heating KIA Optima 2008 2.G User Guide

457
Driving your vehicle
Manual operation The heating and cooling system can be
controlled manually as well by pushing
buttons other than the AUTO button. In
this case, the system works sequentially
according to the order of buttons select-
ed.
When pressing any button except AUTO
button while automatic operation, the
functions of the buttons not selected will
be controlled automatically.
Press the AUTO button in order to con-
vert to full automatic control of the sys-
tem.
Temperature control knobThe temperature will increase to the maxi-
mum (HI) by turning the knob to the right
extremely.
The temperature will decrease to the mini-
mum (Lo) by turning the knob to the left
extremely.
When turning the knob, the temperature
will increase or decrease by 0.5°C/1°F.
When set to the lowest temperature set-
ting, the air conditioning will operate con-
tinuously.Temperature conversion
If the battery has been discharged or dis-
connected, the temperature mode will
display metric units.
This is normal condition and you can
switch the temperature mode between
Celsius to Fahrenheit as follows;
While depressing the OFF button,
depress the AUTO button for 3 seconds
or more. The display will change from
Celsius to Fahrenheit, or from Fahrenheit
to Celsius.
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459
Driving your vehicle
WARNING -
Recirculated air
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 recirculated air
position can slightly reduce oxy-
gen levels which can lead to
cause drowsiness or sleepiness,
and loss of vehicle control. Set
the air intake control to the out-
side (fresh) air position as much
as possible while driving.
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Driving your vehicle62 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 win-
dows on rainy humid days, decrease
the humidity inside the vehicle by oper-
ating the air conditioning system.
During air conditioning system opera-
tion, you may occasionally notice a
slight change in engine speed as the
air conditioning compressor cycles on.
This is a normal system operation
characteristics.
Use the air conditioning system every
month if only for a few minutes to
ensure maximum system perform-
ance.
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.
✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen using the air conditioning system,
monitor the temperature gauge closely
while driving up hills or in heavy traffic
when outside temperatures are high. Air
conditioning system operation may
cause engine overheating. Continue to
use the blower fan but turn the air con-
ditioning system off if the temperature
gauge indicates engine overheating.
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.✽ ✽
NOTICEWhen the performance of the air condi-
tioning system is reduced it is important
that the correct type and amount of oil
and refrigerant is used. Otherwise, dam-
age to the compressor and abnormal
system operation may occur.
CAUTION
The air conditioning system should
be serviced by an authorized Kia
dealer. Improper service may cause
serious injury.

463
Driving your vehicle
Manual climate control systemTo defog inside windshield 1. Select any fan speed.
2. Select desired temperature.
3. Select the or position.
4. The outside (fresh) air position will be
selected.
If the outside (fresh) air position is not
selected automatically, press the corre-
sponding button manually.
To defrost outside windshield 1. Set the fan speed to the right position.
2. Set the temperature to the extreme hot
position.
3. Select the position.
4. The outside (fresh) air position will be
selected. For maximum defrosting, set the tem-
perature control to the extreme
right/hot position and the fan speed
control to the highest speed.
If warm air to the floor is desired while
defrosting or defogging, set the mode
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
CAUTION
- Windshield
heating
Do not use the or position
during cooling operation in
extremely humid weather. The dif-
ference between the temperature of
the outside air and that of the wind-
shield could cause the outer sur-
face of the windshield to fog up,
causing loss of visibility. In this
case, set the mode selection knob
to the position and fan speed
control knob to the lower speed.
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Driving your vehicle64 4Automatic climate control systemTo defog inside windshield 1. Select desired temperature.
2. Press the defrost button ( ).
3. The outside (fresh) air position will be
selected automatically.
If the outside (fresh) air position and
higher fan speed are not selected auto-
matically, adjust the corresponding but-
ton or knob manually.
To defrost outside windshield 1. Set fan speed to the highest (extreme
right) position.
2. Set temperature to the extreme hot
(HI) position.
3. Press the defrost button ( ).
4. The outside (fresh) air position will be
selected automatically. For maximum defrosting, set the tem-
perature control to the extreme highest
temperature setting and the fan speed
control to the highest speed.
If warm air to the floor is desired while
defrosting or defogging, set the mode
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.
CAUTION
- Windshield
heating
Do not use the or position
during cooling operation in
extremely humid weather. The dif-
ference between the temperature of
the outside air and that of the wind-
shield could cause the outer sur-
face of the windshield to fog up,
causing loss of visibility. In this
case, set the mode selection knob
to the position and fan speed
control knob to the lower speed.
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Driving tips6 5SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONSHazardous 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 with non-ABS brakes
pump the brake pedal with a light up-
and-down motion until the vehicle is
stopped. 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 1 (First) and
R (Reverse) in vehicles equipped with a
manual transaxle or 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.✽ ✽
NOTICEProlonged rocking may cause engine
over-heating, transaxle damage or fail-
ure, and tire damage.
CAUTION
- ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
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.
WARNING
- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, especially
at speeds more than 56 km/h (35
mph). Spinning the wheels at high
speeds when the vehicle is station-
ary could cause a tire to overheat,
explode and injure bystanders.

