KIA NIRO HYBRID EV 2021 Owners Manual

545
Driving your vehicle
Even with the anti-lock brake sys-
tem, your vehicle still requires suf-
ficient stopping distance. Always
maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you.
Always slow down when cornering.
The anti-lock brake system cannot
prevent accidents resulting from
excessive speeds.
On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake
system may result in a longer stop-
ping distance than for vehicles
equipped with a conventional
brake system.The ABS warning light will stay on for
approximately 3 seconds after the
ignition switch or the ENGINE
START/STOP button is ON. During
that time, the ABS will go through
self-diagnosis and the light will go off
if everything is normal. If the light
stays on, you may have a problem
with your ABS. Contact an author-
ized Kia dealer as soon as possible. When you drive on a road having
poor traction, such as an icy road,
and have operated your brakes
continuously, the ABS will be active
continuously and the ABS warning
light may illuminate. Pull your vehi-
cle over to a safe place and stop
the engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS
warning light goes off, then your
ABS system is normal. Otherwise,
you may have a problem with the
ABS. Contact an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
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Driving your vehicle
46 5
✽
✽
NOTICE
When you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the
engine may not run as smoothly and
the ABS warning light may turn on at
the same time. This happens because
of low battery voltage. It does not
mean your ABS has malfunctioned.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC)
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system is designed to stabi-
lize the vehicle during cornering
maneuvers. ESC checks where you
are steering and where the vehicle is
actually going. ESC applies the
brakes on individual wheels and
intervenes with the engine manage-
ment system to stabilize the vehicle.
Electronic stability control (ESC) will
not prevent accidents. Excessive
speed in turns, abrupt maneuvers
and hydroplaning on wet surfaces
can still result in serious accidents.Only a safe and attentive driver can
prevent accidents by avoiding
maneuvers that cause the vehicle to
lose traction. Even with ESC
installed, always follow all the normal
precautions for driving - including
driving at safe speeds for the condi-
tions.
ODEP059016
WARNING
For maximum protection, always
wear your seat belt. No system,
no matter how advanced, can
compensate for all driver error
and/or driving conditions.
Always drive responsibly.

547
Driving your vehicle
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is an electronic system
designed to help the driver maintain
vehicle control under adverse condi-
tions. It is not a substitute for safe driv-
ing practices. Factors including speed,
road conditions and driver steering
input can all affect whether ESC will be
effective in preventing a loss of control.
It is still your responsibility to drive and
corner at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
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 corresponding sensa-
tion in the brake pedal. This is normal
and it means your ESC is active.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehi-
cle begins to move after the engine is
started. These conditions are normal
and indicate that the Electronic
Stability Control System is function-
ing properly.
ESC operation
ESC ON condition
When the ignition switch or
the ENGINE START/STOP
button is turned ON, ESC
and ESC OFF indicator
lights illuminate for approxi-
mately 3 seconds, then
ESC is turned on.

ton for at least half a sec-
ond after turning the igni-
tion switch or the ENGINE
START/STOP button 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).

you may hear a slight tick-
ing sound. This is the ESC
performing an automatic
system self-check and does
not indicate a problem.When operating
When the ESC is in opera-
tion, the ESC indicator light
blinks.

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.

mud or driving on a slip-
pery road, pressing the
accelerator pedal may not
cause the engine rpm
(revolutions per minute) to
increase.
-

Driving your vehicle
48 5
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.“Traction Control disabled”
ESC off state 1
To cancel ESC operation, press the
ESC OFF button (ESC OFF ) for
less than 3 seconds and the ESC
OFF indicator light (ESC OFF ) will
illuminate. At this state, the engine
control function does not operate. It
means the traction control function
does not operate. Only the brake con-
trol function will operate.
“Traction & Stability Control disabled”

To cancel ESC operation, press the
ESC OFF button (ESC OFF ) for
more than 3 seconds. ESC OFF indi-
cator light (ESC OFF ) will illumi-
nate 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 stability control function will not
operate any more.
Indicator light
When ignition switch or the ENGINE
START/STOP button is turned to ON,
the indicator light illuminates, then
goes off if the ESC system is operat-
ing normally.
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

549
Driving your vehicle
ESC OFF usage
When driving
ESC should be turned on for daily
driving whenever possible.
To turn ESC off while driving, press
the ESC OFF button while driving
on a flat road surface.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• When operating the vehicle on a
dynamometer, ensure that the
ESC is turned off (ESC OFF light
illuminated). If the ESC is left on,
it may prevent the vehicle speed
from increasing, and result in false
diagnosis.
• Turning the ESC off does not
affect ABS or brake system opera-
tion.WARNING- Electronic sta-
bility control
Drive carefully even though your
vehicle has Electronic Stability
Control. It can only assist you in
maintaining control under cer-
tain circumstances.
WARNING- Operating
ESC
Never press the ESC OFF but-
ton while ESC is operating (ESC
indicator light blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may slip
out of control.

