Driving your vehicle
28 4
• 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
capacity of any battery, so it must be in
excellent condition to provide 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 P (Park)
with an automatic transaxle and block
the rear wheels.Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your Kia,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the original
tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels
to balance your vehicle’s handling in all
weather conditions. Keep in mind that the
traction provided by snow tires on dry
roads may not be as high as your vehi-
cle's original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for max-
imum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without first
checking local, state and municipal regu-
lations for possible restrictions against
their use.
WINTER DRIVING
WARNING- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent in
size and type to the vehicle's stan-
dard tires. Otherwise, the safety and
handling of your vehicle may be
adversely affected.
TRAILER TOWING
WARNING- Towing a trail-
er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive improperly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
- or even at all. You and your pas-
sengers could be seriously or fatal-
ly injured. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this
section.
WARNING- Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and trailer tongue load
are all within the limits.
What to do in an emergency
8 5
Important - use of compact
spare tire
Your vehicle is equipped with a com-
pact spare tire. This compact spare
tire takes up less space than a regu-
lar-size tire. This tire is smaller than a
conventional tire and is designed for
temporary use only.
The compact spare should be inflat-
ed to 420 kPa (60 psi).
✽
NOTICE
Check the inflation pressure after
installing the spare tire. Adjust it to
the specified pressure, as necessary.
When using a compact spare tire,
observe the following precautions:
• Under no circumstances should
you exceed 80 km/h (50 mph); a
higher speed could damage the
tire.
• Ensure that you drive slowly
enough for the road conditions to
avoid all hazards. Any road hazard,
such as a pothole or debris, could
seriously damage the compact
spare.
• Any continuous road use of this tire
could result in tire failure, loss of
vehicle control, and possible per-
sonal injury.
• Do not exceed the vehicle’s maxi-
mum load rating or the load-carry-
ing capacity shown on the sidewall
of the compact spare tire.
• Avoid driving over obstacles. The
compact spare tire diameter is
smaller than the diameter of a con-
ventional tire and reduces the
ground clearance approximately
25 mm (1 inch), which could result
in damage to the vehicle.
CAUTION
• You should drive carefully
when the compact spare is in
use. The compact spare
should be replaced by the
proper conventional tire and
rim at the first opportunity.
• The operation of this vehicle
is not recommended with
more than one compact spare
tire in use at the same time.
WARNING
This spare tire should be used
only for VERY short distances.
Compact spares should NEVER
be used for long drives or
extended distances.
WARNING
Ensure the spare tire retainer is
properly aligned with the center
of the spare tire to prevent the
spare tire “rattling”. Otherwise, it
may cause the spare tire to fall
off the carrier and lead to an
accident.
59
What to do in an emergency
• Do not take this vehicle through an
automatic car wash while the com-
pact spare tire is installed.
• Do not use tire chains on the com-
pact spare tire. Because of the
smaller size, a tire chain will not fit
properly. This could damage the
vehicle and result in loss of the
chain.
• The compact spare tire should not
be installed on the front axle if the
vehicle must be driven in snow or
on ice.
• Do not use the compact spare tire
on any other vehicle because this
tire has been designed especially
for your vehicle.
• The compact spare tire’s tread life
is shorter than a regular tire.
Inspect your compact spare tire
regularly and replace worn com-
pact spare tires with the same size
and design, mounted on the same
wheel.
Changing tires
Jacking instructions
The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
To prevent the jack from “rattling”
while the vehicle is in motion, lower
the jack to the lowest position, place
the jack in the luggage side trim and
turn the wing bolt (1) clockwise firmly.
Make sure the jack is secured firmly
by trying to move the jack forward
and backward.Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of personal injury.
WARNING- Changing
tires
• Never attempt vehicle repairs
in the traffic lanes of a public
road or highway.
• Always move the vehicle com-
pletely off the road and onto
the shoulder before trying to
change a tire. The jack should
be used on level firm ground.
If you cannot find a firm, level
place off the road, call a tow-
ing service company for
assistance.
• Be sure to use the correct
front and rear jacking posi-
tions on the vehicle; never use
the bumpers or any other part
of the vehicle for jack support.
(Continued)
OVQ056007N
513
What to do in an emergency
To prevent the jack, jack handle,
wheel lug nut wrench and spare tire
from rattling while the vehicle is in
motion, store them properly.
Carrying a flat tire
(Long wheelbase)
Do not store the flat tire on the com-
pact spare tire carrier underneath
your vehicle. The full size flat tire
should be stored and fixed in the
vehicle until you reach a service sta-
tion.
To place a flat tire in the vehicle:
1. Wrap the flat tire with the cover
with the valve stem facing up.
WARNING- Wheel studs
If the studs are damaged, they
may lose their ability to retain
the wheel. This could lead to the
loss of the wheel and a collision
resulting in serious injuries.
WARNING - Inadequate
spare tire pressure
Check the inflation pressures as
soon as possible after installing
the spare tire. Adjust it to the
specified pressure, if necessary.
Refer to Section 8, Specifications.
OVQ056009NOVQ056010N
631
Maintenance
All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the vehicle.
WARNING - Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation (70 kPa
(10 psi) or more) can lead to
severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to severe injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for protracted periods at high
speeds.
/ /
/
///psi
psi
psi
1KMN5039OVQ066022N
CAUTION
• Underinflation also results in
excessive wear, poor handling
and reduced fuel economy.
Wheel deformation also is
possible. Keep your tire pres-
sures at the proper levels. If a
tire frequently needs refilling,
have it checked by an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
• Overinflation produces a
harsh ride, excessive wear at
the center of the tire tread, and
a greater possibility of dam-
age from road hazards.
633
Maintenance
Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gage firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-
ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness.
Refer to Section 7, Specifications.
S2BLA790
S2BLA790A
CBGQ0707A
Without a spare tire With a full-size spare tire (if equipped)
Directional tires (if equipped)
Maintenance
34 6
Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.
Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only
from front to rear and not from
right to left.
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.
Compact spare tire replace-
ment
A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.
The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new Kia and should be mounted on
the same compact spare tire wheel.
The compact spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size tire.
Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim width
and offset.
WARNING
• Do not use the compact spare
tire for tire rotation
• Do not mix bias ply and radial
ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.
1LDA5026
Tread wear indicator
635
Maintenance
Wheel alignment and tire
balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct
size may adversely affect wheel
and bearing life, braking and
stopping abilities, handling char-
acteristics, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, snow
chain clearance, speedometer
calibration, headlight aim and
bumper height.
WARNING - Replacing
tires
• Driving on worn-out tires is
very hazardous and will
reduce braking effectiveness,
steering accuracy, and trac-
tion.
• Your vehicle is equipped with
tires designed to provide for
safe ride and handling capa-
bility. Do not use a size and
type of tire and wheel that is
different from the one that is
originally installed on your
vehicle. It can affect the safety
and performance of your vehi-
cle, which could lead to han-
dling failure or rollover and
serious injury.
(Continued)
(Continued)
When replacing the tires, be
sure to equip all four tires with
the tire and wheel of the same
size, type, tread, brand and
load-carrying capacity.
• The use of any other tire size
or type may seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clear-
ance, stopping distance, body
to tire clearance, snow tire
clearance, and speedometer
reliability.
• It is best to replace all four
tires at the same time. If that is
not possible, or necessary,
then replace the two front or
two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can
seriously affect your vehicle’s
handling.CAUTION
Improper wheel weights can
damage your vehicle's alu-
minum wheels. Use only
approved wheel weights.