Driving your vehicle
24
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.
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
Section 6, Maintenance.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls areeasily 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- 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 judgement. Driving
while under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerous
than 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 driver
or call a cab.
43
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ignition switch
(if equipped)
Whenever front door is opened, the igni-
tion switch will be illuminated for your
convenience, provided the ignition switch
is not in the ON position. The light will go
off immediately when the ignition switch
is turned on or go off after about 10 sec-
onds when the door is closed.
Ignition switch and anti-theft
steering column lock
Ignition switch position
LOCKThe steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. The ignition key can be
removed only in the LOCK position.
When turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK position, push the key inward at
the ACC position and turn the key toward
the LOCK position.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and elec-
trical accessories are operative.ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is the
normal running position after the engine
is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if the
engine is not running to prevent battery discharge.
START
Turn the ignition key to the START posi-
tion to start the engine. The engine will
crank until you release the key; then it
returns to the ON position. The brake
warning lamp can be checked in this
position.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position, turn
the key while turning the steering wheel
right and left to release the tension.
KEY POSITIONS
1VQA30171VQA3018
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.
47
Driving your vehicle
Transaxle ranges
P (park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
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.
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.
✽ ✽NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
(Continued)
Never leave a child unattended in
a vehicle.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged ifyou shift into P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R while the vehicle is in motion, except asexplained in “Rocking the Vehicle”,in this manual.
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
so that it cannot be moved unless
the lock release button is pushed
in, AND set the parking brake
fully.
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
vehicle movement can occur if
you do not follow these precau-
tions in the order specified.
(Continued)
Driving your vehicle
12
4
To cancel cruise control, do one
of the following:
Press the brake pedal.
Shift into N (Neutral) with an automatic
transaxle.
Press the CANCEL switch located on the steering wheel.
Press the COAST/SET and RES/ ACCEL switches at the same time.
Each of these actions will cancel cruisecontrol operation (the SET indicator lightin the instrument cluster will go OFF), butit will not turn the system off. If you wishto resume cruise control operation, pushthe RES/ACCEL switch located on your steering wheel. You will return to yourpreviously preset speed.
To turn cruise control off, do one
of the following:
Pull the CRUISE ON-OFF button (the CRUISE indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster will go OFF).
Turn the ignition off.
Both of these actions cancel cruise con- trol operation. If you want to resumecruise control operation, repeat the stepsprovided in “To Set Cruise ControlSpeed” on the previous page.
To increase cruise control set
speed:
Follow either of these procedures:
Push the RES/A CCEL switch and hold
it. Your vehicle will accelerate. Release
the switch at the speed you want.
Push the RES/A CCEL switch and
release it immediately. The cruising
speed will increase by 2.0 km/h (1.2
mph) each time the RES/ACCEL switch
is operated in this manner.
OVQ046004NOVQ046005N
Driving your vehicle
14
4
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.
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
(Continued)
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 result in the vehi- cle not slowing down at the usual
rate and pulling 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 driv-
ing 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.
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.
(Continued)
415
Driving your vehicle
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 (if equipped). 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.
Parking on curbed streets
When parking your vehicle on an uphillgrade, park as close to the curb as
possible and turn the front wheels
away from the curb so that the front
wheels will contact the curb if the vehi-
cle moves backward.
When parking your vehicle on a down- hill grade, park as close to the curb as
possible and turn the front wheels
toward the curb so that the front
wheels will contact the curb if the vehi-
cle moves forward.
WARNING- Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs service.
If you ignore this audible warning,
you will eventually lose braking per-
formance, which could lead to a
serious accident.
CAUTION
Always replace brake pads as com-plete front or rear axle sets.
CAUTION
To avoid costly brake repairs, donot continue to drive with worn brake pads.
417
Driving your vehicle
Check the brake warning light by turning
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). This light will be illuminated
when the parking brake is applied with
the ignition switch in the START or ON
position.
Before driving, be sure the parking brake
is fully released and the brake warning
light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on
after the parking brake is released, there
may be a malfunction in the brake sys-
tem. Immediate attention is necessary.
If at all possible, cease driving the vehi-
cle immediately. If that is not possible,
use extreme caution while operating the
vehicle and only continue to drive the
vehicle until you can reach a safe loca-
tion or repair shop.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) The ABS continuously senses the speed
of the wheels. If the wheels are going to
lock, the ABS system repeatedly modu-
lates the hydraulic brake pressure to the
wheels.
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 ABS is active.
In order to obtain the maximum benefit
from your ABS in an emergency situa-
tion, do not attempt to modulate your
brake pressure and do not try to pump
your brakes. Press your brake pedal as
hard as possible or as hard as the situa-
tion warrants and allow the ABS to con-
trol the force being delivered to the
brakes.
W-75
WARNING- ABS
Your ABS is not a substitute for
good driving judgement. You can
still have an accident. In fact, your
ABS will probably not be able to
prevent an accident in the following
driving conditions:
Dangerous driving, such asneglecting safety precautions,
speeding, or driving too close to
the vehicle in front of you.
Driving at high speed in situa- tions providing considerably less
traction, such as wet conditions
where hydroplaning could occur.
Driving too fast on poor road sur- faces. The ABS is designed to
improve maximum braking effec-
tiveness on typical highways and
roads in good condition. On poor
road surfaces in poor condition,
the ABS may actually reduce
braking effectiveness.
Driving your vehicle
18
4
Even with the anti-lock brake system,
your vehicle still requires sufficient
stopping distance. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front
of you.
Always slow down when cornering. The anti-lock brake system cannot pre-
vent accidents resulting from exces-
sive speeds.
On loose or uneven road surfaces, operation of the anti-lock brake system
may result in a longer stopping dis-
tance than for vehicles equipped with a
conventional brake system.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
When you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the engine
may not run as smoothly and the ABS
warning light may turn on at the same
time. This happens because of the low
battery voltage. It does not mean your
ABS is malfunctioning.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
W-78
CAUTION
If the ABS warning light is on and
stays on, you may have a problemwith the ABS. In this case, howev-er, your regular brakes will worknormally.
The ABS warning light will stay on for approximately 3 seconds afterthe ignition switch is ON. Duringthat time, the ABS will go throughself-diagnosis and the light will gooff if everything is normal. If thelight stays on, you may have aproblem with your ABS. Contactan authorized Kia dealer as soonas possible.
CAUTION
When you drive on a road having poor traction, such as an icy road,and operate your brakes continu- ously, the ABS will be active con-tinuously and the ABS warning light may illuminate. Pull your carover to a safe place and stop the engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning light is off, then yourABS system is normal. Otherwise, you may have a prob-lem with the ABS. Contact an authorized Kia dealer as soon aspossible.