
Driving your vehicle
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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 movements in 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 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.
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 over-heating, transaxle dam-age or failure, and tire damage.
CAUTION
The ESC system (if equipped)should be turned OFF prior to rock- ing the vehicle.
WARNING- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, especially
at speeds more than 56 km/h (35
mph). Spinning the wheels at high
speeds when the vehicle is station-
ary could cause a tire to overheat,
explode and injure bystanders.
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 opera-
tion the vehicle may suddenly move
forward or backward as it becomes
unstuck, causing injury or damage
to nearby people or objects.

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We recommend that you carry emer-
gency equipment, including a window
scraper, windshield de-icer, a bag of
sand or salt, flares, a small shovel and
jumper cables.
Make sure you have sufficient ethyl- ene-glycol coolant in the radiator.
Check the battery condition and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the
capacity of any battery, so it must be in
excellent condition to provide enough
winter starting power.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for cold weather.
Check the ignition system for loose connections and damage.
Use antifreeze-formulated windshield washer fluid. (Do not use engine
coolant antifreeze.)
Do not use the parking brake if it might freeze. When parking, shift to P (Park)
with an automatic transaxle and block
the rear wheels.Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your Kia,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the original
tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels
to balance your vehicle’s handling in all
weather conditions. Keep in mind that the
traction provided by snow tires on dry
roads may not be as high as your vehi-
cle's original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for max-
imum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without firstchecking local, state and municipal regu-lations for possible restrictions againsttheir use.
WINTER DRIVING
WARNING- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent in
size and type to the vehicle's stan-
dard tires. Otherwise, the safety and
handling of your vehicle may be
adversely affected.
TRAILER TOWING
WARNING- Towing a trail- er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive improperly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
- or even at all. You and your pas-
sengers could be seriously or fatal-
ly injured. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this
section.
WARNING- Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and trailer tongue load
are all within the limits.

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Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the infor-
mation in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section.
Remember that trailering is different than
just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering requires correct equip-
ment, and it has to be used properly.This section contains many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your
safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against
the load of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads. This
additional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
Hitches
It's important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few rea-
sons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are some rules to follow:
Will you have to make any holes in the
body of your vehicle when you install a
trailer hitch? If you do, then be sure to
seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can
get into your vehicle, as well as dirt and
water.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do not attach
rental hitches or other bumper-type
hitches to them. Use only a frame-
mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.Item kg (lbs.)
Maximum trailer Without trailer brakes 453 (1000)
weight With trailer brakes 1587 (3500)
Maximum permissible static vertical
load on the coupling device 158 (350)
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result incostly repairs not covered by yourwarranty. To pull a trailer correctly,follow the advice in this section.

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Driving your vehicle
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because of the increased vehicle length,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide
you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
connected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signals
when, in fact, they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect and then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.
Your Authorized Kia Dealer can assist
you in installing the wiring harness.
Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 70 km/h (45
mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
and you have an automatic transaxle,
you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-
ing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat build up
and extend the life of your transaxle.
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer
wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.

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Parking on hills
Generally, you should not park your vehi-
cle, with a trailer attached, on a hill.
People can be seriously or fatally injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged if they begin a downhill tra-
jectory.
However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your brakes, but don’t shift into
gear.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brakes until the chocks
absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brakes. Apply your park- ing brake, and then shift to P (Park) for
an automatic transaxle.
5. Release the brakes.
When you are ready to leave after parking on a hill
1. With the automatic transaxle in P (Park), apply your brakes and hold the
brake pedal down while you:
and
2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 6%) payclose attention to the enginecoolant temperature gauge toensure the engine does not over-heat. If the needle of the coolanttemperature gauge moves acrossthe dial towards “H” (HOT), pullover and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and allow the engine toidle until it cools down. You mayproceed once the engine hascooled sufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the possi-bility of engine and transaxleoverheating.
WARNING- Parking on a hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause serious
injury or death, should the trailer
break lose.
WARNING- Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake is
not firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be seriously or
fatally injured.

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Driving your vehicle
Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-
tion to include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently check. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nuts
and bolts should be tight.
If you do decide to pull a trailer
Here are some important points if you
decide to pull a trailer:
government have varying trailering
laws. Make sure your hitch, mirrors,
lights and wiring arrangements are
legal, not only where you live, but also
where you’ll be driving. A good source
for this information is provincial or local
law enforcement agencies.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway control.
After your odometer indicates 800 km (500 miles) or more, you can tow a
trailer. For the first 800 km (500 miles)
that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and don’t make
starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle
“wear” in at the heavier loads.
Always drive your vehicle at a moder- ate speed (less than 100 km/h (60
mph)).
On a long uphill grade, do not exceed 70 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower.
The important considerations have to do with weight:CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer usage, overheating might occurin hot days or during uphill driv-ing. If the coolant gauge indicates over-heating, switch off the A/Cand stop the vehicle in a safe area to cool down the engine.
When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with the air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan toimprove engine performancewhen towing a trailer.

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Driving your vehicle
Vehicle identification number
(VIN)
The vehicle identification number (VIN) is
the number used in registering your car
and in all legal matters pertaining to its
ownership, etc.
The number is punched on the engine
compartment bulkhead.The VIN is also on a plate attached to the
top of the dashboard. The number on the
plate can easily be seen through the
windshield from outside.
Vehicle certification label
The vehicle certification label attached
on the driver's side center pillar gives the
vehicle identification number (VIN).
LABEL INFORMATION
There are several important labels and identification numbers located on your vehicle. The label locations are identified in the illus-
trations shown.
OVQ076001NOVQ076002N
Frame numberVIN (if equipped)
OVQ066023N
Identification label (if equipped)

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Tire specification / pressure label
The tires supplied on your new vehicle
are chosen to provide the best perform-
ance for normal driving.
The tire label located on the driver's side
center pillar gives the tire pressures rec-
ommended for your vehicle.
Engine number
The engine number is stamped on the
engine block as shown in the drawing.
OVQ081005OVQ066022N