
521
Driving your vehicle
Depressing both accelerator andbrake pedals at the same time can
trigger logic for engine power
reduction to assure vehicle decel-
eration. Vehicle acceleration will
resume after the brake pedal is
released.
When driving in Sports Mode, slow down before shifting to a lower
gear. Otherwise, the lower gear
may not be engaged if the engine
rpms are outside of the allowable
range.
Always apply the parking brake when leaving the vehicle. Do not
depend on placing the transmis-
sion in P (Park) to keep the vehicle
from moving. Exercise extreme caution when
driving on a slippery surface. Be
especially careful when braking,
accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change
in vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
may cause loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator.
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.
(Continued)

Driving your vehicle
24
5
Eco-Coasting operation condi-
tions
The Eco-Coasting system is activat-
ed when the accelerator pedal is
depressed and released under the
following conditions.
When the driving mode is ECO
mode.
When driver acceleration is SMART ECO in SMART mode.
When the shift lever is in the D (Drive) position.
When Cruise Control/Smart Cruise Control button is OFF.
The accelerator or brake pedal is not depressed.
When the vehicle speed is within the range of 55 km/h to 160 km/h.
If the road gradient is within the range of -5% to +5%.
In SMART mode, if the distance between the vehicle ahead and the
relative speed is within a certain
range (if the Smart Cruise system
is equipped) ❈
If the front radar for smart cruise
system cannot operate normally,
the inter-vehicle distance and rela-
tive speed condition are automati-
cally ignored.
❈ The Eco-Coasting system works
after the engine is turned on, the
transmission is warmed up, and
the engine sensor self-diagnosis is
completed after starting.
❈ Depending on the driving situation,
Eco-Coasting operation may be
temporarily delayed even if the
above conditions are met.
The Eco-Coasting system
release conditions
The Eco-Coasting system will be
automatically released when the fol-
lowing conditions are met.
When the drive mode is COM-
FORT or SPORT mode.
In SMART mode, when driver acceleration is SMART COMFORT
or SMART SPORT.
When using the paddle shift of the steering wheel.
When the Cruise Control/Smart Cruise Control button is on (The /CRUISE indicator is on.).
When pressing the accelerator pedal or brake pedal.
When the vehicle speed is outside the range of 35 mph (55 km/h) to
100 mph (160 km/h).
Road inclination is less than -5% or exceeds +5%.
In SMART mode, if the headway distance to the vehicle ahead is too
close of the relative speed
changes momentarily (if the smart
cruise control system is equipped)

Driving your vehicle
26
5
Using All Wheel Drive (AWD)
The All Wheel Drive (AWD) System
delivers engine power to front and
rear wheels for maximum traction.
AWD is useful when extra traction is
required, such as when driving slip-
pery, muddy, wet, or snow-covered
roads.
If the system determines there is a
need for all wheel drive, the engine's
driving power is distributed to all four
wheels automatically.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
WARNING
If the AWD warning light ( )
stays on the instrument cluster,
your vehicle may have a mal-
function with the AWD system.
When the AWD warning light
( ) illuminates we recom-
mend that the vehicle be
checked by an authorized K900
Kia dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of SERIOUS
INJURY or DEATH:
Do not drive in conditions that
exceed the vehicle's intended
design such as challenging
off-road conditions.
(Continued)
(Continued)
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 a rollover is great- ly increased if you lose con-
trol 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.
In the event your vehicle leaves the roadway, do not
steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into
the travel lanes.

527
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽NOTICE
• Do not drive in water if the level is
higher than the bottom of the vehi-
cle. Use extreme caution when
approaching water as it may be
difficult or impossible to know the
depth of the water.
• Check your brake condition once you are out of mud or water.
Depress the brake pedal several
times as you move slowly until you
feel normal braking 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 chap-
ter 7).
• Make sure that AWD vehicle is towed by a flatbed tow truck.
For safe AWD operation
Before driving
Make sure all passengers are
wearing seat belts.
Sit upright and closer to the steer- ing wheel than usual. Adjust the
steering wheel to a position com-
fortable for you to drive.
Driving on snow-covered or icy roads
Start off slowly by applying the accelerator pedal gently.
Use snow tires or tire chains.
Keep sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you.
Use engine braking during deceler- ation.
Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns to prevent skids. Driving in sand or mud
Maintain slow and constant speed.
Use tire chains driving in mud if
necessary.
Keep sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you.
Reduce vehicle speed and always check the road condition.
Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns to prevent getting
stuck.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
When the vehicle is stuck in snow,
sand or mud, place a non-slip mate-
rial under the drive wheels to pro-
vide traction OR slowly spin the
wheels in forward and reverse direc-
tions which causes a rocking motion
that may free the vehicle. See the
Section "Rocking the Vehicle" for
more details. However, avoid run-
ning the engine continuously at high
rpm, which could damage the AWD
system.

