ABS KIA Spectra 2008 2.G Owner's Manual

Knowing your vehicle
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Child seat lower anchors
Some child seat manufacturers
make child restraint seats that are
labeled as International Standards
Organization Fixed (ISOFIX) or
ISOFIX-compatible child restraint
seats. These seats include two rigid
or webbing mounted attachments
that connect to two ISOFIX anchors
at specific seating positions in your
vehicle. This type of child restraint
seat eliminates the need to use seat
belts to attach the child seat in the
rear seats.There is a symbol located on the
lower portion of each side of the rear
seatbacks. These symbols indicate
the position of the lower anchors for
child restraints so equipped.
1LDN30501LDN3100/1LDN3100A
Child lower anchor
LabelWARNING
When using the vehicle's
"ISOFIX" system to install a
child restraint system in the rear
seat, all unused vehicle rear
seat belt metal latch plates or
tabs must be latched securely in
their seat belt buckles and the
seat belt webbing must be
retracted behind the child
restraint to prevent the child
from reaching and taking hold
of unretracted seat belts.
Unlatched metal latch plates or
tabs may allow the child to
reach the unretracted seat belts
which may result in strangula-
tion and a serious injury or
death to the child in the child
restraint.

Knowing your vehicle
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Air bag inflation condition
Front air bag
Front air bags (driver’s and front pas-
senger’s air bags) are designed to
inflate when the impact is delivered
to front collision sensors depending
on the intensity, speed or angles of
impact of the front collision - general-
ly from an area a little to the left to a
little to the right of straight ahead.
WARNING
• Do not hit or allow any objects
to impact the locations where
air bag or sensors are
installed.
This may cause unexpected
air bag deployment, which
could result in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
• If the installation location or
angle of the sensors is altered
in any way, the air bags may
deploy when they should not
or they may not deploy when
they should, causing severe
injury or death.
Therefore, do not try to per-
form maintenance on or
around the air bag sensors.
Have the vehicle checked and
repaired by an authorized Kia
dealer.
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• Problems may arise if the sen-
sor installation angles are
changed due to the deforma-
tion of front bumper, body or
B, C pillar where side collision
sensors are installed. Have
the vehicle checked and
repaired by an authorized Kia
dealer.
• Your vehicle has been
designed to absorb impact
and deploy the air bag(s) in
certain collisions.Installing
aftermarket bumper guards or
replacing a bumper with non-
genuine parts may adversely
affect your vehicles collision
and air bag deployment per-
formance.
1LDA2059

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Driving your vehicle
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if equipped)The ABS system continuously sens-
es the speed of the wheels. If the
wheels are going to lock, the ABS
system repeatedly modulates the
hydraulic brake pressure to the
wheels.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the
wheels, you may hear a “tik-tik’’
sound from the brakes, or feel a cor-
responding sensation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and it means
your ABS system is active.
In order to obtain the maximum ben-
efit from your ABS system in an
emergency situation, do not attempt
to modulate your brake pressure and
do not try to pump your brakes.
Press your brake pedal as hard as
possible or as hard as the situation
warrants and allow the ABS system
to control the force being delivered to
the brakes.
WARNING- ABS Brakes
Your ABS is not a substitute for
good driving judgement. You
can still have an accident. In
fact, your ABS system will prob-
ably not be able to prevent an
accident in the following driving
conditions:
• Dangerous driving,such as
neglecting safety precautions,
speeding, or driving too close
to the vehicle in front of you.
• Driving at high speed in situa-
tions providing considerably
less traction,such as wet con-
ditions where hydroplaning
could occur.
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• Driving too fast on poor road
surfaces. The ABS is designed
to improve maximum braking
effectiveness on typical high-
ways and roads in good con-
dition. On poor road surfaces
in poor condition, the ABS
may actually reduce braking
effectiveness.

Driving your vehicle
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• Even with the anti-lock brake sys-
tem, your vehicle still requires suf-
ficient stopping distance. Always
maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you.
• Always slow down when cornering.
The anti-lock brake system cannot
prevent accidents resulting from
excessive speeds.
• On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake
system may result in a longer stop-
ping distance than for vehicles
equipped with a conventional
brake system.
ABS
W-78
CAUTION
• If the ABS warning light is on
and stays on, you may have a
problem with the ABS system.
In this case, however, your reg-
ular brakes will work normally.
• The ABS warning light will stay
on for approximately 3 sec-
onds after the ignition switch
is ON. During that time, the
ABS will go through self-diag-
nosis and the light will go off if
everything is normal. If the
light stays on, you may have a
problem with your ABS sys-
tem. Contact an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION
• When you drive on a road hav-
ing poor traction,such as an
icy road, and operate your
brakes continuously, the ABS
will be active continuously
and the ABS warning light
may illuminate. Pull your car
over to a safe place and stop
the engine.
•Restart the engine. If the ABS
warning light is off, then your
ABS system is normal.
Otherwise, you may have a
problem with the ABS.
Contact an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.

