Kia Soul (2020 year). Owner's manual — part 17

Driving your vehicle

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Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury
or death:
䳜 ALWAYS check the surrounding

areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting a vehicle into D (Drive) or
R (Reverse).

䳜 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
position. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur if
these precautions are not fol-
lowed.

䳜 When using Manual Shift Mode,

use caution when shifting from a
higher gear to a lower gear on
slippery roads. This could cause
the tires to slip and may result in
an accident.

䳜 To avoid damage to your trans-

mission, do not try to accelerate
with the shift lever in R (Reverse)
or any forward gear position with
the brake engaged.

䳜 When stopped on a slope, do not

hold the vehicle with accelerator
pedal. Engage the service brake or
the parking brake.

䳜 The Dual Clutch Transmission

gives the driving feel of a manual
transmission, yet provides the
ease of a fully automatic trans-

mission. Unlike a traditional auto-
matic transmission, the gear
shifting can be felt (and heard) on
the dual clutch transmission.
- Think of it as an automatically

shifting manual transmission.

- Shift into Drive range and get

fully automatic shifting, similar
to a conventional automatic
transmission.

䳜 Dual clutch transmission adopts

dry-type dual clutch, which is dif-
ferent from torque converter of
automatic transmission, and
shows better acceleration perfor-
mance during driving. But, initial
launch might be little bit slower
than Automatic Transmission.

䳜 The dry-type clutch transfers

torque and provides a direct driv-
ing feeling which may feel differ-
ent from a conventional
automatic transmission with a
torque converter. This may be
more noticeable when starting
from a stop or low vehicle speed.

䳜 When rapidly accelerating at low

vehicle speed, engine could rev at
high rpm depending on vehicle
drive condition.

䳜 For smooth launch uphill, press

down the accelerator pedal
smoothly depending on the cur-
rent conditions.

䳜 If you release your foot from the

accelerator pedal at low vehicle
speed, you may feel strong

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Driving your vehicle

Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

engine brake, which is similar to
manual transmission.

䳜 When driving downhill, you may

use Sports Mode to downshift to
a lower gear in order to control
your speed without using the
brake pedal excessively.

䳜 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.

䳜 Always come to a complete stop

before shifting into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).

䳜 Do not put the shift lever in N

(Neutral) while driving.

WARNING

Due to transmission failure, the
vehicle may not move and the posi-
tion indicator (D, R) will blink on the
cluster. In this case, have the sys-
tem checked by an authorized Kia
dealer.

LCD display for transmission tem-
perature and warning message

The LCD displays the transmission
temperature. A warning message is
displayed on the LCD when trans-
mission is overheated or in a warn-
ing condition.

Transmission temperature Gauge

䳜 Select trip computer mode on the

LCD display and move to the
transmission temperature screen
to see the temperature of the
dual clutch transmission.

䳜 When the transmission is over-

heated, the warning message will
display on the LCD. Follow the dis-
played message.

䳜 The transmission temperature is

displayed in three colors (white,
orange and red) as it increases. (if
equipped with the color type clus-
ter) if equipped with the mono
type cluster. temperature gauge
is displayed in one color (white).

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Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

䳜 Orange temperature gauge is dis-

played right before the warning
message appears on the LCD dis-
play. (if equipped)

CAUTION

䳜 Increase (high temperature) of

the transmission temperature
gauge usually appears on an
incline when the vehicle is stopped
for a long time using accelerator
pedal, without depressing the
brake pedal.

䳜 To maintain the optimal trans-

mission performance, drive so
that the white gauge is not
exceeded.

Normal (below marking 10)

In order to maintain the optimal
gear shift performance, drive so
that the temperature gauge is
below the point (below marking10).

NOTICE

The temperature gauge may
increase rapidly if clutch slip occurs
excessively due to repeated stop-
and-go driving on steep grades and
when Hill Hold is maintained for a
long time. In order to prevent exces-
sive temperature increase, use the
brake during low speed driving or
when stopping the vehicle on a hill.

Before entering High/Overheat
(from marking 10 to 14)

䳜 This zone shows that the dual

clutch temperature of the DCT is
before entering the high/overheat
zone. When the clutch tempera-
ture is within this zone (from
marking 10 to 14), drive minimiz-
ing the clutch slip so that the
temperature gauge is below the
point (marking 10).

䳜 If the dual clutch temperature

continues to increase and reaches
marking 14, the warning alarm
sounds and the temperature

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Driving your vehicle

Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

gauge pops up on the cluster. The
DCT warning message is not dis-
played.

