Page 105 of 312

MANUAL TRANSMISSION
(IF EQUIPPED)Manual Transmission Operation
The manual transmission has five for-
ward gears.
Press the clutch pedal down fully
while shifting, then release it slowly.A special safety feature prevents
inadvertent shifting from 5 (Fifth) to R
(Reverse). The gearshift lever must
be returned to the Neutral position
before shifting into R (Reverse).
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into R
(Reverse).
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-7
✽ ✽
NOTICETo avoid premature clutch wear
and damage, do not drive with your
foot resting on the clutch pedal.
Also, don’t use the clutch to hold
the vehicle stopped on an upgrade,
while waiting for a traffic light, etc.
N
135
24R
S2BLA404
WARNING
- Manual
Transmission
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
Then make sure the transmis-
sion is shifted into 1st gear.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement can occur if these
precautions are not followed in
the order identified.
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Page 106 of 312
Recommended Shift Speeds
The chart shows when to shift for
smooth driving and best fuel econo-
my.
This data has been obtained through
tests. You are encouraged to follow
this shift schedule.
You may have to upshift at higher
speeds than those above if you need
more power while you are driving on
a hill or passing another vehicle.
However, never operate the engine
with the tachometer (RPM) in the red
area.Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or while driving up steep hills,
downshift before the engine starts to
“labor’’. Downshifting reduces the
chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you again need to
increase your speed. When the vehi-
cle is traveling down steep hills,
downshifting helps maintain safe
speed and prolongs brake life.DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-8Gear Position Speeds - km/h (Mph)
1 0 – 21 (0 – 13)
2 21 – 40 (13 – 25)
3 40 – 60 (25 – 37)
4 40 – 60 (25 – 37)
5 over 72 (over 45)
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Page 107 of 312
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-9
PR
N
D
2
LO
/D
O
F
F
P
R
N
D
2
L
S2BLC402B
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
(30-40LEi, IF EQUIPPED)
Normal transmission gear
ranges are provided on the
right side of the indicator.Lock release button
Prevents shift lever movement without
first depressing the button.
Shift pattern indicator
shows shift lever position and
gear range of the transmission. To move the shift lever from the P position,
the ignition switch must be in the ON position,
the brake pedal must be depressed and the
lock release button must be depressed.
The lock release button must be depressed
while moving the shift lever.
The shift lever can be moved without depress-
ing the lock release button.
O/D System
Pressing the button de-acti-
vates the O/D mode. Pressing
again re-activates the O/D
mode.
Shift lever
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Page 108 of 312

Automatic Transmission
Operation
The automatic transmission is elec-
tronically controlled.
All normal forward driving is done
with the shift lever in the D (Drive)
position.To move the shift lever from the P
(Park) position, the ignition switch
must be in the ON position, the brake
pedal must be depressed and the
lock release button must be
depressed.
For smooth operation, depress the
brake pedal when shifting from N
(Neutral) to a forward or reverse gear.DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-10
PR
N
D
2
LO/D OFF
PRND2LS2BLA402C
WARNING- Automatic Transaxle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (PARK) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the engine off. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order
identified.
✽ ✽
NOTICE To avoid damage to your trans-
mission, do not accelerate the
engine in R (Reverse) or any for-
ward gear position with the
brakes on.
When stopped on an upgrade, do
not hold the vehicle stationary
with engine power. Use the serv-
ice brake or the parking brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or
P (Park) into L (Low), 2 (Second
Gear), D (Drive), or R (Reverse)
when the engine is above idle
speed.✽ ✽
NOTICEIf the Emission Control System
Malfunction Indicator Light ( )
flashes, it indicates an electrical
problem with the transmission.
Should this occur, have the vehicle
checked by an Authorized Kia
Dealer as soon as possible.
CHECK
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Page 109 of 312

