2008 KIA Optima stop start

Introduction2 1We want to help you get the greatest
possible driving pleasure from your vehi-
cle. Your Owner’s Manual can assist you
in many ways. We strongly recommend
that you read the entire manual.
Especially, in order to minimize the
chance of death or injury, you must read
the WARNING and CAUTION sections
spread throughout the manual.
Illustrations complement the words in this
manual to best explain how to enjoy your
vehicle. By reading your manual, you
learn about features, important safety
information, and driving tips under vari-
ous road conditions.
The general layout of the manual is pro-
vided in the Table of Contents. A good
place to start is the index; it has an alpha-
betical listing of all information in your
manual.
Sections: This manual has nine sections
plus an index. Each section begins with a
brief list of contents so you can tell at a
glance if that section has the information
you want.You’ll find various WARNING’s,
CAUTION’s, and NOTICE’s in this manu-
al. These were prepared to enhance your
personal safety. You should carefully read
and follow ALL procedures and recom-
mendations provided in these
WARNING’s, CAUTION’s and NOTICE’s.
✽ ✽
NOTICEA NOTICE indicates a situation in
which damage to your vehicle could
result if the notice is ignored.
No special break-in period is needed. By
following a few simple precautions for the
first 1,000 km (600 miles) you may add to
the performance, economy and life of
your vehicle.
 Do not race the engine.
 Do not maintain a single speed for long
periods of time, either fast or slow.
Varying engine speed is needed to
properly break-in the engine.
 Avoid hard stops, except in emergen-
cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop-
erly.
 Avoid full-throttle starts.
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a situation in
which serious bodily injury or death
could result if the warning is ignored.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a situation in
which personal injury, perhaps
severe, could result if the caution is
ignored.
VEHICLE BREAK-IN PROCESS

Knowing your vehicle8 3Your vehicle is equipped with an elec-
tronic engine immobilizer system to
reduce the risk of unauthorized vehicle
use.
Your immobilizer system is comprised of
a small transponder in the ignition key,
and antenna coil in the key cylinder and
ICU (Immobilizer Control Unit) in the
steering shaft.
With this system, whenever you insert
your ignition key into the ignition switch
and turn it to ON, the antenna coil in the
ignition switch receives a signal from the
transponder in the ignition key and then
sends the signal to the ECU (Engine
Control Unit).
The ECU checks the signal whether the
ignition key is valid.
If the key is determined to be valid, the
engine will start.
If the key is determined to be invalid, the
engine will not start.To deactivate the immobilizer
system:Insert the ignition key into the key cylin-
der and turn it to the ON position.
To activate the immobilizer sys-
tem:Turn the ignition key to the OFF position.
The immobilizer system activates auto-
matically. Without a valid ignition key for
your vehicle, the engine will not start.✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen starting the engine, do not use the
key with other immobilizer keys around.
Otherwise the engine may not start or
may stop soon after it starts. Keep keys
separate to avoid immobilizer malfunc-
tions.
Limp home (override) procedureWhen you turn the ignition key to the ON
position, if the IMMO indicator goes off
after blinking 5 times, your transponder
equipped in the ignition key is out of order.
You cannot start the engine without the
lime home procedure. To start the engine,
you have to input your password by using
the ignition switch.
The following procedure is how to input
your password of “2345” as an example.
1. Turn the ignition key to the ON position.
The IMMO indicator ( ) will blink 5
times and go off indicating the begin-
ning of the limp home procedure.
2. Turn the ignition key to the ACC posi-
tion.
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
CAUTION
Do not put metal accessories near
the key or ignition switch.
The engine may not start for the
metal accessories may interrupt the
transponder signal from normally
transmitting.
WARNING
In order to prevent theft of your
vehicle, do not leave spare keys
anywhere in your vehicle. Your
Immobilizer password is a cus-
tomer unique password and should
be kept confidential. Do not leave
this number anywhere in your vehi-
cle.