High/Overheat (from marking 15 to
16)

䳜 This zone shows that the dual

clutch temperature of the DCT
has entered the high/overheat
zone. The DCT warning alarm
sounds, warning message is dis-
played on the cluster and the
temperature gauge disappears
from the cluster. Follow the dis-
played warning message.

䳜 To check the temperature status

of the dual clutch when over-
heated, move to the temperature
gauge screen by selecting the trip
computer mode. Then, you can
check the temperature status of
the dual clutch.

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.

Steep grade

Driving up hills or on steep grades:
䳜 To hold the vehicle on an incline

use the foot brake or the parking
brake.

䳜 When in stop-and-go traffic on an

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

䳜 If the vehicle is held on a hill by

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

䳜 If the LCD warning is active, the

foot brake must be applied.

䳜 Ignoring the warnings can lead to

damage to the transmission.

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Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

Transmission high temperature

䳜 Under certain conditions, such as

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

䳜 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, "Trans-
mission temp. is high! Stop safely"
warning message will appear on

the LCD display and driving may
not be smooth.

䳜 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.

䳜 If you ignore this warning, the

driving condition may become
worse. You may experience
abrupt shifts, frequent shifts, or
jerkiness. To return to the normal
driving condition, 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.

䳜 When possible, drive the vehicle

smoothly.

Transmission overheated

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Driving your vehicle

Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

䳜 If the vehicle continues to be

driven and the clutch tempera-
tures reach the maximum tem-
perature limit, the "Transmission
Hot! Park with engine on" warning
will be displayed. When this
occurs the clutch is disabled until
the clutch cools to normal tem-
peratures.

䳜 The warning will display a time to

wait for the transmission to cool.

䳜 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.

䳜 When the message "Trans cooled.

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

䳜 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 an authorized Kia dealer.

Transmission ranges

The indicator in the instrument
cluster displays the shift lever posi-
tion 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.

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

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Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

WARNING

䳜 Shifting into P (Park) while the

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

䳜 After the vehicle has stopped,

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

䳜 Do not use the P (Park) position in

place of the parking brake.

R (Reverse)

Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.

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.

N (Neutral)

The wheels and transmission are
not engaged.

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
could lose control of the vehicle and
hit people or objects.

WARNING

Do not drive with the shift lever in N
(Neutral).
The engine brake will not work and
lead to an accident.

CAUTION

䳜 Always park the vehicle in P (Park)

for safety and engage the parking
brake.

D (Drive)

This is the normal driving position.
The transmission will automatically
shift through a 7 gear sequence,
providing the best fuel economy and
power.

For extra power when passing
another vehicle or driving uphill
depress the accelerator pedal fur-
ther until you feel the transmission
downshift to a lower gear.

To stop the vehicle during driving,
please press brake pedal fully to
prevent unintended movement.

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Driving your vehicle

Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

Manual mode

Whether the vehicle is stationary or
in motion, manual 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 manual mode, moving the shift
lever backwards and forwards will
allow you to select the desired
range of gears for the current driv-
ing conditions.
䳜 + (Up): Push the lever forward

once to shift up one gear.

䳜 - (Down): Pull the lever backwards

once to shift down one gear.

NOTICE

䳜 Only the 7 forward gears can be

selected. To reverse or park the
vehicle, move the shift lever to
the R (Reverse) or P (Park) posi-
tion as required.

䳜 Downshifts are made automati-

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

䳜 When the engine rpm approaches

the red zone the transmission will
upshift automatically.

䳜 If the driver presses the lever to +

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

Paddle shifter (if equipped)

The paddle shift function is available
when the shift lever is in the D
(Drive) position or the manual mode.

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Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

With the shift lever in the D posi

-

tion

The paddle shift function will oper-
ate when the vehicle speed is more
than 10 km/h (6 mph).

Pull the [+] or [-] paddle shifter once
to shift up or down one gear and the
system changes from automatic
mode to manual mode.

When the vehicle speed is lower
than 10 km/h (6 mph), if you
depress the accelerator pedal for
more than 5 seconds or if you shift
the shift lever from D (Drive) to
manual mode and shift it from
manual mode to D (Drive) again, the
system changes from manual mode
to automatic mode.

With the shift lever in the manual
mode

Pull the [+] or [-] paddle shifter once
to shift up or down one gear.

NOTICE

If you pull the [+] and [-] paddle
shifters at the same time, you can-
not shift the gear.

Shift lock system (if equipped)

For your safety, the Dual clutch
transmission has a shift lock system
which prevents shifting the
transmission from P (Park) into R

(Reverse) unless the brake pedal is
depressed.

To shift the transmission from P
(Park) into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the igni-

tion 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
chattering noise & vibration 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 inadvertent motion
of the vehicle which could injure per-
sons in or around the car.

