check engine light KIA PICANTO 2016 Owners Manual
Page 6 of 488
13
Introduction
Gasoline engine
Unleaded
For Europe 
For the optimal vehicle performance, we 
recommend you use unleaded gasoline
which has an octane rating of RON(Research Octane Number) 95 / AKI
(Anti Knock Index) 91 or higher. (Do not
use methanol blended fuels) 
You may use unleaded gasoline with an 
octane rating of RON 91~94 / AKI 87~90
but it may result in slight performance
reduction of the vehicle. 
Except Europe 
Your new Kia vehicle is designed to use 
only unleaded fuel having an Octane
Rating of RON (Research Octane
Number) 91 / AKI (Anti-Knock Index) 87
or higher. (Do not use methanol blendedfuels) 
Your new vehicle is designed to obtain 
maximum performance with UNLEADED
FUEL, as well as minimize exhaust emis-
sions and spark plug fouling.
Leaded (if equipped)
For some countries, your vehicle is 
designed to use leaded gasoline. When
you are going to use leaded gasoline, we
recommend that you ask an authorizedKia dealer whether leaded gasoline in
your vehicle is available or not. Octane Rating of leaded gasoline is 
same with unleaded one.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
WARNING 
• Do not "top off" after the nozzle automatically shuts off when refueling.
 Always check that the fuel cap is installed securely to prevent fuel
spillage in the event of an acci-dent.
CAUTION
NEVER USE LEADED FUEL. The
use of leaded fuel is detrimental to
the catalytic converter and willdamage the engine control sys-tem’s oxygen sensor and affect emission control.
Never add any fuel system cleaningagents to the fuel tank other thanwhat has been specified. (We recom-mend that you consult an authorized
Kia dealer for details.)  
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49
Features of your vehicle
With a smart key, you can lock or unlock 
a door (and tailgate) and even start the
engine without inserting the key. 
The functions of buttons on a smart key 
are similar to the remote keyless entry.
(Refer to the “Remote keyless entry” inthis section.) 
There are no buttons on the accessory 
smart key(type B)Smart key functions 
Carrying the smart key, you may lock and 
unlock the vehicle doors (and tailgate).
Also, you may start the engine. Refer to
the following, for more details.
Locking 
Pressing the button of the front outside door handles with all doors (and tailgate)
closed and any door unlocked, locks all
the doors (and tailgate). If all doors (andtailgate) and engine hood are closed, the
hazard warning lights will blink once toindicate that all doors (and tailgate) are
locked. 
The button will only operate when the 
smart key is within 0.7~1 m (28~40 in.)
from the outside door handle. If you want
to make sure that a door has locked or
not, you should check the door lock but-
ton inside the vehicle or pull the outside
door handle.
SMART KEY (IF EQUIPPED)
OTA040004
OYDECO2007CN
OTAR042240
■
Type A
■ Type B
WARNING
If the battery of accessory smart key 
is totally discharged, it is impossible
to enter the vehicle. In this case, you
can enter the vehicle with a mechan-
ical key.     
Page 103 of 488
Features of your vehicle
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4
Opening the fuel filler lid 
The fuel-filler lid must be opened from 
inside the vehicle by pulling up on thefuel-filler lid opener located on the front
floor area on the driver’s seat.
✽✽
NOTICE
If the fuel filler lid will not open because 
ice has formed around it, tap lightly or
push on the lid to break the ice and
release the lid. Do not pry on the lid. If
necessary, spray around the lid with an
approved de-icer fluid (do not use radi-
ator anti-freeze) or move the vehicle to a
warm place and allow the ice to melt.
1. Stop the engine. 
2. To open the fuel filler lid, pull up the fuel filler lid opener.
3. Pull the fuel filler lid (1) out to fully open.
4. To remove the cap, turn the fuel tank cap (2) counterclockwise.
5. Refuel as needed. ❈ If you have the LPG engine vehicle, 
refer to LPG system in section 5. Closing the fuel filler lid 
1. To install the cap, turn it clockwise until
it “clicks”. This indicates that the cap is securely tightened.