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Driving your vehicle
✽
NOTICE
When you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the
engine may not run as smoothly and
the ABS warning light may turn on
at the same time. This happens
because of the low battery voltage. It
does not mean your ABS is malfunc-
tioning.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.

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Driving your vehicle
TCS OFF usage
When driving
• It’s a good idea to keep the TCS
turned on for daily driving whenev-
er possible.
• To turn TCS off while driving, press
the TCS button while driving on a
flat road surface.
Never press TCS button while TCS is
operating (TCS indicator light blinks).
If TCS is turned off while TCS is
operating, the vehicle may slip out of
control.
✽
NOTICE
• When measuring the vehicle speed
with a Chassis dynamometer,
make sure the TCS is turned off
(TCS OFF light illuminated). If
the TCS is left on, it may prevent
the vehicle speed from increasing,
and cause a false diagnosis of a
faulty speedometer.
• Turning the TCS off does not
affect ABS or brake system opera-
tion.WARNING- TCS
Never press the TCS button
while TCS is operating.
If the TCS is turned off while
TCS is operating, the vehicle
may slip out of control.
To turn TCS off while driving,
press the TCS button while driv-
ing on a flat road surface.

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Driving your vehicle
Warning lights / audible indi-
cators
Checking operation
All warning lights are checked by
turning the ignition switch ON (do not
start the engine). Any light that does
not illuminate should be checked by
an Authorized Kia Dealer.
After starting the engine, check to
make sure that all warning lights are
off. If any are still on, this indicates a
situation that needs attention. When
releasing the parking brake, the
brake system warning light should go
off. The fuel warning light will stay on
if the fuel level is low.
Anti-lock brake sys-
tem (ABS) warning
light (if equipped)
This light illuminates if the key is
turned to ON and goes off in approx-
imately 3 seconds if the system is
operating normally.
If the light stays on, you may have a
problem with your ABS system.
Contact an authorized Kia dealer as
soon as possible.
Electronic brake force
distribution (EBD)
system warning light
(if equipped)
If two warning lights illumi-
nate at the same time
while driving, your vehicle
has a problem with ABS
and EBD system.In this case, your ABS system and
regular brake system may not work
normally. Have the vehicle checked
by an Authorized Kia Dealer as soon
as possible.
WARNINGS AND INDICATORS
ABS
ABS
WARNING
If the both ABS and Brake warn-
ing lights are ON and stay ON,
your vehicle’s brake system will
not work normally. So you may
experience an unexpected and
dangerous situation during sud-
den braking. In this case, avoid
high speed driving and abrupt
braking. Have your vehicle
checked by Authorized Kia
Dealer as soon as possible.

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Driving tips
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
• Drive cautiously and allow extra
distance for braking.
• Avoid sudden movements in brak-
ing or steering.
• When braking, 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 slow-
ly 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 pos-
sible. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a
tow vehicle to avoid engine overheat-
ing and possible damage to the
transaxle.
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WARNING - Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slip-
pery surfaces can cause an
accident. The sudden change in
tire speed could cause the tires
to skid. Be careful when down-
shifting on slippery surfaces.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may cause
engine over-heating, transaxle
damage or failure, and tire dam-
age.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal on
a vehicle equipped with ABS.

Driving tips
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Safety chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recom-
mendation for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trail-
er. And, never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum weight for a trailer without
brakes, then the trailer needs its own
brakes. You must consult with a
knowledgeable and reputable trailer
vendor to determine which brake
equipped trailer is right for your
needs. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
You must gain that experience slow-
ly 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 electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer
brakes are still working.
WARNING
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have properly
set up the brake system. This is
not a task for amateurs. Use an
experienced, competent trailer
shop for this work.

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Driving tips
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Parking on hills
Generally, you should not park your
vehicle, with a trailer attached, on a
hill. People can be seriously or fatal-
ly injured, and both your vehicle and
the trailer can be damaged if they
begin to move 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 purpose) under the down-
hill 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
parking brake, and then shift to R
(Reverse) for a manual transaxle
or P (Park) for an automatic
transaxle.
5. Release the brakes.
When you are ready to leave after
parking on a hill
1. With the manual transaxle in
Neutral or automatic transaxle in P
(Park), apply your brakes and hold
the brake pedal down while you:
• Start your engine;
• Shift into gear; and
• Release the parking brake.
2. Slowly remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly forward until the trail-
er is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up
and store the chocks.
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 serious-
ly or fatally injured.
WARNING- Parking on a
hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill
with a trailer attached is danger-
ous. It could cause serious
injury or death, should the trail-
er break lose, or should the trail-
er drag the vehicle downhill.