steering KIA Optima 2008 2.G Owner's Guide

Driving your vehicle40 4Battery saver function The purpose of this feature is to pre-
vent the battery from being dis-
charged. The system automatically
turns off the headlights and parking
lights when the driver removes the igni-
tion key and opens the driver- side
door.
With this feature, the parklight will be
turned off automatically if the driver
parks on the side of road at night.
If necessary, to keep the lights on when
the ignition key is removed, perform the
following :
1) Open the driver-side door.
2) Turn the parking lights OFF and ON
again using the light switch on the
steering column.
Lighting control The light switch has a Headlight and a
parking light position.
To operate the lights, turn the knob at the
end of the control lever to one of the fol-
lowing positions:
(1) OFF position
(2) Parking light position
(3) Headlight position
Parking light position ( )When the light switch is in the parking
light position (1st position), the tail, posi-
tion, license and instrument panel lights
are ON.
LIGHTING
OMG045019
OMG045018C

55
Driving tips
SUGGESTIONS 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 the
engine 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
properly without the engine run-
ning. Instead, keep the engine on
and downshift to an appropriate
gear for engine braking effect.

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.

511
Driving tips
Driving with a trailer Towing a trailer requires experience. You
must gain that experience slowly and
carefully which practicing with an
unloaded or lightly loaded trailer. Before
setting out for the open road, you must
get to know your trailer. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking with
the trailer. And always keep in mind that
the vehicle you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly so responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has brakes, fol-
low the trailer manufacturer’s instructions
as to how to check the brakes before you
start driving.
During your trip, stop every hour or so to
be sure that the load is secure, and that
the lights and any trailer brakes are work-
ing.Following distance Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle ahead as you would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This can
help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And,
because of the increased vehicle length,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.Backing up The trailer will go in the opposite direc-
tion of the rear of your vehicle when
backing up. This is very difficult for an
inexperienced trailer driver to get used
to. To help you avoid mistakes, hold the
bottom of the steering wheel with one
hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left,
just hold the steering wheel firmly and
move your hand to the left. To move the
trailer to the right, move your hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and, if pos-
sible, have someone guide you.Making turns When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn signals when towing a trailer When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
connected, the trailer lights will also flash
to alert other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signals
when, in fact, they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect and then reconnect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.
Your Authorized Kia Dealer can assist
you in installing the wiring harness.
WARNING -
Trailer wiring
harness
Failure to use an approved trailer
wiring harness could result in an
accident due to the failure of the
trailer lights to operate.

611
In case of an emergency
Driver-side knee bolster
Description Fuse rating Protected component
H/LP 10A Headlight
A/CON SW 10A Air conditioner
START 10A Start motor
P/SEAT RH 30A Power seat (right)
P/WDW RH 25A Power window (right)
WIPER 25A Front wiper
MIRR HTD 10A Outside rearview mirror defroster
RR FOG 15A Rear fog light
P/SEAT LH 30A Power seat (left)
P/WDW LH 25A Power window (left)
SPARE 10A Spare fuse
MODULE-2 10A Cluster
W/DEICER 15A Deicer
TAIL RH 10A Taillight (right)
TAIL LH 10A Taillight (left)
EPS 10A Power steering wheel
A/CON 10A Air conditioner
SAFETY PWR 20A Safety power window
A/BAG IND 10A Airbag warning
A/BAG 15A Airbag
DR LOCK 25A Central door lock
SPARE 10A Spare fuse
CLUSTER 10A Cluster
MODULE-1 10A BWS buzzer, ESP switch
Description Fuse rating Protected component
HAZARD 15A Hazard warning light
STOP LP 15A Stop light
SPARE 15A Spare fuse
TELL TALE 10A Clock
T/LID OPEN 15A Trunk lid opener
ADJ PEDAL 10A Adjust pedal relay
SPARE 15A Spare fuse
T/SIG 10A Turn signal light
TPMS 10A TPMS
BLOWER MTR 10A Blower, Air conditioner
MEMORY 15A Cluster, ETACS, A/C, Clock,
Room lamp
AUDIO 15A Audio
C/LIGHTER 25A Cigar lighter
D/CLOCK 10A Clock

In case of an emergency16 6If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using a cable or chain
secured to the emergency towing hook
under the front or rear of the vehicle. 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 dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, power train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
 Do not use the tow hooks to pull a vehi-
cle out of mud, sand or other condi-
tions from which the vehicle cannot be
driven out under its own power.
 Avoid towing a vehicle heavier than the
vehicle doing the towing.
 The drivers of both vehicles should com-
municate with each other frequently.✽ ✽
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.
 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.
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 tow-
ing cable or chain. The hook and
towing cable or chain may break
and cause serious injury or dam-
age.
 If the towing vehicle does not move
easily, 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 dur-
ing towing.
1JBA4124