Driving your vehicle
50 5
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 detects 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- Electronic Power Steering).
This is only the effect of brake and
EPS control and indicates nothing
unusual.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on a sloping road such as a
gradient or incline
Driving in reverse
ESC OFF indicator light ( )
remains on the instrument cluster
EPS indicator light remains on the
instrument cluster
VSM 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.
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 diminish
any supplemental safety benefits
of the VSM system.
WARNING
- Vehicle stability manage-
ment
Drive carefully even though your
vehicle has vehicle stability
management. It can only assist
you in maintaining control of the
vehicle under certain circum-
stances.

551
Driving your vehicle
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.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 22 km/h (13
mph) on curves.
• The VSM is designed to function
above approximately 10 km/h (6
mph) when a vehicle is braking on
a split-mu surface. A split-mu sur-
face is made of two surfaces which
have different friction forces.
The Vehicle Stability Management
system is not a substitute for safe
driving practices but a supplemen-
tary function only. It is the responsi-
bility 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 fol-
low all the normal precautions for
driving at safe speeds for the condi-
tions – including driving in inclement
weather and on a slippery road.Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
A vehicle has the tendency to roll
back on a steep hill when it starts to
go after stopping. The Hill-start
Assist Control (HAC) prevents the
vehicle from rolling back by applying
the brakes automatically for about 2
seconds. The brakes are released
when the accelerator pedal is
depressed or after about 2 seconds.
The HAC is activated only for about 2
seconds, so when the vehicle is
starting off always depress the accel-
erator pedal.
WARNING
For maximum protection,
always wear your seat belt. No
system, no matter how
advanced, can compensate for
all driver error and/or driving
conditions. Always drive
responsibly.
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
52 5
Good braking practices
Check to be sure the parking brake
is not engaged and the parking
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 author-
ized Kia dealer for assistance.
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 a
dual clutch transmission, don't let
your vehicle creep forward. To
avoid creeping forward, keep your
foot firmly on the brake pedal when
the vehicle is stopped.
Be cautious when parking on a hill.
Firmly engage the parking brake
and place the shift lever in P (Dual
clutch transmission). 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 (Dual clutch
transmission) and block the rear
wheels so the vehicle cannot roll.
Then release the parking brake.
Do not hold the vehicle on an
incline with the accelerator pedal.
This can cause the transaxle to
overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.

553
Driving your vehicle
FCA system is to reduce or to avoid
accident risk. It recognizes the dis-
tance from the vehicle ahead, the
pedestrian or the cyclist through the
sensors (i.e. front view camera and
front radar), and, if necessary, warns
the driver of accident risk with the
warning message or the warning
alarms and apply emergency brak-
ing.
❈FCA stands for Forward Collision-
Avoidance Assist.
❈Sensor fusion (front view camera
+ front radar) FCA system oper-
ates for the vehicle ahead, the
pedestrian or the cyclist in front.System setting and activation
Forward safety
The driver can activate FCA system
by placing the ignition switch or
ENGINE START/STOP button to the
ON position and by selecting:
“User Settings →Driver Assistance
→Forward Safety”
- If you select “Active Assist”, FCA
system activates. FCA produces
warning messages and warning
alarms in accordance with the col-
lision risk levels. Also, it controls
the brakes in accordance with the
collision risk levels.
- If you select “Warning Only”, FCA
system activates and produces
only warning alarms in accordance
with the collision risk levels. You
should control the brake directly
because FCA system do not con-
trol the brake.
- If you select “Off ”, FCA system
deactivates,
FORWARD COLLISION-AVOIDANCE ASSIST (FCA) (SENSOR FUSION) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING
Take the following precautions
when using Forward Collision-
Avoidance Assist system:
This system is only a supple-
mental system and it is not
intended to, nor does it replace
the need for the 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 condi-
tions or while cornering.
Always drive cautiously to
prevent unexpected and sud-
den situations from occur-
ring. FCA system does not
stop the vehicle completely
and is only intended to help
mitigate an imminent colli-
sion.

Driving your vehicle
54 5
The warning light illumi-
nates on the LCD display,
when you cancel FCA sys-
tem. The driver can moni-
tor the FCA ON/OFF status on the
LCD display. Also, the warning light
illuminates when the ESC (Electronic
Stability Control) is turned off. When
the warning light remains ON with
FCA activated, have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia deal-
er.Warning Timing
The driver can select the initial warn-
ing activation time on the LCD dis-
play.
Go to the “User Settings → Driver
Assistance →Warning Timing →
Normal/Later”The options for the initial Forward
Collision Warning includes the fol-
lowing:
- Normal:
When this condition is selected, the
initial Forward Collision Warning sys-
tem is activated normally. This setting
allows for a nominal amount of dis-
tance between the vehicle ahead
before the initial warning occurs.
- Later:
When this condition is selected, the
initial Forward Collision Warning sys-
tem is activated later than normal.
This setting reduces the amount of
distance between the vehicle ahead,
the pedestrian or the cyclist before
the initial warning occurs.
Select 'Later' when traffic is light and
when driving speed is slow.
If the vehicle in front puts on a burst
of speed, the driver can notice the
warning alarm is early even though
the later option is selected.
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