Kia Soul 2023 User manual

FOREWORD
Dear Customer,
Thank you for selecting your new Kia vehicle.
As a global car manufacturer focused on building high-quality vehicles with excep
-
tional value, Kia is dedicated to providing you with a customer service experience that
exceeds your expectations.
This Owner's Manual will acquaint you with the operation of features and equipment
that are either standard or optional on this vehicle, along with the maintenance needs
of this vehicle. Therefore, you may find certain descriptions and illustrations not appli
-
cable to your vehicle. You are advised to read this publication carefully and follow the
instructions and recommendations. Please always keep this manual in the vehicle for
your and any subsequent owner's reference.
Authorized Kia Dealerships provide factory-trained technicians, utilized recom
-
mended special service tools, and supply genuine Kia replacement parts to help you
maintain and service your vehicle during your ownership.
All information contained in this Owner's Manual was accurate at the time of publica -
tion. However, as Kia continues to make improvements to its products, the company
reserves the right to make changes to this manual or any of its vehicles at any time
without notice and without incurring any obligations.
Please drive safely, and enjoy your Kia vehicle!
© 2022 Kia Canada Inc.
All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or by any information storage and retrieval system or translation in whole or part is not permitted without writ
-
ten authorization from Kia Canada Inc.
Printed in Korea

How to use this manual
We want to help you get the greatest
possible driving pleasure from your
vehicle. Your Owner's Manual can assist
you in many ways.
We strongly recommend that you read
the entire manual. In order to minimize
the chance of death or injury, you must
read the WARNING and CAUTION sec
-
tions in the manual.
Illustrations complement the words in
this manual to best explain how to enjoy
your vehicle. By reading your manual,
you learn about features, important
safety information, and driving tips
under various road conditions.
The general layout of the manual is pro
-
vided in the Table of Contents. Use the
index when looking for a specific area or
subject, it has an alphabetical listing of
all information in your manual.
Chapters: This manual has nine chapters
plus an index. Each chapter begins with
a brief list of contents so you can tell at a
glance if that chapter has the informa
-
tion you want.
You will find various WARNINGS, CAU
-
TIONS, and NOTICES in this manual.
These WARNINGS were prepared to
enhance your personal safety. You
should carefully read and follow ALL
procedures and recommendations pro
-
vided in these WARNINGS, CAUTIONS
and NOTICES.
WARNING
A WARNING indicates a situation in
which harm, serious bodily injury or
death could result if the warning is
ignored.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates a situation in
which damage to your vehicle could
result if the caution is ignored.
NOTICE
A NOTICE indicates interesting or helpful
information is being provided.

Table of Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
A
I
Introduction
Your vehicle at a glance
Safety features of your vehicle
Features of your vehicle
Driving your vehicle
What to do in an emergency
Maintenance
Specifications & Consumer information
Abbreviation
Index

1Introduction
Introduction
Fuel requirements ..........................................................................1-2
Vehicle modifications.................................................................... 1-4
Vehicle break-in process .............................................................. 1-4
Vehicle handling instructions ...................................................... 1-5
Vehicle data collection and event data recorders .................... 1-5

Introduction
21
Fuel requirements
Introduction
Fuel requirements
Your new vehicle is designed to use only
unleaded fuel having a pump octane
number ((R+M)/2) of 87 (Research
Octane Number 91) or higher. (Do not
use methanol blend- ed fuels.)
Your new vehicle is designed to obtain
maximum performance with UNLEADED
FUEL, as well as minimize exhaust emis
-
sions and spark plug fouling.
Never add any fuel system cleaning
agents to the fuel tank other than what
has been specified. (Consult an autho
-
rized Kia dealer for details.)
僅 Tighten the cap until it clicks one time,
otherwise the Check Engine
light will appear.
WARNING
Refueling
僅 Do not "top off" after the nozzle auto -
matically shuts off. Attempts to force
more fuel into the tank can cause fuel
overflow onto you and the ground
causing a risk of fire.
僅 Always check that the fuel cap is
installed securely to prevent fuel spill
-
age, especially in the event of an acci -
dent.
Gasoline containing alcohol and
methanol
Gasohol, a mixture of gasoline and etha -
nol (also known as grain alcohol), and
gasoline or gasohol containing methanol
(also known as wood alcohol) are being
marketed along with or instead of
leaded or unleaded gasoline.
Do not use gasohol containing more
than 15% ethanol, and do not use gaso
-
line or gasohol containing any methanol.
Either of these fuels may cause drivabil
-
ity problems and damage to the fuel
system, engine control system and emis
-
sion control system.
Methanol may cause drivability prob
-
lems and damage to the fuel system,
engine control system and emission
control system.
Discontinue using gasohol of any kind if
drivability problems occur.
Vehicle damage or drivability problems
may not be covered by the manufac
-
turer's warranty if they result from the
use of:
1. Gasoline or gasohol containing meth
-
anol.
2. Leaded fuel or leaded gasohol.
3. Gasohol containing more than 15%
ethanol.
"E85" fuel is an alternative fuel com
-
prised of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline,
and is manufactured exclusively for use
in Flexible Fuel Vehicles. "E85" is not
compatible with your vehicle. Use of
"E85" may result in poor engine perfor
-
mance and damage to your vehicle's
engine and fuel system. Kia recom -
mends that customers do not use fuel
with an ethanol content exceeding 15%.
NOTICE
Your New Vehicle Limited Warranty
does not cover damage to the fuel sys -
tem or any performance problems
caused by the use of "E85" fuel.
NOTICE
Never use any fuel containing methanol.
Discontinue use of any methanol con -
taining product which may inhibit proper
drivability.

