weight KIA Soul 2010 1.G Owner's Manual

Introduction41"E85" fuel is an alternative fuel com-
prised of 85 percent ethanol and 15 per-
cent gasoline, and is manufactured
exclusively for use in Flexible Fuel
Vehicles. “E85” is not compatible with
your vehicle. Use of “E85” may result in
poor engine performance and damage to
your vehicle's engine and fuel system.
KIA recommends that customers do not
use fuel with an ethanol content exceed-
ing 10 percent.
A020104AUNUse of MTBEKIA recommends avoiding fuels contain-
ing MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether)
over 15.0% vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7%
weight) in your vehicle.
Fuel containing MTBE over 15.0% vol.
(Oxygen Content 2.7% weight) may
reduce vehicle performance and produce
vapor lock or hard starting.
A020105AUNDo not use methanolFuels containing methanol (wood alco-
hol) should not be used in your vehicle.
This type of fuel can reduce vehicle per-
formance and damage components of
the fuel system.A020106AUNGasolines for cleaner airTo help contribute to cleaner air, KIA rec-
ommends that you use gasolines treated
with detergent additives, which help pre-
vent deposit formation in the engine.
These gasolines will help the engine run
cleaner and enhance performance of the
Emission Control System.A020107AUNOperation in foreign countriesIf you are going to drive your vehicle in
another country, be sure to:
Observe all regulations regarding reg-istration and insurance.
Determine that acceptable fuel is avail- able.
CAUTION
Your New Vehicle Limited Warrantymay not cover damage to the fuelsystem and any performance prob-lems that are caused by the use of fuels containing methanol or fuelscontaining MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) over 15.0% vol.(Oxygen Content 2.7% weight.)
CAUTION
Never use gasohol which contains methanol. Discontinue use of anygasohol product which impairs dri- vability.
CAUTION
Your New Vehicle Limited Warrantydoes not cover damage to the fuelsystem or any performance prob-lems caused by the use of “E85” fuel.

321
Safety features of your vehicle
C020300AUN-EUSeat belt precautions
C020306AUNInfant or small childYou should be aware of the specific
requirements in your country. Child
and/or infant seats must be properly
placed and installed in the rear seat. For
more information about the use of these
restraints, refer to “Child restraint sys-
tem” in this section.
(Continued)
Improper handling of the pre-ten-sioner seat belt assemblies, and
failure to heed the warnings not
to strike, modify, inspect, replace,
service or repair the pre-tension-
er seat belt assemblies may lead
to improper operation or inadver-
tent activation and serious injury.
Always wear the seat belts when driving or riding in a motor vehi-
cle.
If the vehicle or pre-tensioner seat belt must be discarded, con-
tact an authorized KIA dealer.
WARNING
All occupants of the vehicle must
wear their seat belts at all times.
Seat belts and child restraints
reduce the risk of serious or fatal
injuries for all occupants in the
event of a collision or sudden stop.
Without a seat belt, occupants
could be shifted too close to a
deploying air bag, strike the interior
structure or be thrown from the
vehicle. Properly worn seat belts
greatly reduce these hazards.
Even with advanced air bags,
unbelted occupants can be severe-
ly injured by a deploying air bag.
Always follow the precautions
about seat belts, air bags and occu-
pant seating contained in this man-
ual.
WARNING
Every person in your vehicle needs
to be properly restrained at all
times, including infants and chil-
dren. Never hold a child in your
arms or lap when riding in a vehi-
cle. The violent forces created dur-
ing a crash will tear the child from
your arms and throw the child
against the interior. Always use a
child restraint appropriate for your
child's height and weight.

Safety features of your vehicle22
3✽
✽
NOTICESmall children are best protected from
injury in an accident when properly
restrained in the rear seat by a child
restraint system that meets the require-
ments of the safety standards of your
country. Before buying any child
restraint system, make sure that it has a
label certifying that it meets the safety
standards of your country. The restraint
must be appropriate for your child's
height and weight. Check the label on
the child restraint for this information.
Refer to “Child restraint system” in this
section.
C020301AHMLarger childrenChildren who are too large for child
restraint systems should always occupy
the rear seat and use the available
lap/shoulder belts. The lap portion should
be fastened and snugged on the hips
and as low as possible. Check if the belt
fits periodically. A child's squirming could
put the belt out of position. Children are
given the most safety in the event of an
accident when they are restrained by a
proper restraint system in the rear seat. If
a larger child (over age 12) must be seat-
ed in the front seat, the child should be
securely restrained by the available
lap/shoulder belt and the seat should be
placed in the rearmost position. Children
age 12 and under should be restrained
securely in the rear seat. NEVER place a
child age 12 and under in the front seat.
NEVER place a rear facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle. If the shoulder belt portion slightly touch-
es the child’s neck or face, try placing the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. If
the shoulder belt still touches their face
or neck they need to be returned to a
child restraint system.
WARNING
- Shoulder belts
on small children
Never allow a shoulder belt to be
in contact with a child’s neck or
face while the vehicle is in
motion.
If seat belts are not properly worn and adjusted on children, there is
a risk of death or serious injury.

