Dual Clutch Transmission Operation

The dual clutch transmission has seven forward speeds and one reverse speed.

Individual speeds are selected automatically in the D (Drive) position.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury or death:

• ALWAYS check the area around the vehicle for people, especially children, before shifting into D (Drive) or R (Reverse).
• Before leaving the driver's seat, always check that the shift lever is in the P (Park) position, then apply the parking brake and turn the ignition switch to the LOCK/OFF position. Unintended and sudden vehicle movement may occur if these precautions are not observed.
• Do not use engine braking (downshifting from a higher gear to a lower gear) on slippery roads. The vehicle may skid, which may result in an accident.

• The dual clutch transmission provides the driving feel of a manual transmission, but with the convenience of a fully automatic transmission. Unlike a conventional automatic transmission, gear shifts can be felt (and heard) in the dual clutch transmission.
  - Think of it as an automatically shifting manual transmission.
  - Shift into the D (Drive) range and you will get fully automatic shifting, similar to a conventional automatic transmission.
• The dual clutch transmission uses a dry-type dual clutch, which differs from the torque converter of a conventional automatic transmission, and provides better acceleration performance during driving. However, initial starting may be slightly slower than with an automatic transmission.
• The dry-type clutch transmits torque and provides a direct driving feel, which may differ from a conventional automatic transmission with a torque converter. This may be more noticeable when starting from a stop or at low vehicle speed.
• When accelerating rapidly at low vehicle speed, the engine may rev high depending on driving conditions.
• For a smooth start on an uphill slope, depress the accelerator pedal gradually depending on the current driving conditions.
• If you release the accelerator pedal at low vehicle speed, you may feel strong engine braking, similar to a manual transmission.
• When driving downhill, you can use Sport mode and press the shift paddles to downshift to control speed without excessively using the brake pedal.
• When the engine is started and stopped, clicking sounds may be heard as the system performs a self-test. This is a normal sound for the dual clutch transmission.

CAUTION

• To hold the vehicle on a slope, use the foot brake or the parking brake. If the vehicle is held by depressing the accelerator pedal on a hill, the clutch and transmission will overheat, which may result in damage. At this time, a warning message will appear on the LCD display ("Steep Hill! Depress Brake Pedal") and you may feel vibration.
• If the clutch overheats due to excessive use of the clutch to hold the vehicle on a hill, you may notice shuddering and the display on the instrument cluster may flash. When this occurs, the clutch is disengaged until it cools to normal temperature. In this case, stop in a safe place, shift to P (Park), and apply the foot brake for several minutes.
• If the LCD warning is active, you must apply the foot brake.
• Ignoring warnings may cause damage to the transmission.
• If the display continues to flash, for safety, it is recommended that you contact an authorized Kia dealer.
• Under certain conditions, such as repeatedly starting on steep hills, the clutch in the transmission may overheat. When the clutch overheats, the protection mode is activated.
  When the protection mode is activated, the gear position indicator on the instrument panel flashes with a warning sound.
  At this time, a warning message ("Transmission Temperature High! Stop Safely", "Trans Cooling. Remain Parked for 00 min.") will appear on the LCD display and driving may not be smooth.
  If you ignore this warning, driving conditions may worsen. To return to normal driving conditions, stop the vehicle and apply the foot brake for several minutes before driving off.
• Repeated kickdowns may cause the transmission to overheat. This will change the vehicle's shift pattern and illuminate a warning message.
  To return to normal driving conditions, refrain from changing speed in the downshift mode. When a warning message is illuminated, park the vehicle in a safe place.
• Gear shifts may be more noticeable than in a conventional automatic transmission. This is a normal characteristic of this type of dual clutch transmission.
• During the first 1500 km (1000 miles), you may feel that the vehicle may not be smooth when accelerating at low speed. During this break-in period, the shift quality and performance of your new vehicle are continuously being optimized.
• Always come to a complete stop before shifting into D (Drive) or R (Reverse). • Do not shift the shift lever into N (Neutral) while driving.

