2012 KIA PICANTO call

527
Driving your vehicle
Automatic transaxle operation
The automatic transaxle has 4 forward
speeds and one reverse speed. The indi-
vidual speeds are selected automatically,depending on the position of the shift
lever.
✽✽NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, if
the battery has been disconnected, may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and the shifting sequence will
adjust after shifts are cycled a few times
by the TCM (Transaxle Control
Module) or PCM (Powertrain Control
Module).
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
OTA050011
Depress the brake pedal when shifting.
The shift lever can be shifted freely.

529
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not
engaged. 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 4-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 lower gear.
✽✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
3 (Third gear)
Use for towing a trailer during hill climb-
ing or to use engine braking downhill.
"3" automatically shifts between 1st, 2nd
and 3rd gears. This means that no shift-
up to 4th gear is performed. However, theshift-up to 4th gear is done when the car
speed exceeds a certain value to prevent
the engine from over-revving. Manually
move the selector to "D" when returning
to normal driving condition.
2 (Second gear)
Use for driving on a slippery road, hill
climbing or engine braking downhill. "2"
automatically shifts between first and
second gears. This means that no shift-up to 3rd gear is
performed. However, the shift-up to thirdgear is done when the car speed
exceeds a certain value to prevent the
engine from over-revving. Manually move
the selector to "D" returning to normal
driving condition.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is in
motion, except as explained in“Rocking the vehicle” in this sec- tion.

533
Driving your vehicle
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 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 safely 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.
Always, confirm the position of the brake and accelerator pedal
before driving. If you don't checkthe position of the accelerator
and brake pedal before driving,
you may depress the accelerator
instead of the brake pedal. It maycause a serious accident.
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.
(Continued)
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 mustuse the parking brake to stop the
vehicle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.

Driving your vehicle
40
5
ESP operation
ESP ON condition
ON, ESP and ESP OFF indi-
cator lights illuminate for
approximately 3 seconds,
then ESP is turned on.
after turning the ignition ON
to turn ESP off. (ESP OFF
indicator will illuminate). To
turn the ESP on, press the
ESP OFF button (ESP OFFindicator light will go off).
you may hear a slight ticking
sound. This is the ESP per-
forming an automatic system
self-check and does not indi-
cate a problem. When operating
When the ESP is in operation,
the ESP indicator light blinks.
Program is operating proper-
ly, you can feel a slight pulsa-
tion in the vehicle. This is only
the effect of brake control and
indicates nothing unusual.
or driving on a slippery road,
the engine rpm (revolution
per minute) may not be
increased even if you press
the accelerator pedal deeply.This is to maintain the stabili-
ty and traction of the vehicleand does not indicate a prob-lem.
ESP operation off
ESP OFF state
press the ESP OFF button (ESP OFF indicator light illu-minates).
to LOCK position when ESP
is off, ESP remains off. Upon
restarting the engine, the
ESP will automatically turn onagain.
-

Driving your vehicle
44
5
Good braking practices
After parking the vehicle, check to be
sure the parking brake is not engaged
and that the parking brake indicator
light is out before driving away.
Driving through water may get the brakes wet. They can also get wet
when the car is washed. Wet brakes
can be dangerous! Your car will not
stop as quickly if the brakes are wet.
Wet brakes may cause the car to pull
to one side. To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action returns to
normal, taking care to keep the car
under control at all times. If the braking
action does not return to normal, stop
as soon as it is safe to do so and call
an authorized KIA dealer for assis-
tance.
Don't coast down hills with the car out of gear. This is extremely hazardous.
Keep the car in gear at all times, use
the brakes to slow down, then shift to a
lower gear so that engine braking will
help you maintain a safe speed.
Don't "ride" the brake pedal. Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driv-ing can be dangerous because it can
result in the brakes overheating and
losing their effectiveness. It also
increases the wear of the brake com-
ponents.
If a tire goes flat while you are driving, apply the brakes gently and keep the
car pointed straight ahead while you
slow down. When you are moving
slowly enough for it to be safe to do so,
pull off the road and stop in a safe
place. If your car is equipped with an auto-
matic transaxle, don't let your car
creep forward. To avoid creeping for-
ward, keep your foot firmly on the
brake pedal when the car is stopped.
Be cautious when parking on a hill. Firmly engage the parking brake and
place the shift lever in P (Park). If your
car is facing downhill, turn the front
wheels into the curb to help keep the
car from rolling. If your car is facing
uphill, turn the front wheels away from
the curb to help keep the car from
rolling. If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to keep
the car from rolling, block the wheels.
Under some conditions your parking brake can freeze in the engaged posi-
tion. 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 that the
parking brake may freeze, apply it only
temporarily while y ou put the shift lever
in P (Park) and block the rear wheels so
the car cannot roll. Then release the
parking brake.
Do not hold the vehicle on the upgrade with the accelerator pedal. This can
cause the transaxle to overheat.
Always use the brake pedal or parking
brake.
WARNING
Whenever leaving vehicle or parking, always set the parking
brake as far as possible and fully
engage the vehicle's transaxle
into the park position. Vehicles
not fully engaged in park with the
parking brake set are at risk for
moving inadvertently and injur-
ing yourself or others.
All vehicles should always have the parking brake fully engaged
when parking to avoid inadver-
tent movement of the car whichcan injure occupants or pedestri-ans.

