2009 KIA SOUL brake fluid

Introduction
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INDICATOR SYMBOLS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
Seat belt warning light
High beam indicator
Low beam indicator
Turn signal indicator
ABS warning light*
Parking brake & Brake fluid
warning light
Malfunction indicator*
Immobilizer indicator*
Low fuel level warning light
Glow indicator (Diesel only)
Fuel filter warning light (Diesel only)
* : if equipped Tailgate open warning light
❈ For more detailed explanations, refer to “Instrument cluster” in section 4.
Charging system warning light
Door ajar warning light
A050000AAM
ESP indicator*
ESP OFF indicator*
Front fog light indicator*
Engine oil pressure warning light
Overspeed warning light*
120km/h
Electric power steering (EPS)
system warning light*
O/D OFF indicator*
O/D
OFF
Air bag warning light*
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) malfunction indicator*
Low tire pressure telltale*
Rear fog light indicator*
Cruise indicator*
Cruise SET indicator*

Your vehicle at a glance
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ENGINE COMPARTMENT
B030000AUN-C1
OAM019004
1. Engine coolant reservoir....................7-26
2. Engine oil filler cap ............................7-25
3. Brake fluid reservoir ..........................7-29
4. Fuel filter* ..........................................7-33
5. Air cleaner .........................................7-34
6. Fuse box ............................................7-51
7. Negative battery terminal ............6-4/7-38
8. Positive battery terminal ..............6-4/7-38
9. Automatic transaxle fluid dipstick* .....7-30
10. Radiator cap ..............................6-6/7-28
11. Engine oil dipstick............................7-25
12. Windshield washer fluid reservoir ....7-32
* : if equipped
* The actual engine room in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.

439
Features of your vehicle
D150306BAM
Low beam indicator
This indicator illuminates when the head-
lights are on and in the low beam posi-tion.
D150309AUN-U1
Front fog light indicator (if equipped)
This indicator comes on when the front
fog lights are ON. D150310APB
Rear fog light indicator (if equipped)
This indicator illuminates when the rear
fog lights are ON. D150308BUN-U1
Parking brake & brake fluid
warning
Parking brake warning
This warning light is illuminated when the
parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch in the START or ON position. The
warning light should go off when the
parking brake is released. Low brake fluid level warning
If the warning light remains on, it may
indicate that the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low.
If the warning light remains on:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safe location and stop your vehicle.
2. With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required. Then check all brake
components for fluid leaks.
3. Do not drive the vehicle if leaks are found, the warning light remains on or
the brakes do not operate properly.
Have the vehicle towed to any author-
ized KIA dealer for a brake system
inspection and necessary repairs. Your vehicle is equipped with dual-diago-
nal braking systems. This means you still
have braking on two wheels even if one
of the dual systems should fail. With only
one of the dual systems working, more
than normal pedal travel and greaterpedal pressure are required to stop the
vehicle. Also, the vehicle will not stop in
as short a distance with only a portion of
the brake system working. If the brakes
fail while you are driving, shift to a lower
gear for additional engine braking and
stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
To check bulb operation, check whether
the parking brake and brake fluid warning
light illuminates when the ignition switchis in the ON position.
WARNING
Driving the vehicle with a warning
light on is dangerous. If the brake
warning light remains on, have the
brakes checked and repaired imme-
diately by an authorized KIA dealer.

53
Driving your vehicle
E020100AUN
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
E020200AUN
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in sec-
tion 7, “Maintenance”.
E020300BUN
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls are easily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors. Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING
All passengers must be properly
belted whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing. Refer to “Seat belts” in section
3 for more information on their
proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
car into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
WARNING - Driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgment. Drivingwhile under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerousthan driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or
take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driveror call a cab.
WARNING
When you intend to park or stop the
vehicle with the engine on, be care-ful not to depress the accelerator
pedal for a long period of time. It
may overheat the engine or exhaust
system and cause fire.

Driving your vehicle
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E120600AUN
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing, squirt an
approved de-icer fluid or glycerine into
the key opening. If a lock is covered with
ice, squirt it with an approved de-icing
fluid to remove the ice. If the lock is
frozen internally, you may be able to thaw
it out by using a heated key. Handle the
heated key with care to avoid injury.
E120700AUN
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window washer
system from freezing, add an approved
window washer anti-freeze solution in
accordance with instructions on the con-
tainer. Window washer anti-freeze is
available from an authorized KIA dealer
and most auto parts outlets. Do not useengine coolant or other types of anti-
freeze as these may damage the paintfinish. E120800AUN-U1
Don't let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged position.
This is most likely to happen when there
is an accumulation of snow or ice around
or near the rear brakes or if the brakes
are wet. If there is a risk the parking
brake may freeze, apply it only temporar-
ily while you put the shift lever in P (auto-
matic transaxle) or in first or reverse gear
(manual transaxle) and block the rear
wheels so the vehicle cannot roll. Then
release the parking brake.
E120900AUN
Don't let ice and snow accumu- late underneath
Under some conditions, snow and ice
can build up under the fenders and inter-
fere with the steering. When driving in
severe winter conditions where this may
happen, you should periodically check
underneath the car to be sure the move-
ment of the front wheels and the steering
components is not obstructed.E121000ASA
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the weath-
er, you should carry appropriate emer-
gency equipment. Some of the items you
may want to carry include tire chains, tow
straps or chains, flashlight, emergency
flares, sand, shovel, jumper cables, win-
dow scraper, gloves, ground cloth, cover-
alls, blanket, etc.

