Safety features of your vehicle
32
3
Using a child restraint system
For small children and babies, the use of
a child seat or infant seat is required. This
child seat or infant seat should be of
appropriate size for the child and shouldbe installed in accordance with the man-
ufacturer's instructions. For safety reasons, we recommend that
the child restraint system be used in the
rear seats.
WARNING
Never place a rear-facing child
restraint in the front passenger
seat, because of the danger that an
inflating passenger-side air bag
could impact the rear-facing child
restraint and kill the child.
WARNING - Child seat installation
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a collision if the child
restraint is not properly anchored
to the car and the child is not
properly restrained in the child
restraint. Before installing the
child restraint system, read the
instructions supplied by the child
restraint system manufacturer.
If the seat belt does not operate as described in this section, werecommend that the system be
checked by an authorized Kia
dealer.
Failure to observe this manual's instructions regarding childrestraint systems and the
instructions provided with the
child restraint system could
increase the chance and/or
severity of injury in an accident.
If the vehicle headrest prevents proper installation of a child seat
(as described in the child seat sys-
tem manual), the headrest of therespective seating position shall
be readjusted or entirely removed.
CRS09
OTA030015
Rearward-facing child restraint system
Forward-facing child restraint system
535
Driving your vehicle
Indicator light
When ignition switch is turned to ON, the
indicator light illuminates, then goes off if
the ESC system is operating normally.
The ESC indicator light blinks whenever
ESC is operating or illuminates when
ESC fails to operate. ESC OFF indicator light comes on when
the ESC is turned off with the button.
ESC OFF usage
When driving
ESC should be turned on for daily driv-ing whenever 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 indicator light
blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is operat-
ing, the vehicle may slip out of control.
✽✽ NOTICE
When operating the vehicle on a dynamometer, ensure that the ESC is
turned off (ESC OFF light illuminated).
Turning the ESC off does not affect ABS or brake system operation.
■ESC indicator light
■ ESC OFF indicator light CAUTION
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the ESC system to
malfunction. When replacing tires,make sure they are the same size asyour original tires.
WARNING
The Electronic Stability Control sys-
tem is only a driving aid; use pre-
cautions for safe driving by slowing
down on curved, snowy, or icy
roads. Drive slowly and don’t
attempt to accelerate whenever the
ESC indicator light is blinking, or
when the road surface is slippery.
WARNING
Never press the ESC OFF button while ESC is operating. If the ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may go out of
control.
To turn ESC off while driving, press
the ESC OFF button while driving
on a flat road surface.
537
Driving your vehicle
VSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to turn off
the ESC, the VSM will also cancel and the
ESC OFF indicator light ( ) illuminates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light goesout.
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if you
don’t cancel the VSM operation by press-
ing the ESC OFF button. It indicates thata malfunction has been detected some-
where in the Electric Power Steering sys-
tem or VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or EPS warning light remains
on, we recommend that you contact an
authorized Kia dealer.
✽✽NOTICE
The VSM is designed to function above approximately 15 km/h (9 mph)
on curves.
The VSM is designed to function above approximately 30 km/h (18
mph) when a vehicle is braking on a
split-mu road. The split-mu road is
made of surfaces which have different
friction forces.
ESS : Emergency Stop Signal (if equipped) The Emergency Stop Signal system
alerts the driver behind by blinking the
stop light when the vehicle suddenly
stops or when the ABS activates in a
stop. (The system activates when the
vehicle speed is over 55km/h and the
vehicle deceleration is over 7m/s² or the
ABS activates when the vehicle emer-
gency braking.)
When the vehicle speed is under 40 km/h
and the ABS deactivates or the sudden
stop situation is over, the stop light blink-
ing will stop.
WARNING
The Vehicle Stability Management system is not a substitute for
safe driving practices but a sup-
plementary function only. It is theresponsibility 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 acti- vate 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 inclement
weather and on a slippery road.
Driving with varying tire or wheel sizes may cause the VSM system
to malfunction. When replacing
tires, make sure they are the
same size as your original tires.
CAUTION
The Emergency Stop Signal system
will not work if the hazard warningflasher is already on.
Driving your vehicle
58
5
More severe weather conditions of winter
result in greater wear and other prob-
lems. To minimize winter driving problem,
you should follow these suggestions: ❈ Snow tires and tire chains for the nation-
al language (Icelandic, Bulgarian) seethe Appendix to chapter 9. Snowy or icy conditions
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may
be necessary to use snow tires or to
install tire chains on your tires. If snow
tires are needed, it is necessary to select
tires equivalent in size and type of the
original equipment tires. Failure to do so
may adversely affect the safety and han-
dling of your car. Furthermore, speeding,
rapid acceleration, sudden brake appli-
cations, and sharp turns are potentially
very hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine braking
to the fullest extent. Sudden brake appli-
cations on snowy or icy roads may cause
skids to occur. You need to keep suffi-
cient distance between the vehicle in
operation in front and your vehicle. Also,
apply the brake gently. It should be notedthat installing tire chains on the tire will
provide a greater driving force, but will
not prevent side skids.
✽✽
NOTICE
Tire chains are not legal in all countries.
Check the country laws before fitting
tire chains.
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,
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 first checking 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.
OBH058040
559
Driving your vehicle
Tire chains
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner, they can be damaged by mount-
ing some types of snow chains on them.
Therefore, the use of snow tires is rec-
ommended instead of snow chains. Do
not mount tire chains on vehicles
equipped with aluminum wheels; snow
chains may cause damage to the wheels.
