Introduction
4
1
Use of MTBE
KIA recommends avoiding fuels contain-
ing MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether)
over 15.0% vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7%
weight) in your vehicle.
Fuel containing MTBE over 15.0% vol.
(Oxygen Content 2.7% weight) may
reduce vehicle performance and produce
vapor lock or hard starting.
Do not use methanol
Fuels containing methanol (wood alco-
hol) should not be used in your vehicle.
This type of fuel can reduce vehicle per-
formance and damage components ofthe fuel system.
Gasolines for cleaner air
To help contribute to cleaner air, KIA rec-
ommends that you use gasolines treated
with detergent additives, which help pre-
vent deposit formation in the engine.
These gasolines will help the engine run
cleaner and enhance performance of theEmission Control System.
Operation in foreign countries
If you are going to drive your vehicle in
another country, be sure to:
Observe all regulations regarding reg-
istration and insurance.
Determine that acceptable fuel is avail- able. No special break-in period is needed. By
following a few simple precautions for the
first 1,000 km (600 miles) you may add to
the performance, economy and life of
your vehicle.
Do not race the engine.
While driving, keep your engine speed
(rpm, or revolutions per minute)
between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
Do not maintain a single speed for long periods of time, either fast or slow.
Varying engine speed is needed to
properly break-in the engine.
Avoid hard stops, except in emergen- cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop-
erly.
Don't let the engine idle longer than 3 minutes at one time.
Don't tow a trailer during the first 2,000
km (1,200 miles) of operation.
VEHICLE BREAK-IN PROCESS
CAUTION
Your New Vehicle Limited Warranty
may not cover damage to the fuelsystem and any performance prob-lems that are caused by the use offuels containing methanol or fuels
containing MTBE (Methyl TertiaryButyl Ether) over 15.0% vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7% weight.)
Safety features of your vehicle
22
3
Infant or small child
You should be aware of the specific
requirements in your country. Child
and/or infant seats must be properly
placed and installed in the rear seat. For
more information about the use of these
restraints, refer to “Child restraint sys-
tem” in this section.✽✽
NOTICE
Small children are best protected from
injury in an accident when properly
restrained in the rear seat by a child
restraint system that meets the require-
ments of the Safety Standards of your
country. Before buying any child
restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets Safety
Standards of your country. The restraint
must be appropriate for your child's
height and weight. Check the label on
the child restraint for this information.
Refer to “Child restraint system” in this
section.Larger children
Children who are too large for child
restraint systems should always occupy
the rear seat and use the available
lap/shoulder belts. The lap portion should
be fastened snug on the hips and as low
as possible. Check if the belt fits periodi-
cally. A child's squirming could put the
belt out of position. Children are afforded
the most safety in the event of an acci-
dent when they are restrained by a prop-
er restraint system in the rear seat. If a
larger child (over age 12) must be seatedin the front seat, the child should be
securely restrained by the availablelap/shoulder belt and the seat should be
placed in the rearmost position. Children
age 12 and under should be restrained
securely in the rear seat. NEVER place achild age 12 and under in the front seat.
NEVER place a rear facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle.
WARNING
Every person in your vehicle needs
to be properly restrained at all
times, including infants and chil-
dren. Never hold a child in yourarms or lap when riding in a vehi-
cle. The violent forces created dur-
ing a crash will tear the child from
your arms and throw the child
against the interior. Always use a
child restraint appropriate for your
child's height and weight.
Features of your vehicle
80
4
Front fog light
Fog lights are used to provide improved
visibility and avoid accidents when visibil-
ity is poor due to fog, rain or snow etc.
The fog lights will turn on when fog light
switch (1) is turned to ON after the park-
ing light is turned on.
To turn off the fog lights, turn the switch
to OFF. Rear fog light (if equipped)
To turn the rear fog lights on, turn the
headlight switch to the headlight on posi-
tion and turn the rear fog light switch (1)to the on position.
The rear fog lights turn on when the rear
fog light switch is turned on after the front
fog light switch is turned on and the
headlight switch is in the parklight posi-tion.
To turn the rear fog lights off, turn the rear
fog light switch to the on position again or
turn the headlight switch off.
✽✽
NOTICE
To turn on the rear fog light switch, the
ignition switch must be in the ON position.