545
Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where you
drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how many
kilometers (miles) you can get from a
liter (gallon) of fuel. To operate your vehi-
cle as economically as possible, use the
following driving suggestions to help
save money in both fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" startsor full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily. Avoid
heavy traffic whenever possible.
Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unnec-
essary braking. This also reduces
brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your vehicle
uses. Driving at a moderate speed,
especially on the highway, is one of the
most effective ways to reduce fuel con-sumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This can
increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components.
In addition, driving with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal may cause the
brakes to overheat, which reduces
their effectiveness and may lead to
more serious consequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at leastonce a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting curbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tire wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your car in good condition. For
better fuel economy and reduced
maintenance costs, maintain your carin accordance with the maintenance
schedule in section 7. If you drive your
car in severe conditions, more frequentmaintenance is required (see section 7
for details).
Keep your car clean. For maximum service, your vehicle should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel con-
sumption and also contribute to corro-sion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight in your car. Weight reduces fuel
economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION

Driving your vehicle
54
5
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.
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. 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 (Park)
and block the rear wheels so the vehicle
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
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.Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the weath-
er where you drive your car, you should
carry appropriate emergency equipment.
Some of the items you may want to carry
include tire chains, tow straps or chains,
flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a
shovel, jumper cables, a window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket,etc.

555
Driving your vehicle
If you are considering towing with with
your car, you should first check with your
country’s Department of Motor Vehicles
to determine their legal requirements.
Since laws vary the requirements for tow-
ing trailers, cars, or other types of vehi-
cles or apparatus may differ. Ask an
authorized KIA dealer for further details
before towing.✽✽NOTICE - For Europe
 The technically permissible maximum load on the rear axle(s) may be
exceeded by not more than 15 % and
the technically permissible maximum
laden mass of the vehicle may be
exceeded by not more than 10 % or
100 kg (220.4 lbs), whichever value is
lower. In this case, do not exceed 100
km/h (62.1 mph) for vehicle of catego-
ry M1 or 80 km/h (49.7 mph) for vehi-
cle of category N1.
 When a vehicle of category M1 is tow- ing a trailer, the additional load
imposed at the trailer coupling device
may cause the tire maximum load rat-
ings to be exceeded, but not by more
than 15 %. In this case, do not exceed
100 km/h (62.1 mph) and increase the
tire inflation pressure by at least 0.2
bar.Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the infor-
mation in “Weight of the trailer” thatappears later in this section.
Remember that trailering is different than
just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering requires correct equip-
ment, and it has to be used properly.
This section contains many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your
safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer. Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against
the load of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads. This
additional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also considerably adds wind
resistance, increasing pulling require-
ments.
TRAILER TOWING (FOR EUROPE)
WARNING
- Towing a trail-
er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive improperly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well - or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously or
fatally injured. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps inthis section.
WARNING - Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, grossaxle weight and trailer tongue loadare all within the limits.
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by yourwarranty. To pull a trailer correctly,follow the advice in this section.