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Features of your vehicle
94
4
Daytime running light
Daytime Running Lights (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, and it is especial-
ly helpful after dawn and before sun-
set.
The DRL system turns OFF when:
1. The headlights are ON.
2. The parking brake is applied.
3. Engine stops.
4. The front fog light is ON.
Lighting control
The light switch has a Headlight and
a Parking light position.
To operate the lights, turn the knob at
the end of the control lever to one of
the following positions:
(1) OFF position
(2) Parking light position
(3) Headlight position
(4) Auto light position (if equipped)
Parking light position ( )
When the light switch is in the park-
ing light position (1st position), the
tail, position, license and instrument
panel lights will turn ON.
OAM049041OXM049110
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Driving your vehicle
45
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outsidemirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in chapter 7,
“Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-trols are easily reached.
Buckle your seat belt.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light
goes off.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING - Distracted driving
Focus on the road while driving.
The driver's primary responsi-
bility is in the safe and legal
operation of the vehicle. Use of
any hand held devices, other
equipment or vehicle systems
that distract the driver should
not be used during vehicle
operation.
WARNING - Check sur- rounding
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
putting a vehicle into D (Drive)
or R (Reverse).
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Driving your vehicle
85
If you leave the ENGINE START/
STOP button in the ACC or ON posi-
tion for a long time, the battery will
discharge.✽ ✽NOTICE
Before starting the vehicle, if you
depress the brake pedal, you may
feel the stumbling feeling while
depressing the brake pedal.
However, if the warning indicator is
not turned on, it is normal.
WARNING - Starting
vehicle
• Never press the ENGINE START/STOP button while the
vehicle is in motion except in
an emergency. This would
result in loss of directional
control and braking function,
which could cause an acci-
dent.
Before leaving the driver's seat, always make sure the
shift lever is engaged in P
(Park), set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
Unexpected and sudden vehi-
cle movement may occur if
these precautions are not
taken.
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59
Driving your vehicle
STARTING THE HYBRID
SYSTEM
Starting the hybrid system
with a smart key (if equipped)
1.Carry the smart key or leave itinside the vehicle.
2.Make sure the parking brake is firmly applied
3.Place the transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
4.Press the ENGINE START/STOP button while depressing the brake
pedal.
It should be started without depress-
ing the accelerator. 5.Do not wait for the engine to warm
up while the vehicle remains sta-
tionary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds. (Steep accelerating and
decelerating should be avoided.) Even if the smart key is in the vehi-
cle, but is far away from you, the
engine may not start.
When the ENGINE START/STOP button is in the ACC position or
above, if any door is opened, the
system checks for the smart key. If
the smart key is not in the vehicle,
the warning "Key not in vehicle" will
illuminate on the LCD display. And
if all doors are closed, the chime
will sound for 5 seconds. The indi-
cator or warning will turn off while
the vehicle is moving. Always have
the smart key with you.
The hybrid system will start only
when the smart key is in the vehicle.
OTF054007
CAUTION
If the "READY" indicator is turned off while you are inmotion, do not attempt tomove the shift lever to theP(Park) position. If traffic androad conditions permit, youmay keep the previous leverposition while the vehicle isstill moving and press theengine start/stop button in anattempt to restart the hybridsystem without pressing thebrake pedal.
If the hybrid system starts, the "READY" symbol comes on. Ifthe "READY" symbol does notcome on, have the vehiclechecked and repaired by anauthorized Kia dealer.
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513
Driving your vehicle
For smooth operation, depress thebrake pedal when shifting from N(Neutral) to a forward or reversegear.
When stopped on an incline, do not
hold the vehicle with engine power.
Use the service brake or the parking
brake.
Transaxle ranges
The indicator light in the instrument
cluster displays the shift lever posi-
tion when the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park). This
position locks the transaxle and pre-
vents the front wheels from rotating.
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehi-
cle is in motion will cause the drive
wheels to lock which will cause you
to lose control of the vehicle.CAUTION - Transaxle
To avoid damage to yourtransaxle, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for-ward gear position with thebrakes on. The transaxle may bedamaged if you shift into P(Park) while the vehicle is inmotion.
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Driving your vehicle
14
5
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
position. The transaxle will automati-
cally shift through a 6-gear
sequence, providing the best fuel
economy and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or climbing grades,
depress the accelerator fully, at
which time the transaxle will auto-
matically downshift to the next lower
gear.
Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stopped or in
motion, sports mode is selected by
pushing the shift lever from the D
(Drive) position into the manual gate.
To return to D (Drive) range opera-
tion, 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.
In contrast to a manual transaxle, the
sports mode allows gearshifts with
the accelerator pedal depressed.
CAUTION - Shifting
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 inmotion, except when “Rockingthe Vehicle” explained in thischapter.
OTF054012
+
+
+
+
(
(
(
(
U
U
U
U
P
P
P
P
)
)
)
)
- (DOWN)
Sports mode
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Driving your vehicle
16
5
Shift-lock override (with smart key
system)
If the shift lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) or N (Neutral) posi-
tion into the R (Reverse) position
with the brake pedal depressed, con-
tinue depressing the brake, then do
the following:
1.Carefully remove the cap (1) cover-
ing the shift-lock access hole.
2.Insert a screwdriver into the access hole and press down on
the screwdriver.
3.Move the shift lever.
4.Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Kia dealer immediately.
Good driving practices
Never move the shift lever from P(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other
position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Never move the shift lever into P (Park) when the vehicle is in
motion.
Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. Otherwise, the lower
gear may not be engaged.
Always use the parking brake. Do not depend on placing the
transaxle in P (Park) to keep the
vehicle from moving.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator pedal.
Moving up a steep grade from a
standing start
To move up a steep grade from a
standing start, depress the brake
pedal, shift the shift lever to D
(Drive). Select the appropriate gear
depending on load weight and steep-
ness of the grade, and release the
parking brake. Depress the accelera-
tor gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
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Driving your vehicle
18
5
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.
Disc brakes wear indicator
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 when-
ever you depress the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.
Always replace the front or rear
brake pads as pairs.
CAUTION - Replace brake
pads
Do not continue to drive withworn brake pads. Continuing todrive with worn brake pads candamage the braking system andresult in costly brake repairs.
WARNING - Parking brake
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.