2008 KIA Optima brake light

4
Ignition switch / 4-2
Starting the engine / 4-3
Manual transaxle / 4-4
Automatic transaxle / 4-6
Brake system / 4-10
Steering wheel / 4-16
Cruise control system / 4-18
Electronic stability control / 4-21
Instrument cluster / 4-24
Gauges / 4-25
Warnings and indicators / 4-30
Compass - Z-Nav™ compass / 4-36
Rear parking assist system / 4-37
Lighting / 4-40
Wipers and washers / 4-43
Defroster / 4-46
Hazard warning flasher / 4-47
Manual climate control system / 4-48
Automatic climate control / 4-55
Windshield defrosting and defogging / 4-63
Driving your vehicle

Driving your vehicle2 4Illuminated ignition switchWhenever a door is opened, the ignition
switch will be illuminated for your con-
venience, provided the ignition switch is
not in the ON position. The light will go off
approximately 10 seconds after closing
the door or when the ignition switch is
turned on.
Ignition switch and anti-theft
steering column lock Ignition switch positionLOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key toward
the LOCK position (manual transaxle).
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operative.ON
This is the normal running position after
the engine is started. The warning lights
can be checked before the engine is
started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if the
engine is not running to prevent battery
discharge.START
Turn the ignition key to the START posi-
tion to start the engine. The engine will
crank until you release the key; then it
returns to the ON position. The brake
warning lamp can be checked in this
position.✽ ✽
NOTICEIf it is difficult to turn the ignition
key to the START position, turn the
steering wheel right and left to
release resistance and then turn the
key.Automatic transaxleWhen turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, the shift lever must be in
the P (Park) position.
IGNITION SWITCH
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45
Driving your vehicle
To shift into reverse, rest the lever in
neutral for at least 3 seconds after your
car is completely stopped. Then move
the lever into the reverse position.
During cold weather, shifting may be
difficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and
it's hard to shift into 1st or R (Reverse),
put the shift lever in N (Neutral) posi-
tion and release the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R (Reverse) gear position.
✽ ✽
NOTICETo avoid premature clutch wear and
damage, do not drive with your foot
resting on the clutch pedal. Also, don’t
use the clutch to hold the vehicle
stopped on an uphill grade, while wait-
ing for a traffic light, etc.
DownshiftingWhen you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or while driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labor.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you again need to increase your
speed. When the vehicle is traveling
down steep hills, downshifting helps
maintain safe speed and prolongs brake
life.
WARNING
- Manual
transaxle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then make
sure the transaxle is shifted into 1
st
gear when the vehicle is parked on
a level or uphill grade, and shifted
into R (Reverse) on a downhill
grade. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur if
these precautions are not followed
in the order identified.

47
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICE• To avoid damage to your transaxle, do
not accelerate the engine in R
(Reverse) or any forward gear posi-
tion with the brakes on.
• When stopped on an uphill grade, do
not hold the vehicle stationary with
engine power. Use the service brake
or the parking brake.
• Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P
(Park) into D (Drive), or R (Reverse)
when the engine is above idle speed.Transaxle rangesP (Park)This position locks the transaxle and pre-
vents the front wheels from rotating.
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into this position.
✽ ✽
NOTICEThe transaxle may be damaged if you
shift into P (Park) while the vehicle is in
motion.R (Reverse)Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
✽ ✽
NOTICEAlways come to a complete stop before
shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you
may damage the transaxle if you shift
into R while the vehicle is in motion.N (Neutral)With the gearshift in the N position, the
wheels and transaxle are not locked. The
vehicle will roll freely even on the slight-
est incline unless the parking brake or
service brakes are applied.D (Drive)This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 5-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.✽ ✽
NOTICEAlways come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
(Continued)
Do not use the P (Park) position in
place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
AND set the parking brake fully.
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position. Set the
parking brake fully, shut the
engine off and take the key with
you. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur if
you do not follow these precau-
tions in the order specified.
Never leave a child unattended in
a vehicle.
WARNING
- Automatic
transaxle
Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion will cause the
drive wheels to lock which will
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle.
(Continued)

