emergency towing KIA Optima 2015 4.G Owner's Manual

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IntroductionHow to use this manual / Fuel requirements / Vehicle break-in process
Your vehicle at a glance
Exterior overview / Interior overview / Instrument panel overview / Engi\
ne compartment
Safety features of your vehicle
Seats / Seat belts / Child restraint system / Air bag
Features of your vehicleKeys / Door locks / Trunk / Windows / Hood / Fuel filler lid / Sunroof / Steering wheel / Mirrors / Instrumentcluster / Lighting / Wipers & Washers / Climate control system / Audio system / Etc.
Driving your vehicleBefore driving / Engine start/stop button / Transaxle / Brake system / Cruise control system /
Active ECO system / Winter driving / Vehicle load limit / Etc.
What to do in an emergencyRoad warning / Emergency while driving / Emergency starting / Engine overheat / Flat tire / Towing / Etc.
MaintenanceEngine compartment / Maintenance service / Engine oil / Engine coolant /\
Brake fluid / Washer fluid /
Parking brake / Air cleaner / Wiper blades / Battery / Tire and wheels / Fuses / Etc.
Specifications & Consumer information
Index
table of contents

557
Driving your vehicle
Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to hap-
pen when there is an accumulation
of snow or ice around or near the
rear brakes or if the brakes are wet.
If there is a risk the parking brake
may freeze, apply it only temporarily
while you put the shift lever in P
(automatic transaxle) and block the
rear wheels so the vehicle cannot
roll. Then release the parking brake.
Don't let ice and snow accu-
mulate underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
car to be sure the movement of the
front wheels and the steering com-
ponents is not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the
weather you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of
the items you may want to carry
include tow straps or chains, flash-
light, emergency flares, sand, a
shovel, jumper cables, a window
scraper, gloves, ground cloth, cover-
alls, a blanket, etc.
TRAILER TOWING
We do not recommend using this
vehicle for trailer towing.

What to do in an emergency
Road warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
• Hazard warning flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
In case of an emergency while driving . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
If the engine will not start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
. . . . 6-4
. . . . 6-4
Emergency starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
If the engine overheats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
If you have a flat tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
If you have a flat tire (with Tire Mobility Kit) . . 6-17
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17
. . . . . 6-18
. . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-\
23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
6

65
What to do in an emergency
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 procedures. If in doubt, we
strongly recommend that you have a
competent technician or towing serv-
ice jump start your vehicle.
CAUTION - 12 volt battery
Use only a 12-volt jumper sys-tem. You can damage a 12-voltstarting motor, ignition system,and other electrical partsbeyond repair by use of a 24-volt power supply (either two12-volt batteries in series or a24-volt motor generator set).
WARNING - Battery
Keep all flames or sparks away
from the battery. The battery
produces hydrogen gas which
will explode if exposed to flame
or sparks.
WARNING- Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as
this may cause the battery to
rupture or explode.
WARNING- Frozen batteries
Do not attempt to jump start the
vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte
level is low as the battery may
rupture or explode.
WARNING- Sulfuric acid risk
When jump starting your vehi-
cle be careful not to get acid on
yourself, your clothing or on the
vehicle. Automobile batteries
contain sulfuric acid. This is
poisonous and highly corro-
sive.
1VQA4001
Discharged battery
Jumper Cables
Booster battery(-)
(+)
(+)(-)

69
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.Always move the vehicle completely
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 towing serv-
ice company for assistance.
Be sure to use the correct front and
rear jacking positions on the vehicle;
never use the bumpers or any other
part of the vehicle for jack support.
WARNING - Tire Jack
Do not place any portion of your
body under a vehicle that is
only supported by a jack since
the vehicle can easily roll off the
jack. Use vehicle support
stands.
WARNING- Changing tires
Never attempt vehicle repairs in
the traffic lanes of a public road
or highway.
OTF060002

