KIA Soul (2019 year). Manual — part 20

6 27

Driving your vehicle

• The dual clutch transmission can

be thought of as an automatically
shifting manual transaxle. It gives
the driving feel of a manual
transaxle, yet provides the ease of
a fully automatic transaxle.

• When D (Drive) is selected, the

transmission will automatically shift
through the gears similar to a con-
ventional automatic transaxle.
Unlike a traditional automatic
transaxle, the gear shifting can
sometimes be felt and heard as the
actuators engage the clutches and
the gears are selected.

• The dual clutch transmission

adopts a dry-type dual clutch,
which is different from the torque
converter of the automatic
transaxle. It shows better accelera-
tion performance and increased
fuel efficiency while driving but ini-
tial launch might be little bit slower
than the automatic transaxle.
As a result, gear shifts are some-
times more noticeable than a con-
ventional automatic transmission
and a light vibration during launch-
ing can be felt as the transmission
speed is matched with the engine
speed. This is a normal condition of
the dual clutch transmission.

• The dry-type clutch transfers

torque more directly and provides
a direct drive feeling which may
feel different from a conventional
automatic transaxle with a torque
converter. This may be more
noticeable when launching the
vehicle from a stop or when travel-
ing at low, stop-and-go vehicle
speeds.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death:
• ALWAYS check the surround-

ing areas near your vehicle for
people, especially children,
before shifting a vehicle 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, and place the ignition
switch in the LOCK/OFF posi-
tion. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur
if this procedure is not fol-
lowed.

• Do not use the engine braking

(shifting from a high gear to
lower gear) rapidly on slip-
pery roads. The vehicle may
slip causing an accident.

CAUTION

To avoid damage to your trans-
mission, do not try to accelerate
in R (Reverse) or any forward
gear position with the brakes
on.

Driving your vehicle

28

6

• When rapidly accelerating at low

speeds, the engine could rev at a
high rpm depending on the driving
conditions.

• For smooth launch uphill, press

down the accelerator pedal
smoothly depending on the current
conditions.

• If you release your foot from the

accelerator pedal at low vehicle
speed, you may feel strong engine
braking, which is similar to manual
transaxle.

• When driving downhill, you may

use Sports Mode or press the pad-
dle shifters (if equipped) to down-
shift to a lower gear in order to con-
trol your speed without using the
brake pedal excessively.

• When you turn the engine on and

off, you may hear clicking sounds
as the system goes through a self
test. This is a normal sound for the
Dual Clutch Transmission.

• During the first 1,500 km (1,000

miles), you may feel that the vehi-
cle may not be smooth when accel-
erating at low speed. During this
break-in period, the shift quality
and performance of your new vehi-
cle is continuously optimized.

✽

✽

NOTICE

If your transmission should fail,
your gear shift lever may not move
and the position indicator (D,R,N,
etc.) will blink on the cluster. If this
occurs, have the system checked by
an authorized Kia dealership.

DCT warning messages

This warning message is displayed
when vehicle is driven slowly on a
grade and the vehicle detects that
the brake pedal is not applied.

OJF055111L

6 29

Driving your vehicle

Steep grade
Driving up hills or on steep grades:
• To hold the vehicle on an incline

use the foot brake or the parking
brake.

• When in stop-and-go traffic on an

incline, keep some distance ahead
before moving the vehicle forward.
Then hold the vehicle on the incline
with the foot brake.

• If the vehicle is held on a hill by

applying the accelerator pedal or
by creeping with brake pedal dis-
engaged, the clutch and transmis-
sion may overheat which can result
in damage. At this time, a warning
message will appear on the LCD
display.

• If the LCD warning is active, the

foot brake must be applied.

• Ignoring the warnings can lead to

damage to the transmission.

Transmission high temperature
• Under certain conditions, such as

repeated stop-and-go launches on
steep grades, sudden take off or
acceleration, or other harsh driving
conditions, the transmission clutch
temperatures will increase exces-
sively. Finally the clutch in trans-
mission could be overheated.

• When the clutch is overheated, the

safe protection mode engages and
the gear position indicator on the
cluster blinks with a chime. At this
time, “Transmission temp. is high!
Stop safely” warning message will
appear on the LCD display and
driving may not be smooth.

• If this occurs, pull over to a safe

location, stop the vehicle with the
engine running, apply the brakes
and shift the vehicle to P (Park),
and allow the transmission to cool.

