brake light KIA NIRO PHEV 2018 Owner's Manual

633
Driving your vehicle
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 agradient 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.
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 13 mph (22
km/h) on curves.
• The VSM is designed to function above approximately 6 mph (10
km/h) 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.

Driving your vehicle
34
6
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 clement
weather and on a slippery road.
✽ ✽ 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.
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.
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.
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
6
System malfunction
When the AEB is not working prop-
erly, the AEB warning light ( ) will
illuminate and the warning mes-
sage will appear for a few seconds.
After the message disappears, the
master warning light ( ) will illu-
minate. In this case, have your vehi-
cle inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer. The AEB warning message may
appear along with the illumination
of the ESC warning light.
The AEB may unnecessarily pro- duce warning messages and warn-
ing alarms. Due to the sensing lim-
itation, the AEB may not produce
warning messages or warning
alarm at all.
When there is a malfunction with the AEB, the braking control does
not operate upon detecting a colli-
sion risk even with other braking
systems normally operating. The AEB operates only for the
vehicle / pedestrian in front, while
driving forward. It does not operate
for any animals or vehicles in the
opposite direction.
The AEB can not recognize cross- traffic or parked vehicles present-
ing a side-profile.
If the vehicle ahead makes a sud- den stop, the braking system will
not be activated sufficiently, which
could lead to a collision. Always be
aware of dangerous situations
when driving.
Sudden braking of the vehicle while the system is ON might
cause the passenger or materials
inside to move and lead to injuries.
If the brake is depressed when a collision is about to occur, the sys-
tem may not be activated.
ODE056079L
WARNING
The AEB is only a supplemental
system for the driver’s conven-
ience.
The driver still maintains
responsibility to control the
vehicle. Do not solely depend
on the AEB system. Rather,
maintain a safe braking dis-
tance, and, if necessary,
depress the brake pedal to
lower the driving speed.

647
Driving your vehicle
The cruise control system allows you
to program the vehicle to maintain a
constant speed without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
This system is designed to function
above approximately 20 mph (30
km/h).
If the cruise control is left on,
(CRUISE indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster illuminated) the cruise
control can be switched on acciden-
tally. Keep the cruise control system
off (CRUISE indicator light OFF)
when the cruise control is not in use,
to avoid inadvertently setting a speed.Use the cruise control system only
when traveling on open highways in
good weather.
Do not use the cruise control when
driving in heavy or varying traffic, or
on slippery (rainy, icy or snow-cov-
ered) or winding roads or over 6%
up-hill or down-hill roads.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• During normal cruise control oper-
ation, when the SET switch is acti-
vated or reactivated after applying
the brakes, the cruise control will
energize after approximately 3 sec-
onds. This delay is normal.
• To activate cruise control, depress the brake pedal at least once after
turning the engine start/stop but-
ton to the ON position or starting
the engine. This is to check if the
brake switch which is important
part to cancel cruise control is in
normal condition.
CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM
WARNING - Misuse of
Cruise Control
Do not use cruise control if the
traffic situation does not allow
you to drive safely at a constant
speed and with sufficient dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.
ODE056018

Driving your vehicle
60
6
Always keep the sensor and
bumper clean.
Use only a genuine Kia sensor cover for your vehicle.
Do not install accessories around the sensor and do not replace the
bumper by yourself. It may interfere
with the sensor performance.
Impact damage to the sensor or sensor area may cause the sensor
to move slightly off position and
result in the SCC not operating
correctly without any warning or
indicator from the cluster. If this
occurs, have your vehicle checked
by an authorized Kia dealer as
soon as possible.To adjust the sensitivity of
Smart Cruise Control
The sensitivity of vehicle speed when
following the front vehicle to maintain
the set distance can be adjusted. Go
to the User Settings Mode (Driving
Assist) and select SCC (Smart
Cruise Control). You may select one
of the three stages you prefer.
Slow:
Vehicle speed following the front
vehicle to maintain the set distance
is slower than normal speed.
Normal: Vehicle speed following the front
vehicle to maintain the set distance
is normal
Fast: Vehicle speed following the front
vehicle to maintain the set distance
is faster than normal speed.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
The system remembers the last
selected mode.
To convert to cruise control
mode:
The driver may choose to only use
the cruise control mode (speed con-
trol function) by doing as follows:
1.Turn the SCC on (the cruise indica-
tor light will be on but the system
will not be activated).
2.Push the distance to distance switch for more than 2 seconds.
3.Choose between “Smart cruise control (SCC) mode” and “Cruise
control (CC) mode”.
When using the cruise control mode,
you must manually assess the dis-
tance to other vehicles as the system
will not automatically brake to slow
down for other vehicles.
CAUTION - Sensor Damage
To prevent sensor cover dam-age from occurring, wash thecar with a soft cloth.

