
5 159
Driving your vehicle
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, 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 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 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 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 temporarily while
you put the gear shift lever in P
(Park, Automatic Transmission) 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
vehicle to be sure the movement of
the front wheels and the steering
components are not obstructed.

5 161
Driving your vehicle
If you are considering towing with
your vehicle, you should first check
with your state's Department of
Motor Vehicles to determine the legal
requirements.
Since laws vary the requirements for
towing trailers, cars, or other types of
vehicles or apparatus may differ. Ask
an authorized Kia dealer for further
details before towing.
You may require an additional wiring
harness connector to install a trailer
hitch. Please contact an authorized
Kia dealer for more details.Your vehicle can tow a trailer. 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.Remember that trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in han-
dling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering requires
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
This section contains many time-
tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Please read this
section carefully before you pull a
trailer.
Load-pulling components such as
the engine, transmission, wheel
assemblies, and tires are forced to
work harder against the load of the
added weight. The engine is required
to operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads. This addi-
tional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements.
TRAILER TOWING
CAUTION - Trailer
installation
Follow instructions in this sec-tion when pulling a trailer.Pulling a trailer improperly candamage your vehicle and resultin costly repairs not covered byyour warranty.
WARNING- Towing a
trailer
Always check your towing
equipment to confirm correct
equipment size and installation
before use. Using incompatible
or incorrectly installed trailer
equipment can affect the vehi-
cle operation and endanger you
and your passengers.
WARNING- Weight
limits
Before towing, make sure the
total trailer weight, GCW (gross
combination weight), GVW
(gross vehicle weight), GAW
(gross axle weight) and trailer
tongue load are all within the
limits.

5 163
Driving your vehicle
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

6 15
What to do in an emergency
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE (WITH SPARE TIRE, IF EQUIPPED)
Jack and tools
The jack and wheel lug nut wrench
are stored in the luggage compart-
ment.
Remove the panel to find the follow-
ing tools shown in the illustration.
(1) Jack handle
(2) Jack
(3) Wheel lug nut wrench
Jacking instructions
The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
To prevent the jack from “rattling”
while the vehicle is in motion, store it
properly.
Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of bodily injury.• Always move the vehicle complete-
ly off the road and onto the shoul-
der before trying to change a tire.
The jack should be used on a firm
level ground. If you cannot find a
firm, level place off the road, call a
towing service company for assis-
tance.
• Be sure to use the correct front and rear jacking positions on the vehi-
cle; never use the bumpers or any
other part of the vehicle for jack
support.
• Do not allow anyone to remain in the vehicle while it is on the jack.
• Make sure any children present are in a secure place away from
the road and from the vehicle to be
raised with the jack.
WARNING- Changing
tires
Never attempt vehicle repairs in
the traffic lanes of a public road
or highway.
OQL068025L
WARNING- Tire Jack
Do not place any portion of your
body under a vehicle that is
only supported by a jack since
the vehicle can easily roll off the
jack. Use vehicle support
stands.

6 17
What to do in an emergency
Changing tires
1. Park on a level surface and applythe parking brake firmly.
2. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park) with automatic trans-
mission.
3. Activate the hazard warning flash- ers. 4. Remove the wheel lug nut wrench,
jack and spare tire from the vehi-
cle.
5. Block both the front and rear of the wheel that is diagonally opposite
from the jack position.
WARNING- Jack location
To reduce the possibility of
injury, be sure to use only the
jack provided with the vehicle in
the correct jack position; never
use any other part of the vehicle
for jack support.
WARNING- Changing a tire
• To prevent vehicle movement while changing a tire, always
set the parking brake fully,
and always block the wheel
diagonally opposite the wheel
being changed.
• We recommend that the wheels of the vehicle be
blocked, and that no person
remain in a vehicle that is
being jacked.
1VQA4022
1VQA4023