Safety features of your vehicle40
3Main components of occupant detec-
tion system A detection device located within the front passenger seat track.
Electronic system to determine whether passenger air bag systems
should be activated or deactivated.
A warning light located on the instru- ment panel which illuminates the
words PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicating the front passenger air bag
system is deactivated.
The instrument panel air bag warning light is interconnected with the occu-
pant detection system. If the front passenger seat is occupied by
a person that the system determines to
be of adult size, and he/she sits properly
(sitting upright with the seatback in an
upright position, centered on the seat
cushion with their seat belt on, legs com-
fortably extended and their feet on the
floor), the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF”
indicator will turn off and the front pas-
senger's air bag will be able to inflate, if
necessary, in frontal crashes.
You will find the PASSENGER AIR BAG
“OFF” indicator on the center facia panel.
This system detects the conditions 1~4
in the following table and activates or
deactivates the front passenger air bag
based on these conditions. Always be sure that you and all vehicle
occupants are seated and restrained
properly (sitting upright with the seat in
an upright position, centered on the seat
cushion, with the person’s legs comfort-
ably extended, feet on the floor, and
wearing the safety belt properly) for the
most effective protection by the air bag
and the safety belt.
The ODS (Occupant Detection System)
may not function properly if the passen-
ger takes actions which can defeat the
detection system. These include:
(1) Failing to sit in an upright position.
(2) Leaning against the door or center console.
(3) Sitting towards the sides or the front of the seat.
(4) Putting legs on the dashboard or rest- ing them on other locations which
reduce the passenger weight on the
front seat.
(5) Improperly wearing the safety belt.
(6) Reclining the seat back.

341
Safety features of your vehicleWARNING
Riding in an improper position or
placing weight on the front passen-
ger's seat when it is unoccupied by
a passenger adversely affects the
occupant detection system (ODS).(Continued)
C040301AHM-C1Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant detection system*1) The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a smaller adult sits inthe front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her as a child depending
on his/her physique and posture.
*2) Do not allow children to ride in the front passenger seat. When a smaller child than the same age sits in the front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her
as an infant depending on his/her physique or posture.
*3) Never install a child restraint system on the front passenger seat.Condition detected by the occupant
detection system
1. Adult *
1or child age 13 and up*
2
2. Infant or child restraint system with 12 months old*
3
3. Unoccupied
4. Malfunction in the system
Off
On
On
Off Off
Off
Off
On Activated
Deactivated
Deactivated Activated
PASSENGER AIR
BAG “OFF” indica- tor light
SRS warninglight
Front passenger air bag
Indicator/Warning light Devices

Safety features of your vehicle44
3
(Continued)
Air bags can only be used once –
have an authorized KIA dealer
replace the air bag immediately
after deployment.
A smaller-stature adult who is not seated correctly (for example:
seat excessively reclined, leaning
on the center console, or hips
shifted forward in the seat) can
cause a condition where the
advanced frontal air bag system
senses less weight than if the
occupant were seated properly
(sitting upright with the seatback
in an upright position, centered
on the seat cushion with their
seat belt on, legs comfortably
extended and their feet on the
floor).
This condition can result in an
adult potentially being misclassi-
fied and illumination of the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indica-
tor.
(Continued)
Do not modify or replace the frontpassenger seat. Don't place any-
thing on or attach anything such
as a blanket or after market seat
heater to the front passenger
seat. This can adversely affect the
occupant detection system.
Do not sit on sharp objects such as tools when occupying the
front passenger seat. This can
adversely affect the occupant
detection system.
Do not use accessory seat cov- ers on the front seats.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are
restrained in the rear, as opposed
to the front seat. It is recom-
mended that child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including
an infant riding in a rear-facing
infant seat, a child riding in a for-
ward-facing child seat and an
older child riding in a booster
seat.
(Continued)
WARNING
Even though your vehicle isequipped with the occupant
detection system, never install a
child restraint system in the front
passenger's seat. A deploying air
bag can forcefully strike a child
resulting in serious injuries or
death. Any child age 12 and
under should ride in the rear seat.
Children too large for child
restraints should use the avail-
able lap/shoulder belts. No mat-
ter what type of crash, children of
all ages are safer when restrained
in the rear seat.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG “OFF” indicator is illuminated
when the front passenger's seat
is occupied by an adult and
he/she sits properly (sitting
upright with the seatback in an
upright position, centered on the
seat cushion with their seat belt
on, legs comfortably extended
and their feet on the floor), have
that person sit in the rear seat.
(Continued)