2. Close the fuel filler lid and push it light- ly and make sure that it is securelyclosed.
FUEL FILLER LID 
OTA040020OTA040021L
WARNING 
- Refueling
 If pressurized fuel sprays out, it can cover your clothes or skin 
and thus subject you to the risk
of fire and burns. Always remove
the fuel cap carefully and slowly.
If the cap is venting fuel or if you
hear a hissing sound, wait until
the condition stops before com-
pletely removing the cap.
 Do not "top off" after the nozzle automatically shuts off whenrefueling.
 Always check that the fuel cap is installed securely to prevent fuel
spillage in the event of an acci-dent.    
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Features of your vehicle
(Continued) 
 Do not get back into a vehicleonce you have begun refueling 
since you can generate static
electricity by touching, rubbing
or sliding against any item or fab-
ric (polyester, satin, nylon, etc.)
capable of producing static elec-
tricity. Static electricity discharge
can ignite fuel vapors resulting in
rapid burning. If you must re-
enter the vehicle, you should
once again eliminate potentially
dangerous static electricity dis-
charge by touching a metal part
of the vehicle, away from the fuel
filler neck, nozzle or other gaso-
line source.
 When using an approved portable fuel container, be sure toplace the container on the
ground prior to refueling. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite fuel vapors
causing a fire. Once refueling has
begun, contact with the vehicleshould be maintained until the
filling is complete.
(Continued)WARNING - Refueling dan- 
gers
Automotive fuels are flammable 
materials. When refueling, please
note the following guidelines care-
fully. Failure to follow these guide-
lines may result in severe personal
injury, severe burns or death by fire
or explosion. 
 Read and follow all warnings at the gas station facility.
 Before refueling note the location of the Emergency Gasoline Shut- 
Off, if available, at the gas station
facility.
 Before touching the fuel nozzle, you should eliminate potentially
dangerous static electricity dis-
charge by touching another metal
part of the vehicle, a safe dis-
tance away from the fuel filler
neck, nozzle, or other gas source.
(Continued)(Continued)Use only approved portable plas- 
tic fuel containers designed to
carry and store gasoline.
 Do not use cellular phones while refueling. Electric current and/or
electronic interference from cel-
lular phones can potentially
ignite fuel vapors causing a fire.
 When refueling, always shut the engine off. Sparks produced byelectrical components related to
the engine can ignite fuel vapors
causing a fire. Once refueling is
complete, check to make sure thefiller cap and filler door are
securely closed, before starting
the engine.
 DO NOT use matches or a lighter and DO NOT SMOKE or leave a lit
cigarette in your vehicle while at
a gas station especially during
refueling. Automotive fuel is
highly flammable and can, when
ignited, result in fire.
(Continued)  
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435
Features of your vehicle
Electronic power steering  (if equipped) 
Power steering uses the motor to assist 
you in steering the vehicle. If the engine
is off or if the power steering system
becomes inoperative, the vehicle may
still be steered, but it will require
increased steering effort. 
The motor driven power steering is con- 
trolled by the power steering control unit
which senses the steering wheel torque,
steering wheel position and vehicle
speed to command the motor. 
The steering wheel becomes heavier as 
the vehicle’s speed increases and
becomes lighter as the vehicle’s speed
decreases for better control of the steer-ing wheel. 
Should you notice any change in the 
effort required to steer during normal
vehicle operation, we recommend that
the system be checked by an authorized
Kia dealer.✽✽NOTICE
The following symptoms may occur dur- 
ing normal vehicle operation:
 The EPS warning light does not illu- minate.
 The steering effort is high immediate- ly after turning the ignition switch on.
This happens as the system performs
the EPS system diagnostics. When the
diagnostics is completed, the steering
wheel will return to its normal condi-
tion.
 A click noise may be heard from the
EPS relay after the ignition switch is
turned to the ON or LOCK position.
