Page 364 of 1168

523
Driving your vehicle
Automatic transaxle/DCT opera- tion
The automatic transaxle/DCT has 6 for-
ward speeds and one reverse speed. Theindividual speeds are selected automati-
cally, depending on the position of the
shift lever. ❈DCT: Double clutch transmission
✽✽
NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, if the battery has been disconnected, may
be somewhat abrupt. This is a normalcondition, and the shifting sequence will
adjust after shifts are cycled a few times
by the TCM (Transaxle Control
Module) or PCM (Powertrain ControlModule).
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE/DCT (IF EQUIPPED)
OJD052005
+
+++ ((((UUUUPPPP))))
---- ((((DDDDOOOOWWWWNNNN))))
The shift lever can be shifted freely.
Press the lock release button when shifting.
Depress the brake pedal and the lock release button when shifting.
(If the shift lock system is not equipped, it is not necessary to depress the brake pedal.
However, it is recommended to depress the brake pedal to avoid inadvertent movement
of the vehicle.)
JD eng 5.qxp 7/17/2012 10:42 AM Page 23
Page 366 of 1168

525
Driving your vehicle
CAUTION
To avoid damage to yourtransaxle, do not accelerate the
engine in R (Reverse) or any for- ward gear position with thebrakes on.
When stopped on an upgrade, do not hold the vehicle stationarywith engine power. Use the serv- ice brake or the parking brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R
(Reverse) when the engine isabove idle speed.
CAUTION - DCT
If the vehicle is held by applying
accelerator pedal at the hill, the
transmission and clutch will be damaged. To hold at the hill, usethe parking brake or foot brake.
An overload of the clutch is indi- cated by a longitudinal judder anda blinking display. To exclude aclutch-damage, the clutch is opened and the torque flow inter-
rupted. If the clutch is opened, apply the foot brake and waitsome minutes before driving again.
Ignoring the warnings can lead to severe injuries and damage onthe car.
If the LCD warning is active, the foot brake has to be applied.
When the problem of gear system occurs, the transaxle indicatorwill blink. For your safety, we rec- ommend that you contact anauthorized Kia dealer and have
the system checked.
(Continued)
(Continued) When the clutch is overheated, the safe protection mode oper-ates. According to the safe pro-tection mode, the transaxle indi-
cator blinks with buzzer sound.The buzzer beeps 3 times.
In this time, the LCD warningabout safe protection mode also
displays. In this condition, thedriving may not be smoothly. Ifyou ignore this warning, the driv-ing condition is getting worse and
the system may have problem. Toreturn the normal driving condi- tion, apply the foot brake and
stop the vehicle for few minutes before driving off.
While shifting the gear automati- cally, you may feel a correspon-ding shifting of gear. However, it
is not malfunction.
JD eng 5.qxp 7/17/2012 10:42 AM Page 25
Page 367 of 1168
Driving your vehicle
26
5
Transaxle ranges
The indicator lights in the instrument
cluster displays the shift lever position
when the ignition switch is in the ONposition.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the frontwheels from rotating. 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 6-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator pedal fully (more than 80%)
until the kick down mechanism works
with a clicking noise, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
✽✽
NOTICE
Page 368 of 1168

527
Driving your vehicle
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 sports mode, moving the shift lever
backwards and forwards will allow you to
make gearshifts rapidly.
Up (+) : Push the lever forward once toshift up one gear.
Down (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to shift down one gear. DS mode (Drive Sporty) - DCT
DS mode supports the performance
mode for driver. To shift the DS mode,
shift the transaxle to DS mode which is
center of sports mode. If you shift [+] or
[–] gear, the mode is change to sports
mode. The transmission shift is automat-ically changed at higher engine speeds
by engine load, your driving style, vehiclecondition.
In DS mode, while coasting downhill, the
engine does not support the vehicle to
slow down.
In DS mode, if you control the paddle
shifter, the gear will be changed to sports
mode. If the gear is changed to D (Drive),
the gear will be changed to D (Drive)
mode.
✽✽
NOTICE - DCT
While stopping the vehicle by applying
parking brake in D gear, even if you
release the parking brake, the vehiclemay not move. In this case, you candrive the vehicle by applying the foot
brake and release, applying the acceler-
ator or shifting the lever (D →
→
N →→
D).
OJD052006
Sports mode
or
DS mode +
+++ ((((UUUUPPPP))))
---- ((((DDDDOOOOWWWWNNNN))))
JD eng 5.qxp 7/17/2012 10:42 AM Page 27
Page 370 of 1168

529
Driving your vehicle
Shift lock system (if equipped)
For your safety, the automatic transaxle
has a shift lock system which prevents
shifting the transaxle from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) into R (Reverse) unless the
brake pedal is depressed.
To shift the transaxle from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignitionswitch to the ON position.
3. Move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chattering
noise near the shift lever may be heard.
This is a normal condition. Shift-lock override
If the shift lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) or N (Neutral) position into R
(Reverse) position with the brake pedal
depressed, continue depressing the
brake, then do the following:
1. Press the shift-lock release button.
2. Move the shift lever.
3. We recommend that the system be
inspected by an authorized Kia dealer. Ignition key interlock system (if equipped)
The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P (Park)position.
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting out
of the P (Park) position into anoth-
er position to avoid inadvertent
motion of the vehicle which could
injure persons in or around the
vehicle.
OJD052007
JD eng 5.qxp 7/17/2012 10:42 AM Page 29
Page 372 of 1168

531
Driving your vehicle
Moving up a steep grade from a stand-ing start
Auto transaxle and DCT
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 pedal gradually while releas-
ing the service brakes. Auto transaxle
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
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 orobjects.
JD eng 5.qxp 7/17/2012 10:42 AM Page 31
Page 373 of 1168

Driving your vehicle
32
5
Active ECO operation
Active ECO helps improve fuel efficiency
by controlling the engine and transaxle.
But fuel-efficiency can be changed by the
driver's driving habits and road conditions.
When the Active ECO button is
pressed the ECO indicator (green) will
illuminate to show that the Active ECO
is operating.
When the Active ECO is activated, it does not turn off even though the
engine is restarted again. To turn off
the system, press the active ECO but-ton again.
If Active ECO is turned off, it will return to the normal mode. When Active ECO is activated :
The acceleration may slightly be
reduced eventhough you depress the
accelerator fully.
The air conditioner performance may be limited.
The shift pattern of the automatic transaxle may change.
The engine noise may get louder.
The above situations are normal condi-
tions when the active eco system is acti-
vated to improve fuel efficiency. Limitation of Active ECO opera- tion:
If the following conditions occur while
Active ECO is operating, the system
operation is limited even though there is
no change in the ECO indicator.
When the coolant temperature is low:
The system will be limited until engine
performance becomes normal.
When driving up a hill: The system will be limited to gain power when drivinguphill because the engine torque is
restricted.
When using sports mode: The system will be limited according to the shiftlocation.
When the accelerator pedal is deeply pressed for a few seconds: The system
will be limited, judging that the driver
wants to speed up.
ACTIVE ECO SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
OJD052008
JD eng 5.qxp 7/17/2012 10:42 AM Page 32
Page 374 of 1168

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.BRAKE SYSTEM (Continued)
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.
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 sefely 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.
(Continued)
JD eng 5.qxp 7/17/2012 10:42 AM Page 33