2008 KIA Optima Headlight

377
Knowing your vehicle
Outside rearview mirror heater
(if equipped) The outside rearview mirror heater is
automatically turned on when the rear
window defroster is turned on. To heat
the outside rearview mirror glass, push
the button for the rear window defroster.
The rearview mirror heater (and rear win-
dow defroster) will not operate unless the
engine is running.
The outside rearview mirror glass will be
heated for defrosting or defogging and
will give you improved rear vision in
inclement weather conditions. Push the
button again to turn the heater off. The
outside rearview mirror heater automati-
cally turns off after 20 minutes.
Day/night rearview mirror
(if equipped)Adjust the rearview mirror to center on
the view through the rear window. Make
this adjustment before you start driving.
Make this adjustment before you start
driving and while the day/night lever is in
the day position.
Pull the day/night lever toward you to
reduce glare from the headlights of vehi-
cles behind you during night driving.
Remember that you lose some rearview
clarity in the night position.
CAUTION
Do not place objects in the rear seat
or cargo area which would interfere
with your vision out the rear window.
OMG035072 Day Night
Day/Night lever

Knowing your vehicle78 3Electric type (if equipped)When the engine is running, the glare is
automatically controlled by the sensor
mounted in the rearview mirror. The sen-
sor mounted in the mirror senses the light
level around the vehicle, and through a
chemical reaction, automatically controls
the headlight glare from vehicles behind
you.
Whenever the shift lever is shifted into
reverse (R), the mirror will automatically
go to the brightest setting in order to
improve the drivers view behind the vehi-
cle.
When the ignition switch is ON, the auto-
matic- dimming function will turn on auto-
matically.✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen cleaning the mirror, use a paper
towel or similar material dampened
with glass cleaner. Do not spray glass
cleaner directly on the mirror as that
may cause the liquid cleaner to enter the
mirror housing.
Type ATo operate the electric rearview mirror
Press the ON/OFF button (1) to turn the
automatic- dimming function off. The mir-
ror indicator light will turn off.
Press the ON/OFF button (1) once again
to turn the automatic- dimming function
on, the mirror indicator light will illumi-
nate.
Type B - with compass and homelink
wireless control system (if equipped)To operate the electric rearview mirror
Press the ON/OFF button (1) to turn the
automatic- dimming function off. The mir-
ror indicator light will turn off.
Press the ON/OFF button (1) once again
to turn the automatic- dimming function
on, the mirror indicator light will illumi-
nate.
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1
Indicator
Sensor
B520C01MG
Indicator
Sensor

433
Driving your vehicle
Trunk lid open
warning (if equipped)This warning light activates when the
trunk is not closed securely.Door ajar warningThis warning light illuminates when a
door is not closed securely.Low fuel level
warningThis warning light indicates the fuel tank
is nearly empty. The warning light will
come on when the fuel level has dropped
to about 7~8 liters (1.8~2.1 gallons).
Refuel as soon as possible.
Headlight high beam
indicator This indicator illuminates when the head-
lights are on and in the high beam posi-
tion or when the turn signal lever is pulled
into the Flash-to-Pass position.Air bag warning
(if equipped) This warning light will blink or illuminate
for approximately 6 seconds each time
you turn the ignition switch to the ON
position.
If this indicator does not go out, or if it illu-
minates while the vehicle is being driven,
see an authorized Kia dealer for immedi-
ate service.
Malfunction indicator
(if equipped)This indicator light is part of the Engine
Control System which monitors various
emission control system components. If
this light illuminates while driving, it indi-
cates that a potential problem has been
detected somewhere in the emission
control system.
Generally, your vehicle will continue to be
drivable and will not need towing, but
have the system checked by an author-
ized Kia dealer as soon as possible.✽ ✽
NOTICEA loose fuel filler cap may cause the On
Board Diagnostic System Malfunction
Indicator Light ( ) in the instrument
panel to illuminate unnecessarily.
Always make sure that the fuel filler cap
is tight.
CHECKCHECK
AIR
BAG

