2009 KIA SOUL Owners Manual

kia, the company
Now that you are the owner of a KIAVehicle, you’ll probably
be asked a lot of questions about your vehicle and the company like “What is a KIA?,” “Who is KIA?,” “What does ‘ KIA’
mean?” Here are some answers. First, KIAis the oldest car company in
Korea. It’s a company that has thousands of employees focused
on building high-quality vehicles at affordable prices. The first syllable, KI, in the word “ KIA” means “to arise from
to the world” or “to come up out of to the world”. The second syllable, A, means “Asia”. So, the word KIA, means “to arise
from” or “to come up out of Asia to the world”.
Enjoy your Vehicle!

i
Thank you for choosing a KIA vehicle. When you require service, remember that your dealer
knows your vehicle best. Your dealer has factory-trainedtechnicians, recommended special tools, genuine KIAreplacement parts and is dedicated to your complete sat-isfaction. Because subsequent owners require this important infor- mation as well, this publication should remain with thevehicle if it is sold. This manual will familiarize you with operational, main- tenance and safety information about your new vehicle. It
is supplemented by a Warranty and Maintenance bookthat provides important information on all warranties
regarding your vehicle. We urge you to read these publi-cations carefully and follow the recommendations to helpassure enjoyable and safe operation of your new vehicle.
KIA offers a great variety of options, components and
features for its various models. Therefore, some of theequipment described in this manual, along with the vari-ous illustrations, may not be applicable to your particularvehicle.
The information and specifications provided in this man-
ual were accurate at the time of printing. KIA reservesthe right to discontinue or change specifications or designat any time without notice and without incurring anyobligation. If you have questions, always check with your
authorized KIA dealer.
We assure you of our continuing interest in your motor-
ing pleasure and satisfaction in your KIA vehicle.
© 2009 KIA MOTORS Corp. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means, elec- tronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,or by any information storage and retrieval system ortranslation in whole or part is not permitted without writ-
ten authorization from KIA MOTORS Corporation. Printed in Korea
Foreword

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1 2 3 4 5 6 78IIntroduction
Your vehicle at a glance
Safety features of your vehicle
Features of your vehicle
Driving your vehicle
What to do in an emergency
Maintenance
Specifications & Consumer information
Index
table of contents

1
How to use this manual / 1-2
Fuel requirements / 1-3
Vehicle break-in process / 1-5
Indicator symbols on the instrument cluster / 1-6
Introduction

Introduction
2
1
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We want to help you get the greatest
possible driving pleasure from your vehi-
cle. Your Owner’s Manual can assist you
in many ways. We strongly recommend
that you read the entire manual. In order
to minimize the chance of death or injury,
you must read the WARNING and CAU-
TION sections in the manual.
Illustrations complement the words in this
manual to best explain how to enjoy your
vehicle. By reading your manual, you
learn about features, important safety
information, and driving tips under vari-
ous road conditions. The general layout of the manual is pro-
vided in the Table of Contents. A good
place to start is the index; it has an alpha-
betical listing of all information in your
manual.
Sections: This manual has eight sections
plus an index. Each section begins with a
brief list of contents so you can tell at a
glance if that section has the information
you want.
You will find various WARNINGs,
CAUTIONs, and NOTICEs in this manu-
al. These WARNINGs were prepared to
enhance your personal safety. You should
carefully read and follow ALL procedures
and recommendations provided in these
WARNINGs, CAUTIONs and NOTICEs.
✽✽

NOTICE
A NOTICE indicates interesting or help-
ful information is being provided.
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a situation in
which harm, serious bodily injury ordeath could result if the warning isignored.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a situation in which damage to your vehicle couldresult if the caution is ignored.

13
Introduction
Gasoline engine
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Unleaded
For Europe
For the optimal vehicle performance, we
recommend you to use unleaded gaso-
line with an octane rating of RON(Research Octane Number) 95 / AKI
(Anti Knock Index) 91 or higher.
You may use unleaded gasoline with an
octane rating of RON 91~94 / AKI 87~90
but it may result in slight performance
reduction of the vehicle.
Except Europe
Your new KIA vehicle is designed to use
only unleaded fuel having an Octane
Rating of RON (Research Octane
Number) 91 / AKI (Anti-Knock Index) 87
or higher.
Your new vehicle is designed to obtain
maximum performance with UNLEADED
FUEL, as well as minimize exhaust emis-
sions and spark plug fouling.A020102AUN
Leaded (if equipped)
For some countries, your vehicle is
designed to use leaded gasoline. When
you are going to use leaded gasoline,
ask to an authorized KIA dealer whether
leaded gasoline in your vehicle is avail-
able or not. Octane Rating of leaded gasoline is
same with unleaded one.
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Gasoline containing alcohol and
methanol
Gasohol, a mixture of gasoline and
ethanol (also known as grain alcohol),and gasoline or gasohol containing
methanol (also known as wood alcohol)
are being marketed along with or instead
of leaded or unleaded gasoline. Do not use gasohol containing more than 10% ethanol, and do not use gasoline or
gasohol containing any methanol. Either
of these fuels may cause drivability prob-lems and damage to the fuel system.
Discontinue using gasohol of any kind if
drivability problems occur.
Vehicle damage or drivability problems
may not be covered by the manufactur-
er’s warranty if they result from the useof:
FUEL REQUIREMENTSWARNING
• Do not "top off" after the nozzle automatically shuts off when refueling.
Always check that the fuel cap is installed securely to prevent fuel
spillage in the event of an acci-dent.
CAUTION
NEVER USE LEADED FUEL. The
use of leaded fuel is detrimental to the catalytic converter and willdamage the engine control sys-
tem’s oxygen sensor and affectemission control.
Never add any fuel system cleaningagents to the fuel tank other than what has been specified. (Consult
an authorized KIA dealer for details.)

