tires KIA Optima 2012 3.G Owner's Manual

I3
Index
Capacities (Lubricants) ··················\
··················\
················8-4
CareExterior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········7-56
Interior care ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········7-61
Tire care ··················\
··················\
··················\
·················7-31\
Cargo weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
············5-55
Center console storage ··················\
··················\
·············4-113
Central door lock switch··················\
··················\
············4-15
Certification label ··················\
··················\
··················\
······8-6
Changing tires ··················\
··················\
··················\
············6-8
Checking tire inflation pressure··················\
··················\
·7-33
Child restraint system ··················\
··················\
················3-31 Passenger seat belt ··················\
··················\
··················\
·3-34
Tether anchor system ··················\
··················\
···············3-36
Lower anchor system··················\
··················\
···············3-37
Child-protector rear door lock ··················\
··················\
···4-17
Climate control air filter ··················\
··················\
·4-100, 7-24
Clock (Digital) ··················\
··················\
··················\
·······4-118
Clothes hanger ··················\
··················\
··················\
·······4-119
Combined instrument, see instrument cluster ···············4-48
Compact spare tire ··················\
··················\
··················\
···6-13
Compact spare tire replacement ··················\
··················\
7-36
Compass mirror, see the Electric chromic mirror (ECM) with homeLink system and compass··················\
·········4-39
Cool box··················\
··················\
··················\
·················4-11\
4 Coolant ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···7-17
Cooling fluid, see engine coolant ··················\
················7-17
Crankcase emission control system ··················\
·············7-62
Cruise control system ··················\
··················\
················5-37
Cup holder ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············4-116
Curtain air bag ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········3-58
Dashboard illumination, see instrument panel
illumination··················\
··················\
··················\
············4-49
Dashboard, see instrument cluster ··················\
···············4-48
Defogging (Windshield) ··················\
··················\
··········4-109
Defogging logic (Windshield) ··················\
··················\
·4-111
Defroster (Rear window) ··················\
··················\
···········4-91
Defrosting (Windshield) ··················\
··················\
··········4-109
Digital clock··················\
··················\
··················\
···········4-118
Dimensions ··················\
··················\
··················\
················8-2
Display illumination, see instrument panel illumination··················\
··················\
··················\
············4-49
Displays, see instrument cluster ··················\
··················\
4-48
Distance to service ··················\
··················\
··················\
···4-55
Door locks··················\
··················\
··················\
················4-13 Central door lock switch ··················\
··················\
·········4-15
Child-protector rear door lock ··················\
··················\
·4-17
Drinks holders, see cup holders··················\
·················4-11\
6
Driver's 3-point system with evergency locking retractor··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
3-21
C
D

Index
4I
Driver's air bag··················\
··················\
··················\
·········3-52
Driver's position memory system ··················\
················4-34
Driving at night ··················\
··················\
··················\
········5-44
Driving in flooded areas ··················\
··················\
············5-45
Driving in the rain··················\
··················\
··················\
····5-45
Economical operation ··················\
··················\
················5-41
Electric chromic mirror (ECM) with HomeLink system and compass ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········4-39
Electric power steering ··················\
··················\
··············4-36
Electronic stability control (ESC) ··················\
···············5-28
Emergency starting ··················\
··················\
··················\
····6-4 Jump starting ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········6-4
Push starting ··················\
··················\
··················\
············6-5
Emergency while driving ··················\
··················\
·············6-2
Emission control system ··················\
··················\
············7-62 Crankcase emission control system··················\
···········7-62
Evaporative emission control System ··················\
·······7-62
Exhaust emission control system ··················\
··············7-63
Engine compartment ··················\
··················\
············2-4, 7-2
Engine coolant ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········7-17
Engine number ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········8-7
Engine oil ··················\
··················\
··················\
·················7-15\
Engine overheats ··················\
··················\
··················\
········6-6
Engine start/stop button ··················\
··················\
···············5-6
Engine temperature gauge ··················\
··················\
·········4-51 Engine will not start··················\
··················\
··················\
···6-3
Evaporative emission control System ··················\
·········7-62
Exhaust emission control system ··················\
···············7-63
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items ··············7-12
Exterior care··················\
··················\
··················\
·············7-56
Flat tire ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·····6-7
Changing tires··················\
··················\
··················\
··········6-8
Compact spare tire ··················\
··················\
··················\
·6-13
Jack and tools ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········6-7
Removing and storing the spare tire···········\
··················\
·6-8
Floor mat anchor(s) ··················\
··················\
·················4-11\
8
Fluid Washer fluid··················\
··················\
··················\
···········7-21
Brakes/clutch fluid··················\
··················\
··················\
·7-20
Folding the rear seat ··················\
··················\
··················\
3-13
Front passenger and rear seat 3-point system with combination locking retractor ··················\
··················\
·3-21
Front seat adjustment - manual ··················\
··················\
···3-4
Front seat adjustment - power ··················\
··················\
·····3-6
Fuel filler lid ··················\
··················\
··················\
············4-27
Fuel gauge··················\
··················\
··················\
················4-50
Fuel requirements ··················\
··················\
··················\
······1-3
EF

