Driving your vehicle
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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.
If stalled in snow, mud, or sand, use second gear. Accelerate slowly to
avoid spinning the drive wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, tyre chains, 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 1 (First) and R (Reverse) in
vehicles equipped with a manual
transaxle or R (Reverse) and any for-
ward gear in vehicles equipped with
an automatic transaxle / dual clutch
transmission. Do not race the engine,and spin the wheels as little as possi-
ble. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a
tow vehicle to avoid engine overheat-
ing and possible damage to the
transaxle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS WARNING
- Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle / dual clutch transmis-
sion, whilst driving on slipperysurfaces can cause an accident.
The sudden change in tyrespeed could cause the tyres to
skid. Be careful when down-
shifting on slippery surfaces.
WARNING - ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on
a vehicle equipped with ABS.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may cause engine over-heating, transaxledamage or failure, and tyre dam- age.
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Driving your vehicle
✽✽NOTICE
The ESC system should be turned
OFF prior to rocking the 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, tyre
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 distance between you and other vehicles, as
it may be more difficult to see atnight, especially in areas where
there may not be any street lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver's headlights.WARNING - Spinning
tyres
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 56
km/h (35 mph). Spinning thewheels at high speeds when the
vehicle is stationary could
cause a tyre to overheat which
could result in tyre damage that
may injure bystanders.WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle
free by moving it forward and
backward. Do not attempt this
procedure if people or objects
are anywhere near the vehicle.
During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move
forward or backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing
injury or damage to nearby peo-ple or objects.
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Driving your vehicle
Highway driving
Tyres
Adjust the tyre inflation pressures to
specification. Low tyre inflation pres-
sures will result in overheating and
possible failure of the tyres.
Avoid using worn or damaged tyres
which may result in reduced traction
or tyre failure.
✽✽NOTICE
Never exceed the maximum tyre
inflation pressure shown on the
tyres.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
High speed travel consumes more
fuel than urban motoring. Do not for-
get to check both engine coolant andengine oil.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
result in overheating of the engine.
WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tyres can cause poor han-
dling, loss of vehicle control,
and sudden tyre failure lead-
ing to accidents, injuries, and
even death. Always check the
tyres for proper inflation
before driving. For proper tyre
pressures, refer to chapter 9,
“Tyres and wheels”.
Driving on tyres with no or insufficient tread is danger-
ous. Worn-out tyres can
result in loss of vehicle con-
trol, collisions, injury, and
even death. Worn-out tyresshould be replaced as soon
as possible and should never
be used for driving. Always
check the tyre tread before
driving your vehicle. For fur-
ther information and tread
limits, refer to chapter 8,
“Tyres and wheels”.
Driving your vehicle
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Severe weather conditions in the
winter result in greater wear and
other problems. To minimise the
problems of winter driving, you
should follow these suggestions: Snowy or Icy conditions
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tyres
or to install tyre chains on your tyres.
If snow tyres are needed, it is neces-
sary to select tyres equivalent in size
and type of the original equipment
tyres. Failure to do so may adversely
affect the safety and handling of your
vehicle. Furthermore, speeding,
rapid acceleration, sudden brake
applications, and sharp turns are
potentially very hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden
brake applications on snowy or icy
roads may cause skids to occur. You
need to keep sufficient distance
between the vehicle in operation in
front and your vehicle. Also, apply
the brake gently. It should be notedthat installing tyre chains on the tyre
will provide a greater driving force,
but will not prevent side skids.
✽✽
NOTICE
Tyre chains are not legal in all coun-
tries. Check the country laws before
fitting tyre chains.
Snow tyres
If you mount snow tyres on your vehi-
cle, make sure they are radial tyres of
the same size and load range as the
original tyres. Mount snow tyres on all
four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
Keep in mind that the traction provid-
ed by snow tyres on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tyres. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tyre dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tyres without first checking local, state and munic-ipal regulations for possible restric-tions against their use.
WINTER DRIVING
WARNING - Snow tyre
size
Snow tyres should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tyres. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your vehi-
cle may be adversely affected.
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Driving your vehicle
Tyre chains
Since the sidewalls of radial tyres are
thinner, they can be damaged by
mounting some types of snow chains
on them. Therefore, the use of snowtyres is recommended instead of
snow chains. Do not mount tyre
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
15 mm (0.59 in). Damage to your
vehicle caused by improper snow
chain use is not covered by your
vehicle manufacturers warranty. Install tyre chains only on the front
tyres.Chain installation
When installing chains, follow the
manufacturer'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 typefor your tyres. Incorrect snow chains can cause damage tothe vehicle body and suspen-sion and may not be covered by your vehicle manufacturerwarranty. Also, the snow chainconnecting hooks may be damaged from contactingvehicle components causingthe snow chains to come loose from the tyre. Make surethe snow chains are SAEclass “S” certified.
