Driving your vehicle38
5E110100APA-ECHazardous driving conditions When hazardous driving conditions are
encountered such as water, snow, ice,
mud, sand, or similar hazards, follow
these suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extra dis-
tance for braking.
Avoid sudden braking or steering.
When braking with non-ABS brakes 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 slowly to
avoid spinning the drive wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, or other non-slip material under the drive wheels to pro-
vide traction when stalled in ice, snow,
or mud.
E110200AAM-EURocking 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 1st (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
possible. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a tow
vehicle to avoid engine overheating and
possible damage to the transaxle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING
- Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slippery
surfaces can cause an accident.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. Be
careful when downshifting on slip-
pery surfaces.
WARNING -
ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may causeengine overheating, transaxle dam-age or failure, and tire damage.
543
Driving your vehicle
E120200AUNUse high quality ethylene glycol
coolantYour vehicle is delivered with high quality
ethylene glycol coolant in the cooling
system. It is the only type of coolant that
should be used because it helps prevent
corrosion in the cooling system, lubri-
cates the water pump and prevents
freezing. Be sure to replace or replenish
your coolant in accordance with the
maintenance schedule in section 7.
Before winter, have your coolant tested to
assure that its freezing point is sufficient
for the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.E120300AUNCheck battery and cablesWinter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the bat-
tery and cables as described in section
7. The level of charge in your battery can
be checked by an authorized KIA dealer
or a service station.
E120400BUNChange to "winter weight" oil if
necessaryIn some climates it is recommended that
a lower viscosity "winter weight" oil be
used during cold weather. See section 8
for recommendations. If you aren't sure
what weight oil you should use, consult
an authorized KIA dealer.E120500AUNCheck spark plugs and ignition
systemInspect your spark plugs as described in
section 7 and replace them if necessary.
Also check all ignition wiring and compo-
nents to be sure they are not cracked,
worn or damaged in any way.
E120600AUNTo keep locks from freezingTo keep the locks from freezing, squirt an
approved de-icer fluid or glycerine into
the key opening. If a lock is covered with
ice, squirt it with an approved de-icing
fluid to remove the ice. If the lock is
frozen internally, you may be able to thaw
it out by using a heated key. Handle the
heated key with care to avoid injury.E120700AUNUse approved window washer
anti-freeze in systemTo keep the water in the window washer
system from freezing, add an approved
window washer anti-freeze solution in
accordance with instructions on the con-
tainer. Window washer anti-freeze is
available from an authorized KIA dealer
and most auto parts outlets. Do not use
engine coolant or other types of anti-
freeze as these may damage the paint
finish.
Driving your vehicle48
5E150200AUNCertification label
The certification label is located on
the driver's door sill at the center pil-
lar.
This label shows the maximum
allowable weight of the fully loaded
vehicle. This is called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel and
cargo.
This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weight that can be supported
by the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out the actual loads on your
front and rear axles, you need to go
to a weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help you with
this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the center-
line.
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.
OEN056020
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.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Do not load your vehicle anyheavier than the GVWR, either
the maximum front or rear
GAWR and vehicle capacity
weight. If you do, parts,
including tires on your vehicle
can break, and it can change
the way your vehicle handles
and braking ability. This could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehi-
cle.
549
Driving your vehicle
WARNING
Overloading your vehicle cancause heat buildup in your
vehicle's tires and possible
tire failure that could lead to a
crash.
Overloading your vehicle can cause increased stopping dis-
tances that could lead to a
crash.
A crash resulting from poor handling vehicle damage, tire
failure, or increased stopping
distances could result in seri-
ous injury or death.
WARNING
- Loose cargo
Items you carry inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
occupants in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
Put items in the cargo area of your vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
Never stack items, like suit- cases, inside the vehicle
above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it.
Do not drive with a seat folded down unless necessary.
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.
67
What to do in an emergency
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIREF070100ATDJack and tools
The spare tire, jack, jack handle and
wheel lug nut wrench are stored in
the luggage compartment.
Remove the luggage under tray out
of the way to reach the equipment.
(1) Jack handle
(2) Jack
(3) Wheel lug nut wrench
F070101APBJacking instructions The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
To prevent the jack from “rattling”
while the vehicle is in motion, store it
properly.
Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of personal injury.
OTD069002L
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 firm level 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)
69
What to do in an emergency
4. Remove the wheel lug nut wrench,jack, jack handle, and spare tire
from the vehicle.
5. Block both the front and rear of the wheel that is diagonally opposite
the jack position. 6. Loosen the wheel lug nuts coun-
terclockwise one turn each, but do
not remove any nut until the tire
has been raised off the ground.
1JBA6504
OTD069008
WARNING
- Changing a tire
To prevent vehicle movementwhile changing a tire, always
set the parking brake fully,
and always block the wheel
diagonally opposite the wheel
being changed.
We recommend that the wheels of the vehicle be
chocked, and that no person
remain in a vehicle that is
being jacked.
What to do in an emergency12
6If you have a tire gauge, remove the
valve cap and check the air pressure.
If the pressure is lower than recom-
mended, drive slowly to the nearest
service station and inflate to the cor-
rect pressure. If it is too high, adjust
it until it is correct. Always reinstall
the valve cap after checking or
adjusting the tire pressure. If the cap
is not replaced, air may leak from the
tire. If you lose a valve cap, buy
another and install it as soon as pos-
sible.
After you have changed wheels,
always secure the flat tire in its place
and return the jack and tools to their
proper storage locations. To prevent the jack, jack handle,
wheel lug nut wrench and spare tire
from rattling while the vehicle is in
motion, store them properly.
CAUTION
Your vehicle has metric threads
on the wheel studs and nuts.Make certain during wheelremoval that the same nuts thatwere removed are reinstalled -or, if replaced, that nuts withmetric threads and the samechamfer configuration are used.Installation of a non-metricthread nut on a metric stud orvice-versa will not secure thewheel to the hub properly andwill damage the stud so that itmust be replaced.
Note that most lug nuts do nothave metric threads. Be sure touse extreme care in checkingfor thread style before installingaftermarket lug nuts or wheels.If in doubt, consult an author-ized KIA dealer.
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 “Tires and wheels” in
section 8.
75
Maintenance
G030102ATDWhile operating your vehicle: Note any changes in the sound of theexhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering
wheel, or change in its straight-ahead
position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling on smooth, level road.
When stopping, listen and check for unusual sounds, pulling to one side,
increased brake pedal travel or “hard-
to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the oper- ation of your transaxle occurs, check
the transaxle fluid level.
Check the automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check the parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-
mal).
G030103AHMAt least monthly: Check the coolant level in the enginecoolant reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.G030104AHMAt least twice a year (i.e., every Spring and Fall) : Check the radiator, heater and air con- ditioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check the windshield washer spray and wiper operation. Clean the wiper
blades with clean cloth dampened with
washer fluid.
Check the headlight alignment.
Check the muffler, exhaust pipes, shields and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel lug nuts.
G030105ATD At least once a year : Clean the body and door drain holes.
Lubricate the door hinges and checks,and hood hinges.
Lubricate the door and hood locks and latches.
Lubricate the door rubber weather- strips.
Check the air conditioning system.
Check the power steering fluid level.
Inspect and lubricate automatic transaxle linkage and controls.
Clean the battery and terminals.
Check the brake/clutch fluid level.