2012 KIA Optima Owner's Manual

59
Driving your vehicle
Starting the engine with an igni-
tion key (if equipped)
1. Make sure the parking brake isapplied.
2. Manual Transaxle - Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the clutch
pedal and brake pedal depressed
while turning the ignition switch to the
start position.
Automatic Transaxle - Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine when the shift lever is in the N (Neutral)position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to START and
hold it there until the engine starts (a
maximum of 10 seconds), then
release the key.
4. In extremely cold weather (below 0°F / -18°C) or after the vehicle has
not been operated for several days, let
the engine warm up without depress-
ing the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm, itshould be started without depressingthe accelerator.
STARTING THE ENGINE
WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski
boots,etc.) may interfere with your
ability to use the brake, accelerator
pedal, and clutch (if equipped).
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while the vehicleis in motion, do not attempt to move the shift lever to the P (Park) posi-tion. If traffic and road conditionspermit, you may put the shift leverin the N (Neutral) position while thevehicle is still moving and turn theignition switch to the START posi- tion in an attempt to restart theengine.
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter for more than 10 seconds. If the engine stallsor fails to start, wait 5 to 10 seconds before re-engaging the starter.Improper use of the starter maydamage it.

Driving your vehicle
10
5
Starting the engine with a smart
key (if equipped)
1. Carry the smart key or leave it inside
the vehicle.
2. Make sure the parking brake is firmly applied
3. Automatic Transaxle - Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
4. Press the ENGINE START/STOP but- ton while depressing the brake pedal.
5. In extremely cold weather (below -18°C (0°F)) or after the vehicle has
not been operated for several days, let
the engine warm up without depress-
ing the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without depressing the
accelerator. Even if the smart key is in the vehicle,
if it is far away from you, the engine
may not start.
When the ENGINE START/STOP but- ton is in the ACC position or above, if
any door is opened, the system checks
for the smart key. If the smart key is not
in the vehicle, the warning "Key is not
in vehicle" will illuminate on the LCD
display. And if all doors are closed, the
chime will sound for 5 seconds. The
indicator or warning will turn off while
the vehicle is moving. Always have the
smart key with you.WARNING
The engine will start, only when the
smart key is in the vehicle.
Never allow children or any person
who is unfamiliar with the vehicle
touch the ENGINE START/STOP
button or related parts.
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while the vehicleis in motion, do not attempt to movethe shift lever to the P (Park) posi- tion. If the traffic and road condi-tions permit, you may put the shiftlever in the N (Neutral) position while the vehicle is still moving andpress the ENGINE START/STOP button in an attempt to restart theengine.
OTF050007

511
Driving your vehicle
✽
✽

NOTICE
• If the battery is weak or the smart key
does not work correctly, you can start
the engine by inserting the smart key
in the smart key holder. When you
pull out the smart key from the smart
key holder, press the smart key and
pull it out. (Continued)(Continued)
• When the stop lamp fuse is blown, you
can't start the engine normally.
Replace the fuse with a new one. If it
is not possible, you can start the
engine by pressing the ENGINE
START/STOP button for 10 seconds
while it is in the ACC position. The
engine can start without depressing
the brake pedal. But for your safety
always depress the brake pedal before
starting the engine.CAUTION
Do not press the ENGINE START/
STOP button for more than 10 sec-onds except when the stop lampfuse is blown.
OTF050006

Driving your vehicle
12
5
Manual transaxle operation
The manual transaxle has 6 forward
gears.
This shift pattern is imprinted on the shift
knob. The transaxle is fully synchronized
in all forward gears so shifting to either a
higher or a lower gear is easily accom-
plished.
Depress the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, then release it slowly.
If your vehicle is equipped with an igni-
tion lock switch, the engine will not start
when starting the engine without
depressing the clutch pedal.
The shift lever must be returned to the
neutral position before shifting into R
(Reverse). The ring (1) located below the
shift knob must be pulled upward while
moving the shift lever to the R (Reverse)
position.
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into R (Reverse).
Never operate the engine with thetachometer (rpm) in the red zone.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
OTF050009N
The shift lever can be moved without
pulling the ring (1).
The ring (1) must be pulled while mov-
ing the shift lever.
CAUTION
When downshifting from fifth gear to fourth gear, cautionshould be taken not to inadver- tently press the shift lever side-ways in such a manner that thesecond gear is engaged. Such a drastic downshift may cause theengine speed to increase to the point that the tachometer willenter the red-zone. Such over- revving of the engine andtransaxle may possibly causeengine damage.
Do not downshift more than 2 gears or downshift the gear whenthe engine is running at high speed (5,000 RPM or higher).Such a downshifting may damage the engine.

513
Driving your vehicle
During cold weather, shifting may bedifficult until the transaxle lubricant is
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and it's hard to shift into 1st or R (Reverse),
leave the shift lever at neutral position
and release the clutch. Depress the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R (Reverse) gear position.Using the clutch
The clutch should be depressed all the
way to the floor before shifting, then
released slowly. The clutch pedal should
always be fully released while driving. Do
not rest your foot on the clutch pedal
while driving. This can cause unneces-
sary wear. Do not partially engage the
clutch to hold the vehicle on an incline.
This causes unnecessary wear. Use the
foot brake or parking brake to hold the
vehicle on an incline. Do not operate the
clutch pedal rapidly and repeatedly.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or while driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labor.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you need to increase your speed
again. When the vehicle is traveling down
steep hills, downshifting helps maintain
safe speed and prolongs brake life.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutchpedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle on an uphillgrade, while waiting for a trafficlight, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, as thiscan result in premature wear ofthe transaxle shift forks.
WARNING
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then
make sure the transaxle is shifted
into 1st gear when the vehicle is
parked on a level or uphill grade,
and shifted into R (Reverse) on a
downhill grade. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are not
followed in the order identified.

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.

515
Driving your vehicle
Automatic transaxle operation
The automatic transaxle has 6 forward
speeds and one reverse speed. The indi-
vidual speeds are selected automatically,
depending on the position of the shift
lever.
✽ ✽NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, if
the battery has been disconnected, may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and the shifting sequence will
adjust after shifts are cycled a few times
by the TCM (Transaxle Control
Module) or PCM (Powertrain Control
Module).
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
OTF050010-1
Depress the brake pedal and the lock release button when shifting.
The shift lever can be shifted freely. Press the button when shifting.

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.