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 6-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)
49
Driving your vehicle
Moving up a steep grade from a
standing start
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 gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
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) while
in Sports mode will help prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards.
Shift lock system
For your safety, the automatic transaxle
has a shift lock system which prevents
shifting the transaxle out of P (Park)
unless the brake pedal is depressed.
To shift the transaxle out of P (Park):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition tothe ON position.
3. Depress the lock release button and 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 should fail to move from
the P (Park) position with the brake pedal
depressed, continue depressing the
brake, then do the following:
1. Carefully remove the cap covering the S/Lock override access hole which is
located on the right side of the shift
lever.
OVQ039026
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.
Always, confirm the position of the brake and accelerator pedal
before driving. If you don't check
the position of the accelerator
and brake pedal before driving,
you may depress the accelerator
instead of the brake pedal. It may
cause a serious accident.
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.
Parking brake
Applying the parking brake
To engage the parking brake, first apply
the foot brake and then depress the park-
ing brake pedal down as far as possible.
In addition it is recommended that when
parking the vehicle on a gradient, the
shift lever should be in a low gear on
manual transaxle vehicles or in the P
(Park) position on automatic transaxle
vehicles.
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 wornbrake pads.
1VQA3030
433
Driving your vehicle
Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-
tion to include engine oil, automatic
transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling
system fluid. Brake condition is another
important item to frequently check. Each
item is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nuts
and bolts should be tight.
If you do decide to pull a trailer
Here are some important points if you
decide to pull a trailer:
government have varying trailering
laws. Make sure your hitch, mirrors,
lights and wiring arrangements are
legal, not only where you live, but also
where you’ll be driving. A good source
for this information is provincial or local
law enforcement agencies.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway control.
After your odometer indicates 800 km (500 miles) or more, you can tow a
trailer. For the first 800 km (500 miles)
that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and don’t make
starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle
“wear” in at the heavier loads.
Always drive your vehicle at a moder- ate speed (less than 100 km/h (60
mph)).
On a long uphill grade, do not exceed 70 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower.
The important considerations have to do with weight:CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer usage, overheating might occurin hot days or during uphill driv-ing. If the coolant gauge indicates over-heating, switch off the A/Cand stop the vehicle in a safe area to cool down the engine.
When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with the air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan toimprove engine performancewhen towing a trailer.
53
What to do in an emergency
3. Have all passengers get out of the car.Be sure they all get out on the side of
the car that is away from traffic.
4. When changing a flat tire, follow the instruction provided later in this sec-
tion.
If engine stalls while driving
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keepinga straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try to start the engine again. If your vehicle will not start, contact an autho-
rised Kia dealer or seek other qualified
assistance.
Jump starting
Jump starting can be dangerous if done
incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to
yourself or damage to your vehicle or
battery, follow the jump starting proce-
dures. If in doubt, we strongly recom-
mend that you have a competent techni-
cian or towing service jump start your
vehicle.
WARNING- Battery
• Keep all flames or sparks awayfrom the battery. The battery pro-
duces hydrogen gas which may
explode if exposed to flame or
sparks.
Do not attempt to jump start the vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte level
is low; the battery may rupture or
explode.
EMERGENCY STARTING
WARNING- Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as this
may cause the battery to rupture or
explode causing serious injury.
CAUTION
Use only a 12-volt jumper system.You can damage a 12-volt startingmotor, ignition system, and otherelectrical parts beyond repair by use of a 24-volt power supply (eithertwo 12-volt batteries in series or a24-volt motor generator set).
59
What to do in an emergency
Do not take this vehicle through anautomatic car wash while the com-
pact spare tire is installed.
Do not use tire chains on the com- pact spare tire. Because of the
smaller size, a tire chain will not fit
properly. This could damage the
vehicle and result in loss of the
chain.
The compact spare tire should not be installed on the front axle if the
vehicle must be driven in snow or
on ice.
Do not use the compact spare tire on any other vehicle because this
tire has been designed especially
for your vehicle.
The compact spare tire’s tread life is shorter than a regular tire.
Inspect your compact spare tire
regularly and replace worn com-
pact spare tires with the same size
and design, mounted on the same
wheel. Changing tires
Jacking instructions
The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
To prevent the jack from “rattling”
while the vehicle is in motion, lower
the jack to the lowest position, place
the jack in the luggage side trim and
turn the wing bolt (1) clockwise firmly.
Make sure the jack is secured firmly
by trying to move the jack forward
and backward. Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of personal injury.
WARNING- Changing tires
Never attempt vehicle repairs in the traffic lanes of a public
road or highway.
Always move the vehicle com- pletely off the road and onto
the shoulder before trying to
change a tire. The jack should
be used on level firm ground.
If you cannot find a firm, level
place off the road, call a tow-
ing service company for
assistance.
Be sure to use the correct front and rear jacking posi-
tions on the vehicle; never use
the bumpers or any other part
of the vehicle for jack support.
(Continued)
OVQ059007N
What to do in an emergency
12
5
8. Insert the jack handle into the jack
and turn it clockwise, raising the
vehicle until the tire just clears the
ground. This measurement is
approximately 30 mm (1.2 in).
Before removing the wheel lug
nuts, make sure the vehicle is sta-
ble and that there is no chance for
movement or slippage.
9. Remove the wheel lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise,
then remove the wheel.
10. Mount the spare tire into position and install the wheel lug nuts
with the beveled edge inward. 11. Once the wheel lug nuts have
been tightened, lower the vehicle
fully to the ground and continue to
tighten the lug nuts until they are
fully secured. Tighten the wheel
lug nuts firmly in a “ ” pattern.
If you are unsure of the tightness
of the wheel lug nuts, have them
checked at the nearest service
station. The specified tightening
torque is 9~11 kg
88-107 N Improperly tight-
ened wheel lug nuts could cause
brake pedal vibration while brak-
ing.
CAUTION
Your vehicle has metric threads on the wheel studs and nuts.Make certain during wheelremoval that the same nutsremoved are reinstalled - or, ifreplaced, that nuts with metricthreads and the same chamferconfiguration are used.Installation of a non-metricthread nut on a metric stud orvice-versa will not secure thewheel to the hub properly andwill damage the stud so that itmust be replaced.
Note that most lug nuts do nothave metric threads. Be sure touse extreme care in checkingfor thread style before installingaftermarket lug nuts or wheels.If in doubt, consult anAuthorized Kia Dealer.
OVQ056008N1VQA4026
X