KIA Soul EV (2018 year). Manual — part 22

5 33

Driving your vehicle

1. Cruise indicator
2. Cruise set indicator

The cruise control system allows you
to program the vehicle to maintain a
constant speed without pressing the
accelerator pedal.
This system is designed to function
above approximately 20 mph (30
km/h).

• If the cruise control is left on

(CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminated), the
cruise control can be switched on
accidentally. Keep the cruise con-
trol system off (CRUISE indicator
light OFF) when the cruise control
is not in use, to avoid inadvertently
setting a speed.

• Use the cruise control system only

when traveling on open highways
in good weather.

• Do not use the cruise control driv-

ing in heavy or varying traffic, or on
slippery (rainy, icy or snow-cov-
ered) or winding roads or over 6%
up-hill or down-hill roads.

✽

✽

NOTICE

• During normal cruise control opera-

tion, when the SET switch is activat-
ed or reactivated after applying the
brakes, the cruise control will ener-
gize after approximately 3 seconds.
The delay is normal.

• To activate cruise control, depress

the brake pedal at least once after
turning the POWER button to the
ON position or starting the vehicle.
This is to check if the brake switch
which is important part to cancel
cruise control is in normal condition.

CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)

OPS053015

WARNING

- Misuse of

Cruise Control

Do not use cruise control if the
traffic situation does not allow
you to drive safely at a constant
speed and with sufficient dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.

Driving your vehicle

34

5

Cruise control switch

CRUISE : Turns cruise control sys-

tem on or off.

CANCEL: Cancels cruise control

operation.

RES+: Resumes or increases cruise

control speed.

SET-: Sets or decreases cruise con-

trol speed.

To set cruise control speed:

1. Press the CRUISE button on the

steering wheel to turn the system
on. The CRUISE indicator light in
the instrument cluster will illumi-
nate.

2. Accelerate to the desired speed,

which must be more than 20 mph
(30 km/h).

3. Push the SET - switch, and

release it at the desired speed.
The SET indicator light in the
instrument cluster will illuminate.
Release the accelerator pedal at
the same time. The desired speed
will automatically be maintained.

On a steep grade, the vehicle may
slow down or speed up slightly while
going uphill or downhill.

OPS053016

OPS053017

OPS053018

5 35

Driving your vehicle

To increase cruise control set
speed:

Follow either of these procedures:
• Push the RES + switch and hold it.

Your vehicle will accelerate.
Release the lever at the speed you
want.

• Push the RES + switch and

release it immediately.
The cruising speed will increase by
1 mph (or 2km/h) each time you
move the lever up (to RES+) in this
manner.

To decrease the cruising
speed:

Follow either of these procedures:
• Push the SET - switch and hold it.

Your vehicle will gradually slow
down. Release the lever at the
speed you want to maintain.

• Push the SET - switch and release

it immediately.
The cruising speed will decrease
by 1 mph (2 km/h) each time you
move the lever down (to SET-) in
this manner.

To temporarily accelerate with
the cruise control on:

If you want to speed up temporarily
when the cruise control is on,
depress the accelerator pedal.
Increased speed will not interfere
with cruise control operation or
change the set speed.
To return to the set speed, take your
foot off the accelerator.

OPS053019

OPS053018

Driving your vehicle

36

5

To cancel cruise control, do
one of the following:

• Press the brake pedal.
• Shift into N (Neutral).
• Push the CANCEL switch located

on the steering wheel.

• Decrease the vehicle speed lower

than the memory speed by approx-
imately 12mph (20km/h).

• Decrease the vehicle speed to less

than approximately 15 mph (25
km/h).

• Pull up the EPB (Electronic parking

brake) switch.

Each of these actions will cancel
cruise control operation (the SET
indicator light in the instrument clus-
ter will go off), but it will not turn the
system off. If you wish to resume
cruise control operation, push the
RES + switch located on your steer-
ing wheel. You will return to your pre-
viously preset speed.