Driving your vehicle10 4Power brakes Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a stalled
engine or some other reason, you can
still stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than you nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, will be longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces.
In the event of brake failure If service brakes fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an
emergency stop with the parking brake.
The stopping distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING
- Parking brake
Pulling the parking brake while the
vehicle is moving at normal speeds
can cause a sudden loss of control
of the vehicle. If you must use the
parking brake to stop the vehicle,
use great caution in applying the
brake.
WARNING -
Brakes
Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
When descending a long or steep
hill, shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
Wet brakes may result in the vehi-
cle not slowing down at the usual
rate and pulling to one side when
the brakes are applied. After
going through water, apply the
brakes lightly to regain smooth
braking performance.

411
Driving your vehicle
Disc brakes wear indicator Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and it's
time for new pads, you will hear a high-
pitched warning sound from your front
brakes or rear brakes (if equipped). You
may hear this sound come and go or it
may occur whenever you depress the
brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.
✽ ✽
NOTICETo avoid costly brake repairs, do not
continue to drive with worn brake pads.
Power adjustable pedals
(if equipped)To adjust the position of the accelerator
and brake pedals, turn the ignition key to
the “ON” position with the selector lever
in the "P" position and push the switch.
If you push the “▲” portion of the switch,
the pedals move rearward.
If you push the “▼” portion of the switch,
the pedals move forward.
WARNING
- Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs service.
If you ignore this audible warning,
you will eventually lose braking per-
formance, which could lead to a
serious accident.
CAUTION
Always replace brake pads as com-
plete front or rear axle sets to
ensure smooth brake performance.
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413
Driving your vehicle
To release the parking brake, first apply
the foot brake and pull the parking lever
slightly.
Secondly, depress the release button
and lower the parking brake lever while
holding the button.Check the brake warning light by turning
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). This light will be illuminated
when the parking brake is applied with
the ignition switch in the START or ON
position.
Before driving, be sure the parking brake
is fully released and the brake warning
light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on
after the parking brake is released, there
may be a malfunction in the brake sys-
tem. Immediate attention is necessary.
If at all possible, cease driving the vehi-
cle immediately. If that is not possible,
use extreme caution while operating the
vehicle and only continue to drive the
vehicle until you can reach a safe loca-
tion or repair shop.
WARNING
- Parking brake
To prevent unintentional move-
ment when stopped and leaving
the vehicle, do not use the
gearshift lever in place of the
parking brake. Set the parking
brake AND make sure the
gearshift lever is securely posi-
tioned in 1st (First) gear or R
(Reverse) for manual transaxle
equipped vehicles and in P (Park)
for automatic transaxle equipped
vehicles.
Never allow a person who is unfa-
miliar with the vehicle or children
to touch the parking brake. If the
parking brake is released unin-
tentionally, serious injury may
occur.
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415
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICE• If the ABS warning light is on and
stays on, you may have a problem
with the ABS. In this case, however,
your regular brakes will work nor-
mally.
• The ABS warning light will stay on for
approximately 3 seconds after the
ignition switch is ON. During that
time, the ABS will go through self-
diagnosis and the light will go off if
everything is normal. If the light stays
on, you may have a problem with your
ABS. Contact an authorized Kia deal-
er as soon as possible.
✽ ✽
NOTICE• When you drive on a road having
poor traction, such as an icy road, and
operate your brakes continuously, the
ABS will be active continuously and
the ABS warning light may illuminate.
Pull your car over to a safe place and
stop the engine.
• Restart the engine. If the ABS warn-
ing light is off, then your ABS is nor-
mal. Otherwise, you may have a prob-
lem with the ABS. Contact an author-
ized Kia dealer as soon as possible.✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the engine
may not run as smoothly and the ABS
warning light may turn on at the same
time. This happens because of the low
battery voltage. It does not mean your
ABS is malfunctioning.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
ABS
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