KIA FORTE 2017 Owners Manual

Driving your vehicle
38 5
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the
wheels, you may hear a “tik-tik’’
sound from the brakes, or feel a cor-
responding sensation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and it means
your ESC is active.
✽NOTICE
For maximum protection, always
wear your seat belt. No system, no
matter how advanced, can compen-
sate for all driver error and/or driv-
ing conditions. Always drive respon-
sibly.
ESC operation
ESC ON condition
• When the ignition is turned
ON, ESC and ESC OFF
indicator lights illuminate
for approximately 3 sec-
onds, then ESC is turned
on.
• Press the ESC OFF but-
ton for at least half a sec-
ond after turning the igni-
tion ON to turn ESC off.
(ESC OFF indicator will
illuminate). To turn the
ESC on, press the ESC
OFF button (ESC OFF
indicator light will go off).
• When starting the engine,
you may hear a slight tick-
ing sound. This is the ESC
performing an automatic
system self-check and
does not indicate a prob-
lem.When operating
When the ESC is in opera-
tion, ESC indicator light
blinks.
• When the Electronic
Stability Control is operat-
ing properly, you can feel a
slight pulsation in the vehi-
cle. This is only the effect
of brake control and indi-
cates nothing unusual.
• When moving out of the
mud or slippery road,
pressing the accelerator
pedal may not cause the
engine rpm (revolutions
per minute) to increase.
-

539
Driving your vehicle
ESC operation off
ESC OFF state
This car has 2 kinds of ESC
off states.
If the engine stops when
ESC is off, ESC remains off.
Upon restarting the engine,
the ESC will automatically
turn on again.
•ESC off state 1
To cancel ESC operation,
press the ESC OFF button
(ESC OFF ) shortly (ESC
OFF indicator light (ESC
OFF ) illuminates). At this
state, the engine control
function does not operate. It
means the traction control
function does not operate.
Brake control function only
operates.•ESC off state 2
To cancel ESC operation,
press the ESC OFF button
(ESC OFF ) for more than 3
seconds. ESC OFF indicator
light (ESC OFF ) illuminates
and ESC OFF warning chime
will sound. At this state, the
engine control function and
brake control function do not
operate. It means the car sta-
bility control function does not
operate any more.
Indicator light
When the ignition switch is turned
ON, the indicator light illuminates,
then goes off if ESC system is oper-
ating normally.
The ESC indicator light blinks when-
ever ESC is operating.
The ESC indicator light blinks when-
ever ESC is operating or illuminates
when ESC fails to operate.
The ESC OFF indicator light comes
on when the ESC is turned off with
the button.
■ESC indicator light
■ ESC OFF indicator light

Driving your vehicle
40 5
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the ESC system to
malfunction. When replacing tires,
make sure they are the same size as
your original tires.ESC OFF usage
When driving
• It’s a good idea to keep the ESC
turned on for daily driving whenev-
er possible.
• To turn ESC off while driving, press
the ESC OFF button while driving
on a flat road surface.
Never press the ESC OFF button
while ESC is operating (ESC indica-
tor light blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may slip out of
control.WARNING- Operating
ESC
Never press the ESC OFF but-
ton while ESC is operating.
If the ESC is turned off while
ESC is operating, the vehicle
may go out of control.
WARNING- Electronic sta-
bility control
Drive carefully even though
your vehicle has Electronic
Stability Control. It can only
assist you in maintaining con-
trol under certain circum-
stances.

541
Driving your vehicle
Hill-start assist control (HAC)
Hill start Assist Control is a comfort
function. The main intent is to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards while driving uphill on an
inclined surface. HAC holds the brak-
ing pressure builtup by driver during
stopping procedure for 2 seconds
after releasing brake pedal.
During the pressure-hold period, the
driver has enough time to press the
accelerator pedal to drive off.
The braking pressure is reduced as
soon as the system detects the dri-
ver’s intention to drive off.• The HAC does not operate when
the transaxle shift lever is in the P
(Park) or N (Neutral) position.
• The HAC activates even though
the ESP is off but it does not acti-
vate when the ESP has malfunc-
tioned.
Vehicle stability management
(VSM)
This system provides further
enhancements to vehicle stability
and steering responses when a vehi-
cle is driving on a slippery road or a
vehicle detected changes in coeffi-
cient of friction between right wheels
and left wheels when braking.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESC
indicator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability manage-
ment is operating properly, you can
feel a slight pulsation in the vehicle
and/or abnormal steering responses
(EPS). This is only the effect of brake
and EPS control and indicates noth-
ing unusual.
WARNING- Maintaining
Brake Pressure on Incline
HAC does not replace the need
to apply brakes while stopped on
an incline. While stopped, make
sure you maintain brake pres-
sure sufficient to prevent your
vehicle from rolling backward
and causing an accident. Don’t
release the brake pedal until you
are ready to accelerate forward.

