483
Features of your vehicle
Low Tire PressureWarning Light(if equipped)
This warning light illuminates:
Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON
position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3seconds and then goes off.
When one or more of your tires are significantly underinflated (The
location of the underinflated tires
are displayed on the LCD display).
For more details, refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in chapter 6. This warning light remains on after
blinking for approximately 60 seconds
or repeats blinking and off at the
intervals of approximately 3 seconds:
When there is a malfunction with
the TPMS.
In this case, have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
For more details, refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in chapter 6.
WARNING - Safe Stopping
The TPMS cannot alert you to severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors.
If you notice any vehicle insta- bility, immediately take your
foot off the accelerator pedal,
apply the brakes gradually with
light force, and slowly move to
a safe position off the road.
WARNING
- Low tire pressure
Significantly low tire pressure makes the vehicle unstable
and can contribute to loss of
vehicle control and increased
braking distances.
Continued driving or low pres- sure tires will cause the tires to
overheat and fail.
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outsidemirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in Section 7,
“Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-trols are easily reached.
Buckle your seat belt.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light
goes off.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
53
Driving your vehicle
WARNING - Distracted driving
Focus on the road while driving.
The driver's primary responsi-
bility is in the safe and legal
operation of the vehicle. Use of
any hand held devices, other
equipment or vehicle systems
that distract the driver should
not be used during vehicle
operation.
WARNING
- Check surrounding
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
putting a vehicle into D (Drive)
or R (Reverse).
533
Driving your vehicle
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the ESC system to
malfunction. When replacing tires,
make sure they are the same size as
your original tires.ESC OFF usage
When driving
It’s a good idea to keep the ESCturned on for daily driving whenev-
er possible.
To turn ESC off while driving, press the ESC OFF button while driving
on a flat road surface.
Never press the ESC OFF button
while ESC is operating (ESC indica-
tor light blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may slip out of
control.
Hill-start assist control (HAC)
Hill start Assist Control is a comfort
function. The main intent is to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards while driving uphill on an
inclined surface. HAC holds the brak-
ing pressure builtup by driver during
stopping procedure for 2 seconds
after releasing brake pedal.
During the pressure-hold period, the
driver has enough time to press the
accelerator pedal to drive off.
The braking pressure is reduced as
soon as the system detects the dri-
ver’s intention to drive off.
WARNING - Operating ESC
Never press the ESC OFF but-
ton while ESC is operating.
If the ESC is turned off while
ESC is operating, the vehicle
may go out of control.
WARNING - ActivatingHAC
Drivers should pay close atten-
tion when activating the HAC.
The vehicle may roll backward
causing an accident due to
insufficient brake hold pres-
sure.
WARNING - Electronic
stability control
Drive carefully even though
your vehicle has Electronic
Stability Control. It can only
assist you in maintaining con-
trol under certain circum-
stances.
535
Driving your vehicle
The VSM is designed to functionabove approximately 18 mph (30
km/h) when a vehicle is braking on
a split-mu road. The split-mu road
is made of surfaces which have dif-
ferent friction forces.
The Vehicle Stability Management system is not a substitute for safe
driving practices but a supplemen-
tary function only. It is the respon-
sibility of the driver to always check
the speed and the distance to the
vehicle ahead. Always hold the
steering wheel firmly while driving.
Your vehicle is designed to activate according to the driver’s intention,
even with installed VSM. Always
follow all the normal precautions
for driving at safe speeds for the
conditions – including driving in
inclement weather and on a slip-
pery road.Good braking practices
Check to be sure the parking brakeis not engaged and that the park-
ing brake indicator light is out
before driving away.
Driving through water may get the brakes wet. They can also get wet
when the vehicle is washed. Wet
brakes can be dangerous! Your
vehicle will not stop as quickly if the
brakes are wet. Wet brakes may
cause the vehicle to pull to one
side.
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action
returns to normal, taking care to
keep the vehicle under control at
all times. If the braking action does
not return to normal, stop as soon
as it is safe to do so and call an
authorized Kia dealer for assis-
tance.
Don't coast down hills with the vehicle out of gear. This is extreme-
ly hazardous. Keep the vehicle in
gear at all times, use the brakes to
slow down, then shift to a lower
gear so that engine braking will
help you maintain a safe speed.WARNING - Tire/Wheelsize
When replacing tires and
wheels, make sure they are the
same size as the original tires
and wheels installed. Driving
with varying tire or wheel sizes
may diminish any supplemental
safety benefits of the VSM sys-
tem.
Driving your vehicle
64
5
ECONOMICAL OPERATION
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many miles (kilometers) you can get
from a gallon (liter) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in both
fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a
moderate rate. Don't make "jack-
rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts
and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Don't race between stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed to
the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily.
Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you
can avoid unnecessary braking.
This also reduces brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your
vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate
speed, especially on the highway,
is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with
your foot resting on the brake pedal
may cause the brakes to overheat,
which reduces their effectiveness
and may lead to more serious con-
sequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire wear and may also result
in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condi-
tion. For better fuel economy and
reduced maintenance costs, main-
tain your vehicle in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in
section 7. If you drive your vehicle
in severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see sec-
tion 7 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maxi- mum service, your vehicle should
be kept clean and free of corrosive
materials. It is especially important
that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be
allowed to accumulate on the
underside of the vehicle. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to
corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unneces- sary weight in your vehicle. Weight
reduces fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting
(and not in traffic), turn off your
engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
Driving your vehicle
66
5
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extra
distance 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. Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,
use second gear. Accelerate slow-
ly to avoid spinning the drive
wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, or other non- slip material under the drive
wheels to provide 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 vehi-
cle pulled out by a tow vehicle to
avoid engine overheating and possi-
ble damage to the transaxle.
The ESC system should be turned
OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING
- Downshifting
Do not downshift with an auto-
matic transaxle while driving on
slippery surfaces. The sudden
change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid and
result in an accident.
CAUTION - Vehicle rocking
Prolonged rocking may cause
engine overheating, transaxledamage or failure, and tire dam-age.
567
Driving your vehicle
Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are
wet. Ideally, corners should always
be taken under gentle acceleration. If
you follow these suggestions, tire
wear will be held to a minimum.
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
Slow down and keep more dis-tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
OBH058035LOMC035004WARNING- Sudden
vehicle movement
Do not attempt to rock the vehi-
cle if people or objects are near-
by. The vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backwards as
it becomes unstuck.
CAUTION - Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 35mph (56 km/h). Spinning thewheels at high speeds when thevehicle is stationary couldcause a tire to overheat whichcould result in tire damage.
Driving your vehicle
68
5
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the
glare from other driver's head-
lights.
Keep your headlights clean and properly aimed on vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature. Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head- lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harderto see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
Keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield. If your tires are not in good condi-
tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it easier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large pud- dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel
hub. Drive through any water slowly.
Allow adequate stopping distance
because brake performance may be
affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them sev-
eral times while the vehicle is moving
slowly.
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