• If you ignore this warning, the driv-

ing condition may become worse.
You may experience abrupt shifts,
frequent shifts, or jerkiness. To
return to the normal driving condi-
tion, stop the vehicle and apply the
foot brake or shift into P (Park).
Then allow the transmission to cool
for a few minutes with engine on,
before driving off.

• When possible, drive the vehicle

smoothly.

OJF058450L

Driving your vehicle

30

6

Transmission overheated

• If the vehicle continues to be driv-

en and the clutch temperatures
reach the maximum temperature
limit, the " Transmission Hot! Park
with engine on" warning will be dis-
played. When this occurs the clutch
is disabled until the clutch cools to
normal temperatures.

• The warning will display a time to

wait for the transmission to cool.

• If this occurs, pull over to a safe

location, stop the vehicle with the
engine running, apply the brakes
and shift the vehicle to P (Park),
and allow the transmission to cool.

• When the message "Trans cooled.

Resume driving.“ appears you can
continue to drive your vehicle.

• When possible, drive the vehicle

smoothly.

If any of the warning messages in
the LCD display continue to blink, for
your safety, have the system
checked by a professional workshop.
Kia recommends to visit an author-
ized Kia dealer/service partner.

OJF055117L

OJF055115L

OJF055119L

CAUTION -

Holding the

Vehicle Using Accelerator
Pedal

Do not attempt to hold your
vehicle on a hill by applying the
accelerator pedal. This can
cause your clutch and transmis-
sion to be damaged as a result
of overheating.

6 31

Driving your vehicle

Transmission 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).
To shift from P (Park), you must
depress firmly on the brake pedal
and make sure your foot is off the
accelerator pedal.

If you have done all of the above
and still cannot shift the lever out
of P (Park),

see “Shift-Lock

Release” in this chapter.

The shift lever must be in P (Park)
before turning the engine off.

R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.

N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
engaged.
Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart
a stalled engine, or if it is necessary
to stop with the engine ON. Shift into
P (Park) if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason.
Always depress the brake pedal
when you are shifting from N
(Neutral) to another gear.

WARNING

• Shifting into P (Park) while the

vehicle is in motion may
cause you to lose control of
the vehicle.

• After the vehicle has stopped,

always make sure the shift
lever is in P (Park), apply the
parking brake, and turn the
engine off.

• When parking on an incline,

block the wheels to prevent
the vehicle from rolling down.

• For safety, always engage the

parking brake with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position
except for the case of emer-
gency parking.

• Do not use the P (Park) posi-

tion in place of the parking
brake.

CAUTION

Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transmission if you shift into R
(Reverse) while the vehicle is in
motion.

Driving your vehicle

32

6

D (Drive)
This is the normal driving position.
The transmission will automatically
shift through a seven-gear
sequence, providing the best fuel
economy and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or driving uphill depress
the accelerator pedal further until
you feel the transmission downshift
to a lower gear.
The DRIVE MODE switch, located
on the shift lever console, allows the
driver to switch from NORMAL mode
to SPORT or ECO mode.

(if

equipped)
For more information, refer to “Drive
Mode Integrated Control System”
later in this chapter.

✽

✽

NOTICE

Always ensure vehicle is stationary,
at a complete stop, before selecting
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.
In Sports Mode, moving the shift
lever backwards and forwards will
allow you to select the desired range
of gears for the current driving condi-
tions.

WARNING

• Do not shift into gear unless

your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal. Shifting into gear
when the engine is running at
high speed can cause the
vehicle to move very rapidly.
You may lose control of the
vehicle and cause accidents.

• Do not drive with the shift

lever in N (Neutral).
The vehicle will not exhibit
engine braking in N (Neutral).

OPS053009

Sports mode

+

+

+

+

((

((

U

U

U

U

P

P

P

P

))

))

--

--

((

((

D

D

D

D

O

O

O

O

W

W

W

W

N

N

N

N

))

))

6 33

Driving your vehicle

+ (Up) : Push the lever forward once

to shift up one gear.

- (Down) : Pull the lever backwards

once to shift down one
gear.

✽

✽

NOTICE

In SPORT mode, the fuel efficiency
may decrease.

✽

✽

NOTICE

• Only the seven 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.

• Downshifts are made automatical-

ly when the vehicle slows down.
When the vehicle stops, 1st gear is
automatically selected.

