2012 KIA Soul ECU

13
Introduction
Your new vehicle is designed to use
only unleaded fuel having a pump
octane number ((R+M)/2) of 87
(Research Octane Number 91) or
higher.
Your new vehicle is designed to
obtain maximum performance with
UNLEADED FUEL, as well as mini-
mize exhaust emissions and spark
plug fouling.
Never add any fuel system cleaning
agents to the fuel tank other than
what has been specified. (Consult an
authorized Kia dealer for details.)
✽ ✽NOTICE
Tighten the cap until it clicks one
time, otherwise the fuel cap open
warning indicator light will illu-
minate.
Gasoline containing alcohol and
methanol
Gasohol, a mixture of gasoline and
ethanol (also known as grain alco-
hol), and gasoline or gasohol con-
taining methanol (also known as
wood alcohol) are being marketed
along with or instead of leaded or
unleaded gasoline.
Do not use gasohol containing more
than 10% ethanol, and do not use
gasoline or gasohol containing any
methanol. Either of these fuels may
cause drivability problems and dam-
age to the fuel system.
Discontinue using gasohol of any
kind if drivability problems occur.
Vehicle damage or drivability prob-
lems may not be covered by the
manufacturer’s warranty if they result
from the use of:
1.Gasohol containing more than 10% ethanol.
2.Gasoline or gasohol containing methanol.
3.Leaded fuel or leaded gasohol.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
WARNING - Refueling
• Do not "top off" after the noz- zle automatically shuts off.
Attempts to force more fuel
into the tank can cause fuel
overflow onto you and the
ground causing a risk of fire.
Always check that the fuel cap is installed securely to pre-
vent fuel spillage in the event
of an accident.

Safety features of your vehicle
43
Front seat adjustment -
manual
Forward and rearward
To move the seat forward or rear-
ward:
1. Pull the seat slide adjustmentlever up and hold it.
2. Slide the seat to the position you desire.
3. Release the lever and make sure the seat is locked in place.
Adjust the seat before driving, and
make sure the seat is locked secure-
ly by trying to move forward and rear-
ward without using the lever. If the
seat moves, it is not locked properly.
OAM039002
WARNING - Rear seatbacks
Always lock the rear seatback
before driving. Failure to do so
could result in passengers or
objects being thrown forward
injuring vehicle occupants.
WARNING - Seat adjustment
Do not adjust the seat while
wearing seat belts. Moving the
seat forward will cause strong
pressure on the abdomen.
Do not place your hand near the seat bottom or seat track
while adjusting the seat. Your
hand could get caught in the
seat mechanism.

Safety features of your vehicle
12
3
Headrest
The rear seat(s) is equipped with
headrests in all the seating positions
for the occupant's safety and com-
for t.
The headrest not only provides com-
fort for passengers, but also helps
protect the head and neck in the
event of a collision.
For maximum effectiveness in case
of an accident, the headrest should
be adjusted so the middle of the
headrest is at the same height of the
center of gravity of an occupant's
head. Generally, the center of gravity
of most people's head is similar with
the height as the top of their eyes. Also adjust the headrest as close to
your head as possible. For this rea-
son, the use of a cushion that holds
the body away from the seatback is
not recommended.
OPA039053
WARNING - Headrest
removal
Do not operate the vehicle with
the headrests removed.
Headrests can provide critical
neck and head support in a
crash.
WARNING - Rear seatback
When returning the rear seat-
back from a folded to an upright
position, hold the seatback and
return it slowly. Ensure that the
seatback is completely locked
into its upright position by
pushing on the top of the seat-
back. In an accident or sudden
stop, the unlocked seatback
could allow cargo to move for-
ward with great force and enter
the passenger compartment.
WARNING - Cargo
Do not place heavy objects in
the rear seats, since they can-
not be properly secured and
may hit vehicle occupants in a
frontal collision.

Safety features of your vehicle
14
3
Seat belt restraint system
Seat belts are designed to bear upon
the bony structure of the body, and
should be worn low across the front
of the pelvis or the pelvis, chest and
shoulders, as applicable; wearing the
lap section of the belt across the
abdominal area must be avoided.
Seat belts should be adjusted as
firmly as possible, consistent with
comfort, to provide the protection for
which they have been designed.
A slack belt will greatly reduce the
protection afforded to the wearer.
Care should be taken to avoid con-
tamination of the webbing with pol-
ishes, oils and chemicals, and partic-
ularly battery acid. Cleaning may
safely be carried out using mild soap
and water. The belt should be
replaced if webbing becomes frayed,
contaminated or damaged.
For maximum restraint system pro-
tection, the seat belts must always
be used whenever the vehicle is
moving. A properly positioned
shoulder belt should be positioned
midway over your shoulder across
your collarbone. Never allow children to ride in the
front passenger seat. See child
restraint system section for further
discussion.
SEAT BELTS
WARNING - Shoulderbelt
Never wear the shoulder belt
under your arm or behind your
back. An improperly positioned
shoulder belt cannot protect the
occupant in a crash.
WARNING - Damagedseat belt
Replace the entire seat belt
assembly if any part of the web-
bing or hardware is damage as
you can no longer be sure that a
damage seat belt will provide
protection in a crash.
WARNING - Twisted seat belt
Make sure your seat belt is not
twisted when worn. A twisted
seat belt may not properly pro-
tect you in an accident and
could even cut into your body.
WARNING - Seat beltbuckle
Do not allow foreign material
(gum, crumbs, coins, etc.) to
obstruct the seat belt buckle.
This may prevent the seat belt
from fastening securely.

