2011 KIA Optima wheel

Driving your vehicle
45
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will illuminate for your con-
venience, provided the ignition switch is
not in the ON position. The light will go off
immediately when the ignition switch is
turned on. It will also go off after about 30
seconds when the door is closed.
Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. (if equipped) The ignition
key can be removed only in the LOCK
position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key toward
the LOCK position.
OTF050001
WARNING
When you intend to park or stopthe vehicle with the engine on, be
careful not to depress the accel-
erator pedal for a long period of
time. It may overheat the engine
or exhaust system and cause fire.
When you make a sudden stop or turn the steering wheel rapidly,
loose objects may drop on the
floor and it could interfere with
the operation of the foot pedals,
possibly causing an accident.
Keep all things in the vehicle
safely stored.
If you do not focus on driving, it may cause an accident. Be care-
ful when operating what may dis-
turb driving such as audio or
heater. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always drive safely.
KEY POSITIONS
OTF050002

55
Driving your vehicle
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked (if
equipped) and electrical accessories are
operative.
ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is the
normal running position after the engine
is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if theengine is not running to prevent batterydischarge.
START
Turn the ignition switch to the START
position to start the engine. The engine
will crank until you release the key; then
it returns to the ON position. The brake
warning light can be checked in this posi-
tion.
WARNING- Ignition switch
Never turn the ignition switch to LOCK or ACC while the vehicle is
moving. This would result in loss
of directional control and braking
function, which could cause an
accident.
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever
is engaged in 1st gear for the
manual transaxle or P (Park) for
the automatic transaxle, set the
parking brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and sud-
den vehicle movement may occur
if these precautions are not
taken.
Never reach for the ignition switch, or any other controls
through the steering wheel while
the vehicle is in motion. The pres-
ence of your hand or arm in this
area could cause a loss of vehicle
control, an accident and serious
bodily injury or death.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Do not place any movable objectsaround the driver’s seat as they
may move while driving, interfere
with the driver and lead to an
accident.

Driving your vehicle
85
✽
✽

NOTICE
If you leave the ENGINE START/ STOP
button in the ACC or ON position for a
long time, the battery will discharge.
WARNING
Never press the ENGINE START/
STOP button while the vehicle is
in motion except in an emer-
gency. If the engine stops while
the vehicle is in motion, this
would result in loss of directional
control and braking function,
which could cause an accident.
Before leaving the driver's seat, always make sure the shift lever
is engaged in P (Park), set the
parking brake fully and shut the
engine off. Unexpected and sud-
den vehicle movement may occur
if these precautions are not
taken.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Never reach for the ENGINESTART/STOP button or any other
controls through the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in
motion. The presence of your
hand or arm in the area could
cause loss of vehicle control, an
accident and serious bodily
injury or death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver's seat as they
may move while driving, interfere
with the driver and lead to an
accident.

Driving your vehicle
14
5
Good driving practices
Never take the vehicle out of gear and
coast down a hill. This is extremely
hazardous. Always leave the vehicle in
gear.
Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunction.
Instead, when you are driving down a
long hill, shift to a lower gear. When
you do this, engine braking will help
slow down the vehicle.
Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. This will help avoid over-revving
the engine, which can cause damage.
Slow down when you encounter cross winds. This gives you much better con-
trol of your vehicle.
Be sure the vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into
R (Reverse). The transaxle can be
damaged if you do not. To shift into R
(Reverse), depress the clutch, move
the shift lever to neutral, wait three sec-
onds, then shift to the R (Reverse)
position.
Exercise extreme caution when driving on a slippery surface. Be especially
careful when braking, accelerating or
shifting gears. On a slippery surface,
an abrupt change in vehicle speed can
cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle to go out of control.WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision,
an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted 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.
Losing control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the road-
way and the driver oversteers 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
16
5
For smooth operation, depress the brake
pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to aforward or reverse gear. Transaxle ranges
The indicator light in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position when
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
WARNING- Automatic
transaxle
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting a shift lever into D (Drive)
or R (Reverse).
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the engine off. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order iden-
tified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your transaxle, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for-ward gear position with thebrakes on.
When stopped on an upgrade, do not hold the vehicle with enginepower. Use the service brake orthe parking brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R(Reverse) when the engine isabove idle speed.

517
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or service brakes are applied.D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 6-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into D.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion will cause the
drive wheels to lock which will
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle.
Do not use the P (Park) position in place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
and set the parking brake fully.
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged ifyou shift into P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is inmotion, except when “Rocking theVehicle” explained in this section.

521
Driving your vehicle
Exercise extreme caution when drivingon a slippery surface. Be especially
careful when braking, accelerating or
shifting gears. On a slippery surface,
an abrupt change in vehicle speed can
cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle to go out of control.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the accelera-
tor pedal.
WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision,an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted 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.
Losing control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the road-
way and the driver oversteers 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.
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 of backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or
objects.

527
Driving your vehicle
The ABS continuously senses the speed
of the wheels. If the wheels are going to
lock, the ABS system repeatedly modu-
lates the hydraulic brake pressure to the
wheels.
When you apply your brakes under con-
ditions which may lock the wheels, you
may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensation
in the brake pedal. This is normal and it
means your ABS is active.
In order to obtain the maximum benefit
from your ABS in an emergency situa-
tion, do not attempt to modulate your
brake pressure and do not try to pump
your brakes. Press your brake pedal as
hard as possible or as hard as the situa-
tion allows the ABS to control the force
being delivered to the brakes.
✽ ✽NOTICE
A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehicle
begins to move after the engine is start-
ed. These conditions are normal and
indicate that the anti-lock brake system
is functioning properly.
Even with the anti-lock brake system,
your vehicle still requires sufficient
stopping distance. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front
of you.
Always slow down when cornering. The anti-lock brake system cannot pre-
vent accidents resulting from exces-
sive speeds.
On loose or uneven road surfaces, operation of the anti-lock brake system
may result in a longer stopping dis-
tance than for vehicles equipped with a
conventional brake system.
(Continued)
The safety features of an ABS (or
ESC) equipped vehicle should not
be tested by high speed driving or
cornering. This could endanger the
safety of yourself or others.
W-78
CAUTION
If the ABS warning light is on and
stays on, you may have a problemwith the ABS. In this case, howev-er, your regular brakes will worknormally.
The ABS warning light will stay on for approximately 3 seconds afterthe ignition switch is ON. Duringthat time, the ABS will go throughself-diagnosis and the light will gooff if everything is normal. If thelight stays on, you may have aproblem with your ABS. Contactan authorized KIA dealer as soonas possible.