Driving your vehicle
5
5-95
Remember, your vehicle does notrequire extended warm-up. After
the engine has started, allow the
engine to run for 10 to 20 seconds
prior to placing the vehicle in gear.
In very cold weather, however, give
your engine a slightly longer warm-
up period.
Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging is driving too slowly in a
very high gear resulting in engine
bucking. If this happens, shift to a
lower gear. Over-revving is racing
the engine beyond its safe limit.
This can be avoided by shifting at
the recommended speed. Use your air conditioning sparingly.
The air conditioning system is
operated by engine power so your
fuel economy is reduced when you
use it.
Open windows at high speeds can reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is reduced by cross- winds and headwinds. To help off-
set some of this loss, slow down
when driving in these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating
condition is important both for econ-
omy and safety. Therefore, have an
authorized K900 Kia dealer perform
scheduled inspections and mainte-
nance.
Engine off during motion
Never turn the engine off to
coast down hills or anytime the
vehicle is in motion. The power
steering and power brakes will
not function properly without
the engine running. In addition,
turning off the Engine while
driving could engage the steer-
ing wheel lock resulting in loss
of vehicle steering. Keep the
engine on and downshift to an
appropriate gear for engine
braking effect.
WARNING
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Driving your vehicle
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 extradistance 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. Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,
use second gear. Accelerate slow-
ly to avoid spinning the drive
wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, tire 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 R (Reverse) and any
forward gear in vehicles equipped
with an automatic transaxle. Do not
race the engine, and spin the wheels
as little as possible. If you are still
stuck after a few tries, have the vehi-
cle pulled out by a tow vehicle to
avoid engine overheating and possi-
ble damage to the transaxle.
The ESC system should be turned
OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
Downshifting
Do not downshift with an auto-
matic transaxle while driving on
slippery surfaces. The sudden
change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid and
result in an accident.
WARNING
Vehicle rocking
Prolonged rocking may cause
engine overheating, transaxle
damage or failure, and tire dam-
age.
CAUTION
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Driving your vehicle
Adjust your mirrors to reduce theglare from other driver's head-
lights.
Keep your headlights clean and properly aimed on vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature. Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head- lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harderto see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
Keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield. If your tires are not in good condi-
tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it easier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large pud- dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel
hub. Drive through any water slowly.
Allow adequate stopping distance
because brake performance may be
affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them sev-
eral times while the vehicle is moving
slowly.
OKH053093N
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Driving your vehicle
Severe weather conditions in the
winter result in greater wear and
other problems. To minimize 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 tires
or to install tire chains on your tires. If
snow tires are needed, it is neces-
sary to select tires equivalent in size
and type of the original equipment
tires. Failure to do so may adversely
affect the safety and handling of your
car. Furthermore, speeding, rapid
acceleration, sudden brake applica-
tions, 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. You need to
keep sufficient distance between the
vehicle in operation in front and your
vehicle. Also, apply the brake gently.
It should be noted that installing tire
chains on the tire will provide greater
driving force, but will not prevent side
skids.
Tire chains are not legal in all states.
Check state laws before installing tire
chains.
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, 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 provid-
ed by snow tires on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires withoutfirst checking local, state and munic-ipal regulations for possible restric-tions against their use.
WINTER DRIVING
Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your vehi-
cle may be adversely affected.
WARNING
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Driving your vehicle
5
5-101
Tire chains
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner, they can be damaged by
mounting some types of snow chains
on them. Therefore, the use of snow
tires is recommended 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 the
AutoSock
®(fabric snow chain).
Damage to your vehicle caused by
improper snow chain use is not cov-
ered by your vehicle manufacturers
warranty.
Install the AutoSock
®(fabric snow
chain) only on the rear tires.
✽ NOTICE
Always check the AutoSock®(fabric
snow chain) installation for proper
mounting after driving approximate-
ly 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5 to 1 km) to
ensure safe mounting. Retighten or
remount the AutoSock
®(fabric snow
chain) if they are loose.
❈ AutoSock®is a Registered trade-
mark of AutoSock®. Chain installation
When installing the AutoSock
®(fab-
ric snow chain), follow the manufac-
turer's instructions and mount them
as tightly as you can. Drive slowly
with the AutoSock
®(fabric snow
chain) installed. If you hear the
AutoSock
®(fabric snow chain) con-
tacting the body or chassis, stop and
tighten them. If they still make con-
tact, slow down until it stops.
Remove the AutoSock
®(fabric snow
chain) as soon as you begin driving
on cleared roads.
When mounting the AutoSock
®(fab-
ric snow chain), park the vehicle on
level ground away from traffic. Turn
on the vehicle Hazard Warning flash-
ers and 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 the AutoSock
®(fabric snow
chain).
OKH055098N
Make sure the AutoSock®(fabric
snow chain) are the correct size
and type for your tires. Incorrect
snow chains can cause damage
to the vehicle body and suspen-
sion and may not be covered by
your vehicle manufacturer war-
ranty.
CAUTION
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Driving your vehicle
The use of the AutoSock®(fabric
snow chain) may adversely affect
vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 20 mph (30 km/h) or the AutoSock
®(fabric snow chain)
manufacturer’s recommended
speed limit, whichever is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps, holes, sharp turns, and other road
hazards, which may cause the vehi-
cle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-wheel braking.
❈AutoSock
®is a Registered trade-
mark of AutoSock®.
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 of
coolant 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 coolant
in accordance with the maintenance
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 battery and cables as described
in section 7. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by an
authorized K900 Kia dealer or a
service station.
The AutoSock®(fabric snow
chain) that are the wrong size
or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle's brake
lines, suspension, body and
wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the AutoSock
®(fabric snow chain)
any time you hear them hitting
the vehicle.
CAUTION
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Driving your vehicle
5
5-103
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, consult an authorized
K900 Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and igni-
tion system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in section 7 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.
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 heat-
ed 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 instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er anti-freeze is available from an
authorized K900 Kia dealer and most
auto parts outlets. Do not use engine
coolant or other types of anti-freeze
as these may damage the paint fin-
ish.
Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to hap-
pen 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 temporarily while
you put the shift lever in P (Park) and
block the rear wheels so the vehicle
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
Don't let ice and snow accu-
mulate underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
car to be sure the movement of the
front wheels and the steering com-
ponents is not obstructed.
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What to do in an emergency
6
6-3
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 driving:
1.Take your foot off the acceleratorpedal and let the car slow down
while driving straight ahead. Do not
apply the brakes immediately or
attempt to pull off the road as this
may cause a loss of control. When
the car has slowed to such a speed
that it is safe to do so, brake care-
fully and pull off the road. Drive off
the road as far as possible and
park on 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 car is stopped, turn on your emergency hazard flashers,
set the parking brake and put the
shift lever in P.
3.Have all passengers get out of the car. 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.
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 K900 Kia dealer or Kia
Roadside Assistance.
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