Kia Picanto: Special driving conditions / Hazardous driving conditions. Rocking the vehicle

Hazardous driving conditions

Water, snow, ice, mud, sand and similar hazards can reduce grip and make vehicle control more difficult. When driving your Kia Picanto in these conditions, adapt your speed and driving inputs to the surface and follow these precautions:

• Drive cautiously and leave additional room for braking. Reduced traction can increase the distance needed to bring the vehicle to a stop.

• Avoid sudden braking and abrupt steering movements. Make changes in speed and direction smoothly to help maintain control.

• On a vehicle without ABS, use a light pumping action on the brake pedal when braking in these hazardous conditions, applying and releasing it gently until the vehicle stops.

  WARNING

  ABS

  Do not pump the brake pedal on a vehicle equipped with ABS. Maintain steady pedal pressure and allow the anti-lock braking system to regulate the braking force.

• If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, mud or sand, use second gear to help pull away. Apply the accelerator gradually and avoid spinning the drive wheels, which can make it harder to regain traction.

• When the vehicle is stuck on ice, snow or mud, improve traction with sand, rock salt or another suitable non-slip material beneath the drive wheels, or use tyre chains as appropriate.

WARNING

Downshifting

Downshifting an automatic transmission on a slippery surface can cause the tyres to skid because of the sudden change in wheel speed. This may lead to a loss of control and an accident. Exercise particular care when selecting a lower gear on roads with reduced grip.

Rocking the vehicle

If rocking is necessary to free your Kia Picanto from snow, sand or mud, first turn the steering wheel from side to side to clear space around the front wheels. On a manual transmission vehicle, alternate between 1st (First) and R (Reverse). On a vehicle with an automatic or automated manual transmission, alternate between R (Reverse) and a forward gear. Do not race the engine, and keep wheelspin to an absolute minimum. If a few attempts do not free the vehicle, arrange recovery by a tow vehicle rather than continuing to rock it. Repeated attempts can overheat the engine and damage the transmission.

CAUTION

Prolonged rocking can cause engine overheating, transmission damage or failure, and damage to the tyres. Stop the attempt if the vehicle remains stuck after a few tries.

WARNING

Spinning tyres

Avoid spinning the wheels, particularly at indicated speeds above 56 km/h (35 mph). High-speed wheelspin while the vehicle remains stationary can overheat a tyre and cause damage that may injure people nearby. The vehicle’s lack of forward movement does not make rapid wheelspin safe.

NOTE

If fitted, switch Electronic Stability Control (ESC) OFF before attempting to rock the vehicle free.

WARNING

Rocking a vehicle out of snow, mud or sand involves moving it forwards and backwards, and it may suddenly surge in either direction when traction returns. Never attempt this procedure while people or objects are near the vehicle. Keep the surrounding area clear, as an unexpected movement can injure bystanders or damage nearby objects.