brakes KIA Soul 2010 1.G Owner's Manual

15
Introduction
A090000AENAs with other vehicles of this type, failure
to operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control, an accident or
vehicle rollover.
Specific design characteristics (higher
ground clearance, track, etc.) give this
vehicle a higher center of gravity than
other types of vehicles. In other words
they are not designed for cornering at the
same speeds as conventional 2-wheel
drive vehicles. Avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers. Again, failure to oper-
ate this vehicle correctly may result in
loss of control, an accident or vehicle
rollover.Be sure to read the “Reducing
the risk of a rollover” driving guide-
lines, in section 5 of this manual.
A030000AUNNo special break-in period is needed. By
following a few simple precautions for the
first 1,000 km (600 miles) you may add to
the performance, economy and life of
your vehicle.
Do not race the engine.
While driving, keep your engine speed (rpm, or revolutions per minute)
between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
Do not maintain a single speed for long periods of time, either fast or slow.
Varying engine speed is needed to
properly break-in the engine.
Avoid hard stops, except in emergen- cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop-
erly.
Don't let the engine idle longer than 3 minutes at one time.
Don't tow a trailer during the first 2,000 km (1,200 miles) of operation.VEHICLE BREAK-IN PROCESS
VEHICLE HANDLING
INSTRUCTIONS

Features of your vehicle40
4D150308AHM-EEParking brake & brake
fluid warning lightParking brake warning
This light is illuminated when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch in
the START or ON position. The warning
light should go off after a few seconds
when the parking brake is released.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the warning light remains on, it may
indicate that the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low.
If the warning light remains on:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safe location and stop your vehicle.
2. With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required. Then check all brake
components for fluid leaks.
3. Do not drive the vehicle if leaks are found, the warning light remains on or
the brakes do not operate properly.
Have the vehicle towed to any author-
ized KIA dealer for a brake system
inspection and necessary repairs. Your vehicle is equipped with dual-diago-
nal braking systems. This means you still
have braking on two wheels even if one
of the dual systems should fail. With only
one of the dual systems working, more
than normal pedal travel and greater
pedal pressure are required to stop the
vehicle. Also, the vehicle will not stop in
as short a distance with only a portion of
the brake system working. If the brakes
fail while you are driving, shift to a lower
gear for additional engine braking and
stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
To check bulb operation, check whether
the parking brake and brake fluid warning
light illuminates when the ignition switch
is in the ON position.
D150312AAMShift pattern indicator This indicator displays which automatic
transaxle shift position is selected.D150339ASAO/D OFF Indicator
(if equipped)This indicator comes on when the O/D
system is deactivated.
WARNING
Driving the vehicle with a warning
light on is dangerous. If the brake
warning light remains on, have the
brakes checked and repaired imme-
diately by an authorized KIA dealer.
O/D
OFF

Features of your vehicle42
4
D150313AHMCharging system warning
lightThis warning light indicates a malfunction
of either the generator or electrical
charging system.
If the warning light illuminates while the
vehicle is in motion:
1. Drive to the nearest safe location.
2. With the engine off, check the genera- tor drive belt for looseness or break-
age.
3. If the belt is adjusted properly, a prob- lem exists somewhere in the electrical
charging system. Have an authorized
KIA dealer correct the problem as
soon as possible.
D150315AUNTailgate open warning lightThis warning light illuminates when the
tailgate is not closed securely with the
ignition switch in any position.D150316AUNDoor ajar warning lightThis warning light illuminates when a
door is not closed securely with the igni-
tion switch in any position.
WARNING
The TPMS cannot alert you to severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors.
If you feel any vehicle instability, immediately take your foot off the
accelerator, apply the brakes
gradually and with light force,
and slowly move to a safe posi-
tion off the road.

59
Driving your vehicle
E050200AUN-C1Good driving practices Never take the vehicle out of gear andcoast down a hill. This is extremely
hazardous. Always leave the vehicle in
gear.
Don't "ride" the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunction.
Instead, when you are driving down a
long hill, slow down and shift to a lower
gear. When you do this, engine braking
will help slow down the vehicle.
Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. This will help avoid over-revving
the engine, which can cause damage.
Slow down when you encounter cross winds. This gives you much better con-
trol of your vehicle.
Be sure the vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into
reverse. The transaxle can be dam-
aged if you do not. To shift into reverse,
depress the clutch, move the shift lever
to neutral, then shift to the reverse
position. 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 the vehicle to go out of control.
WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision,an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner- ing 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.
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 lim- its.

