STARTING THE ENGINE1. Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2.Manual Transmission - Depress
the clutch pedal fully and shift the
transmission into Neutral. Keep the
clutch pedal depressed while turn-
ing the ignition switch to the start
position. The starter will not oper-
ate if the clutch pedal is not fully
depressed.
Automatic Transmission- Place
the transmission shift lever in P
(Park). Depress the brake pedal
fully.
You can also start the engine
when the shift lever is in the N
(Neutral) position.3. Turn the ignition switch to START
and hold it there until the engine
starts (a maximum of 10 seconds),
then release the key.
4. In extremely cold weather – below
0°F (–18°C) – or after the vehicle
has not been operated for several
days, let the engine warm up with-
out depressing the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm,
it should be started without depress-
ing the accelerator.
If the engine fails to start when
the engine is cold:
The engine is “cold” when the engine
coolant temperature drops below
32°F/0°C. A no-start condition may
be caused by an engine that has
become flooded (has excessive fuel
in the cylinders). If this is the case,
use the starting procedure on the fol-
lowing pages.DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-4
✽ ✽
NOTICEIf the engine stalls while you are in
motion, do not attempt to move the
shift lever to the P (Park) position.
If traffic and road conditions per-
mit, you may put the shift lever in
the N (Neutral) position while the
vehicle is still moving and turn the
ignition switch to the START posi-
tion in an attempt to restart the
engine.
BL-ENG (CAN)-4.qxd 7/28/05 5:55 PM Page 4
GAUGESSpeedometer
The speedometer indicates the for-
ward speed of the vehicle.
Odometer/Tripmeter
You can choose the odometer, trip-
meter A and tripmeter B by pressing
the mode selection button.
Odometer
The odometer indicates the total dis-
tance the vehicle has been driven.
Tripmeter
TRIP A : Tripmeter A
TRIP B : Tripmeter B
The tripmeter indicates the distance
of individual trips selected by the driv-
er. Tripmeter A and B can be reset to
zero by pressing the mode selection
button for one second or more then
releasing.Engine Temperature Gauge
This gauge shows the temperature of
the engine coolant when the ignition
switch is ON.
If the gauge pointer moves beyond
the normal range area toward the H
position, it indicates overheating that
may damage the engine.
Do not continue driving with an over-
heated engine. If your vehicle over-
heats, refer to “Overheating’’in the
Index.Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge indicates the approx-
imate amount of fuel remaining in the
fuel tank.
Fuel tank capacity - 20.8 gal. (80
liters).
The fuel gauge is supplemented by a
low fuel warning light, which will illu-
minate when the fuel level has
dropped to about 3.1 gal. (12 liters).
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-43
F
E
S2BLA428
H
C
S2BLA427
BL-ENG (CAN)-4.qxd 7/28/05 5:55 PM Page 43
Immobilizer Indicator
When you turn the ignition key to the
ON position, if the IMMO indicator
goes off after blinking 6 times, this
indicates that the immobilizer system
is normal. However, if the IMMO indi-
cator remains on continuously after
blinking 6 times, this indicates that
the immobilizer system is out of order
and you cannot start the engine with-
out the limp home procedure. Refer
to the “Limp home procedure”on
page 3-4.Malfunction Indicator
The CHECK ENGINE or malfunction
indicator light is installed in your vehi-
cle’s instrument panel and responds
to signals from the vehicle’s On
Board Diagnostic (OBD -II) System.
The OBD-II System monitors the per-
formance of the vehicle’s Emission
Control System (ECS), which is
designed to reduce the amount of air
pollutants in engine exhaust to the
levels required by government regu-
lations.
When you first start the engine, the
check engine light will illuminate
briefly as a system check to confirm
that the OBD-II System is operating
properly. As the engine starts, this
light turns off. However, if at any time
the OBD-II system detects a faulty
signal or determines that the ECS is
not performing to specification, the
CHECK ENGINE light will illuminate
continuously or flash.Continuously ON :
If the CHECK ENGINE light comes
ON while driving and illuminates con-
tinuously, a potential problem has
been discovered in the ECS or one of
the exhaust system components.
Generally, the vehicle will continue to
be driveable but it should be checked
by an authorized Kia dealer as soon
as possible. This condition is unlikely
to lead to engine damage unless a
decrease in vehicle power or poor
running conditions is immediately
apparent.
Note that the CHECK ENGINE light
will illuminate for a problem like a
loose or missing gas cap, but will not
illuminate as a result of low engine oil
or coolant, low automatic transaxle
fluid or engine overheating. The driv-
er will be alerted to these conditions
by other indicators on the instrument
panel
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-49
CHECK
IMMO
BL-ENG (CAN)-4.qxd 7/28/05 5:55 PM Page 49
Air Conditioning System
Operation 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 conditioning
compressor cycles on. This is a
normal system operation charac-
teristics.
Use the air conditioning system
every month if only for a few min-
utes.After the use of 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 will auto-
matically 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.
When operating the air conditioning
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.DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-78
BL-ENG (CAN)-4.qxd 7/28/05 5:55 PM Page 78
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.
BL-ENG (CAN)-5.qxd 7/28/05 5:56 PM Page 5
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 equip-
ment 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.
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 your brakes may have
become wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.Winter Driving
We recommend that you carry
emergency equipment, including
tire chains, a window scraper, wind-
shield 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.DRIVING TIPS5-10
BL-ENG (CAN)-5.qxd 7/28/05 5:56 PM Page 10
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
1 (First) or R (Reverse) with a man-
ual transmission or P (Park) with an
automatic transmission, and block
the rear wheels.Snow Tires
If you mount snow tires on your Kia,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the orig-
inal tires. Mount snow tires on all four
wheels to balance your vehicle’s han-
dling in all weather conditions. Keep
in mind that the traction provided by
snow tires on dry roads may not be
as high as your vehicle’s original
equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.Do not install studded tires without
first checking local, provincial and
municipal regulations for possible
restrictions against their use.
DRIVING TIPS
5-11
WARNING- Snow Tire Size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle’s
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.
BL-ENG (CAN)-5.qxd 7/28/05 5:56 PM Page 11
When You Are Ready to Leave
After Parking on a Hill
1. With the manual transmission in
Neutral or automatic transmission
in P (Park), apply your brakes and
hold the brake pedal down while
you:
Start your engine;
Shift into gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Slowly remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up
and store the chocks.Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transmission fluid, axle lubri-
cant and cooling system fluid. Brake
condition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered in this manual, and the Index will
help you find them quickly. If you’re
trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections 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.DRIVING TIPS5-42
✽ ✽
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.
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