Shift-lock override

Type A

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Driving your vehicle

Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

Type B

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. Place the ignition switch in the

LOCK/OFF position.

2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Carefully remove the cap (1) cov-

ering the shift-lock release access
hole.

4. Insert a tool (e.g. flathead screw-

driver) into the access hole and
press down on the tool.

5. Move the shift lever.
6. Remove the tool from the shift-

lock override access hole then
install the cap.

7. Have the system inspected by a

professional workshop. Kia rec-
ommends to visit an authorized
Kia dealer.

Ignition key interlock system (if
equipped)

The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P
(Park) position.

Good driving practices
䳜 Never move the shift lever from P

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

䳜 Never move the shift lever into P

(Park) when the vehicle is in
motion.

䳜 Be sure the car is completely

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

䳜 Never take the car out of gear

and coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always
leave the car in gear when mov-
ing.

䳜 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.

䳜 Slow down before shifting to a

lower gear. Otherwise, the lower
gear may not be engaged.

䳜 Always use the parking brake. Do

not depend on placing the
transmission in P (Park) to keep
the car from moving.

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Dual clutch transmission (DCT)

䳜 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 con-
trol.

䳜 Optimum vehicle performance

and economy is obtained by
smoothly depressing and releas-
ing the accelerator pedal.

WARNING

䳜 Always buckle-up! In a collision, an

unbelted occupant is significantly
more likely to be seriously injured
or killed than a properly belted
occupant.

䳜 Avoid high speeds when cornering

or turning.

䳜 Do not make quick steering wheel

movements, such as sharp lane
changes or fast, sharp turns.

䳜 The risk of rollover is greatly

increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at highway speeds.

䳜 Loss of control often occurs if two

or more wheels drop off the road-
way and the driver oversteers to
reenter the roadway.

䳜 In the event your vehicle leaves

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

䳜 Never exceed posted speed limits.

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 of backward as it becomes
unstuck, causing injury or damage
to nearby people or objects.

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Driving your vehicle

Brake system

Brake system

Your vehicle has power-assisted
brakes, parking brake, and various
braking systems for safe driving.

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 vehi-
cle by applying greater force to the
brake pedal than you normally
would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, 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.

CAUTION

Brake Pedal
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. This will create
abnormally high brake tempera-
tures which can cause excessive
brake lining and pad wear.

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.

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

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.

Driving your vehicle

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Brake system

WARNING

Parking brake
Avoid applying the parking brake to
stop the vehicle while it is moving
except in an emergency situation.
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 vehicle,
use great caution in applying the
brake.

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
normal and does not indicate a
problem with your brakes.

Always replace the front or rear
brake pads as pairs.

CAUTION

Replace brake pads
Do not continue to drive with worn
brake pads. Continuing to drive with
worn brake pads can damage the
braking system and result in costly
brake repairs.

WARNING

Brake wear
Do not ignore high pitched wear
sounds from your brakes. If you
ignore this audible warning, you will
eventually lose braking perfor-
mance, which could lead to a serious
accident.

Rear drum brakes (if equipped)

Your rear drum brakes do not have
wear indicators. Therefore, have the
rear brake linings inspected if you
hear a rear brake rubbing noise. Also
have your rear brakes inspected
each time you change or rotate
your tires and when you have the
front brakes replaced.

Parking brake

After parking the vehicle, apply the
parking brake to prevent the vehicle
from being moved by the external
force.

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Driving your vehicle

Brake system

Applying the parking brake

To engage the parking brake:
1. Apply the foot brake and then pull

up the parking brake lever as far
as possible.

In addition it is recommended that
when parking the vehicle on a
incline, the shift lever should be in a
low gear on manual transmission
vehicles.

CAUTION

䳜 Driving with the parking brake

applied will cause excessive brake
pad and brake rotor wear.

䳜 Do not operate the parking brake

while the vehicle is moving except
in an emergency situation. It could
damage the vehicle system and
make endanger driving safety.

Releasing the parking brake

To release the parking brake:
1. Apply the foot brake and pull up

the parking brake lever slightly.

2. Depress the release button (1)

and lower the parking brake lever
(2) while holding the button.

If the parking brake does not release
or does not release all the way, have
the system checked by a profes-
sional workshop. Kia recommends to
visit an authorized Kia dealer.
䳜 Be cautious when parking on a hill.

Firmly engage the parking brake
and place the shift lever in first or
reverse gear (manual transmis-
sion). If your vehicle is facing
downhill, turn the front wheels
into the curb to help keep the
vehicle from rolling. If your vehicle
is facing uphill, turn the front
wheels away from the curb to
help keep the vehicle from rolling.
If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to
keep the vehicle from rolling,
block the wheels.

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