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Features of your vehicle
96
3
Frontal air bags are not designed to
inflate in rear collisions, because occu-
pants are moved backward by the
force of the impact. In this case, the air
bags do not provide proper protection. Front air bags may not inflate in side
impact collision, because occupants
move to the direction of the collision,
and thus in side impacts, frontal air bag
deployment does not provide occupant
protection.
However, side or curtain air bags may
inflate depending on the intensity, vehi-
cle speed and angles of impact. In a slant or angled collision, the force
of impact may direct the occupants in a
direction between the front and side air
bags, and thus the sensors may not
deploy any air bags.
1VQA2089OVQ036018NOUN036087
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397
Features of your vehicle
Just before impact, drivers often brakeheavily. Such heavy braking lowers the
front portion of the vehicle causing it to
“ride” under a vehicle with a higher
ground clearance. Air bags may not
inflate in this "under-ride" situation
because deceleration forces that are
detected by sensors may be signifi-
cantly altered by such “under-ride” col-
lisions. Air bags may not inflate in rollover acci-
dents because air bag deployment
would not provide proper protection to
the occupants.
However, side air bags may inflate
when the vehicle is rolled over by a
side impact collision, if the vehicle is
equipped with side air bags and cur-
tain air bags. Air bags may not inflate if the vehicle
collides with objects such as utility
poles or trees, where the point of
impact is concentrated to one area and
the full force of the impact is not deliv-
ered to the sensors.
1VQA20901VQA20911VQA2092
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Features of your vehicle
98
3
Air bag system operation
Air bag only operates when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON or START
positions.
Air bags inflate instantly in the event of serious frontal or side collision (if
equipped with side air bag or curtain
air bag) in order to help protect the
occupants from serious physical injury.
There is no single speed at which the air bags will inflate.
Generally, air bags are designed to
inflate by the severity of a collision and
its direction. These two factors deter-
mine whether the sensors send out an
electronic deployment/inflation signal. Air bag deployment depends on a
number of factors including vehicle
speed, angles of impact and the densi-
ty and stiffness of the vehicles or
objects which your vehicle hits in the
collision. However, factors are not limit-
ed to those mentioned above.
The front air bags will completely inflate and deflate in an instant.
It is virtually impossible for you to see
the air bags inflate during an accident.
It is much more likely that you will sim-
ply see the deflated air bags hanging
out of their storage compartments after
the collision. In order to help provide protection in a
severe collision, the air bags must
inflate rapidly. The speed of air bag
inflation is a consequence of the
extremely short time in which a collision
occurs and the need to get the air bag
between the occupant and the vehicle
structures before the occupant impacts
those structures. This speed of inflation
reduces the risk of serious or life-
threatening injuries in a severe collision
and is thus a necessary part of air bag
design.
However, air bag inflation can also
cause injuries which normally can
include facial abrasions, bruises and
broken bones, and sometimes more
serious injuries because that inflation
speed also causes the air bags to
expand with a great deal force.
There are even circumstances under which contact with the steer-
ing wheel air bag can cause fatal
injuries, especially if the occupant
is positioned excessively close to
the steering wheel.
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399
Features of your vehicle
Noise and smoke
When the air bags inflate, they make a
loud noise and they leave smoke and
powder in the air inside of the vehicle.
This is normal and is a result of the igni-
tion of the air bag inflator. After the air
bag inflates, you may feel substantial dis-
comfort in breathing due to the contact of
your chest to both the safety belt and the
air bag, as well as from breathing the
smoke and powder.We strongly urge
you to open your doors and/or win-
dows as soon as possible after impact
in order to reduce discomfort and pre-
vent prolonged exposure to the
smoke and powder.
Though smoke and powder are non-
toxic, it may cause irritation to the skin
(eyes, nose and throat etc). If this is the
case, wash and rinse with the cold water
immediately and consult the doctor if the
symptom persists.WARNING - Seated
positioning
Driver should sit as far back (at least 250 mm (10 inches) away)
from the steering wheel air bag as
possible to reduce the risk of
injury or death in a collision. The
front passenger should always
move their seat as far back as
possible and sit back in their
seat.
Air bag inflates instantly in an event of collision, passengers
may be injured by the air bag
expansion force if they are not in
proper position.
Air bag inflation may cause injuries which normally include
facial or bodily abrasions, injuries
by the broken glasses or burns by
the explosives.