 Motor noise may be heard when the vehicle is at a stop or at a low driving
speed.
 If the Electric Power Steering System
does not operate normally, the warn-
ing light will illuminate on the instru-
ment cluster. The steering wheel may
become difficult to control or operate
abnormally. We recommend that you
contact an authorized Kia dealer. (Continued)(Continued)
 The steering effort increases if the
steering wheel is rotated continuously
when the vehicle is not in motion.
However, after a few minutes, it will
return to its normal conditions.
 When you operate the steering wheel in low temperature, abnormal noise
could occur. If temperature rises, the
noise will disappear. This is a normal
condition.
STEERING WHEEL 
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457
Features of your vehicle
Press START button while turningwheel 
If the steering wheel does not unlock nor- 
mally when the engine start/stop button
is pressed, the warning illuminates for 10
seconds on the LCD display. Also, the
warning chime sounds once and the
engine start/stop button light blinks for 10
seconds. 
When you are warned, press the engine 
start/stop button while turning the steer-
ing wheel right and left.
Check Steering Wheel Lock System
If the steering wheel does not lock nor- 
mally when the engine start/stop button
changes to the OFF position, the warning
illuminates for 10 seconds on the LCD
display. Also, the warning chime sounds
for 3 seconds and the engine start/stop
button light blinks for 10 seconds.
Steering wheel unlocked
If the steering wheel does not lock nor- 
mally when the ENGINE START/STOP
button turns to the OFF position, the
warning illuminates for 10 minutes on the
LCD display.
For vehicle’s equipped with smart key systemOTA045537LOTA045528LOTA045538L    
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Features of your vehicle
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4
Low tire pressure (if equipped)
This warning message will illuminate 
when one or more of your tires is signifi-
cantly underinflated. 
In this case, we recommend that you 
have the vehicle inspected by an author-
ized Kia dealer as soon as possible. Warnings and indicators 
All warning lights are checked by turning 
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). If any light is still ON, this indi-cates a situation that needs attention. 
After starting the engine, check to make 
sure that all warning lights are off. If anyare still on, this indicates a situation that
needs attention. When releasing the
parking brake, the brake system warning
light should go off. The fuel warning light
will stay on if the fuel level is low.
ECO indicator 
(if equipped) (Automatic transaxle)
The ECO indicator is a system that 
informs you to drive economically. 
It is displayed if you drive fuel efficiently 
to help you improve fuel efficiency. 
 The ECO indicator (green) will turn on when you are driving fuel efficiently in 
the ECO ON mode. 
If you don't want the indicator dis- 
played, you can turn the ECO ON
mode to OFF mode by pressing the
RESET button. 
As per ECO ON/OFF Mode operation, 
refer to the previous page.
 The fuel-efficiency can be changed by the driver's driving habit and road con-dition.
 It doesn't work at the condition which doesn't meet economical driving such
as P (Park), N (Neutral), R (Reverse).
 While the instant fuel consumption mode is displayed on the LCD screen,
the ECO indicator turns off.
OTA045461L  
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Features of your vehicle
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4
Electronic brake 
force distribution
(EBD) system
warning light 
If both warning lights illuminate at the 
same time while driving, your vehicle
may have a malfunction with the ABSand EBD system. 
In this case, your ABS and regular brake 
system may not work normally. In this
case, we recommend that you have the
vehicle inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.Parking brake & brake
fluid warning light
Parking brake warning  
This warning light is illuminated when the 
parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch in the START or ON position. The
warning light should go off when the
parking brake is released while the
engine is running. 
Low brake fluid level warning 
If the warning light remains on, it may 
indicate that the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low. 
If the warning light remains on:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safe location and stop your vehicle.
2. With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add 
fluid as required. Then check all brake
components for fluid leaks.
