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
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Air conditioning
All Kia Air Conditioning Systems are
filled with environmentally friendly
R134a refrigerant which is not dam-
aging to the ozone layer.
1. Start the engine. Push the air con-
ditioning button.
2. Set the mode selection knob to the
face position.
3. Set the air intake control button to
the outside air or recirculated air
position.
4. Set the temperature control knob
to the desired position.
5. Set the fan speed control knob to
the desired speed.6. Adjust the fan speed control knob
and temperature control knob to
maintain maximum comfort.
If warmer air is desired at floor level
for bi-level operation, set the mode
selection knob to the position
and adjust the temperature control
knob to maintain maximum com-
for t.
When maximum cooling is desired,
rotate the temperature control knob
to the extreme left position and set
the air intake control button to the
recirculated air position, then set
the fan speed control knob to the
highest speed.
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-77
✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen using the air conditioning
system, monitor the temperature
gauge closely while driving up hills
or in heavy traffic when outside
temperatures are high. Air condi-
tioning system operation may
cause engine overheating. Continue
to use the blower fan but turn the
air conditioning system off if the
temperature gauge indicates engine
overheating.
BL-ENG (CAN)-4.qxd 7/28/05 5:55 PM Page 77
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.
BL-ENG (CAN)-5.qxd 7/28/05 5:56 PM Page 9
USING FOUR-WHEEL DRIVEDriving on Snow- or Ice-Covered
Roads (“4HI, 4LO” for Part-time
4WD Operation or “AUTO” for
Full-time 4WD Operation)
Use snow tires. See “Tires” in this
section for more information.
Keep an adequate distance
between yourself and other vehi-
cles.
Avoid sudden braking, acceleration
or steering. These actions can
cause your vehicle to lose traction.Driving in Sand or Mud (“4HI,
4LO” for Part-time 4WD Operation
or “AUTO” for Full-time 4WD
Operation)
Avoid sudden braking, acceleration
or steering. These actions can
cause your vehicle to get stuck in
the sand or mud.
Drive at low speeds whenever pos-
sible.
You may need to get out of your
vehicle at times to check road con-
ditions.
If you get stuck in the sand or mud,
try placing stones, wood or other
similar materials under the tires to
get traction, or move forward and
backward repeatedly to get
unstuck.DRIVING TIPS5-14
WARNING
- Traction
Make sure that no one stands in
front of or behind the tires when
materials are placed under the
tires to get more traction. The
tires may cause loose materials
to fly out from under the vehi-
cle, potentially causing serious
bodily injury or death.
✽ ✽
NOTICEProlonged rocking may cause
engine damage, overheating, trans-
mission differential or transfer case
damage or failure and tire damage.
BL-ENG (CAN)-5.qxd 7/28/05 5:56 PM Page 14
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It
should never weigh more than 1,590
kg (3,500 lbs.) with trailer brakes. But
even that can be too heavy depend-
ing on the number of passengers.
It depends on how you plan to use
your trailer. For example, speed, alti-
tude, road grades, outside tempera-
ture and how much your vehicle is
used to pull a trailer are all important.
The ideal trailer weight can also
depend on any special equipment
that you have on your vehicle.
DRIVING TIPS
5-35
ItemFour Wheel Drive Two Wheel Drive
A/T M/T A/T M/T
Maximum GCWR3,681 kg 3,662 kg 3,592 kg 3,573 kg
(8,115 lbs) (8,074 lbs) (7,919 lbs) (7,877 lbs)
Maximum
Trailer Weight
✽ ✽
NOTICE For definitions of terms used in this table and instructions on how to calcu-
late your vehicle load, refer to Weight of the Vehicle in this chapter.
The combined weight of the completed towing vehicle and the loaded trail-
er must not exceed the GCWR.
When towing maximum loads under high outside temperatures and/or on
steep grades, the A/C system may cycle on and off to protect the engine from
overheating. This may result in a temporary increase of interior tempera-
ture.
Without brake system : 750 kg (1,650 lbs)
With brake system : 1,590 kg (3,500 lbs)
BL-ENG (CAN)-5.qxd 7/28/05 5:56 PM Page 35
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.
BL-ENG (CAN)-5.qxd 7/28/05 5:56 PM Page 42
OVERHEATINGIf your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss of
power, or if you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine has probably
overheated. Should any of these
symptoms occur, use the following pro-
cedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flash-
er, then drive to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle; shift
to Neutral (manual transaxle) or
Park (automatic transaxle) 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 assis-
tance.
If there is no visible coolant, you
may 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. Use the coolant reservoir
dipstick to check the level. If the
level in the reservoir 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 problem that may have
caused the engine to overheat, do
not operate the engine until it has
been corrected. Call an authorized
Kia dealer for assistance. If you do
not find a leak or other problem,
carefully add coolant to the reser-
voir.If the engine frequently overheats,
have the cooling system checked and
repaired by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
6-3
WARNING- Removing Radiator Cap
Never 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.
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