tow KIA Optima 2011 3.G Owner's Guide

Driving your vehicle
45
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will illuminate for your con-
venience, provided the ignition switch is
not in the ON position. The light will go off
immediately when the ignition switch is
turned on. It will also go off after about 30
seconds when the door is closed.
Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. (if equipped) The ignition
key can be removed only in the LOCK
position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key toward
the LOCK position.
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WARNING
When you intend to park or stopthe vehicle with the engine on, be
careful not to depress the accel-
erator pedal for a long period of
time. It may overheat the engine
or exhaust system and cause fire.
When you make a sudden stop or turn the steering wheel rapidly,
loose objects may drop on the
floor and it could interfere with
the operation of the foot pedals,
possibly causing an accident.
Keep all things in the vehicle
safely stored.
If you do not focus on driving, it may cause an accident. Be care-
ful when operating what may dis-
turb driving such as audio or
heater. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always drive safely.
KEY POSITIONS
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543
Driving your vehicle
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 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, or other non-slip material under the drive wheels to pro-
vide 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 1st (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.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
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 - ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may causeengine overheating, transaxle dam- age or failure, and tire damage.

549
Driving your vehicle
Don't let ice and snow accumu-
late underneath
Under some conditions, snow and ice
can build up under the fenders and inter-
fere with the steering. When driving in
severe winter conditions where this may
happen, you should periodically check
underneath the car to be sure the move-
ment of the front wheels and the steering
components is not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the weath-
er you should carry appropriate emer-
gency equipment. Some of the items you
may want to carry include tow straps or
chains, flashlight, emergency flares,
sand, a shovel, jumper cables, a window
scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a
blanket, etc.

551
Driving your vehicle
Towing capacity:
We do not recommend using this
vehicle for trailer towing.
Cargo capacity:
The cargo capacity of your vehicle
will increase or decrease depending
on the weight and the number of
occupants and the tongue load, if
your vehicle is equipped with a trailer.
Steps For Determining Correct LoadLimit -
1. Locate the statement "The com- bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.'' on your vehicle's
placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity. For example, if
the "XXX" amount equals 635 kg
(1400 lbs.) and there will be five 68
kg (150 lbs.) passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity
is 295 kg (650 lbs).
(635-340 (5 x 68) = 295 kg or
1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.) 5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trail- er, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.

555
Driving your vehicle
This section will guide you in the proper
loading of your vehicle and/or trailer, to
keep your loaded vehicle weight within its
design rating capability, with or without a
trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of the vehicle
design performance. Before loading your
vehicle, familiarize yourself with the fol-
lowing terms for determining your vehi-
cle's weight ratings, with or without a
trailer, from the vehicle's specifications
and the compliance label:
Base curb weight
This is the weight of the vehicle including
a full tank of fuel and all standard equip-
ment. It does not include passengers,
cargo, or optional equipment.
Vehicle curb weight
This is the weight of your new vehicle
when you picked it up from your dealer
plus any aftermarket equipment.
Cargo weight
This figure includes all weight added to
the Base Curb Weight, including cargo
and optional equipment.GAW (Gross axle weight)
This is the total weight placed on each
axle (front and rear) - including vehicle
curb weight and all payload.
GAWR (Gross axle weight rating)
This is the maximum allowable weight
that can be carried by a single axle (front
or rear). These numbers are shown on
the compliance label.
The total load on each axle must never
exceed its GAWR.
GVW (Gross vehicle weight)
This is the Base Curb Weight plus actual
Cargo Weight plus passengers.
GVWR (Gross vehicle weight rating)
This is the maximum allowable weight of
the fully loaded vehicle (including all
options, equipment, passengers and
cargo). The GVWR is shown on the cer-
tification label located on the driver’s
door sill.
We do not recommend using this
vehicle for trailer towing.
VEHICLE WEIGHT
TRAILER TOWING

6
Road warning / 6-2
In case of an emergency while driving / 6-2
If the engine will not start / 6-3
Emergency starting / 6-4
If the engine overheats / 6-6
If you have a flat tire / 6-7
Towing / 6-15
What to do in an emergency

