warning KIA AMANTI 2009 Owners Manual
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437
Driving your vehicle
Low tire pressure tell-
taleThe low tire pressure telltale comes on
for 3 seconds after the ignition key is
turned to the "ON" position.
If the warning light does not come on, the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System is not
working properly. If this occurs, have your
vehicle checked by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
This warning light will also illuminate if
one or more of your tires are significantly
under-inflated.
You should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible. If the warning lights
illuminate while driving, reduce vehicle
speed immediately and stop the vehicle.
Avoid hard braking and overcorrecting at
the steering wheel. Inflate the tires to the
proper pressure as indicated on the vehi-
cle’s tire information placard.
TPMS (Tire pressure
monitoring system)
malfunction indicatorTPMS malfunction indicator illuminates
for 3 seconds after the ignition key is
turned to the "ON" position. If the warn-
ing light does not come on, or continu-
ously remains on after the 3-second bulb
check when you turned the ignition key to
the "ON" position, the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System is not working proper-
ly. If this occurs, have your vehicle
checked by an authorized Kia dealer as
soon as possible.
The warning light also comes on and
stays on when there is a problem with the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
If this happens, the system may not mon-
itor the tire pressure. Have the system
checked by an authorized Kia dealer as
soon as possible.
TPMS
WARNING
Significantly low tire pressure
makes the vehicle unstable and can
contribute to loss of vehicle control
and increased braking distances.
Continued driving on low pressure
tires will cause the tires to overheat
and fail.
WARNING
The TPMS cannot alert you tosevere and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors.
If you feel any vehicle instability, immediately take your foot off the
accelerator and slowly move to a
safe position off the road.
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Driving your vehicle44
4If the washer does not work, check the
washer fluid level. If the fluid level is not
sufficient, you will need to add appropri-
ate non-abrasive windshield washer fluid
to the washer reservoir.
The reservoir filler neck is located in the
front of the engine compartment on the
passenger side.
The defroster heats the window to
remove frost, fog and thin ice from the
interior and exterior of the rear window,
while the engine is running.To activate the rear window defroster,
press the rear window defroster button
located in the heater contorl panel. The
indicator on the rear window defroster
button illuminates when the defroster is
ON.
If your vehicle is equipped with the front
windshield deicer, it will be operating at
the same time when you operate the rear
window defroster.
If there is heavy accumulation of snow on
the rear window, brush it off before oper-
ating the rear defroster.
The rear window defroster automatically
turns off after 20 minutes or when the
ignition switch is turned off. To turn off the
defroster, press the rear window
defroster button again.
WARNING
Do not use the washer in freezing
temperatures without first warming
the windshield with the defrosters;
the washer solution could freeze on
contact with the windshield and
obscure your vision.
DEFROSTER
OGH026044
CAUTION
To prevent possible damage to the
washer pump, do not operate thewasher when the fluid reservoir is empty.
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Driving your vehicle
✽
✽NOTICE• To prevent damage to the conductors
bonded to the inside surface of the
bottom of the front windshield and the
rear window, never use sharp instru-
ments or window cleaners containing
abrasives to clean the window.
• To prevent the battery from being dis- charged, operate the defroster only
while the engine is running.
• The front windshield defroster is designed to defrost wiper blades. If
you want to defrost and defog the
front windshield, refer to “Windshield
Defrosting and Defogging” in this sec-
tion.
The hazard warning flasher causes the
rear tail lights and front turn signal lights
to flash on and off, which serves as a
warning to other drivers to exercise cau-
tion when approaching or passing your
vehicle.
To activate the flasher, depress the haz-
ard warning flasher switch. This switch
operates in any ignition switch position.
To turn the flashers off, depress the
switch again.
OGH026040
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
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Driving your vehicle50
4Recirculated air positionThe indicator light on the button is illumi-
nated when the recirculated air position
button is depressed.
With the recirculated air position select-
ed, air from the passenger compartment
will be drawn through the heating system
and heated or cooled according to the
function selected.
Outside (fresh) air positionThe indicator light on the button is illumi-
nated when the outside (fresh) air posi-
tion button is depressed.
With the outside (fresh) air position
selected, air enters the vehicle from out-
side and is heated or cooled according to
the function selected.
