Kia Seltos: Driving your vehicle / Special driving conditions

When driving conditions become worse because of poor weather, damaged roads, low visibility, or reduced traction, the Kia Seltos should be driven with extra care. Slow down, increase your following distance, and avoid sudden control inputs whenever the road surface is uncertain.

Hazardous driving conditions

When hazardous driving conditions are present, such as water, snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar road hazards, follow these safe driving suggestions:

• Drive cautiously and allow extra distance for braking.

• Avoid sudden braking, sharp steering, or quick acceleration.

• When braking with non-ABS brakes, pump the brake pedal gently with a light up-and-down motion until the vehicle stops.

• Do not pump the brake pedal on a Kia Seltos equipped with ABS. Press the brake pedal firmly and allow the ABS to control braking pressure.

• If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, mud, or ice, use second gear when possible. Accelerate slowly to help avoid spinning the drive wheels.

• Use sand, rock salt, gravel, or another nonslip material under the drive wheels to improve traction when the Kia Seltos is stuck on ice, snow, or mud.

Reducing the risk of a rollover

The Kia Seltos is a multi-purpose passenger vehicle classified as a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

Utility vehicles generally have a higher rollover risk than many other types of passenger vehicles.

SUVs have higher ground clearance and a narrower track so they can perform in a wider range of road conditions. These design characteristics also give them a higher center of gravity than ordinary passenger cars. The advantage of higher ground clearance is improved road visibility, which can help the driver anticipate hazards earlier. However, the Kia Seltos is not designed to corner at the same speeds as a conventional passenger car. Always buckle up. In a rollover crash, an unbelted occupant is much more likely to be fatally injured than a person wearing a seat belt. To reduce rollover risk, avoid sharp turns, sudden maneuvers, heavy roof-rack loads, and any vehicle modifications that may affect stability.

WARNING

Rollover

As with other SUVs, incorrect operation of the Kia Seltos may result in loss of control, an accident, or a rollover.

• SUVs have a significantly higher rollover rate than many other vehicle types.

• Specific design characteristics, such as higher ground clearance and a narrower track, give this vehicle a higher center of gravity than ordinary passenger vehicles.

• An SUV is not designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional vehicles.

• Avoid sharp turns, sudden steering corrections, and abrupt maneuvers.

• In a rollover, an unbelted person is much more likely to be fatally injured than a person wearing a seat belt. Make sure everyone in the Kia Seltos is properly buckled up before driving.

WARNING

Your Kia Seltos is equipped with tires designed to provide safe ride quality, stable handling, and proper braking performance. Do not use tires or wheels that differ in size, type, tread, brand, or load-carrying capacity from the originally installed equipment. Incorrect tires or wheels can affect vehicle safety and performance, potentially leading to steering problems, rollover, or serious injury. When replacing tires, equip all four wheels with tires of the same size, type, tread pattern, brand, and load rating.

Rocking the vehicle

If it becomes necessary to rock the Kia Seltos free from snow, ice, mud, or a similar surface, first turn the steering wheel gently right and left to clear space around the front wheels. Then shift carefully back and forth between R (Reverse) and a forward gear.

Do not race the engine or allow the wheels to spin aggressively. If the Kia Seltos remains stuck after a few attempts, have the vehicle pulled out by a tow vehicle to help prevent engine overheating, transmission damage, and unnecessary tire wear.

WARNING

Sudden Vehicle Movement

Do not attempt to rock the vehicle if people, animals, or objects are nearby. When the Kia Seltos becomes unstuck, it may suddenly move forward or backward and cause injury or damage.

CAUTION

Vehicle rocking

Prolonged rocking may cause vehicle overheating, reduction gear damage or failure, transmission stress, and tire damage.

CAUTION

Spinning tires

Do not spin the wheels, especially at speeds above 35 mph (56 km/h). Spinning the wheels at high speed while the vehicle is stationary can overheat and damage the tires. In extreme cases, rotating tires or damaged tire parts may fail and injure bystanders.