Driving your vehicle
42 5
The VSM does not operate when:
• Driving on bank roads such as gra-
dient or incline
• Driving rearward
• ESC OFF indicator light ( )
remains on the instrument
cluster
• EPS indicator light remains on the
instrument clusterVSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to
turn off the ESC, the VSM will also
cancel and the ESC OFF indicator
light ( ) illuminates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light
goes out.
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if
you don’t cancel the VSM operation
by pressing the ESC OFF button. It
indicates that a malfunction has
been detected somewhere in the
Electric Power Steering system or
VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or EPS warning light
remains on, take your vehicle to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the
system checked.
• The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 15 km/h (9
mph) on curves.• The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 30 km/h (18
mph) when a vehicle is braking on
a split-mu road. The split-mu road
is made of surfaces which have dif-
ferent friction forces.
• The Vehicle Stability Management
system is not a substitute for safe
driving practices but a supplemen-
tary function only. It is the respon-
sibility of the driver to always check
the speed and the distance to the
vehicle ahead. Always hold the
steering wheel firmly while driving.
• Your vehicle is designed to activate
according to the driver’s intention,
even with installed VSM. Always
follow all the normal precautions
for driving at safe speeds for the
conditions – including driving in
inclement weather and on a slip-
pery road.

543
Driving your vehicle
Good braking practices
• Check to be sure the parking brake
is not engaged and that the park-
ing brake indicator light is out
before driving away.
• Driving through water may get the
brakes wet. They can also get wet
when the vehicle is washed. Wet
brakes can be dangerous! Your
vehicle will not stop as quickly if the
brakes are wet. Wet brakes may
cause the vehicle to pull to one
side.
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action
returns to normal, taking care to
keep the vehicle under control at
all times. If the braking action does
not return to normal, stop as soon
as it is safe to do so and call an
authorized Kia dealer for assis-
tance.
• Don't coast down hills with the
vehicle out of gear. This is extreme-
ly hazardous. Keep the vehicle in
gear at all times, use the brakes to
slow down, then shift to a lower
gear so that engine braking will
help you maintain a safe speed.• Don't "ride" the brake pedal.
Resting your foot on the brake
pedal while driving can be danger-
ous because the brakes might
overheat and lose their effective-
ness. It also increases the wear of
the brake components.
• If a tire goes flat while you are driv-
ing, apply the brakes gently and
keep the vehicle pointed straight
ahead while you slow down. When
you are moving slowly enough for it
to be safe to do so, pull off the road
and stop in a safe place.
• If your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic transaxle, don't let your
vehicle creep forward. To avoid
creeping forward, keep your foot
firmly on the brake pedal when the
vehicle is stopped.WARNING- Tire/Wheel
size
When replacing tires and
wheels, make sure they are the
same size as the original tires
and wheels installed. Driving
with varying tire or wheel sizes
may affect the vehicle's han-
dling.

Driving your vehicle
44 5
• Be cautious when parking on a hill.
Firmly engage the parking brake
and place the shift lever in P (auto-
matic transaxle) or in first or
reverse gear (manual transaxle). If
your vehicle is facing downhill, turn
the front wheels into the curb to
help keep the vehicle from rolling. If
your vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb to help keep the vehicle from
rolling. If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to
keep the vehicle from rolling, block
the wheels.
• Under some conditions your park-
ing brake can freeze in the
engaged position. This is most like-
ly to happen when there is an
accumulation of snow or ice
around or near the rear brakes or if
the brakes are wet. If there is a risk
that the parking brake may freeze,
apply it only temporarily while you
put the shift lever in P (automatic
transaxle) or in first or reverse gear
(manual transaxle) and block the
rear wheels so the vehicle cannot
roll. Then release the parking
brake.• Do not hold the vehicle on the
upgrade with the accelerator
pedal. This can cause the transaxle
to overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.