Driving your vehicle
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When you are ready to leave after park- ing on a hill
1. With the manual transaxle in Neutral
or automatic transaxle in P (Park),
apply your brakes and hold the brake
pedal down while you:

and

2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks. E140500ASA
Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-tion to include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently check. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nutsand bolts should be tight.CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occurin hot days or during uphill driv- ing. If the coolant gauge indicates
over-heating, switch off the A/C and stop the vehicle in a safe areato cool down the engine.
When towing, check the transaxle fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with an air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan to improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.

What to do in an emergency
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IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
F050000ASA-U1
If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, you will experience a loss of
power, or hear loud pinging or knocking,
the engine is probably too hot. If this hap-
pens, you should:
1. Pull off the road and stop as soon as it is safe to do so.
2. Place the shift lever in P (automatic transaxle) or Neutral (manual
transaxle) and set the parking brake. If
the air conditioning is on, turn it off.
3. If engine coolant is running out under the vehicle or steam is coming out
from the hood, stop the engine. Do notopen the hood until the coolant has
stopped running or the steaming has
stopped. If there is no visible loss of
engine coolant and no steam, leave
the engine running and check to be
sure the engine cooling fan is operat-
ing. If the fan is not running, turn the
engine off. 4. Check to see if the water pump drive
belt is missing. If it is not missing,
check to see that it is tight. If the drive
belt seems to be satisfactory, check for
coolant leaking from the radiator,
hoses or under the vehicle. (If the air
conditioning had been in use, it is nor-
mal for cold water to be draining from
it when you stop).
5. If the water pump drive belt is broken or engine coolant is leaking out, stop the engine immediately and call the
nearest authorized KIA dealer for
assistance. 6. If you cannot find the cause of over-
heating, wait until the engine tempera-
ture has returned to normal. Then, ifcoolant has been lost, carefully add
coolant to the reservoir to bring the
fluid level in the reservoir up to the
halfway mark.
7. Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheating. If over-heating happens again, call an author-
ized KIA dealer for assistance.
WARNING
While the engine is running, keep
hair, hands and clothing away from
moving parts such as the fan and
drive belts to prevent injury.
WARNING
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine is hot. This can
allow coolant to be blown out of the
opening and cause serious burns.
CAUTION
Serious loss of coolant indicates there is a leak in the cooling systemand this should be checked as soonas possible by an authorized KIAdealer.

What to do in an emergency
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Use a towing strap less than 5 m (16
feet) long. Attach a white or red cloth (about 30 cm (12 inches) wide) in the
middle of the strap for easy visibility.
Drive carefully so that the towing strap is not loosened during towing.
F080301AUN
Emergency towing precautions
Turn the ignition switch to ACC so the steering wheel isn’t locked.
Place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral).
Release the parking bake.
Press the brake pedal with more force than normal since you will have
reduced brake performance. More steering effort will be required
because the power steering system
will be disabled.
If you are driving down a long hill, the brakes may overheat and brake per-
formance will be reduced. Stop often
and let the brakes cool off.
WARNING
Use extreme caution when towing
the vehicle.
driving maneuvers which would
place excessive stress on the
emergency towing hook and tow-
ing cable or chain. The hook and
towing cable or chain may break
and cause serious injury or dam-
age.
If the disabled vehicle is unable to move, do not forcibly continue
the towing. Contact an authorized
KIA dealer or a commercial tow
truck service for assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight ahead as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle dur- ing towing.
OPA067014
CAUTION - Automatic
transaxle
If the car is being towed with all four wheels on the ground, it canbe towed only from the front. Be sure that the transaxle is in neu-tral. Do not tow at speeds greater
than 40 km/h (25 mph) and formore than 25 km (15 miles). Be sure the steering is unlocked by
placing the ignition switch in theACC position. A driver must be inthe towed vehicle to operate the steering and brakes.
Before towing, check the level of the automatic transaxle fluid. If itis below the "HOT" range on the dipstick, add fluid. If you cannotadd fluid, a towing dolly must be
used.