2012 KIA Optima tow

495
Features of your vehicle
MAX A/C-Level (B, D, E)
To operate the MAX A/C, turn the tem-
perature knob to extreme left. Air flow is
directed toward the upper body and face.
In this mode, the air conditioning and the
recirculated air position will be selected
automatically.Instrument panel vents
The outlet vents can be opened or closed
separately using the thumbwheel.
Also, you can adjust the direction of air
delivered from these vents using the vent
control lever as shown.
Temperature control
The temperature control knob allows you
to control the temperature of the air flow-
ing from the ventilation system. To
change the air temperature in the pas-
senger compartment, turn the knob to
the right for warm air or left for cooler air.
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4103
Features of your vehicle
Manual heating and air condition-
ing
The heating and cooling system can be
controlled manually by pushing buttons
other than the AUTO button. In this case,
the system works sequentially according
to the order of buttons selected.
1. Start the engine.
2. Set the mode to the desired position.To improve the effectiveness of heat-ing and cooling :
- Heating:
- Cooling:
3. Set the temperature control to the desired position.
4. Set the air intake control to the outside (fresh) air or recirculated air position.
5. Set the fan speed control to the desired speed.
6. If air conditioning is desired, turn the air conditioning system on.
Press the AUTO button in order to con-
vert to full automatic control of the sys-
tem.
Mode selection
The mode selection button controls the
direction of the air flow through the venti-
lation system.
Every time you press the mode selection
button, the mode will change as follows:
Refer to the illustration in the “Manual cli-
mate control system”. Face-Level
Air flow is directed toward the upper body
and face. Additionally, each outlet can be
controlled to direct the air discharged
from the outlet.
Bi-Level
Air flow is discharged towards the face and
floor.
Floor-Level
Most of the air flow is directed to the
floor, with a small amount of the air being
directed to the windshield and side win-
dow defroster.
Floor/Defrost-Level
Most of the air flow is directed to the floor
and the windshield with a small amount
directed to the side window defrosters.
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Features of your vehicle
112
4
Auto defogging system (Only for
automatic climate control system, ifequipped)
Auto defogging reduces the probability of
fogging up the inside of the windshield by
automatically sensing the moisture of
inside the windshield.
The auto defogging system operates
when the heater or air conditioning is on.
This indicator illuminates
when the auto defogging
system senses the moisture
of inside the windshield and
operates. If more moisture is in the vehicle, higher
steps operate as follow. For example if
auto defogging does not defog inside the
windshield at step 1 Outside air position,
it tries to defog again at step 2 Blowing
air toward the windshield.
Step 1 : Outside air position
Step 2 :Blowing air toward the windshield
Step 3 : Increasing air flow toward the
windshield
Step 4 : Operating the air conditioning
Step 5 : Maximizing the air conditioning
If your vehicle is equipped with the auto
defogging system, it is automatically acti-
vated when the conditions are met.
However, if you would like to cancel the
auto defogging system, press the front
defroster button 4 times within 2 seconds
while pressing the AUTO button. The
indicator will blink 3 times to notify you
that the system is cancelled. To use the
auto defogging system again, follow the
procedures mentioned above.
If the battery has been disconnected or
discharged, it resets to the auto defog-
ging status.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
If the A/C off or recirculated air position
is manually selected while the auto
defogging system is on, the auto defog-
ging indicator will blink 3 times to give
notice that manual operation is can-
celed.
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CAUTION
Do not remove the sensor cover
located on the upper end of the driver side windshield glass.Damage to the system parts could occur and may not be covered byyour vehicle warranty.

Features of your vehicle
122
4
Aux, USB and iPod®* port
If your vehicle has an aux and/or
USB(universal serial bus) port or iPod®
port, you can use an aux port to connect
audio devices and an USB port to plug in
an USB and also an iPod
®port to plug in
an iPod®.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
When using a portable audio device
connected to the power outlet, noise may
occur during playback. If this happens,
use the power source of the portable
audio device.
*iPod®is a trademark of Apple Inc.
How vehicle audio works
AM and FM radio signals are broadcast
from transmitter towers located around
your city. They are intercepted by the
radio antenna on your vehicle. This signal
is then received by the radio and sent to
your vehicle speakers.
When a strong radio signal has reached
your vehicle, the precise engineering of
your audio system ensures the best pos-
sible quality reproduction. However, in
some cases the signal coming to your
vehicle may not be strong and clear. This
can be due to factors such as the dis-
tance from the radio station, closeness of
other strong radio stations or the pres-
ence of buildings, bridges or other large
obstructions in the area. AM broadcasts can be received at
greater distances than FM broadcasts.
This is because AM radio waves are
transmitted at low frequencies. These
long, low frequency radio waves can fol-
low the curvature of the earth rather than
travelling straight out into the atmos-
phere. In addition, they curve around
obstructions so that they can provide bet-
ter signal coverage.
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AM radio reception
JBM001
FM radio reception

5
Before driving / 5-3
Key positions / 5-4
Engine start/stop button / 5-6
Starting the engine / 5-9
Manual transaxle / 5-12
Automatic transaxle / 5-15
Brake system / 5-23
ESC (Electronic stability control) / 5-28
HAC (Hill-start assist control) / 5-32
VSM (Vehicle stability management) / 5-33
Active eco system / 5-36
Cruise control system / 5-37
Economical operation / 5-41
Special driving conditions / 5-43
Winter driving / 5-47
Vehicle load limit / 5-50
Vehicle weight / 5-55
Trailer towing / 5-55
Driving your vehicle

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.
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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
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543
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.
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 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.

549
Driving your vehicle
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.