Kia Carens: Automatic transaxle operation / Transaxle ranges

The indicator lights in the instrument cluster 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 prevents the front wheels from rotating.

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) position 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 unattended in a vehicle.

CAUTION

The transaxle may be damaged if you shift into P (Park) while the vehicle is in motion.

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 transaxle if you shift into R (Reverse) while the vehicle is in motion, except as explained in “Rocking the vehicle”, in this manual.

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.

WARNING

Do not drive with the shift lever in N (Neutral).

The engine brake will not work and lead to an accident.

- Parking in N (Neutral) gear

Follow below steps when parking and you want the vehicle to move when pushed.

1. After parking your vehicle, step on the brake pedal and move the shift lever to [P] with the ignition button in [ON] or while the engine is running.

2. If the parking brake is applied unlock the parking brake.

- For EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) equipped vehicles, push the brake pedal with the ignition button in [ON] or while the engine is running to disengage the parking brake. If [AUTO HOLD] function is used while driving (If [AUTO HOLD] indicator is on in the cluster), press [AUTO HOLD] switch and [AUTO HOLD] function should be turn off.

3. While pressing the brake pedal, turn the ignition button [OFF].

- For smart key equipped vehicles, the ignition switch can be moved to [OFF] only when the shift lever is in [P].

4. Change the gear shift lever to [N] (Neutral) while pressing the brake pedal and pushing [SHIFT LOCK RELEASE] button or inserting, pressing down a tool (e.g. flathead screw-driver) into the [SHIFT LOCK RELEASE] access hole at the same time. Then, the vehicle will move when external force is applied.

CAUTION

• With the exception of parking in neutral gear, always park the vehicle in [P] (Park) for safety and engage the parking brake.
• Before parking in [N] (Neutral) gear, first make sure the parking ground is level and flat. Do not park in [N] gear on any slopes or gradients. If parked and left in [N], the vehicle may move and cause serious damage and injury.
• After the ignition switch has been turned off, the electronic parking brake cannot be disengaged.
• For EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) equipped vehicles with [AUTO HOLD] function used while driving, if the ignition button has been turned [OFF], the electronic parking brake will be engaged automatically. Therefore, [AUTO HOLD] function should be turned off before the ignition button is turned off.

D (Drive)

This is the normal forward driving position. The transaxle will automatically shift through a 6-gear sequence, providing the best fuel economy and power.

For extra power when passing another vehicle or climbing grades, depress the accelerator pedal fully (more than 82%) until the kick down mechanism (if equipped) works with a clicking noise, at which time the transaxle will automatically downshift to the next lower gear.

✽ NOTICE

• Always come to a complete stop before shifting into D (Drive).
• A clicking noise heard from the kick down mechanism by depressing the accelerator pedal fully is a normal condition.

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 operation, push the shift lever back into the main gate.

In sports mode, moving the shift lever backwards and forwards will allow you to make gearshifts rapidly.

Up (+) : Push the lever forward once 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 automatically selected.
• In sports mode, when the engine rpm approaches the red zone shift points are varied to upshift automatically.
• To maintain the required levels of vehicle performance and safety, the system may not execute certain gearshifts when the shift lever is operated.
• 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.