2014 KIA Soul Owner's Manual

Economical operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-51
Special driving conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-54
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-55
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-56
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-56
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-57
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-57
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-57
Winter driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-59
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-59
. . . . . . . . . . 5-60
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-60
. . . . . . . 5-60

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-60
system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. 5-60
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-61
. . . . 5-61
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-61
Vehicle load limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-62
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-62
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-66
Vehicle weight glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
. . . . . . . . . . . . 5-68
5

53
Driving your vehicle
WARNING- ENGINE EXHAUST CAN BE DANGEROUS!
Engine exhaust fumes can be extremely dangerous. If, at any time, you smell exhaust fumes inside the vehicle,
open the windows immediately.
• Do not inhale exhaust fumes.Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can cause unconsciousness and death
by asphyxiation.
The exhaust system should be checked whenever the vehicle is raised to change the oil or for any other purpose.
If you hear a change in the sound of the exhaust or if you drive over something that strikes the underneath side
of the vehicle, have the exhaust system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Kia dealer.
Letting the engine idle in your garage, even with the garage door open, is a hazardous practice. Never run the
engine in your garage any longer than it takes to start the engine and back the vehicle out.
If it is necessary to idle the engine for a prolonged period with people inside the vehicle, be sure to do so only in
an open area with the air intake set at "Fresh" and fan operating at one of the higher speeds so fresh air is drawn
into the interior.
If you must drive with the tailgate open because you are carrying objects that make this necessary:
1. Close all windows.
2. Open side vents.
3. Set the air intake control at "Fresh", the air flow control at "Floor" or "Face" and the fan at one of the higher speeds.
To assure proper operation of the ventilation system, be sure the ventilation air intakes located just in front of the
windshield are kept clear of snow, ice, leaves or other obstructions.

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, at the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in chapter 7,
“Maintenance”.WARNING
Driving while distracted can
result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol, that may lead to an acci-
dent, severe personal injury,
and death. The driver’s primary
responsibility is in the safe and
legal operation of a vehicle, and
use of any handheld devices,
other equipment, or vehicle sys-
tems which take the driver’s
eyes, attention and focus away
from the safe operation of a
vehicle or which are not permis-
sible by law should never be
used during operation of the
vehicle.
BEFORE DRIVING

55
Driving your vehicle
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-trols are easily reached.
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 out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
Before starting
WARNING- Driving
under the influence of
alcohol or drugs
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Drunk driving is the num-
ber one contributor to the high-
way death toll each year. Even a
small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, percep-
tions and judgment. Driving
while under the influence of
drugs is as dangerous or more
dangerous than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink or take drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking
drugs, don’t drive. Do not ride
with a driver who has been
drinking or taking drugs.
Choose a designated driver or
call a cab.
WARNING
All passengers must be proper-
ly belted whenever the vehicle
is moving. Refer to “Seat belts”
in chapter 3 for more informa-
tion on their proper use.
WARNING
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
putting a vehicle into D (Drive)
or R (Reverse).

Driving your vehicle
65
WARNING
When you intend to park orstop 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 ignite a
fire.
When you make a sudden 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, possi-
bly causing an accident. Keep
all things in the vehicle safely
stored.
If you do not focus on driving, it may cause an accident. Be
careful when operating what
may disturb driving such as
audio or heater. It is the
responsibility of the driver to
always drive safely.

57
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ignition switch
Whenever a front door is opened, the
ignition switch will illuminate for your
convenience, provided the ignition
switch is not in the ON position. The
light will go off immediately when the
ignition switch is turned on. It will
also go off after about 30 seconds
when the door is closed.
Ignition switch position
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft (if equipped). The igni-
tion 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.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel is unlocked and
electrical accessories are operative.
✽ ✽NOTICE
If difficulty is experienced turning
the ignition switch to the ACC posi-
tion, turn the key while turning the
steering wheel right and left to
release the tension.
KEY POSITIONS (IF EQUIPPED)
OPS053001
OXM059029N

Driving your vehicle
85
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.
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 acci-
dent.
The anti-theft steering column lock (if equipped) is not a sub-
stitute 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. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement
may occur if these precau-
tions are not taken.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Never reach for the ignitionswitch, or any other 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, an
accident and serious bodily
injury or death.
Do not place any movable objects around the driver’s
seat as they may move while
driving, interfere with the driv-
er and lead to an accident.

59
Driving your vehicle
Starting the engine
1.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.
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.
It should be started withoutdepressing the accelerator.
4.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.)
CAUTION
If the engine stalls while you arein motion, do not attempt tomove the shift lever to the P(Park) position. If traffic androad conditions permit, you mayput the shift lever in the N(Neutral) position while thevehicle is still moving and turnthe ignition switch to the STARTposition in an attempt to restartthe engine.
CAUTION
Do not engage the starter formore than 10 seconds. If theengine stalls or fails to start,wait 5 to 10 seconds before re-engaging the starter. Improperuse of the starter may damage it.
WARNING
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels,
ski boots,etc.) may interfere
with your ability to use the
brake and accelerator pedal.