• When the engine rpm approaches

the red zone the transmission will
upshift automatically.

• If the driver presses the lever to +

(Up) or - (Down) position, the trans-
mission may not make the request-
ed gear change if the next gear is
outside of the allowable engine rpm
range. The driver must execute
upshifts in accordance with road
conditions, taking care to keep the
engine rpms below the red zone.

Shift lock system (if equipped)

For your safety, the Dual clutch trans-
mission has a shift lock system
which prevents shifting the transmis-
sion from P (Park) into R (Reverse)
unless the brake pedal is depressed.
To shift the transmission from P (Park)
or N (Neutral) into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition

switch to the ON position.

3. Move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chat-
tering noise near the shift lever may
be heard. This is a normal condition.

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 car.

Driving your vehicle

34

6

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 override access hole.

2. Insert a screwdriver into the

access hole and press down on
the screwdriver.

3. Move the shift lever.
4. Have your vehicle inspected by an

authorized Kia dealer immediately.

Ignition key interlock system
(if equipped)
The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P
(Park) position.

Parking
Always come to a complete stop and
continue to depress the brake pedal.
Move the shift lever into the P (Park)
position, apply the parking brake,
and place the ignition switch in the
LOCK/OFF position. Take the Key
with you when exiting the vehicle.

OPS053010

WARNING

When you stay in the vehicle
with the engine running, be
careful not to depress the accel-
erator pedal for a long period of
time. The engine or exhaust sys-
tem may overheat and start a
fire.
The exhaust gas and the
exhaust system are very hot.
Keep away from the exhaust
system components.
Do not stop or park over flam-
mable materials, such as dry
grass, paper or leaves.They may
ignite and cause a fire.

6 35

Driving your vehicle

Good driving practices

• Never move the shift lever from P

(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other
position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.

• Never move the shift lever into P

(Park) when the vehicle is in motion.

• Be sure the car is completely

stopped before you attempt to shift
into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).

• Never take the car 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 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 trans-
mission in P (Park) to keep the car
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.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of SERIOUS
INJURY or DEATH:
• ALWAYS wear your seatbelt.

In a collision, an unbelted
occupant is significantly more
likely to be seriously injured
or killed than a properly belt-
ed 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
over steers to reenter the
roadway.

(Continued)

Driving your vehicle

36

6

Kickdown Mechanism
(if equipped)

Use the kickdown mechanism for
maximum acceleration. Depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pres-
sure point. The transmission will shift
to a lower gear depending on the
engine speed.

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 depend-
ing on load weight and steepness of
the grade, and release the parking
brake. Depress the accelerator grad-
ually while releasing the brake pedal.

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 for-
ward or backward as it becomes
unstuck, causing injury or dam-
age to nearby people or objects.

(Continued)
• In the event your vehicle

leaves the roadway, do not
steer sharply. Instead, slow
down before pulling back into
the travel lanes.

• Kia recommends you follow all

posted speed limits.

6 37

Driving your vehicle

Power brakes

Your vehicle has power-assisted
brakes that adjust automatically
through normal usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a
stalled engine or some other reason,
you can still stop your vehicle by
applying greater force to the brake
pedal than you normally would. The
stopping distance, however, will be
longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially
depleted each time the brake pedal
is applied. Do not pump the brake
pedal when the power assist has
been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery surfaces.

Wet brakes may impair the vehicle’s
ability to safely slow down; the vehi-
cle may also pull to one side when
the brakes are applied. Applying the
brakes lightly will indicate whether
they have been affected in this way.
Always test your brakes in this fash-
ion after driving through deep water.
To dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.

BRAKE SYSTEM

WARNING

- Steep hill

braking

Avoid continuous application of
the brakes when descending a
long or steep hill by shifting to a
lower gear. Continuous brake
application will cause the
brakes to overheat and could
result in a temporary loss of
braking performance.

CAUTION

- Brake Pedal

Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormally high brake
temperatures which can cause
excessive brake lining and pad
wear.

Driving your vehicle

38

6

In the event of brake failure

If service brakes fail to operate while
the vehicle is in motion, you can
make an emergency stop with the
parking brake. The stopping dis-
tance, however, will be much greater
than normal.

Disc brakes wear indicator

When your brake pads are worn and
new pads are required, you will hear
a high-pitched warning sound from
your front brakes or rear brakes. You
may hear this sound come and go or
it may occur whenever you depress
the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.
Always replace the front or rear
brake pads as pairs.