Features of your vehicle74
4D290100AAMRoof rack (if equipped)If the vehicle has a roof rack, you can
load cargo on top of your vehicle.✽ ✽
NOTICEIf the vehicle is equipped with a sunroof,
be sure not to position cargo onto the
roof rack in such a way that it could
interfere with sunroof operation.EXTERIOR FEATURES
CAUTION
When carrying cargo on the roof
rack, take the necessary precau-tions to make sure the cargo doesnot damage the roof of the vehicle.
When carrying large objects on the roof rack, make sure they donot exceed the overall roof length or width.
WARNING
The following specification is the maximum weight that can be
loaded onto the roof rack.
Distribute the load as evenly as
possible on the roof rack and
secure the load firmly.
Loading cargo or luggage in
excess of the specified weight
limit on the roof rack may dam-
age your vehicle.
(Continued)ROOF75 kg (165 lbs.)
RACK EVENLY DISTRIBUTED
OAM049092
(Continued)
The vehicle center of gravity will be higher when items are loaded
onto the roof rack. Avoid sudden
starts, braking, sharp turns,
abrupt maneuvers or high speeds
that may result in loss of vehicle
control or rollover resulting in an
accident.
Always drive slowly and turn cor- ners carefully when carrying
items on the roof rack. Severe
wind updrafts, caused by passing
vehicles or natural causes, can
cause sudden upward pressure
on items loaded on the roof rack.
This is especially true when car-
rying large, flat items such as
wood panels or mattresses. This
could cause the items to fall off
the roof rack and cause damage
to your vehicle or others around
you.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo while driving, check fre-
quently before or while driving to
make sure the items on the roof
rack are securely fastened.

5
Before driving / 5-3
Key positions / 5-4
Starting the engine / 5-6
Manual Transaxle / 5-7
Automatic transaxle / 5-10
Brake system / 5-16
Cruise control system / 5-26
Economical operation / 5-30
Special driving conditions / 5-32
Winter driving / 5-37
Trailer towing / 5-39
Vehicle load limit / 5-40
Vehicle weight / 5-44
Driving your vehicle

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 vehicle30
5E100000AHM-ECYour vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where you
drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how many
kilometers (miles) you can get from a liter
(gallon) of fuel. To operate your vehicle
as economically as possible, use the fol-
lowing driving suggestions to help save
money in both fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moder-
ate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts
or full-throttle shifts and maintain a
steady cruising speed. Don't race
between stoplights. Try to adjust your
speed to the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily. Avoid
heavy traffic whenever possible.
Always maintain a safe distance from
other vehicles so you can avoid unnec-
essary braking. This also reduces
brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your vehicle
uses. Driving at a moderate speed,
especially on the highway, is one of the
most effective ways to reduce fuel con-
sumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This can
increase fuel consumption and also
increase wear on these components.
In addition, driving with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal may cause the
brakes to overheat, which reduces
their effectiveness and may lead to
more serious consequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure.
Incorrect inflation, either too much or
too little, results in unnecessary tire
wear. Check the tire pressures at least
once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper alignment can
result from hitting curbs or driving too
fast over irregular surfaces. Poor align-
ment causes faster tire wear and may
also result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condition.
For better fuel economy and reduced
maintenance costs, maintain your vehi-
cle in accordance with the mainte-
nance schedule in section 7. If you
drive your vehicle in severe conditions,
more frequent maintenance is required
(see section 7 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maximum service, your vehicle should be kept
clean and free of corrosive materials. It
is especially important that mud, dirt,
ice, etc. not be allowed to accumulate
on the underside of the vehicle. This
extra weight can result in increased
fuel consumption and also contribute
to corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight in your vehicle. Weight reduces
fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting (and not
in traffic), turn off your engine and
restart only when you're ready to go.ECONOMICAL OPERATION