What to do in an emergency
26
ROAD 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 the engine stalls at a crossroad
or crossing
If the engine stalls at a crossroad or
crossing, set the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position and then push the vehi-
cle to a safe place.
If you have a flat tire while driving
If a tire goes flat while you are driving:
1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedaland let the vehicle slow down while
driving straight ahead. Do not apply the
brakes immediately or attempt to pull
off the road as this may cause a loss of
control. When the vehicle has slowed
down to such a speed that it is safe to
do so, brake carefully and pull off the
road. Drive off the road as far as possi-
ble and park on a firm level ground. If
you are on a divided highway, do not
park in the median area between the
two traffic lanes.
2. When the vehicle is stopped, turn on your emergency hazard flashers, set
the parking brake and put the transaxle
in P (automatic transaxle) or reverse
(manual transaxle).
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
WHILE DRIVING
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What to do in an emergency
46
EMERGENCY STARTING
Connect cables in numerical order and
disconnect in reverse order.
Jump starting
Jump starting can be dangerous if done
incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to
yourself or damage to your vehicle or
battery, follow these jump starting proce-
dures. If in doubt, we strongly recom-
mend that you have a competent techni-
cian or towing service jump start your
vehicle.
CAUTION
Use only a 12-volt jumper system.You can damage a 12-volt startingmotor, ignition system, and otherelectrical parts beyond repair byuse of a 24-volt power supply (either two 12-volt batteries in series or a24-volt motor generator set).WARNING- Battery
• Keep all flames or sparks away from the battery. The battery pro-
duces hydrogen gas which may
explode if exposed to flame or
sparks.
If these instructions are not fol-
lowed exactly, serious personal
injury and damage to the vehicle
may occur! If you are not sure
how to follow this procedure,
seek qualified assistance.
Automobile batteries contain sul-
furic acid. This is poisonous and
highly corrosive. When jump
starting, wear protective glasses
and be careful not to get acid on
yourself, your clothing or on the
vehicle.
Do not attempt to jump start the vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte level
is low; the battery may rupture or
explode.
WARNING- Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as this
may cause the battery to rupture or
explode causing serious injury.1VQA4001
Discharged battery
Jumper Cables
Booster battery(-)
(+)
(+)(-)

65
What to do in an emergency
Jump starting procedure
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12-volt and that its negative terminal is
grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, do not allow the vehicles to
touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical loads.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the exact sequence shown in the illustration.
First connect one end of a jumper
cable to the positive terminal of the
discharged battery (1), then connect
the other end to the positive terminal
on the booster battery (2).
Proceed to connect one end of the
other jumper cable to the negative ter-
minal of the booster battery (3), then
the other end to a solid, stationary,
metallic point (for example, the engine
lifting bracket) away from the battery
(4). Do not connect it to or near any
part that moves when the engine is
cranked. Do not allow the jumper cables to con-
tact anything except the correct battery
terminals or the correct ground. Do not
lean over the battery when making
connections.
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster battery and let it run at 2,000
rpm, then start the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.
If the cause of your battery discharging isnot apparent, you should have your vehi-cle checked by an authorized KIA dealer.
Push-starting
Your manual transaxle-equipped vehicle
should not be push-started because it
might damage the emission control sys-
tem.
Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section for
jump-starting.
WARNING
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge forward
when the engine starts could cause
a collision with the tow vehicle.
CAUTION- Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper cablefrom the negative terminal of thebooster battery to the negative ter-minal of the discharged battery.This can cause the discharged bat-tery to overheat and crack, releas- ing battery acid.

67
What to do in an emergency
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE
Jack and tools
The spare tire, jack, jack handle and
wheel lug nut wrench are stored in
the luggage compartment.
Remove the luggage under tray out
of the way to reach the equipment.
(1) Jack handle
(2) Jack
(3) Wheel lug nut wrench
Jacking instructions
The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
To prevent the jack from “rattling”
while the vehicle is in motion, store it
properly.
Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of personal injury.
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WARNING- Changing tires
Never attempt vehicle repairs in the traffic lanes of a public
road or highway.
Always move the vehicle com- pletely off the road and onto
the shoulder before trying to
change a tire. The jack should
be used on firm level ground.
If you cannot find a firm level
place off the road, call a tow-
ing service company for
assistance.
Be sure to use the correct front and rear jacking posi-
tions on the vehicle; never
use the bumpers or any other
part of the vehicle for jack
support.
(Continued)