Driving your vehicle
88
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 the
maintenance schedule. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure that
its freezing point is sufficient for the tem-
peratures 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 chapter
7. We recommend that the system 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 chapter 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
chapter 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.
CAUTION
Chains that are the wrong size or
improperly installed can damageyour vehicle's brake lines, sus-pension, body and wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the chains any time you hear them
hitting the vehicle.
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.
589
Driving your vehicle
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing, squirt an
approved de-icer fluid or glycerine into
the key opening. If a lock is covered with
ice, squirt it with an approved de-icing
fluid to remove the ice. If the lock is
frozen internally, you may be able to thaw
it out by using a heated key. Handle the
heated key with care to avoid injury.
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window washer
system from freezing, add an approved
window washer anti-freeze solution in
accordance with instructions on the con-
tainer. Window washer anti-freeze is
available from an authorized Kia dealer
and most auto parts outlets. Do not useengine coolant or other types of anti-
freeze as these may damage the paintfinish.Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged position.
This is most likely to happen when there
is an accumulation of snow or ice around
or near the rear brakes or if the brakes
are wet. If there is a risk the parking
brake may freeze, apply it only temporar-
ily while you put the shift lever in P (auto-
matic transaxle) or in first or reverse gear
(manual transaxle) and block the rear
wheels so the vehicle cannot roll. Then
release the parking brake.
Don't let ice and snow accumu- late underneath
Under some conditions, snow and ice
can build up under the fenders and inter-
fere with the steering. When driving in
severe winter conditions where this may
happen, you should periodically check
underneath the vehicle to be sure the
movement of the front wheels and the
steering components is not obstructed.Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the weath-
er, you should carry appropriate emer-
gency equipment. Some of the items you
may want to carry include tire chains, tow
straps or chains, flashlight, emergency
flares, sand, shovel, jumper cables, win-
dow scraper, gloves, ground cloth, cover-
alls, blanket, etc.
Driving your vehicle
90
5
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 tow-
ing trailers, cars, or other types of vehicles
or apparatus may differ. We recommend
that you ask an authorized Kia dealer.✽✽
NOTICE - For Europe
The technically permissible maximum load on the rear axle(s) may be
exceeded by not more than 15 % and
the technically permissible maximum
laden mass of the vehicle 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 catego-
ry M1 or 80 km/h (49.7 mph) for vehi-
cle of category N1.
When towing a trailer, the additional load imposed at the trailer coupling
device may cause the rear tire maxi-
mum load ratings to be exceeded, but
not by more than 15%. In such a case,
do not exceed 100km/h, and the rear
tire pressure should be at least 20
kPa(0.2 bar) above the tire pressure(s)
as recommended for normal use (i.e.
without a trailer attached).
TRAILER TOWING
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by yourwarranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow the advice in this chapter.
WARNING - Towing a trailer
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and/or drive improperly, you
can lose control when you pull a trail-
er. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well -
or even at all. You and your passen-
gers could be seriously or fatally
injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this chapter.
WARNING - Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, GCW (gross combi-
nation weight), GVW (gross vehicle
weight), GAW (gross axle weight )and trailer tongue load are all with-in the limits.
WARNING
When you tow the trailer, make sure
that you turn off the ISG function.
Driving your vehicle
92
5
Safety chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not
drop to the road if it becomes separatedfrom the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be
provided by the hitch manufacturer or by
the trailer manufacturer. Follow the man-
ufacturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trailer.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground. Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to your
country’s regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed and operating correctly.
If your trailer weight exceeds the maxi-
mum allowed weight without trailer
brakes, then the trailer will also require its
own brakes as well. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Do not tap into or modify your vehicle's
brake system. 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 yourself 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 mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal 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 work-ing.
WARNING
- Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi-
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.
Driving your vehicle
94
5
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 (45mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
and you have an automatic transaxle,
you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-
ing 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
When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) pay close
attention to the engine coolanttemperature gauge to ensure theengine does not overheat.
If the coolant temperature redwarning light illuminates or the coolant temperature gaugemoves towards “130”, pull overand stop as soon as it is safe to
do so, and allow the engine to idleuntil it cools down. You may pro- ceed once the engine has cooledsufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the possi-bility of engine and transaxle overheating.
(Continued)
(Continued) For vehicles equipped with a dual clutch transmission when towinga trailer on steep grades, theclutch in the transmission could
overheat.
When the clutch is overheated,the safe protection modeengages. If the safe protection
mode engages, the gear positionindicator on the cluster blinkswith a chime sound.
At this time, a warning messagewill appear on the LCD display
and driving may not be smooth.
If you ignore this warning, the driv-ing condition may become worse.
To return to normal driving condi-tion, stop the vehicle on a flat
road and apply the foot brake fora few minutes before driving off.
595
Driving your vehicle
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 unex-
pectedly roll down hill.However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here is 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 down hill,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 park- ing 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.
WARNING - Parking on a
hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause seri-
ous injury or death, should the trail-
er break loose.
Do not apply the accelerator pedal
to hold the vehicle on an uphill.
WARNING - Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake is
not firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be seriously or
fatally injured.
Driving your vehicle
96
5
When you are ready to leave after park-
ing 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. Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-tion to include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently check. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it is a good idea to
review these chapters before you start
your trip.
Do not forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nutsand bolts should be tight.CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur
in hot days or during uphill driv- ing. If the coolant gauge indicatesover-heating, switch off the airconditioner and stop the vehicle
in a safe area to cool down theengine.
When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with an air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan to improve engine performance when towing a trailer.
597
Driving your vehicle
If you do decide to pull a trailer
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 car 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 damage.
When towing a trailer, we recommend that you consult an authorized Kia dealer on additional requirements such as a towing kit, etc.
Always drive your vehicle at a moderate 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 considerations that have to do with weight:
Engine
Item
Gasoline
1.0L T-GDIGasoline 1.4LGasoline
1.6L MPI Gasoline
1.6L GDIGasoline
1.6L T-GDIDiesel 1.4L Diesel
1.6L
M/TM/TM/TA/T M/T DCTM/TM/T M/T DCT
Maximum
trailer weight kg (Ibs.)
Without brakeSystem600
(1,323)600
(1,323)600
(1,323)600
(1,323) 600
(1,323) 600
(1,323)600
(1,323)650
(1,433) 650
(1,433) 650
(1,433)
With brake System
1,200
(2,646)1,200
(2,646)1,300
(2,866)1200
(2,646) 1,400
(3,086) 1,300
(2,866)1,400
(3,086)1,500
(3,307) 1,500
(3,307) 1,500
(3,307)
Maximum permissible static
vertical load on the coupling
device kg (Ibs.)
60
(132)60
(132)60
(132)60
(132) 60
(132) 60
(132)60
(132)75
(165) 75
(165) 75
(165)
Recommended distance from rear wheel center to couplingpoint mm (inch)
3 Door and 5 Door : 859 (33.8)Wagon : 1,055 (41.54)
For Europe
M/T : Manual transaxle
A/T : Automatic transaxle
DCT : Dual clutch transmission