3
1
1
Introduction Fuel requirements
Other fuels
Using fuels that contain Silicone (Si),
MMT (Manganese, Mn), Ferrocene (Fe),
and Other metalic additives, may cause
vehicle and engine damage or cause
misfiring, poor acceleration, engine stall
-
ing, catalyst melting, clogging, abnormal
corrosion, life cycle reduction, etc.
Also, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(MIL) may appear.
NOTICE
Damage to the fuel system or perfor -
mance problem caused by the use of
these fuels may not be covered by your
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Use of MTBE
Kia recommends avoiding fuels contain -
ing MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether)
over 15.0% vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7%
weight) in your vehicle.
Fuel containing MTBE over 15.0% vol.
(Oxygen Content 2.7% weight) may
reduce vehicle performance and pro
-
duce vapor lock or hard starting.
NOTICE
Your New Vehicle Limited Warranty may
not cover damage to the fuel system
and any performance problems that are
caused by the use of fuels containing
methanol or fuels containing MTBE
(Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) over 15.0%
vol. (Oxygen Content 2.7% weight.)
Gasoline containing MMT
Some gasoline contains harmful manga -
nese- based fuel additives Such as MMT
(Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tri
-
carbonyl). Kia does not recommend the
use of gasoline containing MMT. This
type of fuel can reduce vehicle perfor
-
mance and affect your emission control
system. The Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on the cluster may come on.
Do not use methanol
Fuels containing methanol (wood alco -
hol) should not be used in your vehicle.
This type of fuel can reduce vehicle per -
formance and damage components of
the fuel system, engine control system
and emission control system.
Operation in foreign countries
If you are going to drive your vehicle in
another country, be sure to: 僅 Observe
all regulations regarding registration and
insurance. 僅 Determine that acceptable
fuel is available.

Introduction
41
Vehicle modifications
Vehicle modifications
This vehicle should not be modified.
Modification of your vehicle could affect
its performance, safety or durability and
may even violate governmental safety
and emissions regulations.
NOTICE
Damage or performance problems
resulting from any modification may not
be covered under warranty.
CAUTION
If you use unauthorized electronic
devices, it may cause the vehicle to
operate abnormally, wire damage, bat
-
tery discharge and fire. For your safety,
do not use unauthorized electronic
devices.
Vehicle break-in process
By following a few simple precautions
for the first 1,000 km (600 miles) you
may add to the performance, economy
and life of your vehicle.
僅 Do not race the engine.
僅 While driving, keep your engine speed
(rpm, or revolutions per minute)
between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
僅 Do not maintain a single speed for
long periods of time, either fast or
slow. Varying engine speed is needed
to properly break-in the engine.
僅 Avoid hard stops, except in emergen
-
cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop -
erly.
僅 Don't tow a trailer during the first
2,000 km (1,200 miles) of operation.
僅 Fuel economy and engine perfor
-
mance may vary depending on vehi -
cle break-in process and be stabilized
after 6,000 km (4,000 miles). New
engines may consume more oil during
the vehicle break-in period.

