights.
1SAA5026
Tread wear indicator