Driving your vehicle40 4Battery saver function The purpose of this feature is to pre-
vent the battery from being dis-
charged. The system automatically
turns off the headlights and parking
lights when the driver removes the igni-
tion key and opens the driver- side
door.
With this feature, the parklight will be
turned off automatically if the driver
parks on the side of road at night.
If necessary, to keep the lights on when
the ignition key is removed, perform the
following :
1) Open the driver-side door.
2) Turn the parking lights OFF and ON
again using the light switch on the
steering column.
Lighting control The light switch has a Headlight and a
parking light position.
To operate the lights, turn the knob at the
end of the control lever to one of the fol-
lowing positions:
(1) OFF position
(2) Parking light position
(3) Headlight position
Parking light position ( )When the light switch is in the parking
light position (1st position), the tail, posi-
tion, license and instrument panel lights
are ON.
LIGHTING
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441
Driving your vehicle
Headlight position ( )When the light switch is in the headlight
position (2nd position) the head, tail,
position, license and instrument panel
lights are ON.
High - beam operation To turn on the high beam headlights,
push the lever away from you. Pull it back
for low beams.
The high-beam indicator will light when
the headlight high beams are switched
on.
To prevent the battery from being dis-
charged, do not leave the lights on for a
prolonged time while the engine is not
running.
Flashing headlights To flash the headlights, pull the lever
towards you. It will return to the normal
(low-beam) position when released. The
headlight switch does not need to be on
to use this flashing feature.
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Driving your vehicle42 4Turn signals (A)The ignition switch must be on for the
turn signals to function. To turn on the
turn signals, move the lever up or down.
Green arrow indicators on the instrument
panel indicate which turn signal is oper-
ating. They will self-cancel after a turn is
completed. If the indicator continues to
flash after a turn, manually return the
lever to the OFF position.
Lane change signals (B)To signal a lane change, move the turn
signal lever slightly and hold it in position.
The lever will return to the OFF position
when released.
If an indicator stays on and does not
flash or if it flashes abnormally, one of the
turn signal bulbs may be burned out and
will require replacement.✽ ✽
NOTICEIf an indicator flash is abnormally quick
or slow, the bulb may be burned out or
have a poor electrical connection in the
circuit.
Front fog light (if equipped) Fog lights are used to provide improved
visibility and avoid accidents when visibili-
ty is poor due to fog, rain or snow etc. The
fog lights will turn on when the fog light
switch (1) is turned to ON (2) after the
headlight switch is turned on.
To turn off the fog lights, turn the switch
to OFF.✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen in operation, the fog lights con-
sume large amounts of vehicle electrical
power. Only use the fog lights when vis-
ibility is poor. Unnecessary battery and
generator drain could occur if the fog
lights are used excessively.
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Driving your vehicle
Daytime running light
(if equipped)Daytime Running Lights (DRL) can make
it easier for others to see the front of your
vehicle during the day. DRL can be help-
ful in many different driving conditions,
and it is especially helpful after dawn and
before sunset.
The DRL system will make your high-
beam headlights turn OFF when:
1. The head light switch is ON.
2. The parking brake engaged.
3. Engine stops.
Windshield wipers Type AOperates as follows when the ignition
switch is turned ON.
OFF : Wiper is not in operation
INT : Wiper operates intermittently at
the same wiping intervals. Use
this mode in a light rain or mist. To
vary the speed setting, turn the
speed control knob (
1). (S : slow
operation, F: fast operation)
LO : Normal wiper speed
HI : Fast wiper speedMIST : For a single wiping cycle, push
the lever forward and release it
with the lever in the OFF position.
The wipers will operate continu-
ously if the lever is pushed
upward and held.
✽ ✽
NOTICEIf there is heavy accumulation of snow
or ice on the windshield, defrost the
windshield for about 10 minutes, or
until the snow and/or ice is removed
before using the windshield wipers to
ensure proper operation. ✽ ✽
NOTICE• To prevent possible damage to the
wipers or windshield, do not operate
the wipers when the windshield is dry.
• To prevent damage to the wiper
blades, do not use gasoline, kerosene,
paint thinner, or other solvents on or
near them.
• To prevent damage to the wiper arms
and other components, do not attempt
to move the wipers manually.
WIPERS AND WASHERS
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57
Driving tips
Driving at night Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight, 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 prop-
erly aimed on vehicles not equipped
with the automatic headlight aiming
feature. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlights will make it much more diffi-
cult to see at night.
Avoid staring directly at the headlights
of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the rain Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not pre-
pared 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 distance
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 condition,
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 eas-
ier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large puddles
can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten
your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking oper-
ation returns.
Winter driving We recommend that you carry emer-
gency equipment, including a window
scraper, windshield de-icer, a bag of
sand or salt, flares, a small shovel and
jumper cables.
Make sure you have sufficient ethyl-
ene-glycol coolant in the radiator.
Check the battery condition and
cables. Cold temperatures reduce the
output capability of any battery, so it
must be in excellent condition to pro-
vide enough winter starting power.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for cold weather.
Check the ignition system for loose
connections and damage.
Use antifreeze-formulated windshield
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 manual transaxle
or P (Park) with an automatic transaxle
and block the rear wheels.