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Driving Your Vehicle4-12
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle backward.
N (Neutral)
In this position, the wheels and transaxle are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even on the slight-
est incline unless the parking brake or service brakes
are applied.
D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving position. The
transaxle will automatically shift through a four-gear
sequence, providing the best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another vehicle or
climbing steep grades, depress the accelerator fully, at
which time the transaxle will automatically downshift
into the next lower gear.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop before shifting
into or out of R (Reverse). You may damage the
transaxle if you shift into R while the vehicle is in
motion, except as explained in “Rocking the
Ve h i c l e .’’
✽
NOTICE
The transaxle may be damaged if you shift into
P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.
WARNING
Do not use the P (Park) position in place of
the parking brake when leaving the vehicle.
Always make sure the shift lever is latched
in the P (Park) position so that it cannot be
moved unless the lock release button is
pushed in AND the parking brake is fully
set.
Turn the ignition switch OFF whenever you
leave the vehicle unattended. Never leave the
vehicle unattended while the engine is run-
ning. Unexpected and sudden vehicle move-
ment may occur if these precautions are not
taken.
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
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4-17
✽
NOTICE
If the ABS warning light is ON and stays ON,
you may have a problem with the ABS system.
In this case, however, your regular brakes will
work normally.
The ABS warning light will stay ON for 2~3
seconds after the engine starts. During that
time, the ABS will go through self-diagnosis
and the light will go OFF if everything is nor-
mal. If the light stays ON you may have a
problem with your ABS system. Contact an
authorized Kia dealer for service as soon as
possible.✽
NOTICE
If the battery is discharged and the engine is
jump started, the ABS warning light may come
ON. This condition occurs because of a dis-
charged battery and not because there is an
anti-lock brake system malfunction.
Have the battery recharged before driving the
vehicle.
AN7B04015
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Driving Your Vehicle4-18 In the Event of Brake FailureIf the service brakes should fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an emergency stop
with the parking brake. The stopping distance, howev-
er, will be much greater than normal.
WARNING - Parking Brake
Pulling on the parking brake while the vehicle
is moving at normal speeds can cause a sudden
loss of control of the vehicle. If you must use
the parking brake to stop the vehicle, use great
caution in applying the brake.
WARNING
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. This will create abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive brake
lining and pad wear, and increased stopping
distances.
When descending a long or steep hill, shift
to a lower gear and avoid continuous appli-
cation of the brakes. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes to overheat
and could result in a temporary loss of
braking performance.
Wet brakes may result in the vehicle not
slowing down at the usual rate and/or
pulling to one side when the brakes are
applied. Applying the brakes lightly will
indicate whether they have been affected in
this way. Always test your brakes in this
fashion after driving through deep water.
To dry the brakes, apply them lightly while
maintaining a safe forward speed until
brake performance returns to normal.
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4-19 Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your vehicle has front disc brakes.
When your front brake pads are worn and it’s time for
new pads, you will hear a high-pitched warning sound
from your front brakes. You may hear this sound inter-
mittently or constantly.Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when you first apply, or lightly apply, the
brakes. This is normal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.
Rear Drum BrakesYour rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators.
Have the rear brake linings inspected if you hear a rear
brake rubbing noise. Also, have your rear brakes
inspected each time you change or rotate your tires and
when you have the front brakes replaced.
WARNING - Brake Wear
This brake-wear warning sound means your
vehicle needs service. If you ignore this audible
warning, you will eventually lose braking per-
formance, which could lead to a serious acci-
dent.✽
NOTICE
To avoid costly brake repairs, do not continue to
drive with worn brake pads.
CAUTION
Always replace brake linings or front pads as
complete front or rear axle sets.
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Driving Your Vehicle4-20
CAUTION
When stopped, do not use the gearshift lever in
place of the parking brake. Always set the park-
ing brake fully AND make sure the gearshift lever
is securely positioned in
P (Park) with an automatic transaxle or in
1st (First) or R (Reverse) gear with a manual
transaxle.
Parking Brake To set the parking brake, pull the parking brake
handle fully and firmly upward while applying the
service brake.
To release the parking brake, pull the handle up
slightly and push the button. Then, lower the handle
to the released position while holding the button in.
1B3105001E1B315001F
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on will cause
excessive wear of the brake linings and pads.
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Parking on Curbed Streets When parking your vehicle on an uphill grade, park
as close to the curb as possible and turn the front
wheels away from the curb so that the front wheels
will contact the curb if the vehicle moves backward.
When parking your vehicle on a downhill grade,
park as close to the curb as possible and turn the
front wheels toward the curb so that the front wheels
will contact the curb if the vehicle moves forward.
4-21
Check the brake warning light each time you start the
engine. The light is located in the instrument panel.
This warning light will be illuminated when the igni-
tion switch in ON or START and the parking brake is
set.
Before driving, be sure the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on after the parking
brake is released, there may be a malfunction in the
brake system. Immediate attention is necessary.
If at all possible, cease driving the vehicle immediate-
ly. If that is not possible, use extreme caution in oper-
ating the vehicle and only drive it until you reach the
first safe location or a repair shop.
AS2B04009
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4-23
Instrument Cluster
2FDA409A
With tachometer
A/T: Automatic Transaxle
Turn signal indicators
Speedometer
Tachometer
Warning and
indicator lights
Tripmeter/OdometerTripmeter reset
buttonWarning and indica-
tor lights
Fuel gauge Engine temperature gauge
A/T
A/T
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Driving Your Vehicle4-24
2FDA410A
Without tachometer
Turn signal indicators
Speedometer
Engine tempera-
ture gauge
Warning and
indicator lights
Tripmeter/OdometerTripmeter reset
buttonFuel gaugeWarning and
indicator lights
A/T: Automatic Transaxle
A/T
A/T
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