2011 KIA Optima Hybrid steering

Driving your vehicle
24
5
Vehicle stability management
(VSM)
This system provides further enhance-
ments to vehicle stability and steering
responses when a vehicle is driving on a
slippery road or a vehicle detected
changes in coefficient of friction between
right wheels and left wheels when brak-
ing.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESP indi-
cator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability management
is operating properly, you can feel a slight
pulsation in the vehicle. This is only the
effect of brake control and indicates noth-
ing unusual. The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on bank road such as gradient
or incline
Driving rearward
ESP OFF indicator light ( ) remains on the instrument cluster
EPS indicator light remains on the instrument cluster
VSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to turn
off the ESC, the VSM will also cancel and
the ESC OFF indicator light ( ) illumi-
nates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light goes
out.
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if you
don’t cancel the VSM operation by press-
ing the ESC OFF button. It indicates that
a malfunction has been detected some-
where in the Electric Power Steering sys-
tem or VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or ESC warning light remains
on, take your vehicle to an authorized Kia
dealer and have the system checked.
The VSM is designed to function aboveapproximately 15 km/h (9 mph) on
curves.
The VSM is designed to function above approximately 30 km/h (18 mph) when
a vehicle is braking on a split-mu road.
The split-mu road is made of surfaces
which have different friction forces.

525
Driving your vehicle
The Vehicle Stability Management sys-tem is not a substitute for safe driving
practices but a supplementary function
only. It is the responsibility of the driver
to always check the speed and the dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead. Always
hold the steering wheel firmly while
driving.
Your vehicle is designed to activate according to the driver’s intention, even
with installed VSM. Always follow all
the normal precautions for driving at
safe speeds for the conditions – includ-
ing driving inclement weather and on a
slippery road.Good braking practices
Check to be sure the parking brake isnot engaged and that the parking
brake indicator light is out before driv-
ing away.
Driving through water may get the brakes wet. They can also get wet
when the vehicle is washed. Wet
brakes can be dangerous! Your vehicle
will not stop as quickly if the brakes are
wet. Wet brakes may cause the vehicle
to pull to one side.
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action returns to
normal, taking care to keep the vehicle
under control at all times. If the braking
action does not return to normal, stop
as soon as it is safe to do so and call
an authorized Kia dealer for assis-
tance.
Don't coast down hills with the vehicle out of gear. This is extremely haz-
ardous. Keep the vehicle in gear at all
times, use the brakes to slow down,
then shift to a lower gear so that
engine braking will help you maintain a
safe speed. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. Resting
your foot on the brake pedal while driv-
ing can be dangerous because the
brakes might overheat and lose their
effectiveness. It also increases the
wear of the brake components.
If a tire goes flat while you are driving, apply the brakes gently and keep the
vehicle pointed straight ahead while
you slow down. When you are moving
slowly enough for it to be safe to do so,
pull off the road and stop in a safe
place.
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transaxle, don't let your vehi-
cle creep forward. To avoid creeping
forward, keep your foot firmly on the
brake pedal when the vehicle is
stopped.
WARNING - Tire/Wheel
size
When replacing tires and wheels,
make sure they are the same size
as the original tires and wheels
installed. Driving with varying tire
or wheel sizes may diminish any
supplemental safety benefits of the
VSM system.

527
Driving your vehicle
The cruise control system allows you to
program the vehicle to maintain a con-
stant speed without depressing the
accelerator pedal.
This system is designed to function
above approximately 40 km/h (25 mph).
If the cruise control is left on, (CRUISE
indicator light in the instrument cluster
illuminated) the cruise control can be
switched on accidentally. Keep the cruise
control system off (CRUISE indicator
light OFF) when the cruise control is not
in use, to avoid inadvertently setting a
speed.
Use the cruise control system only when
traveling on open highways in good
weather.
Do not use the cruise control when driv-
ing in heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snow-covered) or wind-
ing roads or over 6% up-hill or down-hill
roads.✽ ✽NOTICE
During normal cruise control operation,
when the SET switch is activated or
reactivated after applying the brakes,
the cruise control will energize after
approximately 3 seconds. This delay is
normal.
✽ ✽NOTICE
To activate cruise control, depress the
brake pedal at least once after turning
the ignition switch to the ON position or
starting the engine. This is to check if
the brake switch which is important
part to cancel cruise control is in normal
condition.
To set cruise control speed:
1. Press the CRUISE ON-OFF button on
the steering wheel to turn the system
on. The CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument cluster will illuminate.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed, which must be more than 40 km/h (25 mph).
CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING - Misuse cruise
control
Do not use cruise control if the traf-
fic situation does not allow you to
drive safely at a constant speed
and with sufficient distance to the
vehicle in front.
OTF050020

Driving your vehicle
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5
Use your air conditioning sparingly.
The air conditioning system is operat-
ed by engine power so your fuel econ-
omy is reduced when you use it.
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 con-
dition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorized Kia
dealer perform scheduled inspections
and maintenance.
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 run-
ning. In addition, turning off the
ignition while driving could engage
the steering wheel lock resulting in
loss of vehicle steering. Keep the
engine on and downshift to an
appropriate gear for engine braking
effect.