Index
8I
Shift lock system ··················\
··················\
··················\
·····5-19
Side impact air bag ··················\
··················\
··················\
··3-56
Smart key ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-5
Smooth cornering··················\
··················\
··················\
·····5-44
Snow tires ··················\
··················\
··················\
················5-47
Spare tireCompact spare tire ··················\
··················\
··················\
·6-13
Compact spare tire replacement ··················\
················7-36
Removing and storing the spare tire···········\
··················\
·6-8
Special driving conditions ··················\
··················\
·········5-43 Driving at night ··················\
··················\
··················\
·····5-44
Driving in flooded areas ··················\
··················\
··········5-45
Driving in the rain ··················\
··················\
··················\
·5-45
Hazardous driving conditions ··················\
··················\
··5-43
Highway driving ··················\
··················\
··················\
····5-46
Rocking the vehicle ··················\
··················\
·················5-43\
Smooth cornering ··················\
··················\
··················\
··5-44
Speedometer··················\
··················\
··················\
·············4-49
Sports mode ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············5-18
Starting difficulties, see engine will not start ··················\
6-3
Starting the engine ··················\
··················\
··················\
·····5-9
Steering wheel ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········4-36 Horn ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
·····4-37
Electric power steering ··················\
··················\
············4-36
Tilt steering ··················\
··················\
··················\
············4-37
Steering wheel audio control ··················\
··················\
···4-121 Storage compartment ··················\
··················\
···············4-113
Center console storage·············\
··················\
················4-113
Glove box ··················\
··················\
··················\
············4-113
Cool box ··················\
··················\
··················\
··············4-114
Sunglass holder··················\
··················\
··················\
····4-114
Sunroof, see panorama sunroof ··················\
··················\
·4-30
Sunvisor ··················\
··················\
··················\
·················4-11\
6
Tachometer··················\
··················\
··················\
···············4-49
Tether anchor system ··················\
··················\
·················3-36\
Theft-alarm system ··················\
··················\
··················\
··4-10
Tilt steering ··················\
··················\
··················\
··············4-37
Tire specification and pressure label ··················\
·············8-7
Tires and wheels ··················\
··················\
··················\
······7-31 Checking tire inflation pressure ··················\
················7-33
Compact spare tire replacement ··················\
················7-36
Recommended cold tire inflation pressures ················7-31
Tire care ··················\
··················\
··················\
·················7-31\
Tire maintenance ··················\
··················\
··················\
···7-37
Tire replacement ··················\
··················\
··················\
····7-35
Tire rotation ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········7-34
Tire sidewall labeling ··················\
··················\
··············7-37
Tire traction ··················\
··················\
··················\
···········7-37
Wheel alignment and tire balance ··················\
·············7-35
Wheel replacement ··················\
··················\
··················\
7-36
T