If snow chains must be used, use wire-
type chains with a thickness of less than
12 mm (0.47 in). Damage to your vehicle
caused by improper snow chain use is
not covered by your vehicle manufactur-
ers warranty.
Install tire chains only on the front tires.Chain installation
When installing chains, follow the manu-
facturer's instructions and mount them as
tightly as you can. Drive slowly with
chains installed. If you hear the chains
contacting the body or chassis, stop and
tighten them. If they still make contact,
slow down until it stops. Remove the
chains as soon as you begin driving on
cleared roads.
CAUTION
Make sure the snow chains are
the correct size and type for your
tires. Incorrect snow chains cancause damage to the vehicle bodyand suspension and may not be covered by your vehicle manufac-
turer warranty. Also, the snowchain connecting hooks may bedamaged from contacting vehicle
components causing the snow chains to come loose from thetire. Make sure the snow chainsare SAE class “S” certified.
Always check chain installation for proper mounting after drivingapproximately 0.5 to 1 km (0.3 to0.6 miles) to ensure safe mount-ing. Retighten or remount the
chains if they are loose.
WARNING
- Mounting chains
When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away
from traffic. Turn on the vehicle
Hazard Warning flashers and place
a triangular emergency warning
device behind the vehicle if avail-
able. Always place the vehicle in P
(Park), apply the parking brake and
turn off the engine before installing
snow chains.1JBA4068
Driving your vehicle
60
5
Use high quality ethylene glycol coolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high quality
ethylene glycol coolant in the cooling
system. It is the only type of coolant that
should be used because it helps prevent
corrosion in the cooling system, lubri-
cates the water pump and prevents
freezing. Be sure to replace or replenish
your coolant in accordance with themaintenance schedule in section 7.
Before winter, have your coolant tested to assure that its freezing point is sufficient
for the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.
Check battery and cables
Winter puts additional burdens on the
battery system. Visually inspect the bat-
tery and cables as described in section 7.
We recommend that the level of charge in
your battery be checked by an authorized
Kia dealer. Change to "winter weight" oil if
necessary In some climates it is recommended that
a lower viscosity "winter weight" oil be
used during cold weather. See section 8
for recommendations. If you aren't sure
what weight oil you should use, we rec-
ommend that you consult an authorized
Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition system
Inspect your spark plugs as described in
section 7 and replace them if necessary.
Also check all ignition wiring and compo-
nents to be sure they are not cracked,
worn or damaged in any way.
WARNING
- Tire chains
The use of chains may adversely affect vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 30 km/h (20 mph) or the chain manufacturer’s rec-
ommended speed limit, whichev-
er is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns, and other
road hazards, which may cause
the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked- wheel braking.
CAUTION
Chains that are the wrong size or
improperly installed can damage
your vehicle's brake lines, sus-pension, body and wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear themhitting the vehicle.
615
What to do in an emergency
Important - use of compact spare tire(if equipped)
Your vehicle is equipped with a com-
pact spare tire. This compact spare
tire takes up less space than a regu-
lar-size tire. This tire is smaller than a
conventional tire and is designed for
temporary use only.
The compact spare should be inflat-
ed to 420 kPa (60 psi).
✽✽NOTICE
Check the inflation pressure after
installing the spare tire. Adjust it to
the specified pressure, as necessary.
When using a compact spare tire,
observe the following precautions:
Under no circumstances should you exceed 80 km/h (50 mph); a higher
speed could damage the tire.
Ensure that you drive slowly enough for the road conditions to avoid all
hazards. Any road hazard, such as a
pothole or debris, could seriously
damage the compact spare.
Any continuous road use of this tire could result in tire failure, loss of
vehicle control, and possible per-
sonal injury.
Do not exceed the vehicle’s maxi- mum load rating or the load-carry-
ing capacity shown on the sidewall
of the compact spare tire.
Avoid driving over obstacles. The compact spare tire diameter issmaller than the diameter of a con-
ventional tire and reduces the
ground clearance approximately25 mm (1 inch), which could result
in damage to the vehicle.
CAUTION
You should drive carefully
when the compact spare is inuse. The compact spareshould be replaced by theproper conventional tire and rim at the first opportunity.
The operation of this vehicle is not recommended withmore than one compact sparetire in use at the same time.
WARNING
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use only. Do not
operate your vehicle on this
compact spare at speeds over
80 km/h (50 mph). The originaltire should be repaired or
replaced as soon as is possible
to avoid failure of the spare
possibly leading to personal
injury or death.
What to do in an emergency
16
6
Do not take this vehicle through an
automatic car wash while the com- pact spare tire is installed.
Do not use tire chains on the com- pact spare tire. Because of the
smaller size, a tire chain will not fit
properly. This could damage the
vehicle and result in loss of thechain.
The compact spare tire should not be installed on the front axle if the
vehicle must be driven in snow or
on ice.
Do not use the compact spare tire on any other vehicle because thistire has been designed especially
for your vehicle.
The compact spare tire’s tread life is shorter than a regular tire.
Inspect your compact spare tire
regularly and replace worn com-
pact spare tires with the same sizeand design, mounted on the samewheel. The compact spare tire should not
be used on any other wheels, nor
should standard tires, snow tires,
wheel covers or trim rings be used
with the compact spare wheel. Ifsuch use is attempted, damage tothese items or other car compo-
nents may occur.
Do not use more than one tempo- rary spare tire at a time.
Do not tow a trailer while the tem- porary spare tire is installed.