2008 KIA Optima Owner's Manual

515
Driving tips
LABEL INFORMATION There are several important labels and
identification numbers located on your
vehicle. The label locations are identified
in the illustrations shown.
Vehicle identification number
(VIN) To check the frame number under the
passenger seat, remove the cover.
OMG055005
Frame numberIdentification label (if equipped)Type A
Type B
VIN (if equipped)VIN bar code (if equipped)OMG055004
OMG055002
OMG055001
OMG055003
Compliance label (if equipped)Type A
Type B

Driving tips16
5Tire specification / pressure label
Engine number

OMG055004N

OMG057007
OMG057008
2.4 Gasoline engine2.7 Gasoline engine

6
Road warning / 6-2
Overheating / 6-2
Emergency starting / 6-3
Electrical circuit protection / 6-6
Towing / 6-13
If you have a flat tire / 6-18
In case of an emergency

In case of an emergency2 6ROAD WARNING Hazard warning flasher The hazard warning flasher serves as a
warning to other drivers to exercise
extreme caution when approaching,
overtaking, or passing your vehicle. It
should be used whenever emergency
repairs are being made or when the vehi-
cle is stopped near the edge of a road-
way.
Depress the flasher switch with the igni-
tion switch in any position. The flasher
switch is located in the center console
switch panel. All turn signal lights will
flash simultaneously.• The hazard warning flasher operates
whether your vehicle is running or not.
 The turn signals do not work when the
hazard flasher is on.
 Care must be taken when using the
hazard warning flasher while the vehi-
cle is being towed.If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, 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 symp-
toms occur, use the following procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flasher,
then drive to the nearest safe location
and stop your vehicle; set the automat-
ic transaxle in P (Park), or shift the
manual transaxle to N (Neutral) 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 assistance.
If coolant is not boiling out, 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.
OVERHEATING
OMG065001

63
In case of an emergency
4. The coolant level should then be
checked. 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 anoth-
er 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 assis-
tance. If you do not find a leak or other
problem, carefully add coolant to the
reservoir.If the engine frequently overheats, have
the cooling system checked and repaired
by an authorized Kia dealer.
Jump starting Jump starting can be dangerous if done
incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to
yourself or damage to your vehicle or
battery, follow the jump starting proce-
dures. If in doubt, we strongly recom-
mend that you have a competent techni-
cian or towing service jump start your
vehicle.✽ ✽
NOTICEUse only a 12-volt jumper system. You
can damage a 12-volt starting motor,
ignition system, and other electrical
parts beyond repair by use of a 24-volt
power supply (either two 12-volt batter-
ies in series or a 24-volt motor generator
set).
WARNING
- Removing
radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine and radiator are
hot. Scalding hot coolant and steam
may blow out under pressure. This
could cause serious injury.
EMERGENCY STARTING
WARNING
- Battery
• Keep all flames or sparks away
from the battery. The battery pro-
duces hydrogen gas which may
explode if exposed to flame or
sparks.
 Do not attempt to jump start the
vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte level
is low; the battery may rupture or
explode.
WARNING
- Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as this
may cause the battery to rupture or
explode causing serious injury.

In case of an emergency4 6Connecting jumper cables Jump starting procedure
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12-
volt and that its negative terminal is
grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, do not allow the vehicles to
touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical
loads.
4. Remove the engine cover.
5. Connect the jumper cables in the exact
sequence shown in the previous illus-
tration. First connect one end of a
jumper cable to the positive terminal of
the discharged battery (
1), then con-
nect the other end to the positive ter-
minal on the booster battery (
2).
6. Proceed to connect one end of the
other jumper cable to the negative ter-
minal of the booster battery (
3), then
the other end to a solid, stationary,
metallic point (for example, the engine
lifting bracket) away from the battery
(
4). Do not connect it to or near any
part that moves when the engine is
cranked. Do not connect the jumper
cable from the negative terminal of the
booster battery to the negative termi-
nal of the discharged battery.
Connect cables in numerical order and disconnect in reverse order.
Discharged battery
Booster battery
OMG065002 Jumper Cables

65
In case of an emergency
Do not allow the jumper cables to con-
tact anything except the correct bat-
tery terminals or the correct ground.
Do not lean over the battery when
making connections.
7. Start the engine of the vehicle with the
booster battery and let it run at 2,000
rpm, then start the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent, you should have your vehi-
cle checked by an authorized Kia dealer.
Push-starting Your manual transaxle-equipped vehicle
should not be push-started because it
might damage the emission control sys-
tem.
Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section for
jump-starting.
CAUTION
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge forward
when the engine starts could cause
a collision with the tow vehicle.
CAUTION -
Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper cable
from the negative terminal of the
booster battery to the negative ter-
minal of the discharged battery.
This can cause the discharged bat-
tery to overheat and crack, releas-
ing battery acid.

In case of an emergency6 6ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT PROTECTIONFuses A vehicle’s electrical system is protected
from electrical overload damage by
fuses.This vehicle has two fuse panels, one
located in the driver's side panel bolster,
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.
If the electrical system does not work,
first check the driver’s side fuse panel.
Always replace a blown fuse with one of
the same rating.
If the replacement fuse blows, this indi-
cates an electrical problem. Avoid using
the system involved and immediately
consult an authorized Kia dealer.
Two kinds of fuses are used: standard for
lower amperage rating and main for high-
er amperage ratings.
Fuse replacement ✽ ✽
NOTICEDo not use a screwdriver or any other
metal object to remove fuses because it
may cause a short circuit and damage
the system.
WARNING
- Fuse replace-
ment
 Never replace a fuse with any-
thing but another fuse of the
same rating.
 A higher capacity fuse could
cause damage through overheat-
ing 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.
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