I9
Index
Tires and wheels ··················\
··················\
··················\
········8-3
Towing ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
···6-15
Trailer towing··················\
··················\
··················\
···········5-55
TransaxleAutomatic transaxle ··················\
··················\
·················5-15\
Manual transaxle ··················\
··················\
··················\
···5-12
Trip computer ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········4-51
Trunk ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
······4-18
Vehicle break-in process ··················\
··················\
··············1-4
Vehicle certification label ··················\
··················\
············8-6
Vehicle identification number (VIN) ··················\
·············8-6
Vehicle load limit ··················\
··················\
··················\
·····5-50 Certification label ··················\
··················\
··················\
··5-53
Vehicle option ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········4-57
Vehicle stability management ··················\
··················\
····5-33
Vehicle weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········5-55 Base curb weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
···5-55
Cargo weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········5-55
GAW (Gross axle weight) ··················\
··················\
·······5-55
GAWR (Gross axle weight rating) ··················\
············5-55
GVW (Gross vehicle weight) ··················\
··················\
··5-55
GVWR (Gross vehicle weight rating) ··················\
·······5-55 Warnings and indicators ··················\
··················\
············4-58
Washer fluid ··················\
··················\
··················\
·············7-21
Weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
····5-55
Base curb weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
···5-55
Cargo weight ··················\
··················\
··················\
·········5-55
GAW (Gross axle weight) ··················\
··················\
·······5-55
GAWR (Gross axle weight rating) ··················\
············5-55
GVW (Gross vehicle weight) ··················\
··················\
··5-55
GVWR (Gross vehicle weight rating) ··················\
·······5-55
Welcome system ··················\
··················\
··················\
······4-79
Wheel alignment and tire balance ··················\
···············7-35
Wheel replacement ··················\
··················\
··················\
··7-36
Windows ··················\
··················\
··················\
··················\
4-21 Auto down window ··················\
··················\
·················4-22\
Auto up/down window ··················\
··················\
············4-23
Power window lock button ··················\
··················\
······4-24
Windshield defrosting and defogging··················\
········4-109 Defogging logic ··················\
··················\
··················\
···4-111
Auto defogging system··················\
··················\
··········4-112
Winter driving ··················\
··················\
··················\
··········5-47 Snow tires ··················\
··················\
··················\
··············5-47
Wiper blades ··················\
··················\
··················\
············7-25
Wipers and washers ··················\
··················\
··················\
·4-85
V
W

53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in
Section 7, “Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls are
easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding areas
near your vehicle for people, espe-
cially children, before putting a vehi-
cle into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING
Driving while distracted can result
in a loss of vehicle control, that
may lead to an accident, severe
personal injury, and death. The dri-
ver’s primary responsibility is in
the safe and legal operation of a
vehicle, and use of any handheld
devices, other equipment, or vehi-
cle systems which take the driver’s
eyes, attention and focus away
from the safe operation of a vehicle
or which are not permissible by law
should never be used during oper-
ation of the vehicle.
WARNING- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement.
Driving while under the influence of
drugs is as dangerous or more dan-
gerous than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.

531
Driving your vehicle
Indicator light
When the ignition switch is turned ON,
the indicator light illuminates, then goes
off if ESC system is operating normally.
The ESC indicator light blinks whenever
ESC is operating.
ESC OFF indicator light comes on when
either the ESC is turned off with the but-
ton, or ESC fails to operate when turned
on.
ESC OFF usage
When driving
It’s a good idea to keep the ESC turnedon for daily driving whenever possible.
To turn ESC off while driving, press the ESC OFF button while driving on a flat
road surface.
Never press the ESC OFF button while
ESC is operating (ESC indicator light
blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is operat-
ing, the vehicle may slip out of control.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
• When operating the vehicle on a
dynamometer, ensure that the ESC is
turned off (ESC OFF light illuminat-
ed). If the ESC is left on, it may pre-
vent the vehicle speed from increas-
ing, and result in false diagnosis.
• Turning the ESC off does not affect the ABS or brake system operation.
■ESC indicator light (blinks)
■ ESC OFF indicator light (comes on)
CAUTION
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the ESC system tomalfunction. When replacing tires,make sure they are the same size asyour original tires.
WARNING
The Electronic Stability Control sys-
tem is only a driving aid; use pre-
cautions for safe driving by slowing
down on curved, snowy, or icy
roads. Drive slowly and don’t
attempt to accelerate whenever the
ESC indicator light is blinking, or
when the road surface is slippery.

