Kia Optima: Rear seat adjustment / Folding the rear seat

The rear seatbacks may be folded to facilitate carrying long items or to increase the luggage capacity of the vehicle.

WARNING - Folded Seatback

The purpose of the fold-down rear seatbacks is to allow you to carry longer objects that could not otherwise be accommodated.

• Never allow a passenger to sit on top of the folded down seatback while the car is moving. This is not a proper seating position since the seat has important crash protection features and seat belts are not available in this seat configuration.
• To reduce the risk of injury caused by sliding cargo within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, objects carried on the folded down seatback should not extend higher than the top of the front seats.

To fold down the rear seatback:

1. Make sure the rear seat belt webbing is in the guide to prevent the seat belt from being damaged.

2. Set the front seatback to the upright position and if necessary, slide the front seat forward.

3. Lower the rear headrests to the lowest position.

WARNING - Objects

Objects carried on the folded down seatback should not extend higher than the top of the front seatbacks. This could allow cargo to slide forward and cause injury or damage during sudden stops.

4. Pull out the seatback locking knob(1) in the trunk, then fold the seat toward the front of the vehicle.

5. To use the rear seat, lift and pull the seatback backward. Pull the seatback firmly until it clicks into place. Make sure the seatback is locked in place.

6. Return the rear seat belt to the proper position.

CAUTION

Be careful when loading cargo through the rear passenger seats to prevent damage to the vehicle interior.

WARNING

Unless the driver's position is properly set according to the driver's physical figure, do not fold the rear seat. It may increase body injuries in a sudden stop or collision.

WARNING - Uprighting seat

When you return the seatback to its upright position, hold the seatback and return it slowly. If the seatback is returned without holding it, the back of the seat could spring forward, resulting in injury caused by being struck by the seatback.

WARNING - Rear Seatback

To ensure maximum protection in the event of an accident or sudden stop, when returning the rear seat to the upright position:

• Be careful not to damage the seat belt webbing or buckle.
• Do not allow the seat belt webbing or buckle to become pinched or caught in the rear seat.
• Ensure the seatback is completely locked into its upright position by pushing on the top of the seatback. Failure to adhere to any of these instructions could result in serious injury or death in the event of a crash.

CAUTION - Damaging rear seat belt buckles

When you fold the rear seatback, insert the buckle between the rear seatback and cushion. Doing so can prevent the buckle from being damaged by the rear seatback.

CAUTION - Rear seat belts

When returning the rear seatbacks to the upright position, remember to return the rear shoulder belts to their proper position.

WARNING - Cargo

Cargo should always be secured to prevent it from being thrown about the vehicle in a collision and causing injury to the vehicle occupants. Do not place objects in the rear seats, since they cannot be properly secured and may hit the front seat occupants in a collision.

WARNING - Cargo loading

Make sure the engine is off, the automatic transmission is in P (Park) and the parking brake is securely applied whenever loading or unloading cargo. Failure to take these steps may allow the vehicle to move if the shift lever is inadvertent