When starting the vehicle, the system is
automatically set to the outside (fresh) air
position. Press the button once to select
the recirculated air position.
✽ ✽
NOTICEProlonged operation of the heating in
recirculated air position will cause fog-
ging of the windshield and side windows
and the air within the passenger com-
partment will become stale.
In addition, prolonged use of the air con-
ditioning with the “recirculated air posi-
tion” selected, will result in excessively
dry air in the passenger compartment.
OGH026061N
WARNING
Continued climate control system
operation in the recirculated air
position may allow humidity to
increase inside vehicle which
may fog the glass and obscure
visibility.
Do not sleep in a vehicle with air conditioning or heating system
on. It may cause serious harm or
death due to a drop in the oxygen
level and/or body temperature.
Continued climate control system operation in the reciruclated air
position can cause drowsiness or
sleepiness, and loss of vehicle
control. Set the air intake control
to the outside (fresh) air position
as much as possible while driv-
ing.
OGH026063N
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Driving your vehicle54
4Air conditioning system opera-
tion tips If the vehicle has been parked in direct
sunlight during hot weather, open the
windows for a short time to let the hot
air inside the vehicle escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of the windows on rainy humid days,
decrease the humidity inside the vehi-
cle by operating the air conditioning
system.
During air conditioning system opera- tion, you may occasionally notice a
slight change in the engine speed as
the air conditioning compressor cycles
on. This is a normal system operation
characteristics.
Use the air conditioning system every month only for a few minutes to ensure
maximum system performance.
When using the air conditioning sys- tem, you may notice clear water drip-
ping (or even pudding) on the ground
under the passenger side of the vehi-
cle. This is a normal system operation
characteristics. Operating the air conditioning system
in the recirculated air position does
provide maximum cooling, however,
continual operation in this mode may
cause the air inside the vehicle to
become stale.
Checking the amount of air con-
ditioner refrigerant and compres-
sor lubricantWhen the amount of refrigerant is low,
the performance of the air conditioning is
reduced. Overfilling also has a bad influ-
ence on the air conditioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer.
CAUTION
When the performance of the airconditioning system is reduced it isimportant that the correct type and amount of oil and refrigerant isused. Otherwise, damage to the compressor and abnormal systemoperation may occur.
CAUTION
When using the air conditioningsystem, monitor the temperature gauge closely while driving up hillsor in heavy traffic when outside temperatures are high. Air condi-tioning system operation maycause engine overheating. Continue to use the blower fan butturn the air conditioning system off if the temperature gauge indicatesengine overheating.
WARNING
The air conditioning system should
be serviced by an authorized Kia
dealer. Improper service may cause
serious injury to the person per-
forming the service.
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Driving your vehicle56
4To defog inside windshield 1. Select desired fan speed
2. Select desired temperature.
3. Press the defrost button ( ).
4. The air-conditioning will be turned on
according to the detected ambient
temperature and outside (fresh) air
position will be selected automatically.
To defrost outside windshield 1. Set fan speed to the or position.
2. Set temperature to the extreme hot (77~90°F / 25~32°C) position.
3. Press the defrost button ( ).
4. The air-conditioning will be turned on according to the detected ambient
temperature and outside (fresh) air
position will be selected automatically. For maximum defrosting, set the tem-
perature control button to the hot posi-
tion and the fan speed control button to
the highest speed.
If warm air to the floor is desired while defrosting or defogging, set the mode
selection button to the floor- defrost
position.
Before driving, clear all snow and ice from the windshield, rear window, out-
side rear view mirrors, and all side win-
dows.
Clear all snow and ice from the hood and air inlet in the cowl grill to improve
heater and defroster efficiency and to
reduce the probability of fogging up
inside of the windshield.
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING
WARNING
Do not use defrost position during
cooling operation in extremely
humid weather. The difference
between the temperature of the out-
side air and that of the windshield
could cause the outer surface of the
windshield to fog up, causing loss
of visibility.
OGH026075N
OGH026076N
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53
Driving tips
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMThe emission control system of your
vehicle is covered by a written limited
warranty. Please see the warranty infor-
mation contained in the Warranty &
Consumer Information Manual in your
vehicle.Vehicle modifications This vehicle should not be modified.