533
Driving your vehicle
Vehicle stability management
(VSM) (if equipped)
This system provides further enhance-
ments to vehicle stability and steering
responses when a vehicle is driving on a
slippery road or a vehicle detected
changes in coefficient of friction between
right wheels and left wheels when brak-
ing.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESC indi-
cator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability management
is operating properly, you can feel a slight
pulsation in the vehicle and/or abnormal
steering responses (EPS). This is only
the effect of brake and EPS control and
indicates nothing unusual.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on bank road such as gradientor incline
Driving rearward
ESC OFF indicator light ( ) remains on the instrument cluster
EPS indicator light remains on the instrument cluster
VSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to turn
off the ESC, the VSM will also cancel and
the ESC OFF indicator light ( ) illumi-
nates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light goes
out.
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if you
don’t cancel the VSM operation by press-
ing the ESC OFF button. It indicates that
a malfunction has been detected some-
where in the Electric Power Steering sys-
tem or VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or EPS warning light remains
on, take your vehicle to an authorized Kia
dealer and have the system checked.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
• The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 15 km/h (9 mph)
on curves.
• The VSM is designed to function above approximately 30 km/h (18
mph) when a vehicle is braking on a
split-mu road. The split-mu road is
made of surfaces which have different
friction forces.
WARNING
The Vehicle Stability Management
system is not a substitute for
safe driving practices but a sup-
plementary function only. It is the
responsibility of the driver to
always check the speed and the
distance to the vehicle ahead.
Always hold the steering wheel
firmly while driving.
Your vehicle is designed to acti- vate according to the driver’s
intention, even with installed
VSM. Always follow all the normal
precautions for driving at safe
speeds for the conditions –
including driving inclement
weather and on a slippery road.
Driving with varying tire or wheel sizes may cause the VSM system
to malfunction. When replacing
tires, make sure they are the
same size as your original tires.

541
Driving your vehicle
Your 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
miles (kilometers) you can get from a gal-
lon (liter) 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:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts
or full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily. Avoid
heavy traffic whenever possible.
Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unnec-
essary braking. This also reduces
brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your vehicle
uses. Driving at a moderate speed,
especially on the highway, is one of the
most effective ways to reduce fuel con-
sumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This can
increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components.
In addition, driving with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal may cause the
brakes to overheat, which reduces
their effectiveness and may lead to
more serious consequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at least
once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting curbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tire wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condition.
For better fuel economy and reduced
maintenance costs, maintain your vehi-
cle in accordance with the mainte-
nance schedule in section 7. If you
drive your vehicle in severe conditions,
more frequent maintenance is required
(see section 7 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maximum service, your vehicle should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the vehicle. This
extra weight can result in increased
fuel consumption and also contribute
to corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight in your vehicle. Weight reduces
fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION

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.

Driving your vehicle
44
5
✽
✽
NOTICE
The ESC system (if equipped) should be
turned OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.
Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in cor-
ners, especially when roads are wet.
Ideally, corners should always be taken
under gentle acceleration. If you follow
these suggestions, tire wear will be held
to a minimum.
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight, here
are some important tips to remember:
Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
OUN056051OMC035004
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
which could result in tire damage
that may injure bystanders.
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle free
by moving it forward and backward.
Do not attempt this procedure if
people or objects are anywhere
near the vehicle. During the rocking
operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or
objects.