overheating KIA AMANTI 2009 Owners Manual

323
Knowing your vehicle
Warming and ventilating the front
seats (if equipped)Warming the seatsThe front seats can be electrically heated
individually when the ignition switch is
ON. When the switch is ON, a number
ranging from 1 to 5 is displayed on the
switch (5 = warmest setting).
To turn off the seat warmer, set the
switch to 0.
The seat warmer turns off automatically
when the seat temperature reaches the
selected range and will turn on again if
the temperature drops below the select-
ed range.
Ventilating the seatsThe front seats are ventilated by the
small vent hole on the surface of the
seats and seatbacks, when the ignition
switch is ON and the control switch is dis-
played in the range of -1 to -3.
Do not spill liquid such as water or bev-
erages on the surface of the front seats
and seatbacks. For the air vent holes
may be blocked and prevent them from
working properly.
Do not place materials such as plastic
bags or newspapers under the seats. The
air vent may not work properly as the air
intake can be blocked.
When the air vent does not operate,
restart the vehicle. If there is no change,
have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized KIA dealer.
As you operate the control switch, you
will be able to notice the temperature
change after 3 to 5 minutes. For the tem-
perature is adjusted by the small air vent.
For more effective use, you may use it
with the air conditioner and heater.
OGH026017
CAUTION
When cleaning the seats, do notuse an organic solvent such asthinner, benzene, alcohol and gasoline. Doing so may damagethe surface of the heater or seats.
To prevent overheating the seat warmer, do not place blankets,cushions or seat covers on the seats while the seat warmer is inoperation.
Do not place heavy or sharp objects on seats equipped withseat warmers. Damage to theseat warming components couldoccur.

Knowing your vehicle26
3
Headrest adjustmentAdjusting the height up and down
The headrest not only provides comfort
for the rear passengers, but also helps
protect the head and neck in the event of
a collision.
For best protection, adjust the headrest
so its center is as high as your ears. Also
adjust the headrest so its distance from
the head is as wide as your fist.
To raise the headrest, pull it up to the
desired position (
➀). To lower the head-
rest, push and hold the release button
(
➁) on the headrest support and lower
the headrest to the desired position (
➂).
WARNING
Passengers should use extreme
caution when using seat warmers
due to the possibility of excess
heating or burns. In particular, the
following types of passengers
should exercise extreme care:
1. Infants, children, elderly or dis- abled persons, or hospital outpa-
tients
2. Persons with sensitive skin or those that burn easily
3. Fatigued individuals
4. Intoxicated individuals
5. Individuals taking medication that can cause drowsiness or
sleepiness (sleeping pills, cold
tablets, etc.)
1GHA2254
CAUTION
When cleaning the seats, do not use an organic solvent such asthinner, benzene, alcohol and gasoline. Doing so may damagethe surface of the heater or seats.
To prevent overheating the seat warmer, do not place blankets,cushions or seat covers on the seats while the seat warmer is inoperation.
Do not place heavy or sharp objects on seats equipped withseat warmers. Damage to theseat warming components couldoccur.

391
Knowing your vehicle
Cigarette lighterFrontTo use the cigarette lighter, press the
front face then release it to allow the cig-
arette lighter and ashtray to slowly
extend from the center panel.
To operate the cigarette lighter, press it in
and release it. When it is heated, it auto-
matically pops out ready for use.
If the engine is not running, the ignition
switch must be in the ACC position for
the lighter to operate.
Ashtrays Front To use the ashtray, press the front face
and release it to allow the cigarette
lighter and ashtray to slowly extend from
the center panel.
To remove the ashtray, grasp the ashtray
bucket (
➀) and carefully pull it out.
INTERIOR FEATURES
OGH026079N
OGH026081N
CAUTION
Do not hold the lighter in after it isalready heated because it willoverheat.
Only a genuine Kia lighter should be used in the cigarette lightersocket. The use of plug-in acces-sories (shavers, hand-held vacu- ums, and coffee pots, for exam-ple) may damage the socket orcause electrical failure.
If the lighter does not pop out within 30 seconds, remove it toprevent overheating.

