2008 KIA SPECTRA5 warning

Driving tips
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Operating precautions for cat-
alytic converters
Your vehicle is equipped with a cat-
alytic converter emission control
device.
Therefore, the following precautions
must be observed:
• Use only UNLEADED FUEL for
gasoline engine (unleaded).
• Do not operate the vehicle when
there are signs of engine malfunc-
tion, such as misfire or a noticeable
loss of performance.
• Do not misuse or abuse the
engine. Examples of misuse are
coasting with the ignition off and
descending steep grades in gear
with the ignition off.• Do not operate the engine at high
idle speed for extended periods (5
minutes or more).
• Do not modify or tamper with any
part of the engine or emission con-
trol system. All inspections and
adjustments must be made by an
authorized Kia dealer.
Failure to observe these precautions
could result in damage to the catalyt-
ic converter and to your vehicle.
Additionally, such actions could void
your warranties.
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9WARNING- Fire
A hot exhaust system can ignite
flammable items under your
vehicle. Do not park the vehicle
over or near flammable objects,
such as dry grass, paper,
leaves, etc.

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Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING
Before entering vehicle:
• Be sure that all windows, outside
mirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
• Check the condition of the tires.
• Check under the vehicle for any
sign of leaks.
• Be sure there are no obstacles
behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in Section 7,
Maintenance.
Before starting
• Close and lock all doors.
• Position the seat so that all con-
trols are easily reached.
• Adjust the inside and outside
rearview mirrors.
• Be sure that all lights work.
• Check all gauges.
• Check the operation of warning
lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
• Release the parking brake and
make sure the brake warning light
goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
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WARNING- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Drunk driving is the num-
ber one contributor to the high-
way death toll each year. Even a
small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgement.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink and drive.
If you are drinking or taking
drugs, don’t drive. Do not ride
with a driver who has been
drinking or taking drugs.
Choose a designated driver or
call a cab.
Driving while under the influ-
ence of drugs is as dangerous
or more dangerous than driving
drunk.

Driving tips
6 5
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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Driving tips
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
• Drive cautiously and allow extra
distance for braking.
• Avoid sudden movements in brak-
ing or steering.
• When braking, pump the brake
pedal with a light up-and-down
motion until the vehicle is stopped.• If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,
use second gear. Accelerate slow-
ly to avoid spinning the drive
wheels.
• Use sand, rock salt, tire chains, or
other non-slip material under the
drive wheels to provide traction
when stalled in ice, snow, or mud.
Rocking the vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle
to free it from snow, sand, or mud,
first turn the steering wheel right and
left to clear the area around your
front wheels. Then, shift back and
forth between 1 (First) and R
(Reverse) in vehicles equipped with
a manual transaxle or R (Reverse)
and any forward gear in vehicles
equipped with an automatic
transaxle. Do not race the engine,
and spin the wheels as little as pos-
sible. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a
tow vehicle to avoid engine overheat-
ing and possible damage to the
transaxle.
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WARNING - Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slip-
pery surfaces can cause an
accident. The sudden change in
tire speed could cause the tires
to skid. Be careful when down-
shifting on slippery surfaces.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may cause
engine over-heating, transaxle
damage or failure, and tire dam-
age.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal on
a vehicle equipped with ABS.

Driving tips
8 5
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
• Slow down and keep more dis-
tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
• Adjust your mirrors to reduce the
glare from other driver's head-
lights.
• Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed on vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature. Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
• Avoid staring directly at the head-
lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:
• A heavy rainfall will make it harder
to see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
• Keep your windshield wiping
equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
• If your tires are not in good condi-
tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
• Turn on your headlights to make it
easier for others to see you.
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WARNING- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 56
km/h (35 mph). Spinning the
wheels at high speeds when the
vehicle is stationary could
cause a tire to overheat, explode
and injure bystanders.
CAUTION
The TCS system (if equipped)
should be turned OFF prior to
rocking the vehicle.

Driving tips
10 5
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, 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 provid-
ed by snow tires on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local and provincipal
regulations for possible restrictions
against their use.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel
hub. Drive through any water slowly.
Allow adequate stopping distance
because brake performance may be
affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them sev-
eral times while the vehicle is moving
slowly.
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WARNING- Snow tire
size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.

Driving tips
12 5
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Steps for determining correct
load limit
1. Locate the statement "The com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.'' on your vehicle's
placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity. For example, if
the "XXX" amount equals 635 kg
(1400 lbs.), and there will be five
68 kg (150 lbs.) passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load
capacity is 295 kg (650 lbs.).
(635-340 (5 x 68) = 295 kg or
1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.)5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trail-
er, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.
WARNING- Load distribu-
tor
Your vehicle may become unsta-
ble while towing if your vehicle is
overloaded to one side. Make
sure that the load in the vehicle is
distributed equally to each side
of the centerline.

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Driving tips
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The label will help you decide how
much cargo and installed equipment
your vehicle can carry.
If you carry items inside your vehicle
- like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else - they are moving as
fast as the vehicle. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a crash,
the items will keep going and can
cause an injury if they strike the driv-
er or a passenger.
WARNING - Over loading
• Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle
and vehicle capacity weight.
Exceeding these ratings can
cause an accident or vehicle
damage. You can calculate the
weight of your load by weigh-
ing the items (or people)
before putting them in the
vehicle. Be careful not to over-
load your vehicle.
• If you overload your vehicle,
the tires can suddenly and
without warning fail. The over-
loading can also make your
vehicle unstable and dramati-
cally increase braking dis-
tance. This could cause you to
lose control and crash.WARNING - Loose cargo
Items you carry inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
occupants in a sudden stop or
sharp turn, or in a crash.
• Put items in the trunk of your
vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
• Never stack items, like suit-
cases, inside the occupant
compartment.
• Do not leave an unsecured
child restraint in your vehicle,
since it can injure occupants
in a crash.
• When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure it.CAUTION
• Overloading your vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs would
not be covered by your war-
ranty. Do not overload your
vehicle.
• Using heavier suspension
components to get added
durability might not change
your weight ratings. Ask your
dealer to help you load your
vehicle the right way.ignored.