2008 KIA Spectra Power steering

Your vehicle at a glance
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INTERIOR OVERVIEW
1. Door lock/unlock button
2. Outside rearview mirror control switch*
3. Power window switches*
4. Master power door lock control*
5. Master power window control lock*
6. Vent controls
7. Instrument cluster
8. Steering wheel
9. Steering wheel tilt*
10. Trunk release button
11. Instrument panel illumination*
12. TCS button*
13. Hood release lever
14. Brake pedal
15. Accelerator pedal
16. Fuel filler lid release lever
* : if equipped
OLD006002N

Your vehicle at a glance
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ENGINE COMPARTMENT
OLD058002
1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Air cleaner
5. Fuse box
6. Negative battery terminal
7. Positive battery terminal
8. Auto transaxle oil dipstick*
9. Radiator cap
10. Engine oil dipstick
11. Engine coolant reservoir
12. Windshield washer fluid reservoir
* : if equipped

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Knowing your vehicle
Air bag system components
The main components of your SRS
are:
• To indicate that your vehicle is
equipped with air bags, the corre-
sponding air bag covers are
marked with “SRS AIR BAG”.
- Driver’s air bag
- Passenger’s air bag
- Side air bag
- Curtain air bag
• A diagnostic system that continual-
ly monitors the system operation.
• An indicator light to warn you of a
possible problem with the system.
• Emergency power backup in case
your car’s electrical system is dis-
connected in a crash.The SRS uses a collection of sen-
sors to gather information about the
driver’s and front passenger’s seat
position, the driver’s and front pas-
senger’s safety belt usage and
impact severity.
The driver’s and front passenger’s
seat position sensors, which are
installed on the seat track, determine
if the seats are fore or aft of a refer-
ence position. Similarly, the safety
belt usage sensors determine if the
driver and front passenger’s safety
belts are fastened. These sensors
provide the ability to control the SRS
deployment based on how close the
driver’s seat is to the steering wheel,
how close the passenger’s seat is to
the instrument panel, whether or not
the safety belts are fastened, and
how severe is the impact.The advanced SRS offers the ability
to control the air bag inflation with
two levels. A first stage level is pro-
vided for moderate-severity impacts.
A second stage level is provided for
more severe impacts.
The SRSCM (SRS Control Module)
controls the air bag inflation in accor-
dance with impact severity, seating
position and safety belt usage.
Additionally, your SRS is equipped
with an occupant classification sys-
tem in the front passenger’s seat.
The occupant classification system
detects the presence of a passenger
in the front passenger’s seat and will
turn off the front passenger’s air bag
under certain conditions. For more
detail, see “Occupant Classification
System” later in this section.

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Driving your vehicle
Power 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 normally would. The
stopping distance, however, 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
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery 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 dis-
tance, however, will be much greater
than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING- Parking brake
Applying the parking brake
while the vehicle is moving at
normal speeds can cause a sud-
den loss of control of the vehi-
cle. 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
resting on the brake pedal.
This will create abnormal high
brake temperatures, exces-
sive brake lining and pad
wear, and increased stopping
distances.
• When descending a long or
steep hill,shift to a lower gear
and avoid continuous applica-
tion of the brakes. Continuous
brake application will cause
the brakes to overheat and
could result in a temporary
loss of braking performance.
(Continued)

Driving your vehicle
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Power steering
Power Steering uses energy from the
engine to assist you in steering the
vehicle. If the engine is off or if the
power steering system becomes
inoperative, the vehicle may still be
steered, but it will require increased
steering effort.
Should you notice any change in the
effort required to steer during normal
vehicle operation, have the power
steering checked by an Authorized
Kia Dealer.
✽
NOTICE
If the vehicle is parked for extended
periods outside in cold weather
(below -10 °C/14 °F), the power
steering may require increased
effort when the engine is first start-
ed. This is caused by increased fluid
viscosity due to the cold weather and
does not indicate a malfunction.
When this happens, increase the
engine RPM by depressing accelera-
tor until the RPM reaches 1,500 rpm
then release or let the engine idle for
two or three minutes to warm up the
fluid.
STEERING WHEEL
CAUTION
• Never hold the steering wheel
against a stop (extreme right
or left turn) for more than 5
seconds with the engine run-
ning. Holding the steering
wheel for more than 5 sec-
onds in either position may
cause damage to the power
steering pump.
• If the power steering drive belt
breaks or if the power steering
pump malfunctions, the steer-
ing effort will greatly increase.

Driving tips
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SUGGESTIONS FOR ECONOMICAL OPERATION
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many kilometers (miles) you can get
from a liter (gallon) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in both
fuel and repairs:
• Avoid lengthy warm-up idling.
Once the engine is running
smoothly, begin driving.
Remember, engine warm-up may
take a little longer on cold days.
• Save fuel by accelerating slowly
after stopping.
• Keep the engine in tune and follow
the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule. This will increase
the life of all parts and lower your
operating costs.• Do not use the air conditioner
unnecessarily.
• Slow down when driving on rough
roads.
• For longer tire life and better fuel
economy, always keep the tires
inflated to the recommended pres-
sures.
• Maintain a safe distance from other
vehicles to avoid sudden stops.
This will reduce wear on brake lin-
ings and pads. Driving in such a
way will also save fuel because
extra fuel is required to accelerate
back to driving speed.
• Do not carry unnecessary weight
in the vehicle.
• Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
needless wear, possible damage
to the brakes, and poor fuel econo-
my.
• Improper wheel alignment results
in faster tire wear and lower fuel
economy.• Open windows at high speeds can
reduce fuel economy.
• Fuel economy is less in crosswinds
and headwinds. To help offset
some of this loss, slow down when
driving in these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating
condition is important both for econ-
omy and safety. Therefore, have an
authorized Kia dealer perform
scheduled inspections and mainte-
nance.
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WARNING - Engine off
during motion
Never turn the engine off to
coast down hills or anytime the
vehicle is in motion. The power
steering and power brakes will
not function properly without
the engine running. Instead,
downshift to an appropriate
gear for engine braking effect.

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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.

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In case of an emergency
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• Press the brake pedal with more
force than normal since you will
have reduced brake performance.
• More steering effort will be
required because the power steer-
ing system will be disabled.
• If you are driving down a long hill,
the brakes may overheat and brake
performance will be reduced. Stop
often and let the brakes cool off.Tips for towing a stuck vehicle
The following methods are effective
when your vehicle is stuck in mud,
sand or similar substances that pre-
vent the vehicle from being driven
out under its own power.
• Remove the soil and sand, etc.
from the front and the back of the
tires.
• Place a stone or wood under the
tires.
CAUTION
To prevent internal damage to
the transaxle, never tow your
vehicle from the rear (back-
wards) with all four tires in con-
tact with the surface.