2008 KIA PICANTO warning

55
Driving your vehicle
E040000AUN-EU
E040100AUN
1. Make sure the parking brake isapplied.
2. Manual Transaxle - Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the clutch
pedal and brake pedal depressed
while turning the ignition switch to the
start position.
Automatic Transaxle - Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine when
the shift lever is in the N (Neutral)position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to START and hold it there until the engine starts (a
maximum of 10 seconds), then
release the key. 4. In extremely cold weather (below
-18°C / 0°F) or after the vehicle has
not been operated for several days, let
the engine warm up without depress-
ing the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without depressing
the accelerator.
(Continued)
Never reach for the ignition switch, or any other controls through the
steering wheel while the vehicle is
in motion. The presence of yourhand or arm in this area could
cause a loss of vehicle control, an
accident and serious bodily injuryor death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver’s seat as they
may move while driving, interferewith the driver and lead to an acci-dent.
STARTING THE ENGINE
WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski
boots,etc.) may interfere with yourability to use the brake and acceler-ator pedal.
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while you are in motion, do not attempt to move theshift lever to the P (Park) position. If
traffic and road conditions permit, you may put the shift lever in the N(Neutral) position while the vehicle is still moving and turn the ignition
switch to the START position in anattempt to restart the engine.
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter for more than 10 seconds. If the engine stallsor fails to start, wait 5 to 10 seconds
before re-engaging the starter.Improper use of the starter may damage it.

Driving your vehicle
8
5
During cold weather, shifting may be
difficult until the transaxle lubricant has
warmed up. This is normal and not
harmful to the transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and it's hard to shift into 1st or R(Reverse),
put the shift lever in N(Neutral) position
and release the clutch. Press the
clutch pedal back down, and then shift
into 1st or R(Reverse) gear position. E050101AUNUsing the clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the way
to the floor before shifting, then released
slowly. The clutch pedal should always be
fully released while driving. Do not rest
your foot on the clutch pedal while driv-
ing. This can cause unnecessary wear.
Do not partially engage the clutch to hold
the car on an incline. This causes unnec-
essary wear. Use the foot brake or park-
ing brake to hold the car on an incline. Do
not operate the clutch pedal rapidly and
repeatedly.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear
and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutch pedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle stopped on an
uphill grade, while waiting for atraffic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, as this
can result in premature wear ofthe transaxle shift forks.
WARNING
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off. Then makesure the transaxle is shifted into 1st
gear when the vehicle is parked on
a level or uphill grade, and shifted
into R (Reverse) on a downhill
grade. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur if
these precautions are not followed
in the order identified.

59
Driving your vehicle
E050102ASA
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traf-
fic or while driving up steep hills, down-
shift before the engine starts to labor.
Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives better acceleration
when you need to increase your speed
again. When the vehicle is traveling down
steep hills, downshifting helps maintain
safe speed and prolongs brake life.
E050200AUN Good driving practices
Never take the car out of gear andcoast down a hill. This is extremely
hazardous. Always leave the car in
gear.
Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunction.
Instead, when you are driving down a
long hill, slow down and shift to a lower
gear. When you do this, engine braking
will help slow the car. Slow down before shifting to a lower
gear. This will help avoid over-revving
the engine, which can cause damage.
Slow down when you encounter cross winds. This gives you much better con-
trol of your car.
Be sure the car is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into reverse.
The transaxle can be damaged if you
do not. To shift into reverse, depress
the clutch, move the shift lever to neu-
tral, wait 3 seconds, then shift to the
reverse position.
Exercise extreme caution when driving on a slippery surface. Be especially
careful when braking, accelerating or
shifting gears. On a slippery surface,
an abrupt change in vehicle speed can
cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle to go out of control.
WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properlybelted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner- ing or turning.
Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp
lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
The risk of a rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at highway speed.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over-
steers to reenter the roadway.
In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead, slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
Never exceed posted speed lim- its.

