2008 KIA Spectra towing

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Driving tips
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Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sud-
den turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance
up ahead when you’re towing a trail-
er. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing up
The trailer will go in the opposite
direction of the rear of your vehicle
when backing up. This is very difficult
for an inexperienced trailer driver to
get used to. To help you avoid mis-
takes, hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, just hold the
steering wheel firmly and move your
hand to the left. To move the trailer to
the right, move your hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or sud-
den maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly connected,
the trailer lights will also flash to alert
other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are
seeing your signals when, in fact,
they are not. It’s important to check
reqularly to be sure the trailer bulbs
are still working. You must also check
the lights every time you disconnect
and then reconnect the wires.

Driving tips
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Do not connect a trailer lighting sys-
tem directly to your vehicle’s lighting
system. Use only an approved trailer
wiring harness.
Your Authorized Kia Dealer can
assist you in installing the wiring har-
ness.Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get
hot and no longer operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce your speed to around 70
km/h (45 mph) to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transaxle over-
heating.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer will minimize
heat buildup and extend the life of
your transaxle.
WARNING - Trailer wiring
harness
Failure to use an approved trail-
er wiring harness could result in
damage to the vehicle's electri-
cal system, there by disabling
the brake light system resulting
in an accident.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep
grades especially (in excess of
6%) pay close attention to the
engine coolant temperature
gauge to ensure the engine
does not overheat. If the needle
of the coolant temperature
gauge moves across the dial
towards “H” (HOT), pull over and
stop as soon as it is safe to do
so, and allow the engine to idle
until it cools down. You may pro-
ceed once the engine has
cooled sufficiently.

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Maintenance when trailer tow-
ing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review these sections before you
start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your
trailer and hitch. Follow the mainte-
nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight.
CAUTION
• Due to higher load during
trailer usage, overheating
might occur in hot days or
during uphill driving. If the
coolant gauge indicates over-
heating, switch off the A/C and
stop the vehicle in a safe area
to cool down the engine.
• When towing check transaxle
fluid more frequently.
• If your vehicle is not equipped
with the air conditioner, you
should install a condenser fan
for engine performance when
towing a trailer.

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9Road warning / 6-2
Tires pressure monitoring system (TPMS) / 6-3
Overheating / 6-8
Emergency starting / 6-9
Electrical circuit protection / 6-12
Towing / 6-19
If you have a flat tire / 6-24
In case of an emergency

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In case of an emergency
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EMERGENCY STARTING
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 procedures listed on page
6-10. If in doubt, we strongly recom-
mend that you have a competent
technician or towing service jump
start your vehicle.WARNING- Battery
• Keep all flames or sparks
away from the battery. The bat-
tery produces 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 elec-
trolyte 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 seri-
ous injury.
CAUTION
Use only a 12-volt jumper sys-
tem. 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 batteries in series or a
24-volt motor generator set).

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In case of an emergency
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TOWING
If emergency towing is necessary,
we recommend having it done by an
authorized Kia dealer or a commer-
cial tow-truck service. Proper lifting
and towing procedures are neces-
sary to prevent damage to the vehi-
cle. The use of wheel dollies or
flatbed is recommended.
For trailer towing guidelines informa-
tion, refer to section 5 “Driving Tips”.
It is acceptable to tow the vehicle
with the rear wheels on the ground
(without dollies) and the front wheels
off the ground.
When being towed by a commercial
tow truck and wheel dollies are not
used, the front of the vehicle should
always be lifted, not the rear.
2GHA41071LDN4023
2LDA40012LDA4002
CAUTION
• Do not tow the vehicle back-
wards with the front wheels on
the ground as this may cause
damage to the vehicle.
• Do not tow with sling-type
equipment. Use wheel lift or
flatbed equipment.

In case of an emergency
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When towing your vehicle in an
emergency without wheel dollies :
1. Set the ignition switch in the ACC
position.
2. Place the transaxle shift lever in N
(Neutral).
3. Release the parking brake.
Tie-down hook
(for flatbed towing)
Towing with a vehicle other
than a tow truck
If towing is necessary, we recom-
mend you to have it done by an
Authorized Kia dealer or a commer-
cial tow truck service.
OLD046019 Tie-down hook
CAUTION
Failure to place the transaxle
shift lever in N (Neutral) may
cause internal damage to the
transaxle.
WARNING
Do not use the hooks under the
front of the vehicle for towing
purposes. These hooks are
designed ONLY for transport tie-
down. If the tie-down hooks are
used for towing, the tie-down
hooks will be damaged and this
could lead to serious injury.
OLD046020 • Front
OLD046021 • Rear

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In case of an emergency
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If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or
chain secured to the emergency tow-
ing hook under the front or rear of the
vehicle. Use extreme caution when
towing the vehicle. A driver must be
in the vehicle to steer it and operate
the brakes.Towing in this manner may be done
only on hard-surfaced roads for a
short distance and at low speeds.
Also, the wheels, axles, power train,
steering and brakes must all be in
good condition.
• Do not use the tow hooks to pull a
vehicle out of mud, sand or other
conditions from which the vehicle
cannot be driven out under its own
power.
• Avoid towing a vehicle heavier than
the vehicle doing the towing.
• The drivers of both vehicles should
communicate with each other fre-
quently.• Before emergency towing, check
that the hook is not broken or dam-
aged.
• Fasten the towing cable or chain
securely to the hook.
• Do not jerk the hook. Apply steady
and even force.
• To avoid damaging the hook, do
not pull from the side or at a verti-
cal angle. Always pull straight
ahead.CAUTION
• Attach a towing strap to the
tow hook.
• Using a portion of the vehicle
other than the tow hooks for
towing may damage the body
of your vehicle.
• Use only a cable or chain
specifically intended for use
in towing vehicles. Securely
fasten the cable or chain to
the towing hook provided.