Always check chain installa- tion for proper mounting afterdriving approximately 0.5 to 1km (0.3 to 0.6 miles) to ensuresafe mounting. Retighten or remount the chains if they areloose.
If your vehicle has 225/45R18 size tyres do not use tyrechain; they can damage your vehicle (wheel, suspensionand body).
WARNING
- Mounting chains
When mounting snow chains,
park the vehicle on level ground
away from traffic. Turn on the
vehicle Hazard Warning flashersand place a triangular emer-
gency warning device behind
the vehicle if available. Always
place the vehicle in P (Park),
apply the parking brake and
turn off the engine before
installing snow chains.1VQA3007
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Use high quality ethylene gly- col coolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high
quality ethylene glycol coolant in the
cooling system. It is the only type ofcoolant that should be used because
it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-
ing system, lubricates the water
pump and prevents freezing. Be sure
to replace or replenish your coolantin accordance with the maintenance
schedule. Before winter, have yourcoolant 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 battery and cables as described
in chapter 8. We recommend that the
system be checked by an authorised
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
chapter 9 for recommendations. If
you aren't sure what weight oil you
should use, we recommend that you
consult an authorised Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and igni- tion system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in chapter 8 and replace
them if necessary. Also check all
ignition wiring and components to be
sure they are not cracked, worn or
damaged in any way.
CAUTION
Chains that are the wrong size
or improperly installed candamage your vehicle's brakelines, suspension, body andwheels.
Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear themhitting the vehicle.
WARNING - Tyre chains
The use of chains may adversely affect vehicle han- dling.
Do not exceed 30 km/h (20 mph) or the chain manufactur-
er’s recommended speed
limit, whichever 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.
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If you are considering towing with
your vehicle, you should first check
with your country's Department of
Motor Vehicles to determine their
legal requirements.
Since laws vary the requirements for
towing trailers, cars, or other types of
vehicles or apparatus may differ. We
recommend that you ask an autho-
rised Kia dealer.✽✽
NOTICE - For Europe
The technically permissible maxi- mum load on the rear axle(s) may
be exceeded by not more than 15
% and the technically permissible
maximum laden mass of the vehi-
cle may be exceeded by not more
than 10 % or 100 kg (220.4 lbs),
whichever value is lower. In this
case, do not exceed 100 km/h (62.1
mph) for vehicle of category M1 or
80 km/h (49.7 mph) for vehicle of
category N1.
When towing a trailer, the addi- tional load imposed at the trailer
coupling device may cause the
rear tyre maximum load ratings to
be exceeded, but not by more than
15%. In such a case, do not exceed
100km/h, and the rear tyre pres-
sure should be at least 20 kPa(0.2
bar) above the tyre pressure(s) as
recommended for normal use (i.e.
without a trailer attached).
TRAILER TOWING
WARNING - Towing a
trailer
If you don't use the correct
equipment and/or drive improp-
erly, you can lose control when
you pull a trailer. For example, if
the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well - or
even at all. You and your pas-
sengers could be seriously or
fatally injured. Pull a trailer only
if you have followed all thesteps in this section.
WARNING - Weight
limits
Before towing, make sure the
total trailer weight, GCW (gross
combination weight), GVW
(gross vehicle weight), GAW
(gross axle weight ) and trailertongue load are all within thelimits.
WARNING
When you tow the trailer, make
sure that you turn off the ISGfunction.
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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:
Do you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, thenbe sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do notattach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
A Kia accessory trailer hitch is avail- able at an authorised Kia dealer. Safety chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that thetongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recom-
mendation for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trail-
er. And, never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak-
ing system, make sure it conforms to
your country’s regulations and that it
is properly installed and operating
correctly.
If your trailer weight exceeds the
maximum allowed weight without
trailer brakes, then the trailer will also
require its own brakes as well. Be
sure to read and follow the instruc-
tions for the trailer brakes so you’ll be
able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
Do not tap into or modify your vehi-
cle's brake system.
WARNING - Trailer
brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have proper-
ly set up the brake system. This
is not a task for amateurs. Use
an experienced, competent
trailer shop for this work.