tow KIA Optima 2006 2.G Owner's Guide

SPECIAL DRIVING
CONDITIONSHAZARDOUS DRIVINGWhen hazardous driving is encountered
because of water, snow, ice, mud, sand, or
similar hazard, follow these suggestions:
 Drive cautiously and allow extra
distance for braking.
 Avoid sudden movements in braking
or steering.
 When braking in vehicles without
anti-lock brakes, depress the brake
pedal with a controlled up-and- down
motion until the vehicle is stopped.
 When starting from a stop in snow,
mud, or sand, use second gear and
accelerate slowly to avoid spinning
the front wheels. Low gear may be
used, if necessary.
 Use sand, rock salt, tire chains, or
other non-slip material under the
front wheels to provide traction when
stalled on ice, snow, or mud.
ROCKING THE VEHICLEIf it is necessary to rock the vehicle to
free it from snow, sand, or mud, move
the shift lever of an automatic transaxle
from D (Drive) to R (Reverse) in a
repeat pattern while depressing the
accelerator gently. With a manual
transaxle, move the shift lever back and
forth from 1 (First) to R (Reverse).
Do not race the engine. If you are still
stuck after a couple minutes of rocking,
have the vehicle pulled out by a tow
vehicle to avoid engine overheating and
possible damage to the transaxle.
5-7
WARNING -
Downshifting
Downshifting into first gear with
a manual transaxle or into low
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 slippery
surfaces.
✻
NOTICE
Prolonged rocking may cause
engine overheating, transaxle
damage or failure, and tire
damage.
MS-CNA-Eng 5 New.qxd 7/25/2005 5:21 PM Page 7

5-11
TRAILER TOWINGWe do not recommend using this vehicle
for trailer towing.OVERLOADINGLABEL INFORMATION
There are several important labels and
identification numbers located on your
vehicle. The label locations are identified
in the following illustrations.VEHICLE INDENTIFICATION
NUMBER (VIN)
Tire Specification/Pressure LabelThis can be found on the driver side door.
MMSA5001
MMSA7019
CAUTION
The gross axle weight rating
(GAWR) and the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) for your
vehicle are on the manufacturer’s
label attached to the driver’s door
or are listed in the “Specifications”
section of this Owner’s Manual.
Exceeding these ratings can cause
an accident or vehicle damage. You
can calculate the weight of your
load by weighing the items (or
people) before putting them in the
vehicle. Be careful not to overload
your vehicle.
MS-CNA-Eng 5 New.qxd 7/25/2005 5:21 PM Page 11

6-1
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCYRoad Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-2
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-2
Emergency Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-3
Electrical Circuit Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-14
If You Have a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-19
Changing tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-22
6
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 1

ROAD WARNINGHAZARD WARNING FLASHERThe hazard warning flasher serves as a
warning to other drivers to exercise
extreme caution when approaching,
overtaking, or passing your vehicle. It
should be used whenever emergency
repairs are being made or when the vehicle
is stopped near the edge of a roadway.Depress the flasher switch with the
ignition switch in any position.
All turn signal lights will flash
simultaneously.
• The hazard warning flasher will
operate whether your vehicle is
running or not.
 The turn signals do not operate when
the hazard flasher is on.
 Care must be taken when using the
hazard warning flasher while the
vehicle is being towed. Local
regulations may prohibit using it in
this manner.
OVERHEATINGIf your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss of
power, or if you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine has probably
overheated. You should follow these
procedures if you experience any of
these symptoms.
1. Turn the hazard warning flasher on,
then drive to the nearest safe location
and stop your vehicle; set the
automatic transaxle in P (Park), or
shift the manual transaxle to neutral
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, then
turn the ignition switch to the ON
position. Do not restart the engine.
The radiator cooling fan will
automatically operate with the
ignition switch in the ON position. If
the cooling fan does not operate, call
an Authorized Kia Dealer for
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
6-2
MMSA6001
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 2

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
another problem that may have
caused the engine to overheat, do not
operate the engine until the problem
has been corrected. Call an
Authorized Kia Dealer for assistance.
If you do not find a leak or other
problem, carefully add coolant to the
reservoir.If the engine frequently overheats, have
the cooling system checked and repaired.
EMERGENCY STARTINGJUMP STARTINGJump starting can be dangerous if done
incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to
yourself or damage to your vehicle or
battery, follow the jump starting
procedures on the next page. If in doubt,
we strongly recommend that you have a
competent technician or towing service
jump start your vehicle.
6-3
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.
✻
NOTICE
Use only a 12volt jumper system.
You can damage a 12volt starting
motor, ignition system, and other
electrical parts by using a 24-volt
power supply (two 12-volt batteries
in series or a 24-volt motor
generator set).
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 3

