
561
Driving your vehicle
E140400AUN
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you must get
to know your trailer. Acquaint your-
self with the feel of handling and
braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that
the vehicle you are driving is now a
good deal longer and not nearly so
responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer
hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector(s), lights, tires
and mirror adjustment. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer
brakes are still working.
E140401AUN
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sud-
den turns.
E140402AUN
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance
up ahead when you’re towing a trail-
er. 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. Due to the added load to the
engine when going uphill the vehicle
may also take longer to pass than it
would on flat ground.
E140403AUN
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.
E140404AUN
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 near the edge of the
road. Avoid jerky or sudden maneu-
vers. Signal well in advance before
turning or lane changes.

Driving your vehicle
62
5
E140405AFD
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 occasion-
ally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working. You must also check the
lights every time you disconnect 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.
E140406AFD
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.
CAUTION
Always use an approved trailer
wiring harness. Failure to usean approved trailer wiring har-ness could result in damage tothe vehicle electrical system.

563
Driving your vehicle
Towing up hill
When towing a trailer on steepgrades (in excess of 6%) pay close
attention to the engine coolant
temperature gauge to ensure the
engine does not overheat. If the
needle of the coolant temperature
gauge moves across the dial
towards “H” (HOT), pull over and
stop as soon as it is safe to do so,
and allow the engine to idle until it
cools down. You may proceed once
the engine has cooled sufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight and
uphill grade to reduce the possibil-
ity of engine and transaxle over-
heating
E140407AUN-EA
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 parkingspace. 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 car in neutral.
If the vehicle has an automatic
transaxle, place the car in P (Park).
3.Set the parking brake and shut off the vehicle.
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
parking brake set.

Driving your vehicle
64
5
When you are ready to leave after
parking on a hill
1.With the manual transaxle in
Neutral 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.E140500AUN
Maintenance when trailer towing
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. When towing check transaxle fluid
more frequently.
CAUTION- Air condition
Do not use the A/C while using
your vehicle to tow uphill. Dueto higher load during trailerusage, overheating might occuron hot days or during uphilldriving.

565
Driving your vehicle
E140600BFD
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. Youcan ask a hitch dealer about sway
control.
Do not do any towing with your car during its first 2,000 km (1,200 miles)
in order to allow the engine to prop-
erly break in. Failure to heed this cau-
tion may result in serious engine or
transaxle damage.
When towing a trailer, be sure to con- sult an authorized Kia dealer for fur-
ther information on additional require-
ments such as a towing kit, etc.
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 tow-
ing speed limit, whichever is lower.
The chart contains important consid- erations that have to do with weight:
Engine
Item 2.0L/2.4L Gasoline Engine
2WD 4WD
Maximum trailer
weight
Without brake system 454
(1000) 454
(1000)
With brake system 907
(2000) 907
(2000)
Maximum tongue weight 91
(200) 91
(200)
kg (lbs.)
2WD : 2-Wheel drive
4WD : 4-Wheel drive
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 section.

What to do in an emergency
Road warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
• Hazard warning flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
In case of an emergency while driving . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
If the engine will not start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
. . . 6-4
. . . . 6-4
Emergency starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
If the engine overheats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
If you have a flat tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-\
16
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-\
17
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
6

63
What to do in an emergency
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY WHILE DRIVING
F020100AUN-EU
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.
F020200AUN
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 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 (Park, 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 car that is away from
traffic.
4.When changing a flat tire, follow the instruction provided later in this
section.
F020300AUN
If the engine stalls while driv-
ing
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
F030100AAM
If engine doesn't turn over or
turns over slowly
1.If your car 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".
F030200AHM
If engine turns over normally
but does not start
1.Check the fuel level.
2.With the ignition switch in theLOCK position, check all connec-
tors at the ignition coils 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.
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START
WARNING- Push/pullstart
Do not push or pull the vehicle
to start it. Push or pull starting
may cause the catalytic con-
verter to overload and create a
fire hazard.