Get Driving your vehicle -> Automatic transaxle Guide for Kia Sportage SUV Second Generation (2004-2010)

Driving your vehicle

AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)

Lock release button prevents shift lever

movement without first depressing the button.

+ (UP)

- (DOWN)

Automatic mode

Sports mode

Depress the brake pedal and push the button when shifting.

The lock release button must be depressed while moving the shift lever.

The shift lever can be moved without depressing the lock release button.

1KMA3019

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Driving your vehicle

For smooth operation, depress the

✽ NOTICE

brake pedal when shifting from N

• To avoid damage to your

(Neutral) to a forward or reverse

transaxle, do not accelerate the

gear.

engine in R (Reverse) or any for-

ward gear position with the brakes

on.

WARNING - Automatic

• When stopped on an upgrade, do

transaxle

not hold the vehicle stationary

Before leaving the driver’s seat,

Automatic

with engine power. Use the service

always make sure the shift lever

mode

brake or the parking brake.

is in the P (PARK) position; then

• Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P

set the parking brake fully and

(Park) into D (Drive), or R

1KMA3019

shut the engine off. Unexpected

(Reverse) when the engine is

Automatic transaxle operation

and sudden vehicle movement

above idle speed.

can occur if these precautions

All normal forward driving is done

are not followed in the order

with the shift lever in the D (Drive)

identified.

position.

To move the shift lever from the P

(Park) position, the brake pedal must

be depressed and the lock release

button must be depressed.

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Driving your vehicle

Transaxle ranges

(Continued)

WARNING - Automatic

P (park)

• Before leaving the driver’s

transaxle

Always come to a complete stop

seat, always make sure the

• Shifting into P (Park) while the

before shifting into P. This position

shift lever is in the P (PARK)

vehicle is in motion will cause

locks the transaxle and prevents the

position.

Set the parking

the drive wheels to lock which

front wheels from rotating.

brake fully, shut the engine off

will cause you to lose control

and take the key with you.

of the vehicle.

Unexpected and sudden vehi-

• Do not use the P (Park) posi-

cle movement can occur if you

tion in place of the parking

do not follow these precau-

brake. Always make sure the

tions in the order specified.

shift lever is latched in the P

• Never leave a child unattend-

(Park) position so that it can-

ed in a vehicle.

not be moved unless the lock

release button is pushed in,

AND set the parking brake

✽ NOTICE

fully.

The transaxle may be damaged if

(Continued)

you shift into P (Park) while the

vehicle is in motion.

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Driving your vehicle

R (reverse)

N (neutral)

D (drive)

Use this position to drive the vehicle

The wheels and transaxle are not

This is the normal forward driving

backward.

locked. The vehicle will roll freely

position. The transaxle will automati-

even on the slightest incline unless

cally shift through a 4-gear

the parking brake or service brakes

sequence, providing the best fuel

✽ NOTICE

are applied.

economy and power.

Always come to a complete stop

before shifting into or out of R

For extra power when passing anoth-

(Reverse); you may damage the

er vehicle or climbing grades,

transaxle if you shift into R while

depress the accelerator fully, at

the vehicle is in motion.

which time the transaxle will auto-

matically downshift to the next lower

gear.

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Driving your vehicle

Up (+)

: Push the lever forward

✽ NOTICE

once to shift up one gear.

• Upshifts take place automatically

Down (-) : Pull the lever backwards

in sports mode. However, the dri-

once to shift down one

ver must execute upshifts in accor-

gear.

dance with road conditions, taking

care to keep the engine speed

+ (UP)

below the red zone because

Snow mode

upshifts take place at the higher

Sports mode

When taking off from a standstill on a

engine rpm.

- (DOWN)

slippery road, push the shift lever for-

• In sports mode, only the four for-

1KMA3020

ward into the +(up) position. This

ward gears can be selected. To

Sports mode

causes the transaxle to shift into the

reverse or park the vehicle, move

2nd gear which is better for smooth

the shift lever to the “R” or “P”

Whether the vehicle is stationary or

driving on a slippery road.

position as required.

in motion, sports mode is selected by

• In sports mode, downshifts are

Push the shift lever to the -(down)

pushing the shift lever from the “D”

made automatically when the

side to shift back to the 1st gear.

position into the manual gate. To

vehicle slows down. When the

return to “D” range operation, push

vehicle stops, 1st gear is automati-

the shift lever back into the main

cally selected.

gate.

• In sports mode, when the engine

rpm approaches the red zone shift

In sports mode, moving the shift

points are varied to upshift auto-

lever backwards and forwards will

matically.

allow you to make gearshifts rapidly.

The sports mode allows gearshifts

CAUTION

with

the

accelerator

pedal

In the sport mode, if you push

depressed.

the lever to shift and no shift

occurs, the system is acting to

protect your safety and the vehi-

cle.

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Driving your vehicle

Moving up a steep grade from

Shift lock system

Ignition key interlock system

a standing start

For your safety, the Automatic

The ignition key cannot be removed

To move up a steep grade from a

Transaxle has a shift lock system

unless the shift lever is in the P

standing start, depress the brake

which prevents shifting the transaxle

(Park) position. If the ignition switch

pedal, shift the shift lever to D

out of P (Park) unless the brake

is in any other position, the key can-

(Drive). Select the appropriate gear

pedal is depressed.

not be removed.

depending on load weight and steep-

To shift the transaxle out of P (Park):

ness of the grade, and release the

1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.

parking brake. Depress the accelera-

2. Start the engine or turn the ignition

tor gradually while releasing the ser-

to the ON position.

vice brakes.

3. Depress the lock release button

When accelerating from a stop on

and move the shift lever.

a steep hill, the vehicle may have a

tendency to roll backwards.

When the ignition switch is in the

Shifting the shift lever into 2

ACC or LOCK position, the transaxle

(Second Gear) while in Sport

cannot be shifted from P (Park).

mode will help prevent the vehicle

If the brake pedal is repeatedly

from rolling backwards.

depressed and released with the

shift lever in the P (Park) position, a

chattering noise near the shift lever

may be heard. This is a normal con-

dition.

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Driving your vehicle -> Automatic transaxle for Your Kia Sportage SUV Second Generation (2004-2010)

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