KIA Sportage 2014 SL / 3.G Owner's Manual

Driving your vehicle
14
5
During cold weather, shifting may
be 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.E050101AUN
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
partially engage the clutch to hold
the car on an incline. This causes
unnecessary wear. Use the foot
brake or parking brake to hold the
car on an incline. Do not operate the
clutch pedal rapidly and repeatedly.
E050102AUN
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.
CAUTION
To avoid premature clutch wear and damage, do notdrive with your foot resting onthe clutch pedal. Also, don’tuse the clutch to hold thevehicle stopped on an uphillgrade, while waiting for a traf-fic light, etc.
Do not use the shift lever as a handrest during driving, asthis can result in prematurewear of the transaxle shiftforks.
WARNING
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 sud-
den vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are
not followed in the order iden-
tified.
If your vehicle has a manual transaxle not equipped with a
ignition lock switch, it may
move and cause a serious
accident when starting the
engine without depressing
the clutch pedal while the
parking brake is released and
the shift lever not in the N
(neutral) position.

515
Driving your vehicle
E050200AUN-C1
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.
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.

Driving your vehicle
16
5
E060000AAM-EU E060100AAM-EU
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)
OSL050009L
+ (UP)
Button
Shift lever
- (DOWN)
To shift, depress the brake pedal and press the button when the ignition switch
is in the ON position.
The shift lever can be shifted freely. Press the button when shifting.

517
Driving your vehicle
For smooth operation, depress thebrake pedal when shifting from N(Neutral) to a forward or reversegear.E060101AAM
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.
WARNING- Automatic transaxle
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for
people, 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
identified.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to your transaxle, do not acceleratethe engine in R (Reverse) orany forward gear position withthe brakes on.
When stopped on an incline, do not hold the vehicle withthe engine power. Use theservice brake or the parkingbrake.
Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R(Reverse) when the engine isabove 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) posi- tion 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 unattend- ed in a vehicle.

Driving your vehicle
18
5
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.
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 auto-
matically downshift to the next lower
gear.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into D (Drive).
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
The transaxle may be damaged
if you shift into P (Park) whilethe vehicle 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 inmotion, except when “Rockingthe vehicle” explained in thissection.
OSL050011
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519
Driving your vehicle
In sports mode, moving the shift
lever backwards and forwards will
allow you to make gearshifts rapidly.
In contrast to a manual transaxle, the
sports mode allows gearshifts with
the accelerator pedal depressed.
Up (+) : Push the lever forwardonce to shift up one gear.
Down (-) : Pull the lever backwards once to shift down one
gear.✽ ✽NOTICE
• In sports mode, the driver must
execute upshifts in accordance
with road conditions, taking care
to keep the engine speed below the
red zone.
• In sports mode, only the 6 forward gears can be selected. To reverse
or park the vehicle, move the shift
lever to the R (Reverse) or P
(Park) position as required.
• In sports mode, downshifts are made automatically when the
vehicle slows down. When the
vehicle stops, 1st gear is automati-
cally selected.
• In sports mode, when the engine rpm approaches the red zone shift
points are varied to upshift auto-
matically.
• To maintain the required levels of vehicle performance and safety,
the system may not execute cer-
tain gearshifts when the shift lever
is operated. (Continued)(Continued)
• When driving on a slippery road,
push the shift lever forward into
the +(up) position. This causes the
transaxle to shift into the 2nd gear
which is better for smooth driving
on a slippery road. Push the shift
lever to the -(down) side to shift
back to the 1st gear.

Driving your vehicle
20
5
Shift lock system
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 condi-
tion. Shift-lock override
If the shift lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position into R
(Reverse) position with the brake
pedal depressed, continue depress-
ing the brake, then do the following:
1.Carefully remove the cap covering
the shift-lock access hole (1).
2.Insert a screwdriver into the access hole and press down on
the screwdriver.
3.Depress the lock release button (2) and move the shift lever.
4.Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Kia dealer immediately.
OSL053010L
WARNING
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting
out of the P (Park) position into
another position to avoid inad-
vertent motion of the vehicle
which could injure persons in
or around the vehicle.

521
Driving your vehicle
E060103AHM
Ignition key interlock system
The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P
(Park) position. Even if the ignition
switch is in the LOCK position, the
key also cannot be removed.
If your vehicle is equipped with
ENGINE START/STOP button, the
button will not change to the OFF
position unless the shift lever is in the
P (Park) position.
E060200AAM
Good driving practices
Never move the gear shift leverfrom P (Park) or N (Neutral) to any
other position 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 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 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
accelerator pedal.

Driving your vehicle
22
5
E060203AUN
Moving up a steep grade from a
standing start
To move up a steep grade from a
standing start, depress the brake
pedal, shift the shift lever to D
(Drive). Select the appropriate gear
depending on load weight and steep-
ness of the grade, and release the
parking brake. Depress the accelera-
tor gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on
a steep hill, the vehicle may have a
tendency to roll backwards.
Shifting the shift lever into 2
(Second Gear) will help prevent
the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
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 peo-
ple or objects.
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.

523
Driving your vehicle
Engine power can be delivered to all
front and rear wheels for maximum
traction. 4WD is useful when extra
traction is required on road, such as,
when driving on slippery, muddy,
wet, or snow-covered roads. These
vehicles are not designed for chal-
lenging off-road use. Occasional off-
road use such as established
unpaved roads and trails are OK. It is
always important when traveling off-
highway that the driver carefully
reduces the speed to a level that
does not exceed the safe operating
speed for those conditions. In gener-
al, off-road conditions provide less
traction and braking effectiveness
than normal road conditions. The
driver must be especially alert to
avoid driving on slopes which tilt the
vehicle to either side.
These factors must be carefully con-
sidered when driving off-road.
Keeping the vehicle in contact with
the driving surface and under control
in these conditions is always the dri-
ver's responsibility for the safety of
him/herself and his or her passen-
gers.Tight corner brake effect
Tight corner brake effect is a unique
characteristic of four-wheel drive
vehicles caused by the difference in
tire rotation at the four wheels and
the zero-degree alignment of the
front wheels and suspension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING - Off roaddriving
This vehicle is designed prima-
rily for on road use although it
can operate effectively off road.
However, it was not designed to
drive in challenging off-road
conditions. Driving in condi-
tions that exceed the vehicle's
intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.
WARNING
If the 4WD system warning light
( ) illuminates, this indicates
that there is a malfunction in the
4WD system.
If this occurs, have your vehicle
checked by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION - 4WD
When turning sharply on a
paved road at low speed whilein four-wheel drive, steeringcontrol will be difficult.