WARNING
When the air bags deploy, the air
bag related parts in steering wheel
and/or instrument panel and/or in
both sides of the roof rails above
the front and rear doors are very
hot. To prevent injury, do not touch
the air bag storage areas internal
components immediately after an
air bag has inflated.
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Features of your vehicle
100
3
Installing a child restraint on a
front passenger’s seat is forbid-
den.
Never place a rear-facing child restraint
in the front passenger’s seat. If the air
bag deploys, it would impact the rear-fac-
ing child restraint, causing serious or
fatal injury.
In addition, do not place front-facing child
restraint in the front passenger’s seat
either. If the front passenger air bag
inflates, it would cause serious or fatal
injuries to the child.
Air bag warning light
The purpose of the air bag warning light
in your instrument panel is to alert you of
a potential problem with your air bag -
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS).
When the ignition switch is turned ON,
the indicator light should blink or illumi-
nate for approximately 6 seconds, then
go off.
Have the system checked if:
The light does not turn on briefly when
you turn the ignition ON.
The light stays on after the engine starts.
The light comes on while the vehicle is in motion.
1JBH3051
WARNING
Never put child restraint in thefront passenger’s seat. If the front
passenger air bag inflates, it
would cause serious or fatal
injuries.
When children are seated in the rear outboard seats in which side
air bags are equipped, be sure to
put the child restraint system as
far away from the door side as
possible, and secure the child
restraint system to be locked in
position.
Inflation of side or curtain air bag
could cause serious injury or
death due to the expansion
impact.
AIR
BAG
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3101
Features of your vehicle
SRS care
Your Supplemental Restraint System is
virtually maintenance-free. There are no
parts which you can service.
You must have the system serviced
under the following circumstances:
If an air bag ever inflates, the air bagmust be replaced. Do not try to remove
or discard the air bag by yourself. This
must be done by an authorized Kia
dealer.
If the air bag warning indicator light alerts you to a problem, have the air
bag system checked as soon as possi-
ble. Otherwise, your air bag system
may be ineffective.
When repairing or scrapping thevehicles
Repairing steering wheel, instrument panel, center console or roofs, or
installing car audio around center con-
sole or painting front metal sheet could
disable the air bag system. Have them
checked by an authorized Kia dealer.
When leaving the vehicle at an autho- rized Kia dealer, inform the facility that
the vehicle is equipped with air bag
system, and leave the owner’s manual
in the vehicle.
Since air bag system contains explo- sive chemical substances, contact an
authorized Kia dealer when scrapping
the vehicle.
WARNING- No mainte-
nance or repair
Do not modify your steering
wheel, seat or any other part of
the Supplemental Restraint
System. Modification could make
the system inoperable.
Do not work on the system’s com- ponents or wiring. This could
cause the air bags to inflate inad-
vertently, possibly seriously injur-
ing someone. Working on the sys-
tem could also disable the sys-
tem so that the air bags would not
deploy in a collision.
Any work on the SRS system, such as removing, installing,
repairing, or any work on the
steering wheel must be per-
formed by a qualified Kia techni-
cian. Improper handling of the air
bag system may result in serious
personal injury or death.
WARNING- No modifica-tion
Do not modify any part of the air
bag system. Modification could
make the air bag system ineffective
or could cause unnecessary
deployment.
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Features of your vehicle
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3
Air bag warning label
Air bag warning labels which are now required by the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) are attached to alert dri-
ver and passengers of potential risk of air bag system.
Note that these government warnings focus on the risk to children, Kia also wants you to be aware of the risks which adults are
exposed to. Those have been described in previous pages.
OVQ039411/OVQ039020N/1VQA2096
(if equipped)
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3103
Features of your vehicle
Power steering
Power steering uses energy from the
engine to assist you in steering the vehi-
cle. 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 steer-
ing 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 started. This is caused by
increased fluid viscosity due to the cold
weather and does not indicate a mal-
function.
When this happens, increase the engine
RPM by depressing accelerator until the
RPM reaches 1,500 rpm then release or
let the engine idle for two or three min-
utes to warm up the fluid.
STEERING WHEEL
CAUTION
Never hold the steering wheel
against a stop (extreme right orleft turn) for more than 5 secondswith the engine running. Holding the steering wheel for more than5 seconds in either position may cause damage to the power steer-ing pump.
If the power steering drive belt breaks or if the power steeringpump malfunctions, the steering effort will greatly increase.