5
1
1
Introduction Vehicle handling instructions
Vehicle handling instructions
As with other vehicles of this type, failure
to operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control, an accident or
vehicle rollover.
Specific design characteristics (higher
ground clearance, track, etc.) give this
vehicle a higher center of gravity than
other types of vehicles. In other words
they are not designed for cornering at
the same speeds as conventional 2-
wheel drive vehicles.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
Again, failure to operate this vehicle cor
-
rectly may result in loss of control, an
accident or vehicle rollover.
Be sure to
read the “Reducing the risk of a roll -
over” driving guidelines, in chapter 5
of this manual.
Vehicle data collection and
event data recorders
This vehicle is equipped with an event
data recorder (EDR). The main pur
-
pose of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an air bag deployment or hit
-
ting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a vehi -
cle's systems performed. The EDR is
designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems
for a short period of time, typically 30
seconds or less. The EDR in this vehi
-
cle is designed to record such data as:
僅 How various systems in your vehi
-
cle were operating;
僅 Whether or not the driver and pas
-
senger safety belts were buckled/
fastened;
僅 How far (if at all) the driver was
depressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal; and,
僅 How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in
which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your
vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situ
-
ation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving condi -
tions and no personal data (e.g.,
name, gender, age, and crash loca
-
tion) are recorded. However, other
parties, such as law enforcement,
could combine the EDR data with the
type of personally identifying data
routinely acquired during a crash
investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR,
special equipment is required, and
access to the vehicle or the EDR is
needed. In addition to the vehicle

Introduction
61
Vehicle data collection and event data recorders
manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the spe
-
cial equipment, can read the informa -
tion if they have access to the vehicle
or the EDR.

2Your vehicle at a glance
Your vehicle at a glance
Exterior overview .......................................................................... 2-2
Interior overview ...........................................................................2-4
Instrument panel overview ..........................................................2-6
Engine compartment.....................................................................2-8

Your vehicle at a glance
22
Exterior overview
Your vehicle at a glance
Exterior overview
Front view
* The actual shape may differ from the illustration.
1. Hood 4-28
2. Head lamp 4-69, 7-50
3. Front fog lamp 4-72, 7-52
4. Wheel and tire 7-27, 8-5
5. Outside rearview mirror 4-40
6. Sunroof 4-32
7. Front windshield wiper blades 4-76, 7-23
8. Windows 4-24
9. Front ultrasonic sensor 5-136
OSK3012001N

3
2
2
Your vehicle at a glance Exterior overview
Rear view
* The actual shape may differ from the illustration.
1. Door 4-17
2. Fuel filler door 4-29
3. Rear combination lamp 7-53, 7-51
4. High mounted stop lamp 7-55
5. Rear wiper 4-78, 7-24
6. Liftgate 4-21
7. Antenna 4-122
8. Wide-rear view camera 5-132
9. Rear ultrasonic sensor 5-136, 5-146
OSK3012002N

Your vehicle at a glance
42
Interior overview
Interior overview
* The actual shape may differ from the illustration.
1. Inside door handle 4-18
2. Power window switch 4-25
3. Central Door lock/unlock switch 4-18
4. Power window lock switch 4-27
5. Outside rearview mirror control switch 4-41
6. Outside rearview mirror folding switch 4-42
7. Fuel filler door open lever 4-29
8. Instrument panel illumination control switch 4-44
9. ESC Off button 5-28
10.ISG Off button 5-34
11.Parking/View button 5-132
12.Parking Safety button 5-34
13.Steering wheel 4-36
OSK3012003N

5
2
2
Your vehicle at a glance Interior overview
14.Steering wheel tilt/telescopic lever 4-37
15.Instrument panel fuse 7-37
16.Hood release lever 4-28
17.Shift lever 5-13
18.Seat 3-5

Your vehicle at a glance
62
Instrument panel overview
Instrument panel overview
* The actual shape may differ from the illustration.
1. Audio remote control button
2. Driver's front air bag 3-45
3. Horn 4-38
4. Driving Assist button 4-47
5. Instrument cluster 4-43
6. Lighting control lever 4-70
7. Wiper and washer control lever 4-76
8. Ignition switch or ENGINE START/STOP button 5-7, 5-9
9. Infotainment system
10.Hazard warning flasher switch 6-3
11.Climate control system 4-85, 4-94
12.Front seat warmer and air ventilation seat button 4-110, 4-112
13.Power outlet 4-113
OSK3012004N

7
2
2
Your vehicle at a glance Instrument panel overview
14.Steering wheel heater button 4-38
15.Drive mode button 5-37
16.Center console storage box 4-107
17.EPB button 5-21
18.Glove box 4-108
19.Passenger's front air bag 3-45
20.USB charger 4-114
21.AUTO HOLD button 4-114

Your vehicle at a glance
82
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
(Gasoline) 2.0 MPI
* The actual engine cover in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
1. Engine coolant reservoir 7-16
2. Engine oil filler cap 7-14
3. Brake / clutch fluid reservoir 7-18
4. Air cleaner 7-21
5. Fuse box 7-39
6. Negative battery terminal 6-5, 7-25
7. Positive battery terminal 6-5, 7-25
8. Engine oil dipstick 7-14
9. Radiator cap 6-7, 7-16
10.Windshield washer fluid reservoir 7-19
OSK3072053N