511
Driving your vehicle
For smooth operation, depress the brakepedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to aforward or reverse gear.
E060101AAMTransaxle rangesThe indicator in the instrument cluster
displays the shift lever position 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 prevents the drive
wheels from rotating.
WARNING
- Automatic transaxle
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting the shift lever into D
(Drive) or R (Reverse).
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the engine off. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement
can occur if these precautions
are not followed in the order iden-
tified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your transaxle, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for-ward gear position with thebrakes on.
When stopped on an incline, do not hold the vehicle with theengine power. Use the servicebrake or the parking brake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R(Reverse) when the engine is above idle speed.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion will cause the
drive wheels to lock which will
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle.
Do not use the P (Park) position in place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever
is latched in the P (Park) position
and set the parking brake fully.
Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.

Driving your vehicle12
5R (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 posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 4-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
✽ ✽
NOTICEAlways come to a complete stop before
shifting into D (Drive).
2 (Second Gear)
Use 2 (Second Gear) for more power
when climbing hills and for increased
braking when going down hills. This posi-
tion also helps reduce wheel spin on
slippery surfaces. When the shift lever is
placed in 2 (Second Gear), the transaxle
will automatically shift from first to sec-
ond gear.
L (Low)
Move the shift lever to this position in
hard pulling situations and for climbing
steep grades.
CAUTION
The transaxle may be damaged if
you shift into P (Park) while thevehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R (Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is in motion, except when “Rocking thevehicle” explained in this section.
CAUTION
Do not exceed the recommendedmaximum speed in 2 (Second Gear)or L (Low). Operating the vehicle above the maximum speed recom-mended for 2 (Second Gear) or L (Low) may cause excessive heatwhich could damage the automatic transaxle.

513
Driving your vehicle
E060104ASAO/D (Over Drive) system (if equipped)Pressing the O/D system button cancels
and engages the overdrive system.
When the O/D system is cancelled, the
O/D OFF indicator illuminates and the
transaxle gear range is limited to 1st
through 3rd. The transaxle will not shift to
4th gear until the O/D system button is
pressed again to release the switch.
When driving down a sloping road with
the transaxle in O/D (4th), you can
decrease the vehicle speed without using
the brakes by pressing the O/D button.
When the ignition is switched OFF, O/D
OFF mode is automatically cancelled.O/D OFF Indicator
This indicator light illuminates in the
instrument panel when the O/D mode is
cancelled.
✽ ✽
NOTICEIf the O/D OFF indicator flashes, it indi-
cates an electrical problem with the
transaxle. Should this occur, have the
vehicle checked by an authorized KIA
dealer as soon as possible.
E060102AAMShift lock system (if equipped)For your safety, the automatic transaxle
has a shift lock system which prevents
shifting the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift the transaxle from P (Park) into R
(Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition
switch to the ON position.
3. Depress the lock release button and move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chattering
noise near the shift lever may be heard. It
is a normal condition.
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting out
of the P (Park) position into anoth-
er position to avoid inadvertent
motion of the vehicle which could
injure persons in or around the
vehicle.
OAM059003

Driving your vehicle14
5E060103AHMIgnition key interlock system The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P (Park)
position. If the shift lever is in any other
position, the key cannot be removed.
E060200AAMGood driving practices Never move the gear shift lever from P
(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other posi-
tion with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Never move the gear shift lever into P (Park) when the vehicle is in motion.
Be sure the vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into
R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
Never take the vehicle out of gear and coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always leave the
car in gear when moving.
Do not "ride" the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunc-
tion. Instead, when you are driving
down a long hill, slow down and shift to
a lower gear. When you do this, engine
braking will help slow down the car.
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.
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 the vehicle to go out of control.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the accelera-
tor pedal.

515
Driving your vehicle
E060203AUNMoving up a steep grade from a stand-ing startTo move up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start, depress the brake pedal, shift
the shift lever to D (Drive). Select the
appropriate gear depending on load
weight and steepness of the grade, and
release the parking brake. Depress the
accelerator gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on a
steep hill, the vehicle may have a ten-
dency to roll backwards. Shifting the
shift lever into 2 (Second Gear) will
help prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
WARNING
Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is signifi-
cantly more likely to be seriously
injured or killed than a properly
belted occupant.
Avoid high speeds when corner- ing 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.
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 lim- its.
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 forward of backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or
objects.

Driving your vehicle16
5E070100AHMPower brakesYour 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 nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, 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 neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces.
E070101AUNIn 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 distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING
- Brakes
Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
When descending a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
Wet brakes may impair the vehi- cle’s ability to safely slow down;
the vehicle 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 fashion after
driving through deep water. To
dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
WARNING
- Parking brake
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 apply-
ing the brake.