Introduction
4
1
1. Gasohol containing more than 10%
ethanol.
2. Gasoline or gasohol containing methanol.
3. Leaded fuel or leaded gasohol.
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Use of MTBE
KIA recommends avoiding fuels contain-
ing MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether)
over 15.0% vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7%
weight) in your vehicle.
Fuel containing MTBE over 15.0% vol.
(Oxygen Content 2.7% weight) may
reduce vehicle performance and produce
vapor lock or hard starting.
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Do not use methanol
Fuels containing methanol (wood alco-
hol) should not be used in your vehicle.
This type of fuel can reduce vehicle per-
formance and damage components ofthe fuel system. A020106AUN
Gasolines for cleaner air
To help contribute to cleaner air, KIA rec-
ommends that you use gasolines treated
with detergent additives, which help pre-
vent deposit formation in the engine.
These gasolines will help the engine run
cleaner and enhance performance of theEmission Control System.
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Operation in foreign countries
If you are going to drive your vehicle in
another country, be sure to:
Observe all regulations regarding reg-
istration and insurance.
Determine that acceptable fuel is avail- able. Diesel engine
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Diesel fuel
Diesel engine must be operated only on
commercially available diesel fuel that
complies with EN 590 or comparable
standard. (EN stands for "European
Norm"). Do not use marine diesel fuel,
heating oils, or non-approved fuel addi-
tives, as this will increase wear andcause damage to the engine and fuel
system. The use of non-approved fuels
and / or fuel additives will result in a limi-
tation of your warranty rights. Diesel fuel of 52 to 54 cetane is used in
your vehicle. If two types of diesel fuel
are available, use summer or winter fuel
properly according to the following tem-
perature conditions.
Above -5°C(23°F) ... Summer type
diesel fuel.
Below -5°C(23°F) ... Winter type diesel fuel.
Watch the fuel level in the tank very care-
fully : If the engine stops through fuel fail-
ure, the circuits must be completely
purged to permit restarting.
CAUTION
Your New Vehicle Limited Warranty may not cover damage to the fuelsystem and any performance prob- lems that are caused by the use of
fuels containing methanol or fuelscontaining MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) over 15.0% vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7% weight.)
CAUTION
Never use gasohol which containsmethanol. Discontinue use of anygasohol product which impairs dri-
vability.

15
Introduction
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Biodiesel
Commercially supplied biodiesel blends of no more than 5% biodiesel, commonly
known as "B5 biodiesel" may be used in
your vehicle if it meets EN 14214 or
equivalent specifications. (EN stands for
"European Norm"). The use of biofuels
made from rapeseed methyl ester
(RME), fatty acid methyl ester (FAME),
vegetable oil methyl ester (VME) etc. ormixing diesel with biodiesel will cause
increased wear or damage to the engine
and fuel system. Repair or replacement
of worn or damaged components due to
the use of non approved fuels will not be
covered by the manufactures warranty.A030000AUN
No special break-in period is needed. By
following a few simple precautions for the
first 1,000 km (600 miles) you may add to
the performance, economy and life of
your vehicle.
Do not race the engine.
While driving, keep your engine speed
(rpm, or revolutions per minute)
between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
Do not maintain a single speed for long periods of time, either fast or slow.
Varying engine speed is needed to
properly break-in the engine.
Avoid hard stops, except in emergen- cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop-
erly.
Don't let the engine idle longer than 3 minutes at one time.
Don't tow a trailer during the first 2,000 km (1,200 miles) of operation.
VEHICLE BREAK-IN PROCESS
CAUTION
Never use any fuel, whether
diesel or B5 biodiesel that fails tomeet the latest petroleum indus-
try specification.
Never use any fuel additives or treatments that are not recom-mended or approved by the vehi- cle manufacturer.
CAUTION
Do not let any gasoline or water
enter the tank. This would make itnecessary to drain it out and tobleed the lines to avoid jamming
the injection pump and damagingthe engine.
In winter, in order to cut down incidents due to freezing, paraffinoil may be added to the fuel if the
temperature drops to below - 10°C(50°F). Never use more than20% paraffin oil.