617
In case of an emergency
When your vehicle is being towed
by another vehicle other than a tow
truck (in case of an emergency) Turn the ignition switch to ACC so the
steering wheel isn’t locked.
 Place the transaxle shift lever in N
(Neutral).
 Release the parking bake.
 Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxles should not exceed 45 km/h
(28 mph) and should not be towed
more than 80 km (50 miles).
 Vehicles equipped with manual
transaxle should not be towed in
excess of 88 km/h (55 mph) and
should not be towed more than 645 km
(400 miles).
 Press the brake pedal with more force
than normal since you will have
reduced brake performance.
 More steering effort will be required
because the power steering system
will be disabled.
 If you are driving down a long hill, the
brakes may overheat and brake per-
formance will be reduced. Stop often
and let the brakes cool off.
✽ ✽
NOTICETo prevent internal damage to the
transaxle, never tow your vehicle from
the rear (backwards) with all four tires
in contact with the surface. Tips for towing a stuck vehicleThe following methods are effective
when your vehicle is stuck in mud, sand
or similar substances that prevent the
vehicle from being driven out under its
own power.
 Remove the soil and sand, etc. from
the front and the back of the tires.
 Place a stone or wood under the tires.

7
Maintenance services / 7-2
Maintenance schedule / 7-3
Owner maintenance / 7-7
Engine compartment / 7-9
Engine oil / 7-11
Engine cooling system / 7-12
Brake fluid / 7-14
Drive belts / 7-15
Power steering / 7-15
Automatic transaxle / 7-16
Lubricants and fluids / 7-17
Air cleaner / 7-18
Climate control air filter / 7-19
Wiper blades / 7-20
Battery / 7-21
Tires and wheels / 7-24
Lubricant specifications / 7-35
Exterior care / 7-36
Interior care / 7-38
Maintenance

75
Maintenance
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE (CONTINUED)Chassis and body (Continued)
Kilometers or time in months, whichever comes first
× 1,000 km 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96 104 112 120 128
# Months 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64
Automatic transaxle fluid (1) I I I R I I I R I I I R I I I R
Chassis & underbody bolts & nuts I I I I I IIIIIIII III
Tire condition & inflation pressure I I I I I IIIIIIII III
Wheel alignment (5)
Tire rotation
Steering operation & linkage I I I I I IIIIIIII III
Power steering fluid & lines I I IIIIII
Driveshaft dust boots I I I I I
Seat belts, buckles & anchors I I I I I IIIIIIII III
Lock, hinges & hood latch L L L L L LLLLLLLL LLL
MAINTENANCE
MAINTENANCE
ITEM
Inspect when abnormal condition noted
Rotate the tires every 12,000 km

77
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE Owner maintenance schedule The following lists are vehicle checks and
inspections that should be performed by
the owner or an authorized Kia dealer at
the frequencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your dealer as
soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks are
generally not covered by warranties and
you may be charged for labor, parts and
lubricants used.When you stop for fuel: Check the engine oil level.
Check coolant level in coolant reser-
voir.
Check the windshield washer fluid
level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
While operating your vehicle: Note any changes in the sound of the
exhaust or any smell of exhaust fumes
in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering
wheel. Notice any increased steering
effort or looseness in the steering
wheel, or change in its straight-ahead
position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns
slightly or “pulls” to one side when trav-
eling on smooth, level road.
When stopping, listen and check for
strange sounds, pulling to one side,
increased brake pedal travel or “hard-
to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the oper-
ation of your transaxle occurs, check
the transaxle fluid level.
Check automatic transaxle P (Park)
function.
Check parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle
(water dripping from the air condition-
ing system during or after use is nor-
mal).
At least monthly: Check coolant level in the coolant
recovery reservoir.
Check the operation of all exterior
lights, including the stoplights, turn sig-
nals and hazard warning flashers.
Check the inflation pressures of all
tires including the spare.At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall) : Check radiator, heater and air condi-
tioning hoses for leaks or damage.
Check windshield washer spray and
wiper operation. Clean wiper blades
with clean cloth dampened with wash-
er fluid.
Check headlight alignment.
Check muffler, exhaust pipes, shields
and clamps.
Check the lap/shoulder belts for wear
and function.
Check for worn tires and loose wheel
lug nuts.
WARNING
- Radiation
coolant
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause burns or
other serious injury.