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.