Modification of your Kia could affect its
performance, safety or durability and
may even violate governmental safety
and emissions regulations.
In addition, damage or performance
problems resulting from any modification
may not be covered under warranty.
Engine exhaust gas precautions
(carbon monoxide) Carbon monoxide can be present withother exhaust fumes. Therefore, if you
smell exhaust fumes of any kind inside
your vehicle, have it inspected and
repaired immediately by an authorized
Kia dealer or other competent repair
shop. If you ever suspect exhaust
fumes are coming into your vehicle,
drive it only with all the windows fully
open. Have your vehicle checked and
repaired immediately. Do not operate the engine in confined
or closed areas (such as garages) any
more than what is necessary to move
the vehicle in or out of the area.
When the vehicle is stopped in an open area for more than a short time
with the engine running, adjust the
ventilation system (as needed) to draw
outside air into the vehicle.
Never sit in a parked or stopped vehi- cle for any extended time with the
engine running.
When the engine stalls or fails to start, excessive attempts to re-start the
engine may cause damage to the
emission control system.
WARNING
Engine exhaust gases contain car-
bon monoxide (CO). Though color-
less and odorless, it is dangerous
and could be lethal if inhaled.
Follow the instructions following to
avoid CO poisoning.
Page 196 of 321
Driving tips45Operating precautions for catalyt-
ic converters Your vehicle is equipped with a catalytic
converter emission control device.
Therefore, the following precautions
must be observed:
Use only UNLEADED FUEL for gaso-line engine (unleaded).
Do not operate the vehicle when there are signs of engine malfunction, such
as misfire or a noticeable loss of per-
formance.
Do not misuse or abuse the engine. Examples of misuse are coasting with
the ignition off and descending steep
grades in gear with the ignition off. Avoid driving with a very low fuel level.
If your run out of gasoline, it could
cause the engine to misfire and result
in excessive loading of the catalytic
converter.
Do not operate the engine at high idle speed for extended periods (5 minutes
or more).
Do not modify or tamper with any part of the engine or emission control sys-
tem. All inspections and adjustments
must be made by a qualified techni-
cian.
Failure to observe these precautions
could result in damage to the catalytic
converter and to your vehicle.
Additionally, such actions could void your
warranties.
WARNING
- Fire
A hot exhaust system can ignite
flammable items under your vehi-
cle. Do not park the vehicle over or
near flammable objects, such as
dry grass, paper, leaves, etc.
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55
Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING Before entering vehicle: Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.Necessary inspections Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in
Section 7, Maintenance.
Before starting Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls areeasily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
WARNING
- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink and
drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.
Driving while under the influence of
drugs is as dangerous or more dan-
gerous than driving drunk.
Page 198 of 321
Driving tips65SUGGESTIONS FOR ECONOMICAL OPERATIONYour vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where you
drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how many
kilometers (miles) you can get from a liter
(gallon) of fuel. To operate your vehicle
as economically as possible, use the fol-
lowing driving suggestions to help save
money in both fuel and repairs:
Avoid lengthy warm-up idling. Once theengine is running smoothly, begin driv-
ing. Remember, engine warm-up may
take a little longer on cold days.
Save fuel by accelerating slowly after stopping.
Keep the engine in tune and follow the recommended periodic maintenance
schedule. This will increase the life of
all parts and lower your operating
costs. Do not use the air conditioner unnec-
essarily.
Slow down when driving on rough roads.
For longer tire life and better fuel econ- omy, always keep the tires inflated to
the recommended pressures.
Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles to avoid sudden stops. This
will reduce wear on brake linings and
pads. Driving in such a way will also
save fuel because extra fuel is required
to accelerate back to driving speed.
Do not carry unnecessary weight in the vehicle.
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This can cause
needless wear, possible damage to the
brakes, and poor fuel economy.
Improper wheel alignment results in faster tire wear and lower fuel econo-
my. Open windows at high speeds can
reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is less in crosswinds and headwinds. To help offset some of
this loss, slow down when driving in
these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating con-
dition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorized Kia
dealer perform scheduled inspections
and maintenance.
WARNING
- Engine off dur-
ing 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 with-
out the engine running. Instead,
downshift to an appropriate gear for
engine braking effect.