533
Driving your vehicle
Hazardous 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. Do not pump the brake pedal on a vehi-
cle equipped with ABS.
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.
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 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 over-
heating and possible damage to the
transaxle.
The ESC system should be turned OFF
prior to rocking the vehicle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING - Downshifting
Do not downshift with an automatic
transaxle while driving on slippery
surfaces. The sudden change in tire
speed could cause the tires to skid
and result in an accident.
CAUTION - Vehicle
rocking
Prolonged rocking may causeengine overheating, transaxle dam-age or failure, and tire damage.

539
Driving your vehicle
Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged position.
This is most likely to happen when there
is an accumulation of snow or ice around
or near the rear brakes or if the brakes
are wet. If there is a risk the parking
brake may freeze, apply it only temporar-
ily while you put the shift lever in P (auto-
matic transaxle) or in first or reverse gear
(manual transaxle) and block the rear
wheels so the vehicle cannot roll. Then
release the parking brake.
Don't let ice and snow accumu-
late underneath
Under some conditions, snow and ice
can build up under the fenders and inter-
fere with the steering. When driving in
severe winter conditions where this may
happen, you should periodically check
underneath the car to be sure the move-
ment of the front wheels and the steering
components is not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the weath-
er you should carry appropriate emer-
gency equipment. Some of the items you
may want to carry include, tow straps or
chains, flashlight, emergency flares,
sand, a shovel, jumper cables, a window
scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a
blanket, etc.

What to do in an emergency
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It is possible that some tires, especially
with larger punctures or damage to the
sidewall, cannot be sealed completely.
Air pressure loss in the tire may
adversely affect tire performance.
For this reason, you should avoid
abrupt steering or other driving
maneuvers, especially if the vehicle is
heavily loaded or if a trailer is in use.
The Tire Mobility Kit is not designed
or intended as a permanent tire
repair method and is to be used for
one tire only.
This instruction shows you step by
step procedure to temporarily seal
the puncture.
Read the section "Notes on the safe
use of the Tire Mobility Kit".Notes on the safe use of the
Tire Mobility Kit
Park your car at the side of the
road so that you can work with the
Tire Mobility Kit away from moving
traffic.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your park-
ing brake.
Only use the Tire Mobility Kit for sealing/inflation passenger car
tires. Only punctured areas located
within the tread region of the tire
can be sealed using the tire mobil-
ity kit.
Do not use on motorcycles, bicy- cles or any other type of tires.
When the tire and wheel are dam- aged, do not use Tire Mobility Kit
for your safety.
Use of the Tire Mobility Kit may not be effective for tire damage larger
than approximately 6 mm (0.24 in).
Please contact the nearest Kia
dealership if the tire cannot be
made roadworthy with the Tire
Mobility Kit. Do not use the Tire Mobility Kit if a
tire is severely damaged by driving
run flat or with insufficient air pres-
sure.
Do not remove any foreign objects such as nails or screws that have
penetrated the tire.
Provided the car is outdoors, leave the engine running. Otherwise
operating the compressor may
eventually drain the car battery.
Never leave the Tire Mobility Kit unattended while it is being used.
Do not leave the compressor run- ning for more than 10 min. at a time
or it may overheat.
Do not use the Tire Mobility Kit if the ambient temperature is below
-30°C (-22°F).

What to do in an emergency
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Using the Tire Mobility Kit
1.Detach the speed restriction label
(0) from the sealant bottle (1), and
place it in a highly visible place
inside the vehicle such as on the
steering wheel to remind the driver
not to drive too fast.
2.Screw connection hose (9) onto the connector of the sealant bottle.
3.Ensure that button (8) on the com- pressor is not pressed.
4.Unscrew the valve cap from the valve of the defective wheel and
screw filling hose (2) of the sealant
bottle onto the valve.
5.Insert the sealant bottle into the housing of the compressor (4)so
that the bottle is upright. 6. Ensure that the compressor is
switched off, position 0.
7. Connect between compressor and the vehicle power outlet using the
cable and connectors.
8. With the engine start/stop button position on or ignition switch posi-
tion on, switch on the compressor
and let it run for approximately 5~7
minutes to fill the sealant up to
proper pressure. (refer to the Tire
and Wheels, chapter 8). The infla-
tion pressure of the tire after filling
is unimportant and will be
checked/corrected later.
Be careful not to overinflate the tire
and stay away from the tire when
filling it. 9. Switch off the compressor.
10. Detach the hoses from the
sealant bottle connector and
from the tire valve.
Return the Tire Mobility Kit to its stor-
age location in the vehicle.
OEL069019
CAUTION - Tire pressure
Do not attempt to drive your vehicle if the tire pressure isbelow 200 kpa (29 PSI). Thiscould result in an accident dueto sudden tire failure.
WARNING - Carbon monoxide
Do not leave your vehicle run-
ning in a poorly ventilated area
for extended periods of time.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
and suffocation can occur.