KIA SOUL 2018 Owners Manual

Driving your vehicle
12
6
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.
5.Do not wait for the engine to warm
up while the vehicle remains sta-
tionary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds. (Steep accelerating and
decelerating should be avoided.) Even if the smart key is in the vehi-
cle, if it is far away from you, the
engine may not start.
When the ENGINE START/STOP button is in the ACC position or
above, if any door is opened, the
system checks for the smart key. If
the smart key is not in the vehicle,
a message "key is not in the vehi-
cle" will appear on the LCD display.
And if all doors are closed, the
chime will sound for 5 seconds. The
indicator or warning will turn off
while the vehicle is moving. Always
have the smart key with you. 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 thevehicle is in motion, do notattempt to move the shift leverto the P (Park) position. If thetraffic and road conditions per-mit, you may put the shift leverin the N (Neutral) position whilethe vehicle is still moving andpress the ENGINE START/STOPbutton in an attempt to restartthe engine.

613
Driving your vehicle
If the battery is weak or the smartkey does not work correctly, you
can start the engine by pressing
the engine start/stop button with
the smart key.
The side with the lock button
should contact the engine
start/stop button directly.
When you press the engine
start/stop button directly with the
smart key, the smart key should
contact the button at a right angle. When the stop lamp fuse is blown,
you can't start the engine normally.
Replace the fuse with a new one. If
it is not possible, you can start the
engine by pressing the ENGINE
START/STOP button for 10 sec-
onds while it is in the ACC posi-
tion. The engine can start without
depressing the brake pedal. But for
your safety always depress the
brake pedal before starting the
engine.
Do not press the ENGINE START/
STOP button for more than 10 sec-
onds except when the stop lamp fuse
is blown.
OPS053007
WARNING - Unintended
vehicle movement
Never leave the smart key in the
vehicle with children or vehicle
occupants who are unfamiliar
with the vehicle operation.
Pushing the ENGINE
START/STOP button while the
smart key is in the vehicle may
result in unintended engine
activation and/or unintended
vehicle movement.

Driving your vehicle
14
6
Manual transaxle operation
The manual transaxle has 6 for-
ward gears.
This shift pattern is imprinted on
the shift knob. The transaxle is fully
synchronized in all forward gears
so shifting to either a higher or a
lower gear is easily accomplished.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while shifting, then release it slowly.
If your vehicle is equipped with an
ignition lock switch, the engine will
not start when starting the engine
without depressing the clutch
pedal. (if equipped)
In order to start the vehicle, slowly
let go of the fully depressed clutch
pedal. Then, push the accelerator
pedal to start.
The gearshift lever must be returned to the neutral position
before shifting into R (Reverse).
The ring (1) located immediately
below the shift knob must be pulled
upward while moving the shift lever
to the R (Reverse) position. (if
equipped)
Make sure the vehicle is complete-
ly stopped before shifting into R(Reverse).
Never operate the engine with thetachometer (rpm) in the red zone.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
CAUTION
When downshifting from 5 (Fifth) gear to 4 (Fourth) gear,caution should be taken not toinadvertently move the shiftlever sideways in such a man-ner that second gear isengaged. Such a drasticdownshift may cause theengine speed to increase tothe point that the tachometerwill enter the red-zone. Suchoverreving of the engine maypossibly cause engine andtransaxle damage.
Do not downshift more than 2 gears or downshift the gearwhen the engine is running athigh speed (5,000 RPM orhigher). Such a downshiftingmay damage the engine,clutch and the transaxle.
(Continued)
OJD053058
The ring (1) must be pushed while
moving the shift lever. The shift lever can be moved without
pushing the ring (1).

615
Driving your vehicle
During cold weather, shifting maybe difficult until the transaxle lubri-
cant has warmed up. This is nor-
mal and not harmful to the
transaxle.
If you've come to a complete stop and it's hard to shift into 1st or R
(Reverse), put the shift lever in N
(Neutral) position and release the
clutch. Press the clutch pedal back
down, and then shift into 1st or R
(Reverse) gear position.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do not drive withyour foot resting on the clutchpedal. Also, don’t use the clutchto hold the vehicle stopped onan uphill grade, while waitingfor a traffic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, as thiscan result in premature wear ofthe transaxle shift forks.
When operating the clutch pedal, depress the clutch pedaldown fully. If you don’t depressthe clutch pedal fully, the clutchmay be damaged or noise mayoccur.
To prevent possible damage to the clutch system, do not startwith the 2nd (second) gearengaged except when you starton a slippery road.
Do not exceed the maximum weight limits of the loadingweight. Improper loading canresult in damage to clutch sys-tem.
WARNING- Incline parking
Before leaving the driver’s seat, always set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
Then make sure the transaxle is
shifted into 1st gear when the
vehicle is parked on a level or
uphill grade, and shifted into R
(Reverse) on a downhill grade.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement can occur if these
precautions are not followed in
the order identified.
If your vehicle has a manual transaxle not equipped with a
ignition lock switch, it may
move and cause a serious acci-
dent when starting the engine
without depressing the clutch
pedal while the parking brake is
released and the shift lever not
in the neutral position.
Do not use the engine brake (shifting from a high gear to
lower gear) rapidly on slippery
roads. The vehicle may slip
causing an accident.(Continued)
When shifting between 5th and 6th gear, you shouldalways push the gear level allthe way to the right. You couldotherwise shift unintentionallyinto 3rd or 4th gear and dam-age the transaxle.