Headlight leveling device (if equipped)
Manual type
To adjust the headlight beam level
according to the number of passengers
and loading weight in the luggage area,
turn the beam leveling switch.
The higher the number of the switch
position, the lower the headlight beam
level. Always keep the headlight beam at
the proper leveling position, or headlights
may dazzle other road users.
Listed below are the examples of proper
switch settings. For loading conditions
other than those listed below, adjust the
switch position so that the beam level
may be the nearest as the conditionobtained according to the list.
OAM049046OAM049046L-1
CAUTION
When in operation, the fog lights consume large amounts of vehicleelectrical power. Only use the foglights when visibility is poor orunnecessary battery and generator
drain could occur.
OVG049192L
481
Features of your vehicle
Automatic type
It is automatically adjusted the headlight
beam level according to the number of
the passengers and the loading weight inthe luggage area.
And it offers the proper headlight beam
under the various conditions.Headlight washer (if equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with the head-
light washer it will be operating at the
same time when you operate the wind-
shield washer. It will operate when the
headlight switch is in the first or second
position and the engine start/stop buttonis in the ON position.
The washer fluid will be sprayed on to the
headlights.
✽✽
NOTICE
Check the headlight washers periodical-
ly to confirm that the washer fluid is
being sprayed properly onto the head-
light lenses.
WARNING
If it is not working properly even
though your car is inclined back-
ward according to passenger's
posture, or the headlight beam is
irradiated to the high or low posi-
tion, have your vehicle inspected
by an authorized KIA dealer. Don't attempt to inspect or replace
the wiring yourself to prevent mal-function.
Loading condition Switch position
Driver only 0
Driver + Front passenger 0
Full passengers 1 Full passengers +
Maximum permissibleloading 2
Driver + Maximum permis-
sible loading 3
5
Before driving / 5-3
Key / 5-4
Engine start/stop button / 5-7
Automatic transaxle / 5-12
Brake system / 5-18
Cruise control system / 5-28
Economical operation / 5-32
Special driving conditions / 5-34
Winter driving / 5-38
Vehicle weight / 5-42
Driving your vehicle
517
Driving your vehicle
Moving up a steep grade from a stand-ing start
To move up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start, depress the brake pedal, shift
the shift lever to D (Drive). Select the
appropriate gear depending on load
weight and steepness of the grade, and
release the parking brake. Depress the
accelerator gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle free
by moving it forward and backward.
Do not attempt this procedure if
people or objects are anywhere
near the vehicle. During the rocking
operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people orobjects.WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properlybelted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner- ing or turning.
Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp
lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
The risk of rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at highway speeds.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over-
steers to reenter the roadway.
In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead, slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
Never exceed posted speed lim- its.
Driving your vehicle
32
5
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
miles (kilometers) you can get from a gal-
lon (liter) of fuel. To operate your vehicle
as economically as possible, use the fol-
lowing driving suggestions to help save
money in both fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-
ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to that of the other traffic so you
don't have to change speeds unneces-
sarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever
possible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you can
avoid unnecessary braking. This also
reduces brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your car uses.
Driving at a moderate speed, especial-
ly on the highway, is one of the most
effective ways to reduce fuel consump-tion. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This can
increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components.
In addition, driving with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal may cause the
brakes to overheat, which reduces
their effectiveness and may lead to
more serious consequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at leastonce a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting curbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tire wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your car in good condition. For
better fuel economy and reduced
maintenance costs, maintain your carin accordance with the maintenance
schedule in section 7. If you drive your
car in severe conditions, more frequentmaintenance is required (see section 7
for details).
Keep your car clean. For maximum service, your vehicle should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel con-
sumption and also contribute to corro-sion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION
Driving your vehicle
40
5
Use high quality ethylene glycol coolant
Your 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 themaintenance 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.
Check battery and cables
Winter 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. Change to "winter weight" oil if
necessary In 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.
Check spark plugs and ignition system
Inspect 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.
WARNING
- Tire chains
The use of chains may adversely affect vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 30 km/h (20 mph) or the chain manufacturer’s rec-
ommended speed limit, whichev-
er is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns, and other
road hazards, which may cause
the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked- wheel braking.
CAUTION
Chains that are the wrong size or
improperly installed can damage
your vehicle's brake lines, sus-pension, body and wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear themhitting the vehicle.