Driving your vehicle
Before driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Key positions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
• Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Engine start/stop button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
. . . . . . . 5-8
. . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Manual transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Automatic transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Four wheel drive (4WD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Cruise control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Active ECO system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
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
Winter driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-59
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-62
Vehicle load limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-71
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-71
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-74
Vehicle weight glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-76
5
523
Driving your vehicle
Engine power can be delivered to all
front and rear wheels for maximum
traction. 4WD is useful when extra
traction is required on road, such as,
when driving on slippery, muddy,
wet, or snow-covered roads. These
vehicles are not designed for chal-
lenging off-road use. Occasional off-
road use such as established
unpaved roads and trails are OK. It is
always important when traveling off-
highway that the driver carefully
reduces the speed to a level that
does not exceed the safe operating
speed for those conditions. In gener-
al, off-road conditions provide less
traction and braking effectiveness
than normal road conditions. The
driver must be especially alert to
avoid driving on slopes which tilt the
vehicle to either side.
These factors must be carefully con-
sidered when driving off-road.
Keeping the vehicle in contact with
the driving surface and under control
in these conditions is always the dri-
ver's responsibility for the safety of
him/herself and his or her passen-
gers.Tight corner brake effect
Tight corner brake effect is a unique
characteristic of four-wheel drive
vehicles caused by the difference in
tire rotation at the four wheels and
the zero-degree alignment of the
front wheels and suspension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING - Off roaddriving
This vehicle is designed prima-
rily for on road use although it
can operate effectively off road.
However, it was not designed to
drive in challenging off-road
conditions. Driving in condi-
tions that exceed the vehicle's
intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.
WARNING
If the 4WD system warning light
( ) illuminates, this indicates
that there is a malfunction in the
4WD system.
If this occurs, have your vehicle
checked by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION - 4WD
When turning sharply on a
paved road at low speed whilein four-wheel drive, steeringcontrol will be difficult.
Driving your vehicle
24
5
This mode is used for climbing or descending sharp grades,
off-road driving, driving on sandy and muddy roads, etc., to
maximize traction.
This mode automatically begins to deactivate at speeds above 30 km/h (19 mph) and is shifted to 4WD AUTO mode
at speed above 40 km/h (25 mph). If the vehicle decelerates
to speeds below approximate 40 km/h (25 mph), however,
the transfer mode is shifted into 4WD LOCK mode again.
4WD AUTO
(4WD LOCK is
deactivated) (Indicator light is
not illuminated)
✽ ✽ NOTICE
• When driving on normal roads, deactivate the 4WD LOCK mode by pushing the 4WD LOCK button (the \
indi-
cator light goes off). Driving on normal roads with 4WD LOCK mode (especially, when cornering) may cause
mechanical noise or vibration. The noise and vibration will disappear when the 4WD LOCK mode is deactivated.
Some parts of the power train may be damaged by prolonged driving with the noise and vibration.
• When the 4WD LOCK mode is deactivated, a shock may be felt as the drive \
power is delivered entirely to the front wheels. This shock is not a mechanical failure.
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) transfer mode selection
Transfer mode Selection button Indicator light Description
When driving in 4WD AUTO mode, the vehicle operates sim-
ilar to conventional 2WD vehicles under normal operating
conditions. However, if the system determines that there is a
need for the 4WD mode, the engine’s driving power is dis-
tributed to all four wheels automatically without driver inter-
vention.
When driving on normal roads and pavement, the vehicle moves similar to conventional 2WD vehicles.
4WD LOCK (Indicator light isilluminated)
525
Driving your vehicle
For safe four-wheel drive oper-
ation
Do not try to drive in deep standingwater or mud since such conditions
can stall your engine and clog your
exhaust pipes. Do not drive down
steep hills since it requires extreme
skill to maintain control of the vehi-
cle. When you are driving up or down
hills drive as straight as possible.
Use extreme caution in going up or
down steep hills, since you may flip
your vehicle over depending on the
grade, terrain and water/mud con-
ditions.
WARNING - Four-wheeldriving
The conditions of on-road or
off-road that demand four-
wheel drive mean all functions
of your vehicle are exposed to
extreme stress than under nor-
mal road conditions. Slow down
and be ready for changes in the
composition and traction of the
surface under your tires. If you
have any doubt about the safety
of the conditions you are fac-
ing, stop and consider the best
way to proceed. Do not exceed
the ability of yourself or your
vehicle to operate safely.
WARNING - Hills
Driving across the contour of
steep hills can be extremely
dangerous. This danger can
come from slight changes in the
wheel angle which can destabi-
lize the vehicle or, even if the
vehicle is maintaining stability
under power, it can lose that
stability if the vehicle stops its
forward motion. Your vehicle
may roll over without warning
and without time for you to cor-
rect a mistake that could cause
serious injury or death.
HILL1HILL2
527
Driving your vehicle
✽
✽NOTICE
• Do not drive in water if the level is
higher than the bottom of the vehi-
cle.
• Check your brake condition once you are out of mud or water. Press
the brake pedal several times as
you move slowly until you feel nor-
mal braking forces return.
• Shorten your scheduled mainte- nance interval if you drive in off-
road conditions such as sand, mud
or water (see “Maintenance under
severe usage conditions” in section
7). Always wash your vehicle thor-
oughly after off-road use, especial-
ly cleaning the bottom of the vehi-
cle.
• Since the driving torque is always applied to the 4 wheels the per-
formance of the 4WD vehicle is
greatly affected by the condition of
the tires. Be sure to equip the vehi-
cle with four tires of the same size
and type.
• A full time four wheel drive vehi- cle cannot be towed by an ordi-
nary tow truck. Make sure that
the vehicle is placed on a flat bed
truck for moving.WARNING- 4WD driving
Avoid high cornering speed.
Do not make quick steering
wheel movements, such as
sharp lane changes or fast,
sharp turns.
The risk of rollover is greatly increased if you lose control
of your vehicle at high speed.
In a collision, an unbelted per- son is significantly more like-
ly to die compared to a person
wearing a seat belt.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off
the roadway and the driver
oversteers to re-enter the
roadway. In the event your
vehicle leaves the roadway, do
not steer sharply. Instead,
slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
WARNING - Drivingthrough
water
Drive slowly. If you are driving
too fast in water, the water can
get into the engine compart-
ment and wet the ignition sys-
tem, causing your vehicle to
suddenly stop. If this happens
and your vehicle is in a tilted
position, your vehicle may roll
over.
Driving your vehicle
28
5
Full-time 4WD vehicles must be
tested on a special four wheel
chassis dynamometer.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
Never engage the parking brake
while performing these tests.
A full-time 4WD vehicle should not
be tested on a 2WD roll tester. If a
2WD roll tester must be used, per-
form the following: 1.Check the tire pressures recom-
mended for your vehicle.
2.Place the front wheels on the roll tester for a speedometer test as
shown in the illustration.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Place the rear wheels on the tem- porary free roller as shown in the
illustration.
CAUTION - Mud or snow
If one of the front or rear wheelsbegins to spin in mud, snow,etc. the vehicle can sometimesbe driven out by depressing theaccelerator pedal further; how-ever avoid running the enginecontinuously at high rpmbecause doing so could dam-age the 4WD system.
WARNING - Jacked vehicle
While the full-time 4WD vehicle
is being raised on a jack, never
start the engine or cause the
tires to rotate.
There is the danger that rotating
tires touching the ground could
cause the vehicle to go off the
jack and to jump forward.
OXM059025
Roll tester (speedometer)
Temporary free roller
559
Driving your vehicle
WINTER DRIVING
E120000ASA
Severe weather conditions in the
winter result in greater wear and
other problems. To minimize the
problems of winter driving, you
should follow these suggestions:
E120100AUN
Snowy or icy conditions
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tires
on your tires. If snow tires are need-
ed, it is necessary to select tires
equivalent in size and type of the
original equipment tires. Failure to do
so may adversely affect the safety
and handling of your vehicle.
Furthermore, speeding, rapid accel-
eration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially very
hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden
brake applications on snowy or icy
roads may cause skids to occur. You
need to keep sufficient distance
between the vehicle in operation in
front and your vehicle. Also, apply
the brake gently.
E120101AUN
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, make sure they are radial tires of
the same size and load range as the
original tires. Mount snow tires on all
four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
Keep in mind that the traction provid-
ed by snow tires on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires withoutfirst checking local, state and munic-ipal regulations for possible restric-tions against their use.
WARNING- Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.
1VQA3005
F080301AAM-EU
Emergency towing precautions
Turn the ignition switch to ACC sothe steering wheel isn’t locked.
Place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral).
Release the parking bake.
Press the brake pedal with more force than usual since you will have
reduced brake performance.
More steering effort will be required because the power steer-
ing system will be disabled.
If you are driving down a long hill, the brakes may overheat and brake
performance will be reduced. Stop
often and let the brakes cool off.
Tie-down hook
(for flatbed towing,
if equipped)
CAUTION - Automatictransaxle
If the car is being towed with
all four wheels on the ground,it can be towed only from thefront. Be sure that thetransaxle is in neutral. Be surethe steering is unlocked byplacing the ignition switch inthe ACC position. A drivermust be in the towed vehicleto operate the steering andbrakes.
To avoid serious damage to the automatic transaxle, limitthe vehicle speed to 15 km/h(10 mph) and drive less than1.5 km (1 mile) when towing.
Before towing, check the auto- matic transaxle fluid leakunder your vehicle. If the auto-matic transaxle fluid is leak-ing, a flatbed equipment ortowing dolly must be used.
WARNING
Do not use the tie-down hooks
under the front of the vehicle for
towing purposes. These hooks
are designed ONLY for trans-
port tie-down. If the tie-down
hooks are used for towing, the
tie-down hooks or front bumper
will be damaged and this could
lead to serious injury.
OLM069017L
620
What to do in an emergency