Driving your vehicle
16
5
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not locked.
The vehicle will roll freely even on the
slightest incline unless the parking brake
or service brakes are applied.
D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 5-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
Bring the car to a complete stop before
shifting the selector to “D” position.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear. Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or in
motion, sports mode is selected by push-
ing the shift lever from the D (Drive) posi-
tion into the manual gate. To return to D
(Drive) range operation, push the shift
lever back into the main gate.In sport mode, it is possible to shift the
gear by using either the shift lever or the
steering wheel shift paddles (dynamic
shift).
Using the shift lever
Up (+) : Push the lever forward once to
shift up one gear (1).
Down (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to shift down one gear (2).
Using the steering wheel shift paddles
Up (+) : Pull the right-hand shift paddle once to shift up one gear (3).
Down (-) : Pull the left-hand shift paddle once to shift down one gear
(4).
✽ ✽NOTICE
When the shift lever is in the P, N or R
position, you can't shift the gear by
using the steering wheel shift paddles.
In sports mode, if you pull the left and
right hand shift paddles at the same
time, you can't shift the gear.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R whilethe vehicle is in motion, except asexplained in “Rocking the Vehicle”,in this manual.
OMG059012
OMG059018
+ (UP) Sports mode
- (DOWN)
519
Driving your vehicle
Exercise extreme caution when drivingon 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.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the accelera-
tor pedal.E060203AUN
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, 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
Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted 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 rollover is greatly increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at highway speeds.
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(Continued)
Loss of control often occurs iftwo 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.
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 or
objects.
Driving your vehicle
20
5
E070100ABH
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that 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 nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, 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 increased
stopping distances.
When descending a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brake
application 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 safely slow down;
the vehicle may also pull 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.
WARNING- Parking brake
Applying 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 apply-
ing the brake.
525
Driving your vehicle
E070500AUN-EU
Electronic stability control (ESC)
The Electronic Stability control (ESC)
system is designed to stabilize the vehicle
during cornering maneuvers. ESC checks
where you are steering and where the
vehicle is actually going. ESC applies the
brakes at individual wheels and
intervenes in the engine management
system to stabilize the vehicle.The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is an electronic system designed
to help the driver maintain vehicle control
under adverse conditions. It is not a
substitute for safe driving practices.
Factors including speed, road conditions
and driver steering input can all affect
whether ESC will be effective in
preventing a loss of control. It is still your
responsibility to drive and corner at
reasonable speeds and to leave a
sufficient margin of safety.
When you apply your brakes under con-
ditions which may lock the wheels, you
may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensation
in the brake pedal. This is normal and it
means your ESC is active.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehicle
begins to move after the engine is start-
ed. These conditions are normal and
indicate that the Electronic Stability
Control System is functioning properly.
WARNING
Never drive too fast for the road
conditions or too quickly when cor-
nering. Electronic stability control
(ESC) will not prevent accidents.
Excessive speed in turns, abrupt
maneuvers and hydroplaning on
wet surfaces can still result in seri-
ous accidents. Only a safe and
attentive driver can prevent acci-
dents by avoiding maneuvers that
cause the vehicle to lose traction.
Even with ESC installed, always fol-
low all the normal precautions for
driving - including driving at safe
speeds for the conditions.
OMG045013N
Driving your vehicle
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5
E090000AFD
The cruise control system allows you to
program the vehicle to maintain a con-
stant speed without resting your foot on
the accelerator pedal.
This system is designed to function
above approximately 40 km/h (25 mph).
✽ ✽
NOTICE
During normal cruise control operation,
when the SET switch is activated or
reactivated after applying the brakes,
the cruise control will energize after
approximately 3 seconds. This delay is
normal.
E090100ANF
To set cruise control speed:
1. Pull the CRUISE ON-OFF button on
the steering wheel to turn the system
on. The CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument cluster will illuminate.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed, which must be more than 40 km/h (25 mph).
CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING
If the cruise control is left on,(CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminated)
the cruise control can be
switched on accidentally. Keep
the cruise control system off
(CRUISE indicator light OFF)
when the cruise control is not in
use, to avoid inadvertently set-
ting a speed.
Use the cruise control system only when traveling on open
highways in good weather.
Do not use the cruise control when it may not be safe to keep
the car at a constant speed, for
instance, driving in heavy or
varying traffic, or on slippery
(rainy, icy or snow-covered) or
winding roads or over 6% up-hill
or down-hill roads.
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(Continued)
Pay particular attention to thedriving conditions whenever
using the cruise control system.
Be careful when driving downhill using the cruise control system,
which may increase the vehicle
speed.
OMG059100LCAUTION
During cruise-speed driving of amanual transaxle vehicle, do notshift into neutral without depress-ing the clutch pedal, since theengine will be overrevved. If thishappens, depress the clutch pedalor release the cruise controlON/OFF switch.
Driving your vehicle
32
5
E090400AUN
To temporarily accelerate with the
cruise control on:
If you want to speed up temporarily when
the cruise control is on, depress the
accelerator pedal. Increased speed will
not interfere with cruise control operation
or change the set speed.
To return to the set speed, take your foot
off the accelerator.
E090500ANF
To cancel cruise control, do one
of the following:
Press the brake pedal.
Press the clutch pedal with a manual
transaxle.
Shift into N (Neutral) with an automatic transaxle.
Press the CANCEL switch located on the steering wheel.
Decrease the vehicle speed lower than the memory speed by 15 km/h (9
mph).
Decrease the vehicle speed to less than approximately 40 km/h (25 mph).
Each of these actions will cancel cruisecontrol operation (the SET indicator light in the instrument cluster will go off), but itwill not turn the system off. If you wish to resume cruise control operation, pushthe RES/+ switch located on your steer-ing wheel. You will return to your previ-ously preset speed.
OMG059103L
535
Driving your vehicle
Use your air conditioning sparingly.The air conditioning system is operat-
ed by engine power so your fuel econ-
omy is reduced when you use it.
Open windows at high speeds can reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is less in crosswinds and headwinds. To help offset some of
this loss, slow down when driving in
these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating con-
dition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorized KIA
dealer perform scheduled inspections
and maintenance.
WARNING - Engine off dur- ing motion
Never turn the engine off to coast
down hills or anytime the vehicle is
in motion. The power steering and
power brakes will not function
properly without the engine run-
ning. Instead, keep the engine on
and downshift to an appropriate
gear for engine braking effect. In
addition, turning off the ignition
while driving could engage the
steering wheel lock resulting in
loss of vehicle steering which
could cause serious injury or
death.
Driving your vehicle
36
5
E110100AMG-EC
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions are
encountered such as water, snow, ice,
mud, sand, or similar hazards, follow
these suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extra dis-
tance for braking.
Avoid sudden movements in braking or steering.
When braking with non-ABS brakes pump the brake pedal with a light up-
and-down motion until the vehicle is
stopped. If stalled in snow, mud, or sand, use
second gear. Accelerate slowly to
avoid spinning the drive wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, or other non-slip material under the drive wheels to pro-
vide traction when stalled in ice, snow,
or mud.
E110200AUN-EU
Rocking the vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to free
it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the
area around your front wheels. Then, shift
back and forth between R (Reverse) and
any forward gear in vehicles equipped
with an automatic transaxle. Do not race
the engine, and spin the wheels as little
as possible. If you are still stuck after a
few tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a
tow vehicle to avoid engine overheating
and possible damage to the transaxle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING - ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
WARNING - Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slippery
surfaces can cause an accident.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. Be
careful when downshifting on slip-
pery surfaces.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may causeengine over-heating, transaxle dam-age or failure, and tire damage.