What to do in an emergency
206
Position the wrench as shown in the
drawing and tighten the wheel nuts.
Be sure the socket is seated com-
pletely over the nut. Do not stand on
the wrench handle or use an exten-
sion pipe over the wrench handle. Go
around the wheel, tightening every
nut following the numerical sequence
shown in the image until they are all
tight. Double-check each nut for
tightness. After changing wheels,
have an authorized Kia dealer tight-
en the wheel nuts to their proper
torque as soon as possible.
Wheel nut tightening torque:
79 ~ 94 lb·ft (11 ~ 13 kg·m)If you have a tire gauge, remove the
valve cap and check the air pressure.
If the pressure is lower than recom-
mended, drive slowly to the nearest
service station and inflate to the cor-
rect pressure. If it is too high, adjust
it until it is correct. Always reinstall
the valve cap after checking or
adjusting the tire pressure. If the cap
is not replaced, dust and dirt may get
into the tire valve and air may leak
from the tire. If you lose a valve cap,
buy another and install it as soon as
possible.
After you have changed the wheels,
always secure the flat tire in its place
and return the jack and tools to their
proper storage locations.
Note that most lug nuts do not have
metric threads. Be sure to use
extreme care in checking for thread
style before installing aftermarket lug
nuts or wheels. If in doubt, consult an
authorized Kia dealer.
CAUTION- Reusing lug
nuts
Make certain during wheelremoval that the same nuts thatwere removed are reinstalled -or, if replaced, that nuts withmetric threads and the samechamfer configuration are used.Your vehicle has metric threadson the wheel studs and nuts.Installation of a non-metricthread nut on a metric stud willnot secure the wheel to the hubproperly and will damage thestud so that it must be replaced.
OQL065030

77
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE
The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an author-
ized Kia dealer at the frequencies
indicated to help ensure safe,
dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your deal-
er as soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks
are generally not covered by war-
ranties and you may be charged for
labor, parts and lubricants used.Owner maintenance schedule
When you stop for fuel:
• Check the engine oil level.
• Check the coolant level in thecoolant reservoir.
• Check the windshield washer fluid level.
• Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle:
• Note any changes in the sound of the exhaust or any smell of
exhaust fumes in the vehicle.
• Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steer-
ing effort or looseness in the steer-
ing wheel, or change in its straight-
ahead position.
• Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side
when traveling on smooth, level
roads.
• When stopping, listen and check for unusual sounds, pulling to one
side, increased brake pedal travel
or “hard-to-push” brake pedal.
• If any slipping or changes in the operation of your transmission
occurs, check the transmission
fluid level.
• Check the automatic transmission P (Park) function.
• Check the parking brake.
• Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air
conditioning system during or after
use is normal).
WARNING- Hot coolant
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot
coolant and steam may blow
out under pressure.

7 97
Maintenance
• Do a thorough washing of theundercarriage at the end of the
winter.
• Use professional service techni- cians or governmental inspection
stations to annually inspect for cor-
rosion.
• Immediately seek an inspection of your vehicle if you become visually
aware of corrosion flaking or scal-
ing or if you become aware of a
change in vehicle performance,
such as soft or spongey brakes,
fluids leaking, impairment of direc-
tional control, suspension noises
or rattling metal straps.Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated
with a clear protective finish.
• Do not use any abrasive cleaner,polishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum wheels.
They may scratch the finish.
• Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
• Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent, and rinse thoroughly
with water. Also, be sure to clean
the wheels after driving on salted
roads. This helps prevent corro-
sion.
• Avoid washing the wheels with highspeed vehicle wash brushes.
• Do not use any alkaline or acid detergents It may damage and cor-
rode the aluminum wheels coated
with a clear protective finish.
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion
By using the most advanced design
and construction practices to combat
corrosion, we produce vehicles of
the excellent quality. However, this is
only part of the job. To achieve the
long-term corrosion resistance your
vehicle can deliver, the owner's
cooperation and assistance is also
required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corro-
sion on your vehicle are:
• Road salt, dirt and moisture that isallowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
• Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abra-
sion or minor scrapes and dents
which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion.