Driving your vehicle
66
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.
If difficulty is experienced turning the
ignition switch to the ACC position,
turn the key while turning the steer-
ing wheel right and left to release the
tension.
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.
KEY POSITIONS (IF EQUIPPED)
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67
Driving your vehicle
The anti-theft steering column lock (if
equipped) is not a substitute for the
parking brake. Before leaving the dri-
ver’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 pre-
cautions are not taken.Starting the engine1.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 / Dual clutch
transmission - 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.
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 accident.
WARNING- Proper footwear
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels, ski
boots, sandals, etc.) may inter-
fere with your ability to use the
brake and accelerator pedals.
Driving your vehicle
86
Manual Transaxle
To start the vehicle, keep the clutch
pedal and brake pedal depressed, and
make sure the engine RPM is within
normal range (under 1000 rpm). After
checking, shift the transaxle shift lever
to the desired position.
Unlock the parking brake, and take
your foot off the clutch pedal. Then,
lightly depress the accelerator pedal
and slowly start the vehicle.
4.Do not wait for the engine to warmup while the vehicle remains sta-
tionary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds. (Steep accelerating and
decelerating should be avoided.) Do not engage the starter for more
than 10 seconds. If the engine stalls
or fails to start, wait 5 to 10 seconds
before re-engaging the starter.
Improper use of the starter may
damage it. Stopping manual transaxle vehicles
1. After safely parking the vehicle,
press the clutch pedal and brake
pedal at the same time.
2. While depressing the clutch pedal and brake pedal at the same time,
shift the transaxle lever to ‘N’.CAUTION- Starter
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.
WARNING- Steering
wheel
Never reach for any 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.
Driving your vehicle
18
6
WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a colli-
sion, an unbelted occupant is
significantly more likely to be
seriously injured or killed than
a properly belted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when cor- nering or turning.
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 highway
speeds.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off
the roadway and the driver
oversteers to reenter the road-
way.
In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not
steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into
the travel lanes.
Never exceed posted speed limits.
Driving your vehicle
34
6
Kickdown Mechanism
(if equipped)
Use the kickdown mechanism for
maximum acceleration. Depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pres-
sure point. The transmission will shift
to a lower gear depending on the
engine speed.
Moving up a steep grade from astanding start
To move up a steep grade from a
standing start, depress the brake
pedal, shift the shift lever to D
(Drive). Depress the accelerator
gradually while releasing the service
brakes.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 for-
ward or backward as it becomes
unstuck, causing injury or dam-
age to nearby people or objects.
(Continued)
In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not
steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into
the travel lanes.
Kia recommends you follow all posted speed limits.WARNING
To reduce the risk of SERIOUS
INJURY or DEATH:
ALWAYS wear your seatbelt.In a collision, an unbelted
occupant is significantly more
likely to be seriously injured
or killed than a properly belt-
ed occupant.
Avoid high speeds when cor- nering or turning.
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 highway
speeds.
Loss of control often occurs if two or more wheels drop off
the roadway and the driver
over steers to reenter the
roadway.
(Continued)
635
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 normally would. The
stopping distance, however, 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
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery surfaces.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.
Always test your brakes in this fash-
ion after driving through deep water.
To dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING- Steep hill
braking
Avoid continuous application of
the brakes when descending a
long or steep hill by shifting to a
lower gear. Continuous brake
application will cause the
brakes to overheat and could
result in a temporary loss of
braking performance.
CAUTION- Brake Pedal
Do not drive with your foot rest- ing on the brake pedal. This willcreate abnormally high braketemperatures which can causeexcessive brake lining and padwear.
641
Driving your vehicle
Electronic stability control
(ESC)
The Electronic Stability control
(ESC) system is designed to stabi-
lize the vehicle during cornering
maneuvers. ESC checks where you
are steering and where the vehicle is
actually going. ESC applies the
brakes on individual wheels and
intervenes with the engine manage-
ment system to stabilize the vehicle.Electronic stability control (ESC) will
not prevent accidents. Excessive
speed in turns, abrupt maneuvers and
hydroplaning on wet surfaces can still
result in serious accidents. Only a
safe and attentive driver can prevent
accidents by avoiding maneuvers that
cause the vehicle to lose traction.
Even with ESC installed, always fol-
low all the normal precautions for driv-
ing - including driving at safe speeds
for the conditions.
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is an electronic system
designed to help the driver maintain
vehicle control under adverse condi-
tions. It is not a substitute for safe driv-
ing practices. Factors including speed,
road conditions and driver steering
input can all affect whether ESC will be
effective in preventing a loss of control.
It is still your responsibility to drive and
corner at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the wheels,
you may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensa-
tion in the brake pedal. This is normal
and it means your ESC is active.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehi-
cle begins to move after the engine is
started. These conditions are normal
and indicate that the Electronic
Stability Control System is function-
ing properly.
✽ ✽NOTICE
For maximum protection, always
wear your seat belt. No system, no
matter how advanced, can compen-
sate for all driver error and/or driv-
ing conditions. Always drive respon-
sibly.
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Driving your vehicle
Vehicle stability management
(VSM)
This system provides further
enhancements to vehicle stability
and steering responses when a vehi-
cle is driving on a slippery road or a
vehicle detects changes in coeffi-
cient of friction between right wheels
and left wheels when braking.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESC
indicator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability manage-
ment is operating properly, you can
feel a slight pulsation in the vehicle
and/or abnormal steering responses
(EPS). This is only the effect of brake
and EPS control and indicates noth-
ing unusual.The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on bank road such as gra-
dient or incline
Driving in reverse
ESC OFF indicator light ( ) remains on the instrument cluster
EPS indicator light remains on the instrument cluster
VSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to
turn off the ESC, the VSM will also
cancel and the ESC OFF indicator
light ( ) illuminates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light
goes out.
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if
you don’t cancel the VSM operation
by pressing the ESC OFF button. It
indicates that a malfunction has
been detected somewhere in the
Electric Power Steering system or
VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or EPS warning light
remains on, take your vehicle to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the
system checked.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
• The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 13 mph (22
km/h) on curves.
• The VSM is designed to function above approximately 6 mph (10
km/h) when a vehicle is braking on
a split-mu road. The split-mu road
is made of surfaces which have dif-
ferent friction forces.