3. Do not drive the vehicle if leaks are found, the warning light remains on or
the brakes do not operate properly. In
this case, we recommend that you
have the vehicle towed to an author-
ized Kia dealer and inspected. Your vehicle is equipped with dual-diago-
nal braking systems. This means you still
have braking on two wheels even if one
of the dual systems should fail. With only
one of the dual systems working, more
than normal pedal travel and greaterpedal pressure are required to stop the
car. Also, the car will not stop in as short
a distance with only a portion of the
brake system working. If the brakes fail
while you are driving, shift to a lower gear
for additional engine braking and stop the
car as soon as it is safe to do so. 
To check bulb operation, check whether 
the parking brake and brake fluid warning
light illuminates when the ignition switchis in the ON position.
WARNING - 
Electronic
Brake force Distribution 
(EBD) System Warning Light
When both ABS and Parking Brake 
& Brake Fluid Warning Lights are
on, the brake system will not work
normally and you may experience
an unexpected and dangerous situ-
ation during sudden braking. 
In this case, avoid high speed driv- ing and abrupt braking. 
We recommend you have the vehi- 
cle inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the both ABS and brake warning 
lights are on and stay on, your vehi-
cle’s brake system will not work
normally during sudden braking. In
this case, avoid high speed driving
and abrupt braking. We recommend
you have the vehicle inspected by
an authorized Kia dealer as soon as
possible.   
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Features of your vehicle
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4
Engine oil pressure 
warning light
This warning light indicates the engine oil 
pressure is low. 
If the warning light illuminates while driv- ing: 
1. Drive safely to the side of the road and stop.
2. With the engine off, check the engine oil level. If the level is low, add oil as required.
If the warning light remains on after
adding oil or if oil is not available, we rec-
ommend that you have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia dealer as
soon as possible.
Charging system warning light
This warning light indicates a malfunction 
of either the generator or electricalcharging system. 
If the warning light comes on while the 
vehicle is in motion: 
1. Drive to the nearest safe location.
2. With the engine off, check the genera- tor drive belt for looseness or break- 
age.
3. If the belt is adjusted properly, a prob- lem exists somewhere in the electrical
charging system. We recommend that
you have the vehicle inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
CAUTION
If the oil pressure warning light
stays on while the engine is run-
ning, serious engine damage mayresult. The oil pressure warninglight comes on whenever there is insufficient oil pressure. In normal
operation, it should come on whenthe ignition switch is turned on, thengo out when the engine is started. If
the oil pressure warning light stayson while the engine is running, thereis a serious malfunction.
If this happens, stop the car assoon as it is safe to do so, turn off
the engine and check the oil level. If the oil level is low, fill the engine oilto the proper level and start theengine again. If the light stays on
with the engine running, turn theengine off immediately. In this case,we recommend that you have the vehicle inspected by an authorized
Kia dealer.
CAUTION
If the engine is not stopped imme-diately after the engine oil pressure
warning light is illuminated, severedamage could result. 
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Features of your vehicle
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4
Low fuel level
warning light
This warning light indicates the fuel tank 
is nearly empty. When it comes on, you
should add fuel as soon as possible.
Driving with the fuel level warning light on
or with the fuel level below “E” can causethe engine to misfire and damage the
catalytic converter.
Gasoline fuel indicator (if equipped)
Refer to the LPG system in section 5.
Malfunction indicator light(MIL) (check engine light) 
This indicator light is part of the Engine 
Control System which monitors various
emission control system components. If
this light illuminates while driving, it indi-cates that a potential malfunction has
been detected somewhere in the emis-sion control system. This light will also illuminate when the 
ignition switch is turned to the ON posi-
tion, and will go out in a few seconds
after the engine is started. If it illuminates
while driving, or does not illuminate when
the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position, we recommend that you have
the vehicle inspected by an authorized
Kia dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION
Prolonged driving with theMalfunction Indicator Light illumi-
nated may cause damage to the emission control systems whichcould effect drivability and/or fuel economy.
CAUTION
If the Malfunction Indicator Light illuminates, potential catalytic con-verter damage is possible which could result in loss of enginepower. In this case, we recommend
that you have the vehicle inspectedby an authorized Kia dealer as soonas possible.