To resume cruising speed at
more than approximately 20
mph (30 km/h):

If any method other than the
CRUISE button was used to cancel
cruising speed and the system is still
activated, the most recent set speed
will automatically resume when the
RES + switch is pushed.
It will not resume, however, if the
vehicle speed has dropped below
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h).

OPS053020

OPS053019

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Driving your vehicle

To turn cruise control off, do
one of the following:

• Press the CRUISE button (the

CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument cluster will go off).

• Turn the vehicle off.
Both of these actions cancel cruise
control operation. If you want to
resume cruise control operation,
repeat the steps provided in “To set
cruise control speed” on the previous
page.

OPS053017

Driving your vehicle

38

5

Your vehicle's energy economy
depends mainly on your style of driv-
ing, where you drive and when you
drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many miles (kilometers) you can get
from a capacity (kwh) of battery. To
operate your vehicle as economical-
ly as possible, use the following driv-
ing suggestions to help save money
in both energy and repairs:
• Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a

moderate rate. Don't make "jack-
rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts
and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Don't race between stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed to
the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily.
Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you
can avoid unnecessary braking.
This also reduces brake wear.

• Drive at a moderate speed. The

faster you drive, the more energy
your vehicle uses. Driving at a
moderate speed, especially on the
highway, is one of the most effec-
tive ways to reduce energy con-
sumption.

• Don't "ride" the brake or clutch

pedal. This can increase energy
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 conse-
quences.

• Take care of your tires. Keep them

inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.

• Be sure that the wheels are

aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire wear and may also result
in other problems as well as
greater energy consumption.

• Keep your vehicle in good condi-

tion. For better energy economy
and reduced maintenance costs,
maintain your vehicle in accor-
dance with the maintenance
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 maxi-

mum 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
energy consumption and also con-
tribute to corrosion.

ECONOMICAL OPERATION

5 39

Driving your vehicle

• Travel lightly. Don't carry unneces-

sary weight in your vehicle. Weight
reduces energy economy.

• Open windows at high speeds can

reduce energy economy.

• Energy economy is less in cross-

winds and headwinds. To help off-
set some of this loss, slow down
when driving in these conditions.

Keeping a vehicle in good operating
condition is important both for econ-
omy and safety. Therefore, have an
authorized Kia dealer perform
scheduled inspections and mainte-
nance.

WARNING

- Vehicle off during motion

Never turn the POWER button
off to coast down hills or any-
time the vehicle is in motion.
The power steering and power
brakes will not function proper-
ly without the vehicle is in the
ready (

) mode. In addition,

turning off the POWER button
while driving could engage the
steering wheel lock resulting in
loss of vehicle steering. Keep
the vehicle is in the ready (

)

mode and gear lever in
B(Braking) position for engine
braking effect.

Driving your vehicle

40

5

Hazardous driving conditions

When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
• Drive cautiously and allow extra

distance for braking.

• Avoid sudden braking or steering.
• When braking with non-ABS

brakes pump the brake pedal with
a light up-and-down motion until
the vehicle is stopped.

Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.

• If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,

use second gear. Accelerate slow-
ly to avoid spinning the drive
wheels.

• Use sand, rock salt, or other non-

slip material under the drive
wheels to provide traction when
stalled in ice, snow, or mud.

Reducing the risk of a rollover

This multi-purpose passenger vehi-
cle is defined as a Crossover Utility
Vehicle (CUV). Utility vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles. CUV's have
higher ground clearance and a nar-
rower track to make them capable of
performing in a wide variety of off-
road applications. Specific design
characteristics give them a higher
center of gravity than ordinary vehi-
cles. An advantage of the higher
ground clearance is a better view of
the road, which allows you to antici-
pate problems.

They are not

designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional passenger
vehicles, any more than low-slung
sports vehicles are designed to per-
form satisfactorily in off-road condi-
tions. Due to this risk, driver and pas-
sengers are strongly recommended
to buckle their seat belts. In a rollover
crash, an unbelted person is signifi-
cantly more likely to die than a per-
son wearing a seat belt. There are
steps that a driver can make to
reduce the risk of a rollover.

SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS

WARNING

- Downshifting

Do not downshift with an auto-
matic transaxle while driving on
slippery surfaces. The sudden
change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid and
result in an accident.

5 41

Driving your vehicle

If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers, do not load your
roof rack with heavy cargo, and
never modify your vehicle in any way.

Rocking the vehicle

If it is necessary to rock the vehicle
to free it from snow, sand, or mud,
first turn the steering wheel right and
left to clear the area around your
front wheels. Then, shift back and
forth between R (Reverse) and any
forward gear. Do not race the vehicle,
and spin the wheels as little as pos-
sible. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a
tow vehicle to avoid overheating and
possible damage to the gear.

The ESC system should be turned
OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.

CAUTION

- Vehicle rocking

Prolonged rocking may cause
overheating, gear damage or
failure, and tire damage.

WARNING

- Replacement

tires

Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in the tire
section of the manual.
Installation of variant tires can
affect the safety and perform-
ance of your vehicle.

WARNING

- Sudden vehicle movement

Do not attempt to rock the vehi-
cle if people or objects are near-
by. The vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backwards as
it becomes unstuck.

CAUTION

- Spinning tires

Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 35
mph (56 km/h). Spinning the
wheels at high speeds when the
vehicle is stationary could
cause a tire to overheat which
could result in tire damage that
may injure bystanders.

Driving your vehicle

42

5

Smooth cornering

Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are
wet. Ideally, corners should always
be taken under gentle acceleration. If
you follow these suggestions, tire
wear will be held to a minimum.

Driving at night

Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
• Slow down and keep more dis-

tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.

• Adjust your mirrors to reduce the

glare from other driver's head-
lights.

• Keep your headlights clean and

properly aimed. (On vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature.) Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.

• Avoid staring directly at the head-

lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.

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OCM053010

5 43

Driving your vehicle

Driving in the rain

Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:

• A heavy rainfall will make it harder

to see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.

• Keep your windshield wiping

equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.

• If your tires are not in good condi-

tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.

• Turn on your headlights to make it

easier for others to see you.

• Driving too fast through large pud-

dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.

• If you believe you may have gotten

your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.

Driving in flooded areas

Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher than the bottom of the wheel
hub. Drive through any water slowly.
Allow adequate stopping distance
because brake performance may be
affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them sev-
eral times while the vehicle is moving
slowly.

1VQA3003

Driving your vehicle

44

5

Driving off-road

Drive carefully off-road because your
vehicle may be damaged by rocks or
roots of trees. Become familiar with
the off-road conditions where you
are going to drive before you begin
driving.

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.

WARNING

- Under/over

inflated tires

Always check the tires for prop-
er 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.

5 45

Driving your vehicle

Severe weather conditions in the
winter result in greater wear and
other problems. To minimize the
problems of winter driving, you
should follow these suggestions:

Snowy or icy conditions

To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tires
or to install tire chains on your tires.
If snow tires are needed, it is neces-
sary to select tires equivalent in size
and type of the original equipment
tires. Failure to do so may adversely
affect the safety and handling of your
vehicle.

Furthermore, speeding,

rapid acceleration, sudden brake
applications, and sharp turns are
potentially very hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use regenera-
tive braking to the fullest extent.
Sudden brake applications on snowy
or icy roads may cause skids to
occur. You need to keep sufficient
distance between the vehicle in
operation in front of your vehicle.
Also, apply the brake gently. It should
be noted that installing tire chains on
the tire will provide a greater driving
force, but will not prevent side skids.

✽

✽

NOTICE

Tire chains are not legal in all states.
Check state laws before fitting tire
chains.

Snow tires

If you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, make sure they are radial tires of
the same size and load range as the
original tires. Mount snow tires on all
four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
Keep in mind that the traction provid-
ed by snow tires on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local, state and munic-
ipal regulations for possible restric-
tions against their use.