511
Driving your vehicle
For smooth operation, depress the brakepedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to aforward or reverse gear.E060101ASA
Transaxle ranges
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the frontwheels from rotating.
WARNING - Automatic
transaxle
Always check the surrounding areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, beforeshifting a car into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
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 movementcan occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order iden-tified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your
transaxle, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for-ward gear position with the
brakes on.
When stopped on an incline, do not hold the vehicle stationarywith engine power. Use the serv-ice brake or the parking brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R(Reverse) when the engine is above idle speed.
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) position in place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
and set the parking brake fully.
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged if
you shift into P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.

513
Driving your vehicle
E060104ASA
O/D (Over Drive) system (if equipped)
Pressing the O/D system button cancels
and engages the overdrive system.When the O/D system is cancelled, theO/D OFF indicator illuminates and the
transaxle gear range is limited to 1st
through 3rd. The transaxle will not shift to
4th gear until the O/D system button is
pressed again to release the switch.
When driving down a sloping road with
the transaxle in O/D (4th), you can
decrease the vehicle speed without using
the brakes by pressing the O/D button.
When the ignition is switched OFF, O/D OFF mode is automatically cancelled.O/D OFF Indicator This indicator light illuminates in the
instrument panel when the O/D mode iscancelled.
✽✽
NOTICE
If the O/D OFF indicator flashes, it indi-
cates an electrical problem with the
transaxle. Should this occur, have thevehicle checked by an authorized KIA
dealer as soon as possible.
E060102ASA
Shift lock system (if equipped)
For your safety, the automatic transaxle
has a shift lock system which prevents
shifting the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse) unless the brake pedal isdepressed.
To shift the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse):
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.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chattering
noise near the shift lever may be heard.
This is a normal condition.
OSA057005
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting out
of the P (Park) position into anoth-
er position to avoid inadvertent
motion of the vehicle which could
injure persons in or around the car.

515
Driving your vehicle
E060203ASA
Moving up a steep grade from a stand-ing start
To move up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start, depress the brake pedal and
shift the shift lever to D (Drive). Select the
appropriate gear depending on load
weight and steepness of the grade, and
release the parking brake. Depress the
accelerator gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a ten-
dency to roll backwards. Shifting the
shift lever into 2 (Second Gear) will
help prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
WARNING
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle free
by moving it forward and backward.
Do not attempt this procedure if
people or objects are anywhere
near the vehicle. During the rocking
operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward of backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people orobjects.WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properlybelted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner- ing or turning.
Do not make quick steering wheel movements, such as sharp
lane changes or fast, sharp turns.
The risk of a rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at highway speed.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over-
steers to reenter the roadway.
In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead, slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
Never exceed posted speed lim- its.

Driving your vehicle
16
5
E070100AUN
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event the power-assisted brakes
lose power because of a stalled engine
or some other reason, you can still stop
your vehicle by applying greater force to
the brake pedal than you normally would.
The stopping distance, however, will be
longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces. E070101AUN
In the event of brake failure
If service brakes fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an
emergency stop with the parking brake.
The stopping distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING
- Brakes
Do not drive with your foot rest- ing on the brake pedal. This will create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increasedstopping distances.
When descending a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brakeapplication will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
Wet brakes may impair the vehi- cle’s ability to sefely slow down;
the vehicle may also pull to oneside 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 performancereturns to normal.
WARNING - Parking brake
Applying the parking brake while
the vehicle is moving at normal
speed can cause a sudden loss of
control of the vehicle. If you mustuse the parking brake to stop the
vehicle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.

517
Driving your vehicle
E070102AUN
Disc brakes wear indicator
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and new
pads are required, you will hear a high-
pitched warning sound from your front
brakes or rear brakes. You may hear this
sound come and go or it may occur
whenever you depress the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving con-
ditions 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.E070106APA
Rear drum brakes (if equipped)
Your rear drum brakes do not have wear
indicators. Therefore, 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.Parking brake E070201ASA
Applying the parking brake
To apply the parking brake, pull the park-
ing brake handle fully and firmly upward
while applying the service brake.
WARNING
- Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs service.
If you ignore this audible warning,
you will eventually lose braking
performance, which could lead to aserious accident.
CAUTION
To avoid costly brake repairs, do not continue to drive with wornbrake pads.
Always replace brake pads as complete front or rear axle sets.
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brakeapplied will cause excessive brake pad (or lining) and brake rotor wear.
OSA057021