317
Safety features of your vehicle
You should place the lap belt portion
as low as possible and snugly across
your hips. If the lap belt is located too
high on your waist, it may increase
the chance of injury in the event of a
collision.
The arm closest to the seat belt
buckle should be over the belt while
the other arm should be under the
belt as shown in the illustration.
Seat belts - Front passenger andrear seat 3-point system withcombination locking retractor
To fasten your seat belt:
Combination retractor type seat belts
are installed in the rear seat posi-
tions to help accommodate the
installation of child restraint systems.
Although a combination retractor is
also installed in the front passenger
seat position, it is strongly recom-
mended that children always be
seated in the rear seat. NEVER
place any infant restraint system in
the front seat of the vehicle.
This type of seat belt combines the
features of both an emergency lock-
ing retractor seat belt and an auto-
matic locking retractor seat belt. To
fasten your seat belt, pull it out of the
retractor and insert the metal tab into
the buckle. There will be an audible
"click" when the tab locks into the
buckle. When not securing a child
restraint, the seat belt operates in the
same way as the driver's seat belt
(Emergency Locking Retractor
Type). It automatically adjusts to the proper
length only after the lap belt portion
of the seat belt is adjusted manually
so that it fits snugly around your hips.
When the seat belt is fully extended
from the retractor to allow the instal-
lation of a child restraint system, the
seat belt operation changes to allow
the belt to retract, but not to extend
(Automatic Locking Retractor Type).
Refer to “Using a child restraint sys-
tem” in this section.
To convert from the automatic lock-
ing feature to the emergency locking
operation mode, allow the unbuckled
seat belt to fully retract.
B200A02NF

Safety features of your vehicle
22
3
Larger children
Children who are too large for child
restraint systems should always
occupy the rear seat and use the
available lap/shoulder belts. The lap
portion should be fastened and
snugged on the hips and as low as
possible. Check if the belt fits period-
ically. A child's squirming could put
the belt out of position. Children are
given the most safety in the event of
an accident when they are restrained
by a proper restraint system in the
rear seat. If a larger child (over age
12) must be seated in the front seat,
the child should be securely
restrained by the available lap/shoul-
der belt and the seat should be
placed in the rearmost position.
Children age 12 and under should be
restrained securely in the rear seat.
NEVER place a child age 12 and
under in the front seat. NEVER place
a rear facing child seat in the front
seat of a vehicle. If the shoulder belt portion slightly
touches the child’s neck or face, try
placing the child closer to the center
of the vehicle. If the shoulder belt still
touches their face or neck they need
to be returned to a child restraint sys-
tem.
Restraint of pregnant women
Pregnant women should wear
lap/shoulder belt assemblies when-
ever possible according to specific
recommendations by their doctors.
The lap portion of the belt should be
worn AS SNUGLY AND LOW AS
POSSIBLE on the hips, not a cross
the abdomen.
WARNING - Small
children
Do not allow small children to
ride in the vehicle without an
appropriate child restraint sys-
tem. If the shoulder belt comes
in contact with your child's neck
or face your child is too small to
ride in the vehicle. In a crash the
seat belt will inflict injury to
your child's neck, throat and
face.WARNING - Pregnantwomen
Pregnant women must never
place the lap portion of the seat
belt above or on the abdomen
where the fetus is located. The
force of the seat belt during a
collision will crush the fetus.

Safety features of your vehicle
24
3
Children riding in the car should sit in
the rear seat and must always be
properly restrained to minimize the
risk of injury in an accident, sudden
stop or sudden maneuver. According
to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the
rear seats than in the front seat.
Larger children not in a child restraint
should use one of the seat belts pro-
vided.
You should be aware of the specific
requirements in your country. Child
and/or infant safety seats must be
properly placed and installed in the
rear seat. You must use a commer-
cially available child restraint system
that meets the requirements of the
safety standards of your country.
Child restraint systems are designed
to be secured in vehicle seats by
seat belt, or by a tether anchor
and/or LATCH anchors (if equipped). Children could be injured or killed in
a crash if their restraints are not
properly secured. For small children
and babies, a child seat or infant seat
must be used. Before buying a par-
ticular child restraint system, make
sure it fits your car seat and seat
belts, and fits your child.
Follow all the instructions provided
by the manufacturer when installing
the child restraint system.
When the child restraint system is
not in use, store it in the luggage
area or fasten it with a seat belt so
that it will not be thrown forward in
case of a sudden stop or an acci-
dent.
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM
WARNING - Restraintlocation
Never install a child or infant
seat on the front passenger's
seat. A child riding in the front
passenger seat can be forceful-
ly struck by an inflating airbag.
CAUTION - Hot child restraint
A child restraint system can
become very hot if it is left in aclosed vehicle on a sunny day.Be sure to check the seat cover,buckles and latches before plac-ing a child in the restraint sys-tem.

Safety features of your vehicle
26
3
For safety reasons, we recommend
that the child restraint system be
used in the rear seats.
Since all passenger seat belts move
freely under normal conditions and
only lock under extreme or emer-
gency conditions (emergency locking
mode), you must manually change
these seat belts to the automatic
locking mode to secure a child
restraint. If the seat belt does not operate as
described in this section, have the
system checked immediately by your
authorized Kia dealer.
Placing a passenger seat belt
into the automatic locking mode
The automatic locking mode will help
prevent the normal movement of the
child in the vehicle from causing the
seat belt to loosen and compromise
the child restraint system. To secure
a child restraint system, use the fol-
lowing procedure.
E2MS103005
WARNING - Child seat installation
Always follow the instructions
provided by the child restraint
system manufacturer. Child
restraint system manufactur-
ers know their products best.
Failure to observe this manu- al's instructions regarding
child restraint system and the
instructions provided with the
child restraint system could
result in the improper installa-
tion of the child restraint sys-
tem which may reduce the
protection to your child in a
crash or a sudden stop.