WARNING

- Parking

brake

Applying the parking brake
while the vehicle is moving at
normal speeds can cause a
sudden loss of control of the
vehicle. If you must use the
parking brake to stop the vehi-
cle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.

CAUTION

- Parking brake

Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause excessive
brake pad (or lining) and brake
rotor wear.

WARNING

- Brake wear

Do not ignore high pitched
whining sounds from your
brakes. If you ignore this audi-
ble warning, you will eventually
lose braking performance,
which could lead to a serious
accident.

6 39

Driving your vehicle

Parking brake - Hand type

Applying the parking brake

To engage the parking brake, first
apply the foot brake and then without
pressing the release button in, pull
the parking brake lever up as far as
possible.
In addition it is recommended that
when parking the vehicle on a gradi-
ent, the shift lever should be posi-
tioned in the appropriate low gear on
manual transaxle vehicles or in the P
(Park) position for automatic
transaxle vehicles.

Releasing the parking brake

To release the parking brake, first
apply the foot brake and pull up the
parking brake lever slightly. Secondly
press the release button (1) and
lower the parking brake lever (2)
while holding the button.

CAUTION

- Parking brake

Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause excessive
brake pad and brake rotor wear.

OPS053011

OPS053012

Driving your vehicle

40

6

Check the brake warning light by
turning the ignition switch ON (do not
start the engine). This light will be
illuminated when the parking brake is
applied with the ignition switch in the
START or ON position.
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on
after the parking brake is released
while the engine is running, there
may be a malfunction in the brake
system. Immediate attention is nec-
essary.

If at all possible, cease driving the
vehicle immediately. If that is not pos-
sible, use extreme caution while
operating the vehicle and only con-
tinue to drive the vehicle until you
can reach a safe location or repair
shop.

W-75

WARNING

- Parking

Brake Use

• Never allow a passenger to

touch the parking brake. If the
parking brake is released
unintentionally, serious injury
may occur.

• All vehicles should always

have the parking brake fully
engaged when parked to
avoid inadvertent movement
of the car which can injure
occupants or pedestrians.

6 41

Driving your vehicle

Anti-lock brake system (ABS)

ABS (or ESC) will not prevent acci-
dents due to improper or dangerous
driving maneuvers. Even though
vehicle control is improved during
emergency braking, always maintain
a safe distance between you and
objects ahead.

Vehicle speeds

should always be reduced during
extreme road conditions. The vehicle
should be driven at reduced speeds
in the following circumstances:
• When driving on rough, gravel or

snow-covered roads

• When driving with tire chains

installed

• When driving on roads where the

road surface is pitted or has differ-
ent surface heights.

Driving in these conditions increase
the stopping distance for your vehi-
cle.

The ABS continuously senses the
speed of the wheels. If the wheels
are going to lock, the ABS system
repeatedly modulates the hydraulic
brake pressure to the wheels.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the
wheels, you may hear a “tik-tik’’
sound from the brakes, or feel a cor-
responding sensation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and it means
your ABS is active.
In order to obtain the maximum ben-
efit from your ABS in an emergency
situation, do not attempt to modulate
your brake pressure and do not try to
pump your brakes. Press your brake
pedal as hard as possible to allows
the ABS to control the force being
delivered to the brakes.

✽

✽

NOTICE

A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehi-
cle begins to move after the engine is
started. These conditions are normal
and indicate that the anti-lock brake
system is functioning properly.

• Even with the anti-lock brake sys-

tem, your vehicle still requires suf-
ficient stopping distance. Always
maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you.

• Always slow down when cornering.

The anti-lock brake system cannot
prevent accidents resulting from
excessive speeds.

• On loose or uneven road surfaces,

operation of the anti-lock brake
system may result in a longer stop-
ping distance than for vehicles
equipped with a conventional
brake system.

Driving your vehicle

42

6

The ABS warning light will stay on for
approximately 3 seconds after the
ignition switch is ON. During that
time, the ABS will go through self-
diagnosis and the light will go off if
everything is normal. If the light stays
on, you may have a problem with
your ABS. Contact an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.

• 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 vehi-
cle over to a safe place and stop
the engine.

• Restart the engine. If the ABS

warning light goes off, then your
ABS system 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.

W-78