2012 KIA Soul steering

Driving your vehicle
45
WARNING - Driving
while intoxicated
Do not drive while intoxicated.
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Even a small amount of
alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgment.
Driving while under the influ-
ence of drugs is as dangerous
as or more dangerous than driv-
ing drunk.
WARNING - Loose object
Securely store items in your
vehicle. When you make a sud-
den stop or turn the steering
wheel rapidly, loose objects
may drop on the floor and it
could interfere with the opera-
tion of the foot pedals, possibly
causing an accident.
WARNING - Fire risk
When you intend to park or stop
the vehicle with the engine on,
be careful not to depress the
accelerator pedal for a long
period of time. It may overheat
the engine or exhaust system
and cause fire.

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Driving your vehicle
KEY POSITIONS
Ignition switch position
LOCK
The 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.
The anti-theft steering column lock is
not a substitute for the parking brake.
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever is
engaged in 1st gear for the manual
transaxle or P (Park) for automatic
transaxle, set the parking brake fully
and shut the engine off.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and
electrical accessories are operative.
If difficulty is experienced turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position,
turn the key while turning the steer-
ing wheel right and left to release the
tension.
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 ifthe engine is not running to preventbattery discharge.
START
Turn the ignition switch to the START
position to start the engine. The
engine will crank until you release
the key; then it returns to the ON
position. The brake warning light can
be checked in this position.OUN036002

Driving your vehicle
65
Starting the engine1.Make sure the parking brake isapplied.
2. Manual Transaxle - Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the
clutch pedal and brake pedal
depressed while turning the igni-
tion switch to the start position.
The starter will not operate if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic Transaxle - Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine when the shift lever is in the N(Neutral) position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to START and hold it there until the engine
starts (a maximum of 10 seconds),
then release the key.
4. In extremely cold weather (below -18°C / 0°F) or after the vehicle
has not been operated for several
days, let the engine warm up with-
out depressing the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm,it should be started withoutdepressing the accelerator.
WARNING - Ignition
switch
Never turn the ignition switch to
LOCK or ACC while the vehicle
is moving. This would result in
loss of directional control and
braking function, which could
cause an accident.
WARNING - Steeringwheel
Never reach for any controls
through the steering wheel
while the vehicle is in motion.
The presence of your hand or
arm in this area could cause a
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING - Properfootwear
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels,
ski boots, sandals, etc.) may
interfere with your ability to use
the brake and accelerator pedal,
and the clutch (if equipped).

525
Driving your vehicle
BRAKE SYSTEM
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 normally would. The
stopping distance, however, 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
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery surfaces.Wet brakes may impair the vehicle’s
ability to safely slow down; the vehi-
cle 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.To dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
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 dis-
tance, however, will be much greater
than normal.
CAUTION - Brake pedal
Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This willcreate abnormally high braketemperatures which can causeexcessive brake lining and padwear.
WARNING - Steep hill braking
Avoid continuous application of
the brakes when descending a
long or steep hill by shifting to a
lower gear. Continuous brake
application will cause the
brakes to overheat and could
result in a temporary loss of
braking performance.
WARNING - Parkingbrake
Avoid applying the parking
brake to stop the vehicle while it
is moving except in an emer-
gency situation. 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
applying the brake.

Driving your vehicle
30
5
When you drive on a road having
poor traction, such as an icy road,
and have operated your brakes
continuously, the ABS will be active
continuously and the ABS warning
light may illuminate. Pull your car
over to a safe place and stop the
engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning light goes off, then your
ABS is normal. Otherwise, you
may have a problem with the ABS.
Contact an authorized Kia dealer
as soon as possible.
✽ ✽ 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 low battery voltage. It
does not mean your ABS has mal-
functioned.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
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 on
individual wheels and intervenes with
the engine management system to
stabilize the vehicle. Electronic stability control (ESC) will
not prevent accidents. Excessive
speed in turns, abrupt maneuvers
and hydroplaning on wet surfaces
can still result in serious accidents.
Only a safe and attentive driver can
prevent accidents by avoiding
maneuvers that cause the vehicle to
lose traction. Even with ESC
installed, always follow all the normal
precautions for driving - including
driving at safe speeds for the condi-
tions.
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.
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Driving your vehicle
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5
Vehicle stability management
(VSM) (if equipped)
This system provides further
enhancements to vehicle stability
and steering responses when a vehi-
cle is driving on a slippery road or a
vehicle detected changes in coeffi-
cient of friction between right wheels
and left wheels when braking.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESC
indicator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability manage-
ment is operating properly, you can
feel a slight pulsation in the vehicle.
This is only the effect of brake control
and indicates nothing unusual.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on bank road such as gra-
dient or incline
Driving rearward
ESC OFF indicator light ( ) remains on the instrument cluster
EPS indicator light remains on the instrument cluster
VSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to
turn off the ESC, the VSM will also
cancel and the ESC OFF indicator
light ( ) illuminates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light
goes out.
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if
you don’t cancel the VSM operation
by pressing the ESC OFF button. It
indicates that a malfunction has
been detected somewhere in the
Electric Power Steering system or
VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or EPS warning light
remains on, take your vehicle to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the
system checked.
The VSM is designed to functionabove approximately 15 km/h (9
mph) on curves. The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 30 km/h (18
mph) when a vehicle is braking on
a split-mu road. The split-mu road
is made of surfaces which have dif-
ferent friction forces.
The Vehicle Stability Management system is not a substitute for safe
driving practices but a supplemen-
tary function only. It is the respon-
sibility of the driver to always check
the speed and the distance to the
vehicle ahead. Always hold the
steering wheel firmly while driving.
Your vehicle is designed to activate according to the driver’s intention,
even with installed VSM. Always
follow all the normal precautions
for driving at safe speeds for the
conditions – including driving
inclement weather and on a slip-
pery road.

537
Driving your vehicle
CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
The cruise control system allows you
to program the vehicle to maintain a
constant speed without pressing the
accelerator pedal.
This system is designed to function
above approximately 40 km/h (25
mph).
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 con-
trol system off (CRUISE indicator
light OFF) when the cruise control
is not in use, to avoid inadvertently
setting a speed.
Use the cruise control system only when traveling on open highways
in good weather.
Do not use the cruise control when 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.✽ ✽ NOTICE
During normal cruise control opera-
tion, when the SET switch is activat-
ed or reactivated after applying the
brakes, the cruise control will ener-
gize after approximately 3 seconds.
The delay is normal.
To set cruise control speed:
1. Push 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).
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WARNING - Misuse
cruise control
Do not use cruise control if the
traffic situation does not allow
you to drive safely at a constant
speed and with sufficient dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.

539
Driving your vehicle
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.
To cancel cruise control, do
one of the following:
Press the brake pedal.
Press the clutch pedal with a man-ual transaxle.
Shift into N (Neutral) with an auto- matic transaxle.
Push the CANCEL switch located on the steering wheel.
Decrease the vehicle speed lower than the memory speed by 20
km/h (12 mph).
Decrease the vehicle speed to less than approximately 40 km/h (25
mph).
Each of these actions will cancelcruise control operation (the SETindicator light in the instrument clus-ter will go off), but it will not turn thesystem off. If you wish to resumecruise control operation, push theRES + switch located on your steer-ing wheel. You will return to your pre-viously preset speed.
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