373
Knowing your vehicle
WARNING
- Refueling
If pressurized fuel sprays out, it can
cover your clothes or skin and thus
subject you to the risk of fire and
burns. Always remove the fuel cap
carefully and slowly. If the cap is
venting fuel or if you hear a hissing
sound, wait until the condition
stops before completely removing
the cap.
WARNING -
Refueling dan-
gers
Automotive fuels are flammable
materials. When refueling, please
note the following guidelines care-
fully. Failure to follow these guide-
lines may result in severe personal
injury, severe burns or death by fire
or explosion.
Before refueling note the location
of the Emergency Gasoline Shut-
Off, if available, at the gas station
facility.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Static electricity discharge from
the container can ignite fuel
vapors causing a fire. Once refu-
eling has begun, contact with the
vehicle should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
Use only portable plastic fuel
containers designed to carry and
store gasoline.
Do not use cellular phones while
refueling. Electric current and/or
electronic interference from cellu-
lar phones can potentially ignite
fuel vapors causing a fire.
When refueling, always shut the
engine off. Sparks produced by
electrical components related to
the engine can ignite fuel vapors
causing a fire. Once refueling is
complete, check to make sure the
filler cap and filler door are
securely closed, before starting
the engine.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Before touching the fuel nozzle,
you should eliminate potentially
dangerous static electricity dis-
charge by touching another metal
part of the vehicle, a safe distance
away from the fuel filler neck,
nozzle, or other gas source.
Do not get back into a vehicle
once you have begun refueling
since you can generate static
electricity by touching, rubbing or
sliding against any item or fabric
(polyester, satin, nylon, etc.)
capable of producing static elec-
tricity. Static electricity discharge
can ignite fuel vapors resulting in
rapid burning. If you must re-
enter the vehicle, you should
once again eliminate potentially
dangerous static electricity dis-
charge by touching a metal part
of the vehicle, away from the fuel
filler neck, nozzle or other gaso-
line source.
When using a portable fuel con-
tainer be sure to place the con-
tainer on the ground prior to refu-
eling.
(Continued)

Knowing your vehicle102 31. TAPE PROGRAM Button This allows you to play the reverse side
of the tape by merely depressing the
program button. An arrow will appear in
the display to show tape direction.
Push the TAPE button while the tape is
in the tape deck, to turn on that func-
tion without pushing Power ON-OFF
control knob.2. TAPE EJECT Button When the button is pressed with a
cassette loaded, the cassette will eject.
When the button is pressed during
FF/REW mode, the cassette will eject.3. DOLBY ButtonIf you get background noise during tape
PLAY, you can reduce this considerably
by merely pressing the DOLBY button. If
you want to cancel the DOLBY feature,
press the button again.
4. REPEAT (RPT) Button To repeat the track you are currently
listening to, press the RPT button. To
cancel, press again.
If you do not release RPT operation
when the track ends, it will automati-
cally be replayed.
This process will be continued until you
push the button again or turn the
power OFF then ON.5. AUTO MUSIC Search (AMS)
ButtonPress the button to find the starting point
of each song in a prerecorded music
tape. The quiet space between songs
(must have at least 4 sec. gap) can be
identified by the AUTO MUSIC SEARCH
button.
Pressing the button will play the
beginning of the next music segment.
Pressing the button will start replay
at the beginning of the music just lis-
tened to.
To stop FF or REW action, press the
button again.
6. FF/REW Button Forward tape winding starts when the
FF button is pressed during PLAY or
REW mode.
Tape PLAY starts when the FF button
is pressed again during FF mode.
Tape rewinding starts when the REW
button is pressed during PLAY or FF
mode.
Tape PLAY starts when the REW but-
ton pressed again during REW mode.✽ ✽
NOTICE• Do not insert anything like coins into
the player slot as damage to the unit
may occur.
• Do not place beverages close to the
audio system. The playback mecha-
nism may be damaged if you spill
them.
• Do not strike or allow anything to
impact the audio system, damage to
the system mechanisms could occur.

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.

49
Driving your vehicle
Moving up a steep grade from a
standing startTo move up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start, depress the brake pedal, shift
the shift lever to D (Drive). Select the
appropriate gear depending on load
weight and steepness of the grade, and
release the parking brake. Depress the
accelerator gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a ten-
dency to roll backwards. Shifting the
shift lever into 2 (Second Gear) while
in Sport mode will help prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards.Ignition key interlock systemThe ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P (Park)
position. If the ignition switch is in any
other position, the key cannot be
removed.
Shift lock systemFor your safety, the Automatic Transaxle
has a shift lock system which prevents
shifting the transaxle out of P (Park)
unless the brake pedal is depressed.
To shift the transaxle out of P (Park):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition to
the ON position.
3. Move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chattering
sound near the shift lever may be heard.
This is a normal condition.
Shift-lock overrideIf the shift lever should fail to move from
the P (Park) position with the brake pedal
depressed, continue depressing the
brake, then do the following:
1. Carefully remove the cap covering the
S/Lock override access hole which is
located on the right side of the shift
lever.
2. Insert the screwdriver into the access
hole and press down on the key.
3. Depress the lock release button and
move the shift lever.
4. Have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized Kia dealership immediately.
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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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