Kia Optima: Driving your vehicle / Economical operation
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 kilometers (miles) you can get from a
liter (gallon) of fuel.To operate your vehicle as economically as possible, use
the following driving suggestions to help save money in both fuel and repairs:
- Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moderate rate. Don't make "jackrabbit" 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 unnecessary 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 consumption.
- Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This can increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components. In addition, driving with your foot resting
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 alignment
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 vehicle in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in chapter 7. If you drive your vehicle in severe conditions, more
frequent maintenance is required (see chapter 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.
- Remember, your vehicle does not require extended warm-up. After the engine
has started, allow the engine to run for 10 to 20 seconds prior to placing the
vehicle in gear. In very cold weather, however, give your engine a slightly
longer warmup period.
- Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging is driving too slowly in a
very high gear resulting in engine bucking. If this happens, shift to a lower
gear. Over-revving is racing the engine beyond its safe limit. This can be avoided
by shifting at the recommended speed.
- Use your air conditioning sparingly. The air conditioning system is operated
by engine power so your fuel economy is reduced when you use it.
- 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 condition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorized Kia dealer perform scheduled inspections and
maintenance.
WARNING - Engine off during 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 running. In addition, turning off the ignition while driving could engage
the steering wheel lock resulting in loss of vehicle steering. Keep the engine on
and downshift to an appropriate gear for an engine braking effect.
When the “Check System” warning message appears, the system is not working properly.
In this case, take your vehicle to an authorized Kia dealer and have the system
checked.
WARNING
The ...
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 extr ...
Other information:
When the sensor is blocked with dirt, snow, or debris, the FCA system operation
may stop temporarily.
If this occurs, a warning message will appear on the LCD display.
The system will operate normally when such dirt, snow or debris is removed.
However, the FCA system may not properly operate ...
Components and components location
Components
[SBC Console]
1. Console side cover [LH]
2. Console side cover [RH]
3. Console tray
4. Console upper garnish
5. Console armrest mat
6. Console upper cover
7. Floor console assembly
8. Console ...