Kia Seltos: All Wheel Drive (AWD) system / For safe AWD operation

WARNING

All Wheel Drive

Driving conditions that require All Wheel Drive place greater stress on the Kia Seltos than normal paved-road driving. When traveling on rough, slippery, muddy, snowy, or uneven surfaces, reduce your speed and be prepared for sudden changes in traction under the tires. If you are unsure whether the conditions are safe, stop the vehicle in a secure location and carefully decide the best way to continue.

• Do not drive through deep standing water or heavy mud. These conditions may stall the engine, clog the exhaust system, or damage important vehicle components. Avoid driving down steep hills unless you are confident it can be done safely, because maintaining control on a steep descent requires extra care and skill.

  

• When driving up or down hills in the Kia Seltos, keep the vehicle as straight as possible. Use extreme caution on steep slopes, because the vehicle may roll over depending on the grade, terrain, and the presence of water, mud, gravel, or loose soil.

  

  

  WARNING

  Hills

  Driving across the side of a steep hill can be extremely dangerous. Even a small change in wheel angle may upset the balance of the vehicle. The Kia Seltos may also lose stability if forward motion stops on a slope. A rollover can occur suddenly, leaving little or no time to correct the situation, which may result in serious injury or death.

• You must become familiar with how an AWD vehicle handles during cornering. Do not rely only on experience from conventional Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles when driving the Kia Seltos in AWD mode. As a basic rule, reduce speed before corners and drive more smoothly when AWD traction is active.

WARNING

All Wheel Drive (AWD)

Reduce your speed before turning corners. AWD vehicles can have a higher center of gravity than conventional FWD vehicles, which may increase the chance of rollover if corners are taken too quickly or aggressively.

WARNING

Steering wheel

Do not hold the inside of the steering wheel when driving on unpaved roads. A sudden steering movement or steering wheel rebound caused by impact with rocks, ruts, or other ground obstacles may injure your arm and could cause loss of steering control.

• Always hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands when driving the Kia Seltos on unpaved, uneven, or low-traction roads.

• Make sure all passengers are wearing seat belts before driving. Proper seat belt use is especially important when AWD driving involves rough surfaces, hills, or sudden vehicle movement.

  

  WARNING

Wind danger

When driving the Kia Seltos in strong wind, reduce your speed and keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel. Because an AWD vehicle may have a higher center of gravity than a conventional passenger car, heavy crosswinds can reduce steering stability and make the vehicle more sensitive to sudden gusts.

WARNING

Driving through standing water

Drive slowly when passing through standing water. If the Kia Seltos is driven too fast, water may enter the engine compartment and wet the ignition system, causing the vehicle to stop suddenly. If this happens while the vehicle is on a slope or in a tilted position, there is a risk that the vehicle may roll over.

NOTICE

• Do not drive through standing water if the water level is higher than the bottom of the vehicle.

• After leaving mud or water, check brake operation carefully. Press the brake pedal several times while driving slowly until normal braking force returns.

• Shorten the scheduled maintenance interval if the Kia Seltos is driven in off-road conditions such as sand, mud, or water. Refer to More Details for service information. Always wash the vehicle thoroughly after off-road use, especially the underside.

• Because driving torque is applied to all four wheels, AWD performance is strongly affected by tire condition. Always equip the Kia Seltos with four tires of the same size, type, and overall condition.

• A full-time AWD vehicle cannot be towed by an ordinary tow truck. Make sure the vehicle is transported on a flatbed truck or with all wheels properly lifted from the ground.

WARNING

All Wheel Drive (AWD) driving

• Avoid high cornering speeds, especially on wet, snowy, gravel, or uneven roads.

• Do not make sudden steering wheel movements, such as sharp lane changes or fast, aggressive turns.

• The risk of rollover increases greatly if control of the Kia Seltos is lost at high speed.

• In a collision, an unbelted person is much more likely to suffer fatal injury than a person wearing a seat belt.

• Loss of control often occurs when two or more wheels leave the roadway and the driver oversteers while trying to return. If your Kia Seltos leaves the roadway, do not turn sharply. Slow down first, then guide the vehicle carefully back into the travel lane.

CAUTION

Mud or snow

If one of the front or rear wheels begins to spin in mud, snow, sand, or a similar low-traction surface, the vehicle may sometimes be freed by gently applying more accelerator pressure. However, do not run the engine continuously at high rpm, as this can overheat or damage the AWD system. Use smooth throttle input and stop if the Kia Seltos does not regain traction.