Driving your vehicle
28
5
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• When using Snow Tires, mount
them on all four wheels.
• When using Tire Chains, install them on all four tires. However, if
you only have two tire chains,
install them on the rear tires. In
this situation, do not drive more
than a short distance to prevent
damage to the AWD system.
• If tire chains must be used, use an AutoSock (fabric snow chain) and
install the tire chain after review-
ing the instructions provided with
the tire chains.
❈ ❈ For more information on Snow
Tires and Tire Chains, refer to
"Winter Driving" in this chapter.
Driving up or down hills
Driving uphill
- Before starting off, check if it ispossible to drive uphill.
- Drive as straight as possible.
Driving downhill - Do not change gear while drivingdownhill. Select gear before driv-
ing downhill.
- Drive slowly using engine braking while driving downhill.
- Drive as straight as possible.Emergency precautions
Tires
When replacing the tires, be sure to
equip all four tires with the tire and
wheel of the same size, type, tread,
brand and load-carrying capacity.
In case of emergency such as tire
puncture, repair it using the TMK
(Tire Mobility Kit) for temporary use.
Afterwards, have the tire be inspect-
ed by an authorized K900 Kia dealer.WARNING
Exercise extreme caution driv-
ing up or down steep hills. The
vehicle's tires could lose trac-
tion depending on the grade,
terrain and water/mud condi-
tions.
WARNING
Do not use tires and wheels of a
different size and type than the
ones originally installed on your
vehicle. It can affect the safety
and performance of your vehi-
cle, which could lead to
increased steering difficulty or
rollover, causing serious injury.

545
Driving your vehicle
When you drive on a road havingpoor traction, such as an icy road,
and have operated your brakes
continuously, the ABS will be active
continuously and the ABS warning
light may illuminate. Pull your vehi-
cle over to a safe place and stop
the engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning light goes off, then your
ABS system is normal. Otherwise,
you may have a problem with the
ABS. Contact an authorized K900
Kia dealer as soon as possible.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
When you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the
engine may not run as smoothly and
the ABS warning light may turn on at
the same time. This happens because
of low battery voltage. It does not
mean your ABS has malfunctioned.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is designed to stabilize 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 management system
to stabilize the vehicle. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system 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 follow all the
normal precautions for driving -
including driving at safe speeds for
the conditions.
WARNING
For maximum protection, always
wear your seat belt. No system,
no matter how advanced, can
compensate for all driver error
and/or driving conditions.
Always drive responsibly.
ORJ059022N

Driving your vehicle
46
5
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 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.
ESC operation
ESC ON condition
When the ignition is turnedON, ESC and ESC OFF
indicator lights illuminate for
approximately 3 seconds,
then ESC is turned on.
ton for at least half a sec-
ond after turning the igni-
tion ON to turn ESC off.
(ESC OFF indicator will
illuminate). To turn the
ESC on, press the ESC
OFF button (ESC OFF
indicator light will go off).
you may hear a slight tick-
ing sound. This is the ESC
performing an automatic
system self-check and does
not indicate a problem. When operating
When the ESC is in opera-
tion, the ESC indicator light
blinks.
Stability Control is operat-
ing properly, you can feel a
slight pulsation in the vehi-
cle. This is only the effect
of brake control and indi-
cates nothing unusual.
mud or driving on a slip-
pery road, pressing the
accelerator pedal may not
cause the engine rpm
(revolutions per minute) to
increase.
-

549
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽NOTICE
• When operating the vehicle on a
dynamometer, ensure that the
ESC is turned off (ESC OFF light
illuminated). If the ESC is left on,
it may prevent the vehicle speed
from increasing, and result in false
diagnosis.
• Turning the ESC off does not affect ABS or brake system operation.
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 the right
wheels and left wheels when brak-
ing.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, the
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- Electronic Power Steering).
This is only the effect of brake and
EPS control and indicates nothing
unusual.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on a sloping road such as a
gradient or incline
Driving in reverse
ESC OFF indicator light ( ) remains on the instrument cluster
EPS indicator light remains on the instrument cluster
WARNING- Tire/
Wheel size
When replacing tires and wheels,
make sure they are the same size
as the original tires and wheels
installed. Driving with varying
tire or wheel sizes may diminish
any supplemental safety benefits
of the VSM system.