4. Turn off all unnecessary electrical
loads.
5. Connect the jumper cables in the exact
sequence shown in the illustration on
the previous page.
First, connect one end of a jumper
cable to the positive terminal (+) of
the discharged battery , then the
other end of the same cable to the
positive terminal (+) on the booster
battery, . Next, connect one end of
the other jumper cable to the negative
terminal (-) of the booster battery ,
then the other end to a solid,
stationary, metallic point (for
example, the engine lifting bracket) 
away from the battery. Do not connect
the jumper cable to or near any part
that moves when the engine is
cranked. Do not connect the jumper
cable from the negative terminal (-) of
the booster battery to the negative
terminal (-) of the discharged battery.Do not allow the jumper cables to
contact anything except the correct
battery terminals or the correct
ground. Do not lean over the battery
when making connections.
6. Start the engine of the vehicle with
the booster battery and run it at 2,000
rpm. Then, start the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
If the cause of your battery discharging
is not apparent (for example, having left
the lights on accidentally), you should
have your vehicle checked by an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
PUSH-STARTINGA vehicle equipped with an automatic
transaxle cannot be started by pushing. A
vehicle equipped with a manual transaxle
should not be push-started because it
could damage the emission control
system. Follow the directions for jump
starting.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
6-6
CAUTION
Never tow a vehicle to start it. A
sudden surge forward when the
engine starts could cause a collision
with the tow vehicle.
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 6

TOWINGIf emergency towing is necessary, we
recommend having it done by an
Authorized Kia Dealer or a competent
tow-truck service. Proper lifting and
towing procedures are necessary to
prevent damage to the vehicle. State and
local laws applicable to towing vehicles
must be followed.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
6-14
MMSA6007A
Wheel dolly
HORN10A Horn
HEAD LP HI15A Headlights (HI)
HEAD LP WASH20A -
DRL15A DRL
FR FOG15A Front fog lights
DIODE-1- Diode 1
SPARE30A Spare fuse
SPARE20A Spare fuse
SPARE15A Spare fuse
SPARE10A Spare fuse
DIODE-2- Diode 2
BLOWER30A Blower
PWR FUSE-230A Power fuse 2
PWR AMP20A Power amp
SUNROOF15A Sunroof
TAIL LP20A Tail lights
PWR FUSE-130A Power fuse 1
ECU10A ECU
RR HTD30A Rear window defroster
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 14

As a general rule, towed vehicles should
be pulled with the driving wheels off the
ground. If excessive damage or other
conditions prevent towing the vehicle
with the driving wheels off the ground,
use wheel dollies.
With either an automatic or manual
transaxle:
1. Set the ignition switch in the ACC
position;
2. Place the shift lever in N (Neutral);
3. Release the parking brake.
TIE-DOWN HOOKS
(FOR FLATBED TOWING)
6-15
MMSA6008
✻
NOTICE
Do not tow the vehicle backward
with the front wheels on the
ground. This may cause internal
damage to the transaxle.✻
NOTICE
Do not tow with sling-type
equipment. Use wheel lift or flatbed
equipment.
Front
MMSA6009B/MMSA601A
Rear
CAUTION
Do not use the hooks under the
front or rear of the vehicle for
towing purposes. These hooks are
designed ONLY for transport
tiedown. If the tie-dwn hooks are
used for towing, the front/rear
bumper will be damaged and the
vehicle may break free from the
tow vehicle.
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 15

TOWING WITH A VEHICLE
OTHER THAN A TOW TRUCK
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by an Authorized Kia
dealer or a commercial tow truck service.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or chain
secured to the emergency towing hook.
Use extreme caution when towing the
vehicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it
and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short
distance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, power train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition. Do not try to tow your vehicle when
the wheels are stuck in mud, sand or
similar substances that prevent the
vehicle from being driven out under
its own power.
 Avoid towing a vehicle heavier than
the vehicle doing the towing.
 The drivers of both vehicles should
communicate with each other
frequently.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
6-16Front
MMSA6009A/MMSA6010
Rear
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 16

 Before emergency towing, check that
the hook is not broken or damaged.
 Fasten the towing cable or chain
securely to the hook.
 Do not jerk the hook. Apply steady
and even force.
 To avoid damaging the hook, do not
pull from the side or at a vertical
angle. Always pull straight ahead. Use a towing strap less than 5 m (16
feet) long. Attach a white or red cloth
(about 30 cm (12 inches) wide) in the
middle of the strap for easy visibility.
 Drive carefully so that the towing
strap is not loosened during towing.
6-17
✻
NOTICE
• Attach a towing strap to the tow
hook.
 Using a portion of the vehicle
other than the tow hooks for
towing may damage the body of
your vehicle.
 Use only a cable or chain
specifically intended for use in
towing vehicles. Securely fasten
the cable or chain to the towing
hook provided.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing
the vehicle.
 Avoid sudden starts or erratic
driving maneuvers which would
place excessive stress on the
emergency towing hook and
towing cable or chain. The hook
and towing cable or chain may
break and cause serious injury
or damage.
 If the towing vehicle can hardly
move, do not forcibly continue
the towing. Contact an
Authorized Kia dealer or a
commercial tow truck service
for assistance.
 Tow the vehicle as straight
ahead as possible.
 Keep away from the vehicle
during towing.
MMSA6011
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 17