545
Driving your vehicle
The AEB system is to reduce or to
avoid accident risk. It recognizes the
distance from the vehicle ahead or
the pedestrian through the sensors
(i.e. radar and camera), and, if nec-
essary, warns the driver of accident
risk with the warning message or the
warning alarms.✽NOTICE
Take the following precautions when
using the Autonomous Emergency
Braking (AEB):
• This system is only a supplemental
system and it is not intended to,
nor does it replace the need for
extreme care and attention of the
driver. The sensing range and
objects detectable by the sensors
are limited. Pay attention to the
road conditions at all times.
• NEVER drive too fast in accor-
dance with the road conditions or
while cornering.
• Always drive cautiously to prevent
unexpected and sudden situations
from occurring. AEB does not stop
the vehicle completely and does
not avoid collisions.
System setting and activation
System setting
The driver can activate the AEB by
placing the ignition switch to the ON
position and by selecting 'User
Settings', 'Driving Assist', and
'Autonomous Braking System'. The
AEB deactivates, when the driver
cancels the system setting.
AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB) / FORWARD COLLISION WARNING (FCW)
(IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING
-
Autonomous Emergency
Braking (AEB) Limitations
The AEB system is a supple-
mental system and is not a sub-
stitute for safe driving prac-
tices. It is the responsibility of
the driver to always check the
speed and distance to the vehi-
cle ahead to ensure it is safety
to use the AEB system.

Driving your vehicle
46 5
The warning light illumi-
nates on the LCD display,
when you cancel the AEB
system. The driver can
monitor the AEB ON/OFF status on
the LCD display. When the warning
light remains ON with the AEB acti-
vated, we recommend you to have
the system checked by an authorized
Kia dealer.
The driver can select the initial warn-
ing activation time in the User
Settings in the instrument cluster
LCD display. The options for the ini-
tial Forward Collision Warning
include the following:• EARLY - When this condition is
selected, the initial
Forward Collision Warning
is activated earlier than
normal. This setting maxi-
mizes the amount of dis-
tance between the vehicle
or pedestrian ahead before
the initial warning occurs.
• NORMAL - When this condition is
selected, the initial
Forward Collision
Warning is activated nor-
mally. This setting allows
for a nominal amount of
distance between the
vehicle or pedestrian
ahead before the initial
warning occurs.
• LATE - When this condition is
selected, the initial Forward
Collision Warning is activat-
ed later than normal. This
setting reduces the amount
of distance between the
vehicle or pedestrian ahead
before the initial warning
occurs.Prerequisite for activation
The AEB will activate activated when
the AEB is selected on the LCD dis-
play, and when the following prereq-
uisites are satisfied:
- The ESC (Electronic Stability
Control) is activated.
- The driving speed is over 6 mph.
(The AEB only works within a cer-
tain range of vehicle speeds)
- When the AEB recognizes a vehi-
cle or the pedestrian in front. (The
AEB may not recognize every
obstacle or provide warnings and
braking in every situation, so do
not rely on the AEB to stop the
vehicle in instances where the driv-
er sees an obstacle and has the
ability to apply the brakes)

547
Driving your vehicle
• The AEB automatically activates
when you turn the vehicle on.
The driver can deactivate the AEB
by canceling the in the system set-
ting on the LCD display.
• The AEB automatically deactivates
when canceling the ESC. When the
ESC is canceled, the AEB cannot
be activated on the LCD display.
AEB warning message and
system control
The AEB produces warning mes-
sages, warning alarms, and emer-
gency braking based on the level of
risk of a frontal collision, such as
when a vehicle ahead suddenly
brakes, when there is no following dis-
tance from the vehicle in front, or
when it detects a collision with a
pedestrian is imminent.
Forward Warning (1st warning)
The warning message appears on
the LCD display with the warning
alarms.
WARNING
Set or cancel AEB with control-
ling switches on steering wheel
after stopping the vehicle in the
safe place for your safety.
OYDM056090