traction control KIA Soul 2013 1.G Owner's Manual

Features of your vehicle
58
4
Malfunction indicator
(MIL) (check enginelight)
This indicator light is part of the
Engine Control System which moni-
tors various emission control system
components. If this light illuminates
while driving, it indicates that a
potential malfunction has been
detected somewhere in the emission
control system.
This light will also illuminate when
the ignition switch is turned to the
ON position, and will go out in a few
seconds after the engine is started. If
it illuminates while driving, or does
not illuminate when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position,
take your vehicle to the nearest
authorized Kia dealer and have the
system checked.
Generally, your vehicle will continue
to be drivable, but have the system
checked by an authorized Kia dealer
promptly.
ESC (Electronic StabilityControl) indicator (if equipped)
The ESC indicator will illuminate
when the ignition switch is turned
ON, but should go off after approxi-
mately 3 seconds. When the ESC is
on, it monitors the driving conditions
and under normal driving conditions,
the ESC indicator will remain off.
When a slippery or low traction con-
dition is encountered, the ESC will
operate, and the ESC indicator will
blink to indicate the ESC is operat-
ing.
If this indicator illuminates and stays
on, the ESC may have malfunc-
tioned. Take your vehicle to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the
system checked.
CAUTION - MIL illumination
Prolonged driving with the
Emission Control SystemMalfunction Indicator Lightilluminated may cause dam-age to the emission controlsystems which could effectdrivability and/or fuel econo-my.
If the Emission Control System Malfunction IndicatorLight illuminates, potentialcatalytic converter damage ispossible. This could result inloss of engine power. Have theEngine Control Systeminspected as soon as possibleby an authorized Kia dealer.

519
Driving your vehicle
Exercise extreme caution whendriving 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.
Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is significantly
more likely to be seriously injured
or killed than a properly belted
occupant.
Never exceed posted speed limits.WARNING - Vehicle han- dling
Avoid high speeds when corner-
ing or turning. High speed cor-
nering and turning increases the
risk of vehicle rollover due to
loss of vehicle control. Rollover
accidents are extremely violent
and unpredictable.

Driving your vehicle
30
5
When you drive on a road having
poor 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 car
over to a safe place and stop the
engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning light goes off, then your
ABS is normal. Otherwise, you
may have a problem with the ABS.
Contact an authorized 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 mal-
functioned.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
Electronic stability control
(ESC)
The 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) 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 condi-
tions.
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system is an electronic system
designed to help the driver maintain
vehicle control under adverse
conditions. It is not a substitute for
safe driving 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.
OAM059006

Driving your vehicle
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Highway driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation pressures to
specification. Low tire inflation pres-
sures will result in overheating and
possible failure of the tires.
Avoid using worn or damaged tires
which may result in reduced traction
or tire failure.
Never exceed the maximum tire
inflation pressure shown on the tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine
oil
High speed travel consumes more
fuel than urban motoring. Do not for-
get to check both the engine coolant
and engine oil.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
result in overheating of the engine.
WARNING - Under/over inflated tires
Always check the tires for proper
inflation before driving.
Underinflated or overinflated
tires can cause poor handling,
loss of vehicle control, and sud-
den tire failure leading to acci-
dents, injuries, and even death.
For proper tire pressures, refer to
“Tires and wheels” in section 8.
WARNING - Tire tread
Always check the tire tread
before driving your vehicle.
Worn-out tires can result in loss
of vehicle control. Worn-out tires
should be replaced as soon as
possible. For further information
and tread limits, refer to "Tires
and wheels" in section 7.

Maintenance
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7
Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim width
and offset.
A wheel that is not the correct size
may adversely affect wheel and
bearing life, braking and stopping
abilities, handling characteristics,
ground clearance, body-to-tire clear-
ance, snow chain clearance,
speedometer and odometer calibra-
tion, headlight aim and bumper
height.
Tire traction
Tire traction can be reduced if you
drive on worn tires, tires that are
improperly inflated or on slippery
road surfaces. Tires should be
replaced when tread wear indicators
appear. Slow down whenever there
is rain, snow or ice on the road to
reduce the possibility of losing con-
trol of the vehicle.
Tire maintenance
In addition to proper inflation, correct
wheel alignment helps to decrease
tire wear. If you find a tire is worn
unevenly, have your dealer check the
wheel alignment.
When you have new tires installed,
make sure they are balanced. This
will increase vehicle ride comfort and
tire life. Additionally, a tire should
always be rebalanced if it is removed
from the wheel.
Tire sidewall labeling
This information identifies and
describes the fundamental charac-
teristics of the tire and also provides
the tire identification number (TIN)
for safety standard certification. The
TIN can be used to identify the tire in
case of a recall.
1. Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or Brand name is
shown.
I030B04JM
1
1
23
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5,6
7
CAUTION - Wheel
Wheels that do not meet Kia's
specifications may fit poorlyand result in damage to thevehicle or unusual handling andpoor vehicle control.

749
Maintenance
7. Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
For example:
TREADWEAR 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE ATread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
These grades are molded on the
side-walls of passenger vehicle tires.
The tires available as standard or
optional equipment on your vehicle
may vary with respect to grade.
Tires degrade over time, even when
they are not being used. Regardless
of the remaining tread, we recom-
mend that tires be replaced after
approximately six(6) years of normal
service. Heat caused by hot climates
or frequent high loading conditions
can accelerate the aging process.Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.