WINTER DRIVING

1VQA3005

WARNING

- Snow tire

size

Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your vehi-
cle may be adversely affected.

Driving your vehicle

46

5

Tire chains

Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner, they can be damaged by
mounting some types of snow chains
on them. Therefore, the use of snow
tires is recommended instead of
snow chains. Do not mount tire
chains on vehicles equipped with
aluminum wheels; snow chains may
cause damage to the wheels. If snow
chains must be used, use wire-type
chains with a thickness of less than
0.59 in (15 mm). Damage to your
vehicle caused by improper snow
chain use is not covered by your
vehicle manufacturers warranty.

When using tire chains, install them
on the front tires only.

Chain installation

When installing chains, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the
body or chassis, stop and tighten
them. If they still make contact, slow
down until it stops. Remove the
chains as soon as you begin driving
on cleared roads.

When mounting snow chains, park
the vehicle on level ground away from
traffic. Turn on the vehicle Hazard
Warning flashers and place a triangu-
lar emergency warning device behind
the vehicle if available. Always place
the vehicle in P (Park), apply the
parking brake and turn off the vehicle
before installing snow chains.
• The use of chains may adversely

affect vehicle handling.

• Do not exceed 20 mph (30 km/h)

or the chain manufacturer’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.

• Drive carefully and avoid bumps,

holes, sharp turns, and other road
hazards, which may cause the
vehicle to bounce.

• Avoid sharp turns or locked-wheel

braking.

1VQA3007

CAUTION

- Snow chains

Make sure the snow chains are
the correct size and type for
your tires.

Incorrect snow

chains can cause damage to the
vehicle body and suspension
and may not be covered by your
vehicle manufacturer warranty.

5 47

Driving your vehicle

Use high quality ethylene gly-
col coolant

Your vehicle is delivered with high qual-
ity ethylene glycol coolant in the cool-
ing system. It is the only type of coolant
that should be used because it helps
prevent corrosion in the cooling sys-
tem, lubricates the water pump and
prevents freezing. Be sure to replace
or replenish your coolant in accor-
dance with the maintenance schedule
in section 7. Before winter, have your
coolant tested to assure that its freez-
ing point is sufficient for the tempera-
tures anticipated during the winter.

Check battery and cables

Winter puts additional burdens on
the battery system. Visually inspect
the battery and cables as described
in section 7. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by an
authorized Kia dealer or a service
station.

To keep locks from freezing

To keep the locks from freezing,
squirt an approved de-icer fluid or
glycerine into the key opening. If a
lock is covered with ice, squirt it with
an approved de-icing fluid to remove
the ice. If the lock is frozen internally,
you may be able to thaw it out by
using a heated key. Handle the heat-
ed key with care to avoid injury.

Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system

To keep the water in the window
washer system from freezing, add an
approved window washer anti-freeze
solution in accordance with instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er anti-freeze is available from an
authorized Kia dealer and most auto
parts outlets. Do not use coolant or
other types of anti-freeze as these
may damage the paint finish.

Don’t let your parking brake
freeze

Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to happen
when there is an accumulation of
snow or ice around or near the rear
brakes or if the brakes are wet. If
there is a risk the parking brake may
freeze, apply it only temporarily while
you put the gear shift lever in P
(Park, automatic transaxle) or in first
or reverse gear (manual transaxle)
and block the rear wheels so the
vehicle cannot roll. Then release the
parking brake.

CAUTION

- Snow chains

• Chains that are the wrong size

or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle's brake
lines, suspension, body and
wheels.

• Stop driving and retighten the

chains any time you hear them
hitting the vehicle.

Driving your vehicle

48

5

Don't let ice and snow accu-
mulate underneath

Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
vehicle to be sure the movement of
the front wheels and the steering
components are not obstructed.

Carry emergency equipment

Depending on the severity of the
weather, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of
the items you may want to carry
include tow straps or chains, flash-
light, emergency flares, sand, shov-
el, jumper cables, window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, blan-
ket, etc.

We do not recommend using this
vehicle for trailer towing.

TRAILER TOWING