2009 KIA Sephia warning

Driving tips85
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 harderto 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 torocking the vehicle.

Driving tips10
5Snow 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 provincipalregulations for possible restrictionsagainst 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 tips12
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Steps for determining correct
load limit1. 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 wouldnot be covered by your war-ranty. Do not overload yourvehicle.
Using heavier suspension components to get addeddurability might not changeyour weight ratings. Ask yourdealer to help you load yourvehicle the right way.ignored.

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Driving tips
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Calculating the load your vehicle
can tow
1. Use the appropriate maximumGCWR chart (in the Weight of the
Trailer section in this chapter) for
your type of drive system and
transmission.
2. Weigh your vehicle.
3. Subtract the weight of your vehicle from the maximum GCWR in the
chart. This is the maximum trailer
weight your vehicle can tow. It
must be below the maximum trail-
er weight shown in the chart. Note
that the maximum trailer weight
your vehicle can tow depends on
the total weight of any cargo, pas-
sengers and available equipment
in the vehicle. To identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section. Remember that
trailering is different than just driving
your vehicle by itself. Trailering caus-
es major changes in handling, dura-
bility, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering requires correct equip-
ment, and cautious driving.
WARNING
- Towing a
trailer
If you don't use the correct
equipment or you drive improp-
erly, you can lose control when
you pull a trailer. For example, if
the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may fail, and would at
least be ineffective to promptly
stop the vehicle. You and your
passenger could be seriously or
fatally injured. We do not recom-
mend towing a trailer. However,
in the event there is a need to
tow a trailer, such as in an emer-
gency, follow all the steps in this
section.
Item Specification
Maximum trailer Without trailer brakes 340 (750)
weight kg (lbs.) With trailer brakes 680 (1500)
TRAILER TOWING
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and resultin costly repairs not covered byyour warranty.

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Driving tips
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Weight of the trailer tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is an
important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
vehicle weight (GVW) of your vehicle
since that is the trailer weight push-
ing down on the hitch on your vehi-
cle. The rest of the trailer weight is
sitting on the trailer's wheels.
The trailer tongue should weigh a
maximum of 10% of the total loaded
trailer weight.
After you've loaded the trailer, go to a
Weigh Station and weigh the trailer
and then the tongue, separately, to
see if the weights are proper. If they
aren’t, you may be able to correct
them simply by moving some items
around in the trailer.
Hitches It's important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to
follow:
Do not attach a trailer hitch whichrequires you to alter other parts on
your vehicle.
Never make a hole in your vehicle to accommodate a hitch.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
WARNING
- Trailer bal-
ance
Never load a trailer with more weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately
60% of the total trailer load;
the rear should be loaded with
approximately 40% of the total
trailer load.
Never exceed the maximum weight limits of the trailer or
trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and/or
personal injury. Check weights
and loading at a commercial
scale or highway patrol office
equipped with scales.
An improperly loaded trailer can cause loss of vehicle con-
trol.

Driving tips20
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Safety chains You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recom-
mendation for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trail-
er. And, never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer brakes If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum weight for a trailer without
brakes, then the trailer needs its own
brakes. You must consult with a
knowledgeable and reputable trailer
vendor to determine which brake
equipped trailer is right for your
needs. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Driving with a trailer Towing a trailer requires experience.
You must gain that experience slow-
ly and carefully which practicing with
an unloaded or lightly loaded trailer.
Before setting out for the open road,
you must get to know your trailer.
Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the
vehicle you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly so
responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer
hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector(s), lights, tires
and mirror adjustment. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer
brakes are still working.
WARNING
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have properly
set up the brake system. This is
not a task for amateurs. Use an
experienced, competent trailer
shop for this work.

Driving tips22
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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 of6%) pay close attention to theengine coolant temperaturegauge to ensure the enginedoes not overheat. If the needleof the coolant temperaturegauge moves across the dialtowards “H” (HOT), pull over andstop as soon as it is safe to doso, and allow the engine to idleuntil it cools down. You may pro-ceed once the engine hascooled sufficiently.