ESC should be turned OFF before attempting to rock the Kia Seltos free. After the vehicle is unstuck, turn ESC back ON for normal driving.

Smooth cornering

Avoid braking or changing gears while cornering, especially on wet or slippery roads. Ideally, corners should be taken with gentle and steady acceleration. Smooth cornering helps the Kia Seltos remain stable and can also reduce unnecessary tire wear.

Driving at night

Because night driving creates more hazards than daytime driving, follow these important tips to improve visibility and safety:

• Slow down and keep a greater distance from other vehicles, because it may be more difficult to see at night, especially in areas without street lighting.

• Adjust your mirrors to reduce glare from the headlights of vehicles behind you.

• Keep the Kia Seltos headlights clean and properly aimed. On vehicles not equipped with automatic headlight aiming, dirty or incorrectly aimed headlights can make night driving much more difficult.

• Avoid looking directly into the headlights of oncoming vehicles. Bright light can temporarily reduce your vision, and your eyes may need several seconds to readjust to the darkness.

Driving in the rain

Rain and wet roads can make driving more dangerous, especially when the road surface becomes slick or visibility is reduced.

Consider the following when driving the Kia Seltos in rainy conditions:

• Heavy rain makes it harder to see and increases the distance needed to stop the vehicle, so reduce your speed.

• Keep the windshield wipers in good condition. Replace the wiper blades when they leave streaks, skip across the glass, or miss areas of the windshield.

• If your tires are worn or damaged, a quick stop on wet pavement may cause a skid and possibly lead to an accident. Make sure the tires are in good condition before driving in rain.

• Turn on the headlights to make the Kia Seltos more visible to other drivers.

• Driving too fast through large puddles can affect braking performance. If you must pass through puddles, drive through them slowly and carefully.

• If you think the brakes may have become wet, apply them lightly while driving at a safe speed until normal braking operation returns.

Driving in flooded areas

Avoid driving the Kia Seltos through flooded areas unless you are certain that the water level is no higher than the bottom of the wheel hub. If crossing water cannot be avoided, drive slowly and steadily. Allow extra stopping distance, because brake performance may be reduced after contact with water.

After driving through water, dry the brakes by gently applying them several times while the vehicle is moving slowly. Continue with caution until normal braking response returns.

Driving on unpaved roads

Drive carefully on unpaved roads, because rocks, deep ruts, tree roots, and uneven surfaces may damage the Kia Seltos underbody, tires, suspension, or other components. Before driving on unpaved roads, become familiar with the surface conditions and choose a speed that allows you to maintain control.

Highway driving

Tires

Adjust tire inflation pressures to the recommended specification before highway driving. Low tire pressure can cause overheating, poor handling, and possible tire failure.

Avoid using worn or damaged tires, because they may reduce traction, affect stability, or fail while driving at speed.

Never exceed the maximum tire inflation pressure shown on the tire sidewall.

WARNING

Under/over inflated tires

Always check the tires for proper inflation before driving the Kia Seltos. Underinflated or overinflated tires can cause poor handling, loss of control, uneven tire wear, and sudden tire failure, which may lead to accidents, serious injuries, or death. For the correct tire pressures, refer to More Details.

WARNING

Tire tread

Always check tire tread condition before driving. Worn-out tires can reduce grip, especially on wet or slippery roads, and may cause loss of control. Replace worn tires as soon as possible. For additional tire information and tread limits, refer to More Details.

Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil

High-speed travel usually consumes more fuel than city driving. Before a long highway trip in the Kia Seltos, check the fuel level, engine coolant, and engine oil to help prevent overheating, poor performance, or unnecessary stops.

Drive belt

A loose, worn, or damaged drive belt may cause the engine to overheat or related systems to operate improperly. Have the belt inspected if you notice unusual noise, visible cracks, or signs of wear.