2008 KIA Opirus trailer

Driving tips
205
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll
need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.
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 possible, 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 sudden 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
connected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers 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 occasionally to be sure the trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect and then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.
Your Authorized Kia Dealer can assist
you in installing the wiring harness.
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer
wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or per sonal injury.

521
Driving tips
Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 70 km/h (45
mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than 454 kg
(1000 lbs.) and you have an automatic
transaxle, you should drive in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat buildup
and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on hills
Generally, you should not park your vehi-
cle, with a trailer attached, on a hill.
People can be seriously or fatally injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged if they begin a downhill tra-
jectory.CAUTION
• When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) pay
clo se attention to the engine
coolant temperature gauge to ensure the engine does not over-heat. If the needle of the coolanttemperature gauge moves across the dial towards “H” (HOT), pullover and stop as soon as it is safe
to do so, and allow the engine to idle until it cools down. You mayproceed once the engine has cooled sufficiently.
• You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the po ssi-
bility of engine and trans axle
overheating.
WARNING- Parking on a hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause serious
injury or death, should a down hill
trajectory happen.

Driving tips
225
However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your brakes, but don’t shift intogear.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brakes until the chocks
absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brakes. Apply your park- ing brake, and then shift to P (Park) for
an automatic transaxle.
5. Release the brakes.When you are ready to leave after parking on a hill
1. With the automatic transaxle 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 atten-
tion include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently 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 sections before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nuts
and bolts should be tight.
WARNING- Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake i s
not firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or other s could be s eriously or
fatally injured.
CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer usage, overheating might occur inhot days or during uphill driving. Ifthe coolant gauge indicate s over-
heating, switch off the A/C and stop
the vehicle in a safe area to cool
down the engine.

In case of an emergency
126
TOWING
If emergency towing is necessary, we
recommend having it done by an author-
ized Kia dealer or a commercial tow-truck
service. Proper lifting and towing proce-
dures are necessary to prevent damage
to the vehicle. The use of wheel dollies or
flatbed is recommended.
For trailer towing guidelines information,refer to section 5 “Driving Tips”.
It is acceptable to tow the vehicle with the
rear wheels on the ground (without dol-
lies) and the front wheels off the ground.
When being towed by a commercial tow
truck and wheel dollies are not used, the
front of the vehicle should always be lift-
ed, not the rear.
2GHA4107 2GHA4106
2GHA41082GHA4109
CAUTION
• Do not tow the vehicle backwards with the front wheels on the
ground as this may cause dam- age to the vehicle.
• Do not tow with sling-type equip- ment. Use wheel lift or flatbedequipment.

93
Index
Ignition switch ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········4-2
Immobilizer system ··················\
··················\
··················\
··3-7
Instrument cluster ··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-25
Instrument panel overview ··················\
··················\
·······2-3
Interior care··················\
··················\
··················\
············7-41
Interior features ··················\
··················\
··················\
·····3-91
Interior lights ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········3-88
Interior overview················\
··················\
··················\
········2-2
Keys ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·········3-2
Label information ··················\
··················\
··················\
··5-23
Lighting ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-34
Lubricant specifications ··················\
··················\
··········7-36
Lubricants and fluids ··················\
··················\
··············7-18
Maintenance schedule ··················\
··················\
···············7-3
Maintenance services ··················\
··················\
·················7-2
Mirrors ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
··3-84
Overheating ··················\
··················\
··················\
··············6-2
Owner maintenance ··················\
··················\
··················\
·7-7Power steering ··················\
··················\
··················\
········7-15
Remote keyless entry ··················\
··················\
·················3-4
Road warning ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········6-2
Safety belts··················\
··················\
··················\
··············3-30
Seats··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·······3-17
Special driving conditions ··················\
··················\
·········5-7
Specifications ··················\
··················\
··················\
············8-2
Starting the engine ··················\
··················\
··················\
···4-4
Steering wheel···············\
··················\
··················\
············4-17
Storage compartments ··················\
··················\
·············3-89
Suggestions for economical operation··················\
········5-6
Sunroof ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
··3-96
Tires and wheels··················\
··················\
··················\
·····7-25
Towing ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···6-12
Trailer towing ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········5-16
Trunk··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·····3-76
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