snow chains KIA Optima 2006 2.G Owner's Manual

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

5-9
 If you believe you may have gottenyour brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.WINTER DRIVING We recommend that you carryemergency equipment. Some things
you might include are tire chains, a
window scraper, windshield de-icer,
a bag of sand or salt, flares, a small
shovel and jumper cables.
 Make sure you have sufficient ethylene glycol coolant in the
radiator.
 Check the battery condition and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the
capacity of any battery, so it must be
in top shape to provide enough
winter starting power.
 Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for cold weather.
 Check the ignition system for loose connections and damage.  Use antifreeze-formulated windshield
washer fluid and make sure you have
sufficient fluid for your trip. (Do not
use engine coolant antifreeze.)
 Do not use the parking brake if it might freeze. This is most likely to
happen after driving in slushy or wet
conditions and temperatures drop into
the freezing range. When parking,
shift to P (Park) with automatic
transaxle, or to 1 (First) or R
(Reverse) with a manual transaxle
and block the rear wheels.
SNOW TIRESWhen snow tires are used, select the size
and construction specified on the Tire
Pressure Label. It is strongly
recommended that snow tires be used on
all four wheels, or poor handling may
result. Snow tires should not be operated
at speeds exceeding 120 km/h (75 mph).
These tires should be inflated 4 psi (28
kPa, 0.3 kg/cm
2) above the recommended pressures shown on the Tire
Specification/Pressure Label, but inflation
should never exceed the maximum cold-
tire pressure shown on the tire sidewalls.
Do not install studded tires without first
checking local, provincial and municipal
regulations for possible restrictions
against their use.
WARNING - 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 vehicle may be
adversely affected.
MS-CNA-Eng 5 New.qxd 7/25/2005 5:21 PM Page 9

6-21  Do not take this vehicle through an
automatic car wash with the compact
spare tire installed.
 Do not use tire chains on this tire.
Because of the smaller size, a tire
chain will not fit properly. This could
damage the vehicle and result in loss
of the chain.
 This tire should not be installed on
the front axle if the vehicle must be
driven in snow or on ice.
 Do not use the compact spare tire on
any other vehicle because this tire
has been designed especially for your
vehicle.
 The compact spare’s tread life is
shorter than a regular tire.
Inspect your compact spare tire
regularly and replace worn compact
spare tires with the same size and
design, mounted on the same wheel.
MS-CNA-Eng 6.QXD 7/25/2005 5:13 PM Page 21