Driving your vehicle
16
6
Using the clutch
The clutch should be pressed all the
way to the floor before shifting, then
released slowly. The clutch pedal
should always be fully released while
driving. Do not rest your foot on the
clutch pedal while driving. This can
cause unnecessary wear. Do not par-
tially engage the clutch to hold the
vehicle on an incline. This causes
unnecessary wear. Use the foot brake
or parking brake to hold the vehicle on
an incline. Do not operate the clutch
pedal rapidly and repeatedly.
*1): Half clutch?
A condition where the clutch is half-
engaged and sliding. It may occur when
the clutch pedal is partially depressed
(not fully depressed), or vehicle power is
transferred to the clutch before the pedal
is fully let go.
CAUTION
If half-clutch*1)driving style is
adopted, or driver’s foot is placed on the pedal while driv-ing, the clutch may be dam-aged or worn out prematurely.
While parking on a steep grade, do not use half clutchmethod to park the vehicle. Itwill cause premature wear ofthe clutch disc.
While driving at fast speed, do not abruptly shift to lowspeed. It may lead to engineand transaxle damage.
CAUTION
When starting a fully stopped vehicle, refrain to start in 2ndgear. When starting in 2ndgear, abnormal clutch disc fric-tion heat may occur and resultin clutch cover and clutch discdamage.
When the vehicle is in motion, please refrain from using halfclutch. The use of half clutchwhile the vehicle is in motionmay result in early clutch discwear, abnormal vibration ornoise.
The clutch pedal should be depressed fully for any opera-tion. When letting go of thedepressed pedal, make surenot to depress the pedal againbefore the pedal goes back toits initial position. If such unin-tended re-depressing occurs,the clutch system may be dam-aged.

617
Driving your vehicle
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or while driving up steep hills,
downshift before the engine starts to
labor. Downshifting reduces the
chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you again need to
increase your speed. When the vehi-
cle is traveling down steep hills,
downshifting helps maintain safe
speed and prolongs brake life.
Good driving practices
Never take the vehicle out of gearand coast 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 mal-
function. 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 control of your vehicle.
Be sure the vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift
into reverse. The transaxle can be
damaged 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.
Always buckle-up! In a collision, an unbelted occupant is significantly
more likely to be seriously injured
or killed than a properly belted
occupant.
Avoid high speeds when cornering or turning. High speed cornering
and turning increase the risk of
vehicle rollover. Rollover accidents
are violent and unpredictable.
Never exceed posted speed limits.

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.

619
Driving your vehicle
Automatic transaxle operation
The automatic transaxle has 6 for-
ward speeds and one reverse speed.
The individual speeds are selected
automatically, depending on the
position of the shift lever.
✽ ✽NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle,
if the battery has been disconnected,
may be somewhat abrupt. This is a
normal condition, and the shifting
sequence will adjust after shifts are
cycled a few times by the TCM
(Transaxle Control Module) or
PCM (Powertrain Control Module).
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
OPS053008
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The shift lever can be shifted freely. Press the lock release button when shifting. Depress the brake pedal and the lock release button when shifting.
(If the shift lock system is not equipped, it is not necessary to depress the brake pedal.
However, it is recommended to depress the brake pedal to avoid inadvertent movement
of the vehicle.)

Driving your vehicle
20
6
For smooth operation, depress the
brake pedal and the lock release but-ton when shifting from N (Neutral) toa forward or reverse gear.When stopped on an incline, do not
hold the vehicle with the engine
power. Use the service brake or the
parking brake.
Transaxle ranges
The indicator in the instrument clus-
ter 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 pre-
vents the drive wheels from rotating.
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehi-
cle is in motion will cause the drive
wheels to lock which will cause you
to lose control of the vehicle. R (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.
CAUTION- Transaxle
To avoid damage to your
transaxle, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for-ward gear position with thebrakes on. The transaxle may bedamaged if you shift into P(Park) while the vehicle is inmotion.
WARNING- Leaving the
Vehicle
To avoid unexpected or sudden
vehicle movement, never leave
your vehicle if the transmission
is not locked in the P (Park)
position and the parking brake
is fully engaged. Before leaving
the driver's seat, always make
sure the shift lever is engaged in
P (Park), set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
CAUTION- Shifting
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransaxle if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is inmotion, except when “Rockingthe vehicle” explained in thissection.

621
Driving your vehicle
- Parking in N (Neutral) gear
Follow below steps when parking
and you want the vehicle to move
when pushed.
1.After parking your vehicle, step onthe brake pedal and move the shift
lever to [P] with the ignition button in
[ON] or while the engine is running.
2.If the parking brake is applied unlock the parking brake.
3.While pressing the brake pedal, turn the ignition button [OFF].
- For smart key equipped vehicles,the ignition switch can be moved
to [OFF] only when the shift lever
is in [P].
4.Change the gear shift lever to [N] (Neutral) while pressing the brake
pedal and pushing [SHIFT LOCK
RELEASE] button or inserting,
pressing down a tool (e.g. flathead
screw-driver) into the [SHIFT LOCK
RELEASE] access hole at the same
time. Then, the vehicle will move
when external force is applied. D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving
position. The transaxle will automati-
cally shift through a 6-gear
sequence, providing the best fuel
economy and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or climbing grades, depress
the accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift
to the next lower gear. Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or
in motion, sports mode is selected by
pushing the shift lever from the D
(Drive) position into the manual gate.
To return to D (Drive) range opera-
tion, push the shift lever back into the
main gate.CAUTION
With the exception of parking
in neutral gear, always parkthe vehicle in [P] (Park) forsafety and engage the parkingbrake.
Before parking in [N] (Neutral) gear, first make sure the park-ing ground is level and flat. Donot park in [N] gear on anyslopes or gradients.
If parked and left in [N], thevehicle may move and causeserious damage and injury.
OPS053009
Sports mode
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