Driving your vehicle26
4Instrument panel illuminationWhen the vehicle’s parking lights or head-
lights are on, rotate the illumination con-
trol knob to adjust the instrument panel
illumination intensity.
GaugesSpeedometer The speedometer indicates the forward
speed of the vehicle.Tachometer The tachometer indicates the approxi-
mate number of engine revolutions per
minute (rpm).
Use the tachometer to select the correct
shift points and to prevent lugging and/or
over-revving the engine.
The tachometer pointer may move slight-
ly when the ignition switch is in ACC or
ON position with the engine OFF. This
movement is normal and will not affect
the accuracy of the tachometer once the
engine is running.
Engine temperature gauge This gauge shows the temperature of the
engine coolant when the ignition switch
is ON.
Do not continue driving with an overheat-
ed engine. If your vehicle overheats, refer
to “Overheating” in the Index.
CAUTION
Do not operate the engine within
the tachometer's RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine dam-age.
CAUTION
If the gauge pointer moves beyond the normal range area toward the“H” position, it indicates overheat- ing that may damage the engine.
OGH036903N
WARNING
Speedometer and Odometer is cal-
culated according to the tire size.
Therefore, if you do not use the tire
recommended for the vehicle, the
calculation of the Speedometer and
Odometer may be incorrect.

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.

57
Driving tips
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS Hazardous driving conditions When hazardous driving conditions are
encountered such as water, snow, ice,
mud, sand, or similar hazards, follow
these suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extra dis-tance for braking.
Avoid sudden movements in braking or steering.
When braking, pump the brake pedal with a light up-and-down motion until
the vehicle is stopped.✽ ✽ NOTICEDo not pump the brake pedal on a vehi-
cle equipped with ABS.
If stalled in snow, mud, or sand, use
second gear. Accelerate slowly 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 vehicle pulled
out by a tow vehicle to avoid engine
overheating and possible damage to the
transaxle.
WARNING
- Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slippery
surfaces can cause an accident.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. Be
careful when downshifting on slip-
pery surfaces.

523
Driving tips
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 45 mph (70
km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than 1000 lbs.
(454 kg) and you have an automatic
transaxle, you should drive in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat buildup
and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on hills Generally, you should not park your vehi-
cle, with a trailer attached, on a hill.
People can be seriously or fatally injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged if they begin a downhill tra-
jectory.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steepgrades (in excess of 6%) payclose attention to the enginecoolant temperature gauge to ensure the engine does not over-heat. If the needle of the coolanttemperature gauge moves across the dial towards “H” (HOT), pullover and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and allow the engine toidle until it cools down. You mayproceed once the engine has cooled sufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the possi-bility of engine and transaxleoverheating.
WARNING
- Parking on a hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause serious
injury or death, should a down hill
trajectory happen.

Driving tips24
5However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your brakes, but don’t shift into
gear.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brakes until the chocks
absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brakes. Apply your park- ing brake, and then shift to P (Park) for
an automatic transaxle.
5. Release the brakes.
When you are ready to leave after parking on a hill 1. With the 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 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’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Don’t 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 nuts
and bolts should be tight.
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.
CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailerusage, overheating might occur inhot days or during uphill driving. Ifthe coolant gauge indicates over-heating, switch off the A/C and stop the vehicle in a safe area to cooldown the engine.

6
Road warning / 6-2
In case of an emergency while driving / 6-2
Overheating / 6-3
Emergency starting / 6-4
Electrical circuit protection / 6-6
Towing / 6-13
Tires pressure monitoring system (TPMS) / 6-17
If you have a flat tire / 6-22
In case of an emergency

63
In case of an emergency
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 sec-
tion.If engine stalls while driving1. Reduce your speed gradually, keepinga straight line. Move cautiously 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 KIA dealer or seek other
qualified assistance. If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, if you experience a loss of
power, or if you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine has probably
overheated. Should any of these symp-
toms occur, use the following procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flasher,
then drive to the nearest safe location
and stop your vehicle; set the automat-
ic transaxle in P (Park) and apply the
parking brake.
2. Make sure the air conditioner is off.
3. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator, stop the engine and call an
Authorized Kia Dealer for assistance.
If coolant is not boiling out, allow the
engine to idle and open the hood to
permit the engine to cool gradually.
If the temperature does not go down
with the engine idling, stop the engine
and allow sufficient time for it to cool. 4. The coolant level should then be
checked. If the level in the reservoir is
low, look for leaks at the radiator hoses
and connections, heater hoses and
connections, radiator, and water
pump. If you find a major leak or anoth-
er problem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operate the
engine until it has been corrected. Call
an Authorized Kia Dealer for assis-
tance. If you do not find a leak or other
problem, carefully add coolant to the
reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats, havethe cooling system checked and repaired by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
WARNING
- Removing
radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine and radiator are
hot. Scalding hot coolant and steam
may blow out under pressure. This
could cause serious injury.
OVERHEATING