
Features of your vehicle
16
3
Closing the tailgate
To close the tailgate, lower and push
down the tailgate firmly. Make sure that
the tailgate is securely latched.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• In cold and wet climates, door lock
and door mechanisms may not work
properly due to freezing conditions.
• When jacking up the vehicle to change a tire or repair the vehicle, do
not operate the tailgate. This could
cause the tailgate to close improperly.
1VQA2010
WARNING - Tailgate
The tailgate swings upward. Make
sure no objects or people are near
the rear of the vehicle when open-
ing the tailgate.
CAUTION
Make certain that you close the tail-
gate before driving your vehicle.Possible damage may occur to thetailgate lift cylinders and attachinghardware if the tailgate is notclosed prior to driving.
WARNING- Exhaust
fumes
If you drive with the tailgate open,
you will draw dangerous exhaust
fumes into your vehicle which can
cause serious injury or death to
vehicle occupants.
If you must drive with the tailgate
open, keep the air vents and all win-
dows open so that additional out-
side air comes into the vehicle.
WARNING- Rear cargo
area
Occupants should never ride in the
rear cargo area where no restraints
are available. To avoid injury in the
event of an accident or sudden
stops, occupants should always be
properly restrained.

325
Features of your vehicle
When the power ON/OFF button(PWR) is OFF (not depressed), the
power tailgate can not be controlled
with the sub control buttons or tailgate
handle, and if the sub control button is
pushed, the chime sounds once.
However, the tailgate may be opened
manually by pulling the exterior handle
and lifting the tailgate upward. The tail-
gate may be manually closed by push-
ing the tailgate downward.
If the power tailgate is not closed andlatched completely after power closing
operation, the chime sounds 3 times.
If the power tailgate is operated while the tailgate is in partially opened posi-
tion (less than 20 degrees), the tailgate
is automatically opened fully.
If the power tailgate is operated while
the tailgate is in half-opened position
(more than 20 degrees), the tailgate is
automatically closed completely. If the power tailgate is operated again
while the tailgate is closing, the tailgate
is automatically opened fully.
If the power tailgate is operated again while the tailgate is opening, the tail-
gate is automatically closed complete-
ly. However, if the power tailgate button
is pressed again when the tailgate is
open less than 20 degrees, the tailgate
will continue to open.
Power tailgate non-opening condi-tions
The power tailgate will not open auto-
matically, but will close under the follow-
ing conditions. If the main or sub control
button is pushed for power opening oper-
ation, the chime sounds once.
When the ignition switch is in the ON
position,
1. Vehicle is moving above 5 km/h (3 mph).
2. The gearshift lever is not in P (Park) for automatic transaxle.WARNING
Even though the power ON/OFF
button (PWR) is in the OFF (not
depressed) position, the tailgate
will still be propelled upward by
mechanical force if the tailgate is
manually opened more than 20
degrees beyond the fully closed
position. In addition, if the tailgate
is manually closed to the secondary
latch position, the tailgate will be
electrically moved to the fully
latched position. Make sure that
face, arms, hands, and other
obstructions are safely out of the
way before operating the tailgate.
WARNING
Make sure there are no people or
objects around the tailgate before
operating the power tailgate. Wait
until the tailgate is open fully and
stopped before loading or unload-
ing cargo or passengers from the
vehicle.
WARNING
Make sure the tailgate is closed
firmly before driving. If the tailgate
is open, you will draw dangerous
exhaust fumes into your vehicle
which can cause serious injury or
death to vehicle occupants.

Features of your vehicle
38
3
(Continued)
seatback upright and the lap por-
tion of the safety belt snug and
low across the hips. This is the
best position to protect you in
case of an accident.
In order to avoid unnecessary and perhaps severe airbag
injuries, always sit as far back as
possible from the steering wheel
so that your chest is at least 250
mm (10 inches) away from the
steering wheel.
WARNING- Driver’s seat
Never attempt to adjust seat whilethe vehicle is moving. This could
result in loss of control, and an
accident causing death, serious
injury, or property damage.
Do not allow anything to interfere with the normal position of the
seatback. Storing items against a
seatback or in any other way
interfering with proper locking of
a seatback could result in serious
or fatal injury in a sudden stop or
collision.
(Continued)
WARNING - Uprighting
seat
When you return the seatback to its
upright position, hold the seatback
and return it slowly and be sure
there are no other occupants
around the seat. If the seatback is
returned without being held and
controlled, the back of the seat
could spring forward resulting in
accidental injury to a person struck
by the seatback.
WARNING- Rear Seatback
The rear seatback must besecurely latched. If not, passen-
gers and objects could be thrown
forward resulting in serious
injury or death in the event of a
sudden stop or collision.
Luggage and other cargo should be laid flat in the cargo area. If
objects are large, heavy, or must
be piled, they must be secured.
Under no circumstances should
cargo be piled higher than the
seatbacks.
(Continued)
(Continued)Failure to follow these warnings
could result in serious injury or
death in the event of a sudden
stop, collision or rollover.
No passenger should ride in the cargo area or sit or lie on folded
seatbacks while the vehicle is
moving. All passengers must be
in seats and restrained properly
while riding.
When resetting the seatback to the upright position, make sure it
is securely latched by pushing it
forward and backwards.
To avoid the possibility of burns, do not remove the carpet in the
cargo area. Emission controls
beneath this floor generate high
exhaust temperatures.
Use extreme caution so that hands or other objects are not
caught in the seat mechanisms
while the seat is moving.
Do not put a cigarette lighter on the floor or seat. When you oper-
ate the seat, gas may gush out of
the lighter and cause fire.

