Kia Forte: LCD display for transmission temperature and warning message / Transmission ranges

The indicator 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).

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.

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, chock 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 emergency parking.
• 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.

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

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.

WARNING

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

The engine brake may not work, which may lead to an accident.

- Parking in N (Neutral) gear

Follow the steps below 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 engine start/stop 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 engine start/stop 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 turn off.

3.While pressing the brake pedal, turn the engine start/stop 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 engine start/stop button has been turned [OFF], the electronic parking brake will be engaged automatically. Therefore, [AUTO HOLD] function should be turned off before the engine start/stop button is turned off.

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 another vehicle or driving uphill, depress the accelerator pedal further until you feel the transmission downshift to a lower gear.

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 persons in or around the car.