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TIPS ON DRIVING YOUR
VEHICLEBefore 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/clutch fluid,
and washer fluid should be checked
on a regular basis, with the exact
interval depending on the fluid.
Further details are provided in the
“Maintenance” section.Before Starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls
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.
DRIVING TIPS
5-5
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, percep-
tions 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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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
transmission or R (Reverse) and any
forward gear in vehicles equipped
with an automatic transmission. Do
not race the engine, and spin the
wheels as little as possible. If you are
still stuck after a few tries, have the
vehicle pulled out by a tow vehicle to
avoid engine overheating and possi-
ble damage to the transmission,
transfer case (if equipped), or differ-
ential.Driving at Night
Because night driving presents many
more hazards than driving in the day-
light, here are some important tips to
remember:
Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, 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 headlights.
Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed. 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 TIPS
5-9
✽ ✽
NOTICEProlonged rocking may cause
engine over-heating, transmission
or transfer case (if equipped) dam-
age or failure, and tire damage.
WARNING- Spinning Tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 35
mph (56 km/h). 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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When you drive over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, your wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
can’t control the vehicle as well or
perhaps at all. Because you will be on
an unpaved surface, it’s especially
important to avoid sudden accelera-
tion, sudden turns, or sudden brak-
ing. Any of these actions could cause
the center of gravity of the vehicle to
shift and destabilize the vehicle, lead-
ing to a collision or rollover accident.
Off-road driving requires a different
kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There are
no road signs, posted speed limits or
signal lights. You have to use your
own judgment about what is safe and
what isn’t. Bad judgment in this
uncontrolled environment can be
fatal.Driving on Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up,
down, or across a hill. Driving safely
on hills requires excellent judgment
and an understanding of what your
vehicle can and can’t do. There are
some hills that simply should not be
driven.DRIVING TIPS5-20
WARNING- Drinking & Driving
Drinking and driving, or drug
use and driving can be very
dangerous on any road. This
certainly remains true for off-
road driving. At the very time
you need special alertness and
driving skills, your reflexes, per-
ceptions and judgement can be
affected by even a small amount
of alcohol or drugs. You could
have a serious - or even fatal -
accident if you drink or take
drugs and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
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Driving uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive
up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
Use a low gear and get a firm grip
on the steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and
try to maintain your speed. Don’t
use more power than you need,
because you don’t want your
wheels to start spinning or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill, if at
all possible. If the path twists and
turns, you may have to find another
route. Slow down as you approach the top
of the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make
you more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach
the top of the hill to let opposing
traffic know you’re there.
Use your headlights even during
the day. They make you more visi-
ble to other drivers.DRIVING TIPS5-22
WARNING- Driving Across Hills
Turning or driving across steep
hills can be dangerous. You
could lose traction, slide side-
ways, or just reach an area too
steep to traverse. In any case, it
could cause you to roll over. You
could be seriously or fatally
injured. When driving up hills,
always try to go as straight up
as possible.
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Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move your hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and, if possi-
ble, have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or sud-
den maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring.
The green arrows on your instrument
panel will flash whenever you signal a
turn or lane change. Properly con-
nected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers that you’re about
to turn, change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on the
trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers behind you are seeing
your signals when, in fact, they are
not. It’s important to check occasion-
ally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working. You must also check the
lights every time you disconnect and
then reconnect the wires.Do not connect a trailer lighting sys-
tem directly to your vehicle’s lighting
system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring
harness. Your authorized Kia dealer
can assist you in installing the wiring
harness.
DRIVING TIPS
5-39
WARNING
Using an improper trailer wiring
harness could lead to malfunc-
tioning of your vehicles electri-
cal system and a possible acci-
dent.
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ROAD WARNINGHazard Warning Flasher
The hazard warning flasher serves
as a warning to other drivers to exer-
cise extreme caution when approach-
ing, overtaking, or passing your vehi-
cle. It should be used whenever
emergency repairs are being made,
when the vehicle is stopped near the
edge of a roadway, or whenever your
vehicle is in distress.Depress the flasher switch to activate
at any time. The flasher switch is
located in the center console switch
panel. All turn signal lights will flash
simultaneously.
• The hazard warning flasher oper-
ates whether your vehicle is run-
ning or not.
The turn signals do not work when
the hazard flasher is on.
Care must be taken when the haz-
ard warning flasher is used while
the vehicle is being towed. Local
regulations may prohibit using it in
this manner.IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY6-2
AU TO
AUTO AMB
OFF TEMPMODE
AMB
A/C
A/C
L
R
H
M
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
5BLC601A
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ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT
PROTECTIONFuses
A vehicle’s electrical system is pro-
tected from electrical overload dam-
age by fuses.
This vehicle has two fuse panels, one
located in the driver’s side kick panel,
the other in the engine compartment
near the battery.If any of your vehicle’s lights, acces-
sories, or controls do not work, check
the appropriate circuit fuse. If a fuse
has blown, the element inside the
fuse will be melted.
Always replace a blown fuse with one
of the same rating.
If the same fuse blows again, avoid
using the system involved and imme-
diately consult an authorized Kia
dealer.
Two kinds of fuses are used: stan-
dard for lower amperage rating and
main for higher amperage ratings.Fuse Replacement
If the electrical system does not work,
first check the driver’s side fuse
panel.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
6-7
S2BLD313
StandardMain fuseNormal
Blown
NormalBlown
WARNING- Fuse Replacement
Never replace a fuse with any-
thing but another fuse of the
same rating.
A higher capacity fuse could
cause damage and possibly a
fire.
Never install a wire instead of
the proper fuse – even as a
temporary repair. It may cause
extensive wiring damage and
possibly a fire.
Do not use a screwdriver or
any other metal object to
remove fuses because it may
cause a short circuit and dam-
age the system.
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Memory fuse
Your vehicle is equipped with a
“Memory Fuse”to prevent battery
discharge if your vehicle is parked
without being operated for prolonged
periods. Use the following proce-
dures before parking the vehicle for
prolonged period.1. Turn off the engine.
2. Turn off the headlights and tail
lights.
3. Open the main fuse box cover in
engine compartment and pull up
the “AUDIO FUSE 20A”. This will
change the memory fuse mode to
prevent battery discharge.IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY6-12
S2BLA606B
CAUTION
• If the memory fuse is pulled
up from the fuse box housing,
the key reminder warning
chime, door ajar warning
chime and light, and clock will
not operate. The clock must
be reset.
Even though the memory fuse
is pulled up, the battery can
still be discharged by opera-
tion of the headlights or other
electrical devices.
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