Driving tips12 5✽
✽
NOTICEFailure to sue a trailer wiring harness
can damage your vehicle’s electrical sys-
tem.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 70 km/h (45
mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat build up
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.
However, 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 (blocks
of wood or metal intended for this pur-
pose) under the downhill sides of 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.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) pay close
attention to the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge to ensure the
engine does not overheat. If the
needle of the coolant temperature
gauge moves across the dial
towards “H” (HOT), pull over and
stop as soon as it is safe to do so,
and allow the engine to idle until it
cools down. You may proceed once
the engine has cooled sufficiently.
WARNING
- Parking on a
hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached is dangerous. It
could cause serious injury or death,
should the trailer break lose, or
should the trailer drag the vehicle
downhill.
WARNING
- Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake is
not firmly set or if the engine is still
running.
In either case the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
seriously or fatally injured.

513
Driving tips
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 forward 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 to 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.
✽ ✽
NOTICE• Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur in hot
days or during uphill driving. If the
coolant gauge indicates over-heating,
switch off the A/C and stop the vehicle
in a safe area to cool down the engine.
• When towing check transaxle fluid
more frequently.
• If your vehicle is not equipped with
the air conditioner, you should install
a condenser fan to improve engine
performance when towing a trailer.
If you do decide to pull a trailerHere are some important points if you
decide to pull a trailer:
Consider using a sway control. You can
ask a hitch dealer about sway control.
After your odometer indicates 800 km
(500 miles) or more, you can tow a
trailer. For the first 800 km (500 miles)
that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and don’t make
starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle
“wear” in at the heavier loads.
Always drive your vehicle at a moder-
ate speed (less than 100 km/h (60
mph)).
On a long uphill grade, do not exceed
70 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower.
The important considerations have to
do with weight:
Weight of the trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It
should never weigh more than the maxi-
mum trailer weight with trailer brakes. But
even that can be too heavy. If you feel that
the trailer is adversely affecting the move-
ment of your vehicle, reduce your speed,
avoid uneven or winding roads, avoid
roads with steep grades, and/or lighten
your trailer load.

6
Road warning / 6-2
Overheating / 6-2
Emergency starting / 6-3
Electrical circuit protection / 6-6
Towing / 6-13
If you have a flat tire / 6-18
In case of an emergency

In case of an emergency2 6ROAD WARNING Hazard warning flasher The 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 vehi-
cle is stopped near the edge of a road-
way.
Depress the flasher switch with the igni-
tion switch in any position. The flasher
switch is located in the center console
switch panel. All turn signal lights will
flash simultaneously.• The hazard warning flasher operates
whether your vehicle is running or not.
 The turn signals do not work when the
hazard flasher is on.
 Care must be taken when using the
hazard warning flasher while the vehi-
cle is being towed.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), or shift the
manual transaxle to N (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 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.
OVERHEATING
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