621
What to do in an emergency
Distributing the sealant
11. Immediately drive approximately7~10km (4~6miles or, about
10min) to evenly distribute the
sealant in the tire.
Do not exceed a speed of 80 km/h
(50 mph). If possible, do not fall
below a speed of 20 km/h (12 mph).
While driving, if you experience any
unusual vibration, ride disturbance or
noise, reduce your speed and drive
with caution until you can safely pull
off of the side of the road.
Call for road side service or towing.
When you use the Tire Mobility Kit,
the tire pressure sensor valve stem
and wheel may be stained by
sealant. After use wipe off sealant
residue and inspect. Consult you Kia
dealership if necessary.
Checking the tire inflation
pressure
1.After driving approximately 7 ~ 10 km (4 ~ 6 miles or about 10 min),
stop at a safe location.
2.Connect connection hose (9) of the compressor directly to the tire
valve.
3.Plug the compressor power cord into the vehicle power outlet.
4.Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the recomended tire inflation.
With the ignition switch on, pro-
ceed as follows.
- To increase the inflation pres-sure : Switch on the compressor,
position I. To check the current
inflation pressure setting, briefly
switch off the compressor.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
The pressure gauge may show high-
er than actual reading when the
compressor is running. To get an
accurate tire reading, the compres-
sor needs to be turned off.
- To reduce the inflation pres-
sure: Press the button 8 on the
compressor.
CAUTION - Tire pressure
sensor
When you use the Tire MobilityKit including sealant notapproved by Kia, the tire pres-sure sensors may be damagedby sealant. The sealant on thetire pressure sensor and wheelshould be removed when youreplace the tire with a new oneand inspect the tire pressuresensors at an authorized dealer.

623
What to do in an emergency
TOWING
Towing service
If emergency towing is necessary,
we recommend having it done by an
authorized Kia dealer or a commer-
cial tow-truck service. Proper lifting
and towing procedures are neces-
sary to prevent damage to the vehi-
cle. The use of wheel dollies or
flatbed is recommended.
For trailer towing guidelines informa-tion, refer to “Trailer towing” in chap-ter 5.
It is acceptable to tow the vehicle
with the rear wheels on the ground
(without dollies) and the front wheels
off the ground. If any of the loaded wheels or sus-
pension components are damaged
or the vehicle is being towed with the
front wheels on the ground, use a
towing dolly under the front wheels.
When being towed by a commercial
tow truck and wheel dollies are not
used, the front of the vehicle should
always be lifted, not the rear.
CAUTION- Towing
Do not tow the vehicle back-
wards with the front wheels onthe ground as this may causedamage to the vehicle.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Use wheel lift orflatbed equipment.
OMC045012
A
BHXD02
HXD03
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What to do in an emergency
24
6
Removable towing hook
(if equipped)
1.Open the trunk, and remove the
towing hook from the tool case.
2.Remove the hole cover pressing the lower part of the cover on the
bumper.
3.Install the towing hook by turning it clockwise into the hole until it is
fully secured.
4.Remove the towing hook and install the cover after use.
Emergency towing
If towing is necessary, have it
done by an authorized Kia dealer
or a commercial tow truck service. If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or
chain secured to the emergency tow-
ing hook under the rear of the vehi-
cle. Use extreme caution when tow-
ing 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 distance 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
vehicle out of mud, sand or other
conditions 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 communicate with each other fre-
quently.
OTF064009
OTF064010
OTF064011
■Front (if equipped)
■Rear

625
What to do in an emergency
Before emergency towing, checkthat the hook is not broken or dam-
aged.
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 verti-
cal 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 tow-
ing.
CAUTION
Attach a towing strap to the tow hook.
Using a portion of the vehicle other than the tow hooks fortowing may damage the bodyof your vehicle.
Use only a cable or chain specifically intended for usein towing vehicles. Securelyfasten the cable or chain tothe towing hook provided.
WARNING
Use extreme caution when tow-
ing the vehicle.
driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress
on the emergency towing
hook and towing cable or
chain. The hook and towing
cable or chain may break and
cause serious injury or dam-
age.
If the disabled vehicle is unable to be moved, 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 during towing.
OYF069017

What to do in an emergency
26
6
Emergency towing precautions
Place the ignition switch in ACC so
the steering wheel isn’t locked.
Place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral).
Release the parking bake.
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 steer-
ing system will be disabled.
If you are driving down a long hill, the brakes may overheat and brake
performance will be reduced. Stop
often and let the brakes cool off. When towing your vehicle in an
emergency without wheel dollies :
1.Set the ignition switch in the ACC
position.
2.Place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral).
3.Release the parking brake.CAUTION - Automatic transaxle
If the car is being towed with all four wheels on the ground,it can be towed only from thefront. Be sure that thetransaxle is in neutral. Be surethe steering is unlocked byplacing the ignition switch inthe ACC position. A drivermust be in the towed vehicleto operate the steering andbrakes.
To avoid serious damage to the automatic transaxle, limitthe vehicle speed to 15 km/h(10 mph) and drive less than1.5 km (1 mile) when towing.
Before towing, check the auto- matic transaxle for fluid leaksunder your vehicle. If the auto-matic transaxle fluid is leak-ing, a flatbed equipment ortowing dolly must be used.
CAUTION - Towing gear
position
Always place the transaxle shiftlever in Neutral (N) when towingyour vehicle. Failure to place thetransaxle shift lever in N(Neutral) may cause internaldamage to the transaxle.