The indicator in the instrument cluster shows the position of the shift lever when the ignition switch is in the ON position.

P (Park)

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into P (Park).

To shift out of P (Park), you must firmly depress the brake pedal and make sure your foot is not on the accelerator pedal.

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

WARNING

• Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is moving may cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
• After stopping the vehicle, always make sure the shift lever is in P (Park), apply the parking brake, and turn off the engine.
• Do not use P (Park) as a substitute for the parking brake.

R (Reverse)

Use this position to drive the vehicle in reverse.

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 moving.

N (Neutral)

The wheels and transmission are not engaged.

Use N (Neutral) if you need to restart a stalled engine or if you need to stop with the engine running. Shift to P (Park) if you need to exit the vehicle for any reason.

Always depress the brake pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) into another position.

WARNING

Do not shift into gear while your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal. Shifting into gear while the engine is running at high speed may cause the vehicle to move very quickly. You may lose control of the vehicle and collide with people or objects.

WARNING

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

Engine braking will not work, which may result in an accident.

- Parking in N (Neutral)

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

1. After parking the vehicle, depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever to [P] when the ignition switch is in the [ON] position or when the engine is running.

2. If the parking brake is applied, release the parking brake.

- For vehicles equipped with EPB (Electronic Parking Brake), depress the brake pedal with the ignition switch in the [ON] position or with the engine running, then press the EPB switch to release the parking brake. If the [AUTO HOLD] function is used while driving (if the [AUTO HOLD] indicator is illuminated on the cluster), press the [AUTO HOLD] switch so that the [AUTO HOLD] function is turned off.

3. While depressing the brake pedal, turn the ignition switch to the [OFF] position.

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

4. While depressing the brake pedal, move the shift lever to the [N] (Neutral) position, then press the [SHIFT LOCK RELEASE] button or insert a tool (such as a flat-blade screwdriver) into the [SHIFT LOCK RELEASE] access hole and press it. The vehicle will then be able to move when an external force is applied.

CAUTION

• Always park the vehicle in [P] (Park) for safety, except when parking in neutral, and apply the parking brake.
• Before parking in [N] (Neutral), first make sure the parking surface is level and flat. Never park in [N] on any slope or incline. If the vehicle is left parked in [N], it may roll away and cause serious damage and injury.
• The electronic parking brake cannot be released after the ignition switch is turned off.
• For vehicles with EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) and the [AUTO HOLD] function, if the [AUTO HOLD] function is used while driving and the ignition switch is turned to the [OFF] position, the electronic parking brake is applied automatically. Therefore, the [AUTO HOLD] function must be turned off before the ignition switch is turned off.

D (Drive)

This is the normal driving position. The transmission will shift automatically through a sequence of seven gears for the best fuel economy and performance.

For additional power when passing another vehicle or driving uphill, press the accelerator pedal further until you feel the transmission shift to a lower gear.

Sport Mode

Regardless of whether the vehicle is stationary or moving, select Sport mode by moving the shift lever from the D (Drive) position to the manual gate. To return to the D (Drive) range, push the shift lever back into the main gate.

In sport mode, moving the shift lever forward and backward allows you to select the appropriate gear range for current driving conditions.

+ (Up): Push the lever forward once to shift up one gear.

- (Down): Pull the lever backward once to shift down one gear.

✽ NOTICE

• Only seven forward gears can be selected. To drive in reverse or park the vehicle, move the shift lever to R (Reverse) or P (Park) as required.
• Downshifting occurs automatically when the vehicle decelerates. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear is automatically engaged.
• When the engine speed approaches the red zone, the transmission upshifts automatically.
• If the driver pushes the lever to the + (Up) or - (Down) position, the transmission may not perform the requested shift if the next gear is outside the permissible engine speed range. The driver should shift to higher gears according to road conditions and keep the engine speed below the red zone.