2014 KIA Rondo Transaxle

Driving your vehicle
62
5
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 assem-
blies, 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 addi-
tional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements.
✽ ✽
NOTICE - Location of trailer
mounting
• The mounting hole for hitches are located on both sides of the under-
cover behind the rear tires.
• Remove the under cover on the rear bumper before installing a
trailer hitch.
Hitches
It's important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons 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 car-
bon 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.
Kia trailer hitch accessory is avail- able at an authorized Kia dealer.
ORP052051
ORP052058

565
Driving your vehicle
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 trailer
bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you dis-
connect and then reconnect the
wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting sys-
tem directly to your vehicle’s lighting
system. Use only an approved trailer
wiring harness.
An 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 possi-
bility of engine and transaxle over-
heating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transaxle, you should drive in D
(Drive) when towing 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 trail-
er wiring harness could result
in damage to the vehicle electri-
cal system and/or personal
injury.

Driving your vehicle
66
5
Parking on hills
Generally, if you have a trailer
attached to your vehicle, you should
not park your vehicle on a hill. People
can be seriously or fatally injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer
can be damaged if they unexpected-
ly roll downhill.
However, if you ever have to park
your trailer on a hill, here's how to do
it:
1.Pull the vehicle into the parking
space. Turn the steering wheel in
the direction of the curb (right if
headed downhill, left if headed up
hill). 2.If the vehicle has a manual
transaxle, place the vehicle in neu-
tral. If the vehicle has an automatic
transaxle, place the vehicle in P
(Park).
3.Set the parking brake and shut off the engine.
4.Place chocks under the trailer wheels on the down hill side of the
wheels.
5.Start the vehicle, hold the brakes, shift to neutral, release the parking
brake and slowly release the
brakes until the trailer chocks
absorb the load.
6.Reapply the brakes, reapply the parking brake and shift the vehicle
to R (Reverse) for manual
transaxle or P (Park) for automatic
transaxle.
7.Shut off the vehicle and release the vehicle brakes but leave the park-
ing brake set.CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 6%) payclose attention to the enginecoolant temperature gauge toensure the engine does notoverheat.
If the needle of the coolanttemperature gauge movesacross the dial towards “H”(HOT), pull over and stop assoon as it is safe to do so, andallow the engine to idle until itcools down. You may proceedonce the engine has cooledsufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailerweight and uphill grade toreduce the possibility ofengine and transaxle over-heating.
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 loose or
brake stops working.

567
Driving your vehicle
When you are ready to leave after
parking on a hill
1. With the manual transaxle inNeutral or 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.
Maintenance when trailer tow-
ing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered 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 mainte-
nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight.
CAUTION
Due to higher load duringtrailer usage, overheatingmight occur in hot days orduring uphill driving. If thecoolant gauge indicates over-heating, switch off the A/C andstop the vehicle in a safe areato cool down the engine.
When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.
WARNING- Parkingbrake
It can be dangerous to get out
of your vehicle if the parking
brake is not firmly set.
If you have left the engine run-
ning, the vehicle can move sud-
denly. You or others could be
seriously or fatally injured.

Driving your vehicle
68
5
If you do decide to pull a trail-
er
Here are some important points if
you decide to pull a trailer:
Consider using a sway control. You
can ask a hitch dealer about sway
control.
Do not do any towing with your vehicle during its first 2,000 km
(1,200 miles) in order to allow the
engine to properly break in. Failure
to heed this caution may result in
serious engine or transaxle dam-
age.
When towing a trailer, be sure to consult an authorized Kia dealer
for further information on additional
requirements such as a towing kit,
etc.
Always drive your vehicle at a mod- erate 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 chart contains important con- siderations that have to do with
weight: Engine
Item Gasoline Engine
2.0L
Maximum trailer
weight
Without brake system 454 (1,000)
With brake system 680 (1,499)
Maximum tongue weight 75 (165)
kg (lbs.)
To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should
read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in this sec-
tion.

63
What to do in an emergency
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY WHILE DRIVING
If the engine stalls at a cross-
road or crossing
If the engine stalls at a crossroad or
crossing, set the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position and then push the
vehicle to a safe place.
If you have a flat tire while
driving
If a tire goes flat while you are driv-
ing:
1.Take your foot off the acceleratorpedal and let the vehicle slow
down while driving straight ahead.
Do not apply the brakes immedi-
ately or attempt to pull off the road
as this may cause a loss of control.
When the vehicle has slowed down
to such a speed that it is safe to do
so, brake carefully and pull off the
road. Drive off the road as far as
possible and park on a firm level
ground. If you are on a divided
highway, do not park in the median
area between the two traffic lanes.
2.When the vehicle is stopped, turn on your emergency hazard flash-
ers, set the parking brake and put
the transaxle in P (automatic
transaxle) or reverse (manual
transaxle). 3.Have all passengers get out of the
vehicle. Be sure they all get out on
the side of the vehicle that is away
from traffic.
4.When changing a flat tire, follow the instruction provided later in this
section.
If engine stalls while driving
1.Reduce your speed gradually,keeping a straight line. Move cau-
tiously off the road to a safe place.
2.Turn on your emergency flashers.
3.Try to start the engine again. If your vehicle will not start, contact an
authorized Kia dealer or seek other
qualified assistance.

What to do in an emergency
46
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
If the engine doesn't turn over
or turns over slowly
1.If your vehicle has an automatictransaxle, be sure the shift lever is
in N (Neutral) or P (Park) and the
emergency brake is set.
2.Check the battery connections to be sure they are clean and tight.
3.Turn on the interior light. If the light dims or goes out when you operate
the starter, the battery is dis-
charged.
4.Check the starter connections to be sure they are securely tight-
ened.
5.Do not push or pull the vehicle to start it. See instructions for "Jump
starting".
If engine turns over normally
but does not start
1.Check fuel level.
2.With the ignition switch in theLOCK position, check all connec-
tors at the ignition coil and spark
plugs. Reconnect any that may be
disconnected or loose.
3.Check the fuel line in the engine compartment.
4.If the engine still does not start, call an authorized Kia dealer or seek
other qualified assistance.
WARNING
If the engine will not start, do
not push or pull the vehicle to
start it. This could result in a
collision or cause other dam-
age. In addition, push or pull
starting may cause the catalytic
converter (if equipped) to be
overloaded and create a fire
hazard.

67
What to do in an emergency
Push-starting
Your manual transaxle-equipped
vehicle should not be push-started
because it might damage the emis-
sion control system.
Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section
for jump-starting.
WARNING
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge for-
ward when the engine starts
could cause a collision with the
tow vehicle.