43
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ignition switch
(if equipped)
Whenever front door is opened, the igni-
tion switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition switch
is not in the ON position. The light will go
off immediately when the ignition switch
is turned on or go off after about 10 sec-
onds when the door is closed.
Ignition switch and anti-theft
steering column lock
Ignition switch position
LOCKThe steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. 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.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical 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 the
engine is not running to prevent battery discharge.
START
Turn the ignition key to the START posi-
tion to start the engine. The engine will
crank until you release the key; then it
returns to the ON position. The brake
warning lamp can be checked in this
position.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position, turn
the key while turning the steering wheel
right and left to release the tension.
KEY POSITIONS
1VQA30171VQA3018
WARNING
When you intend to park or stop the
vehicle with the engine on, be care-
ful not to depress the accelerator
pedal for a long period of time. It
may overheat the engine or exhaust
system and cause fire.

429
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.

Maintenance
66
Kilometers or time in months, whichever comes first
× 1,000 km 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144 156 168 180 192
# Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96
Front brake disc/pads, calipers I I I IIIII
Rear brake disc/pads I I I IIIII
Parking brake I I I I
Exhaust pipes, heat shield & mountings I I I IIIII
Front suspension ball jonts I I I IIIII
Steering gear box, linkage & boots/ IIIII IIIIIIII III
lower arm ball joint, upper arm ball joint
Drive shaft dust boots I I I IIIII
All latch, hinges and locks I I I IIIII
Battery condition I I I I I I IIIIIII III
MAINTENANCE
INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE
ITEM
NORMAL MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE (CONT.)
R : Replace or change I : Inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace.

Maintenance
10
6
OWNER MAINTENANCE
Owner maintenance schedule
The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed by
the owner or an Authorized Kia Dealer at
the frequencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your dealer as
soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks are
generally not covered by warranties and
you may be charged for labor, parts and
lubricants used.
When you stop for fuel:
Check the engine oil level.
Check coolant level in coolant reser-
voir.
Check the windshield washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of the exhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering
wheel, or change in its straight-ahead
position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling on smooth, level road.
When stopping, listen and check for unusual sounds, pulling to one side,
increased brake pedal travel or “hard-
to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the oper- ation of your transaxle occurs, check
the transaxle fluid level.
Check automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-
mal).
At least monthly:
Check coolant level in the coolantrecovery reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all tires including the spare.
At least twice a year (i.e., every Spring and Fall):
Check radiator, heater and air condi- tioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check windshield washer spray and wiper operation. Clean wiper blades
with clean cloth dampened with wash-
er fluid.
Check headlight alignment.
Check muffler, exhaust pipes, shields and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel lug nuts.
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause burns or
other serious injury.

Underbody maintenance
Corrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may col-
lect on the underbody. If these materials
are not removed, accelerated rusting can
occur on underbody parts such as the
fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust
system, even though they have been
treated with rust protection.
Thoroughly flush the vehicle underbody
and wheel openings with lukewarm or
cold water once a month at the end of
each winter. Pay special attention to
these areas because it is difficult to see
all the mud and dirt. It will do more harm
than good to wet down the road grime
without removing it. The lower edges of
doors, rocker panels, and frame mem-
bers have drain holes that should not be
allowed to clog with dirt; trapped water in
these areas can cause rusting.
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated with a
clear protective finish.
Do not use any abrasive cleaner, pol-ishing compound, solvent, or wire
brushes on aluminum wheels. They
may scratch or damage the finish.
Use only a mild soap or neutral deter- gent, and rinse thoroughly with water.
Also, be sure to clean the wheels after
driving on salted roads. This helps pre-
vent corrosion.
Avoid washing the wheels with high- speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any acid detergent. It may damage and corrode the aluminum
wheels coated with a clear protective
finish.
Interior care
Interior general precautions
Prevent caustic solutions such as per-
fume and cosmetic oil from contacting
the dashboard because they may cause
damage or discoloration. If they do con-
tact the dashboard, wipe them off imme-
diately. See the instructions that follow for
the proper way to clean vinyl.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
Never allow water or other liquids to
come in contact with electrical/ electron-
ic components inside the vehicle as this
may damage them.
CAUTION
When cleaning leather products
(steering wheel, seats etc.), use neutral detergents or low alcoholcontent solutions. If you use highalcohol content solutions or acid/alkaline detergents, the colorof the leather may fade or the sur- face may get stripped off.
WARNING
After washing the vehicle, test the
brakes while driving slowly to see if
they have been affected by water. If
braking performance is impaired,
dry the brakes by applying them
lightly while maintaining a slow for-
ward speed.
648
Maintenance