Shift Lock System
For your safety, the Automatic
Transmission has a shift lock system
which prevents shifting the transmis-
sion out of P (Park) unless the brake
pedal is depressed.
To shift the transmission out of P
(Park):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition
to the ON position.
3. Depress the lock release button
and move the shift lever.
When the ignition switch is in the
ACC or LOCK position, the transmis-
sion cannot be shifted from P (Park).If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chat-
tering noise near the shift lever may
be heard. This is a normal condition.
Also, the ignition key cannot be
removed unless the shift lever is in
the P (Park) position. If the ignition
switch is in any other position, the key
cannot be removed.
Transmission Ranges
O/D (OverDrive) System
Pressing the O/D system button can-
cels and engages the overdrive sys-
tem. When the O/D system is can-
celled (button is pressed), the O/D
OFF indicator illuminates and the
transmission gear range is limited to
1st through 3rd. The transmission will
not shift to 4th gear until the O/D sys-
tem button is pressed again to
release the switch.
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-11
PR
N
D
2
LO/D OFF
S2BLA407
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Page 110 of 312

When driving down a sloping road
with the transaxle in O/D (5th), you
can decrease the vehicle speed with-
out using the brakes by pressing the
O/D OFF button.
When the ignition is switched OFF,
O/D OFF mode is automatically can-
celled.
O/D OFF indicator
This indicator light illuminates in the
instrument panel when the O/D mode
is cancelled.P (Park)
This position locks the transmission
and prevents the front wheels from
rotating. Always come to a complete
stop before shifting into this position.DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-12✽ ✽
NOTICEIf the O/D OFF indicator flashes, it
indicates an electrical problem with
the transaxle. Should this occur,
have the vehicle checked by an
Authorized Kia Dealer as soon as
possible.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion will cause
the drive wheels to lock which
will cause you to lose control
of the vehicle.
Do not use the P (Park) posi-
tion in place of the parking
brake. Always make sure the
shift lever is latched in the P
(Park) position so that it can-
not be moved unless the lock
release button is pushed in,
AND set the parking brake
fully.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Before leaving the driver’s
seat, always make sure the
shift lever is in the P (PARK)
position. Set the parking
brake fully, shut the engine off
and take the key with you.
Unexpected and sudden vehi-
cle movement can occur if
you do not follow these pre-
cautions in the order speci-
fied.
Never leave a child unattend-
ed in a vehicle.
CAUTION
The transmission may be dam-
aged if you shift into P (Park)
while the vehicle is in motion.
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R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift in the N position,
the wheels and transmission are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely
even if the transfer case is in gear,
unless the parking brake or service
brakes are applied.D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving
position. The transmission will auto-
matically shift through a four-gear
sequence, providing the best econo-
my and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or climbing grades,
depress the accelerator fully, at which
time the transmission will automati-
cally downshift to the next lower gear.2 (Second Gear)
Use 2 (Second Gear) for more power
when climbing hills and for increased
braking when going down hills. This
position also helps reduce wheel spin
on slippery surfaces. When the shift
lever is placed in 2 (Second Gear),
the transmission will automatically
shift from first to second gear.
Downshifting from second to first
gear is possible below speeds of 26
miles per hour (43 km/h). Do not
exceed 36 miles per hour (60 km/h)
while in second gear.
L (Low)
Move the shift lever to this position in
hard pulling situations and for climb-
ing steep grades. Do not exceed 22
miles per hour (35 km/h) while in
Low.
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-13
✽ ✽
NOTICEAlways come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transmission if you shift into R
while the vehicle is in motion,
except as explained in “Rocking the
Vehicle”, in this manual.
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Page 112 of 312
Moving Up a Steep Grade From a
Standing Start
To move up a steep grade from a
standing start, depress the brake
pedal, shift the shift lever to D (Drive),
2 (Second) or L (Low) depending on
load weight and steepness of the
grade, and release the parking brake.
Depress the accelerator gradually
while releasing the service brakes.
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-14✽ ✽
NOTICEDo not exceed the recommended
maximum speeds in 2 (Second
Gear) or L (Low). Operating the
vehicle at speeds above the maxi-
mum recommended, for these gears
may cause excessive heat to develop
which could result in damage to or
failure of the automatic transmis-
sion.
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