687
Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many miles (kilometers) you can get
from a gallon (liter) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in both
fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at amoderate rate. Don't make "jack-
rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts
and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Don't race between stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed to
the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily.
Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos- sible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you
can avoid unnecessary braking.
This also reduces brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your
vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate
speed, especially on the highway,
is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with
your foot resting on the brake pedal
may cause the brakes to overheat,
which reduces their effectiveness
and may lead to more serious con-
sequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire wear and may also result
in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condi-
tion. For better fuel economy and
reduced maintenance costs, main-
tain your vehicle in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in
chapter 8. If you drive your vehicle
in severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see
chapter 8 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maxi- mum service, your vehicle should
be kept clean and free of corrosive
materials. It is especially important
that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be
allowed to accumulate on the
underside of the vehicle. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to
corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unneces- sary weight in your vehicle. Weight
reduces fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer than necessary. If you are waiting
(and not in traffic), turn off your
engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION

Driving your vehicle
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6
Remember, your vehicle does not
require extended warm-up. After
the engine has started, allow the
engine to run for 10 to 20 seconds
prior to placing the vehicle in gear.
In very cold weather, however, give
your engine a slightly longer warm-
up period.
Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lugging is driving too slowly in a
very high gear resulting in engine
bucking. If this happens, shift to a
lower gear. Over-revving is racing
the engine beyond its safe limit.
This can be avoided by shifting at
the recommended speed. Use your air conditioning sparingly.
The air conditioning system is
operated by engine power so your
fuel economy is reduced when you
use it.
Open windows at high speeds can reduce fuel economy.
Fuel economy is less in crosswinds and headwinds. To help offset
some of this loss, slow down when
driving in these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating
condition is important both for econ-
omy and safety. Therefore, have an
authorized Kia dealer perform
scheduled inspections and mainte-
nance.
WARNING - Engine off during motion
Never turn the engine off to
coast down hills or anytime the
vehicle is in motion. The power
steering and power brakes will
not function properly without the
engine running. In addition, turn-
ing off the engine start/stop but-
ton while driving could engage
the steering wheel lock resulting
in loss of vehicle steering. Keep
the engine on and downshift to
an appropriate gear for an
engine braking effect.

689
Driving your vehicle
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extradistance for braking.
Avoid sudden braking or steering.
When braking with non-ABS brakes pump the brake pedal with
a light up-and-down motion until
the vehicle is stopped.
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS. If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,
use the second gear. Accelerate
slowly to avoid spinning the drive
wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, or other non- slip material under the drive
wheels to provide traction when
stalled in ice, snow, or mud.
Reducing the risk of a rollover
This multi-purpose passenger vehi-
cle is defined as a Sports Utility
Vehicle (SUV). Utility vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles. SUV's have
higher ground clearance and a nar-
rower track to make them capable of
performing in a wide variety of off-
road applications. Specific design
characteristics give them a higher
center of gravity than ordinary vehi-
cles. An advantage of the higher
ground clearance is a better view of
the road, which allows you to antici-
pate problems. They are not
designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional passenger
vehicles, any more than low-slung
sports vehicles are designed to per-
form satisfactorily in off-road condi-
tions. Due to this risk, driver and pas-
sengers are strongly recommended
to buckle their seat belts. In a rollover
crash, an unbelted person is signifi-
cantly more likely to die than a per-
son wearing a seat belt. There are
steps that a driver can make to
reduce the risk of a rollover.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING- Downshifting
Do not downshift with a dual
clutch transmission while driv-
ing on slippery surfaces. The
sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid
and result in an accident.

Driving your vehicle
92
6
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
Slow down and keep more dis-
tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver's head-
lights.
Keep your headlights clean and properly aimed. (On vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature.) Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head- lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain: A heavy rainfall will make it harder
to see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
Keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
If your tires are not in good condi- tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it easier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large pud- dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.

697
Driving your vehicle
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing,
squirt an approved de-icer fluid or
glycerine into the key opening. If a
lock is covered with ice, squirt it with
an approved de-icing fluid to remove
the ice. If the lock is frozen internally,
you may be able to thaw it out by
using a heated key. Handle the heat-
ed key with care to avoid injury.
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window
washer system from freezing, add an
approved window washer anti-freeze
solution in accordance with instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er anti-freeze is available from an
authorized Kia dealer and most auto
parts outlets. Do not use engine
coolant or other types of anti-freeze
as these may damage the paint fin-
ish.
Don’t let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely 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 the parking brake may
freeze, apply it only temporarily while
you put the gear shift lever in P (Park,
Dual clutch transmission) and block
the rear wheels so the vehicle cannot
roll. Then release the parking brake.
Don't let ice and snow accu-
mulate underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
vehicle to be sure the movement of
the front wheels and the steering
components are not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the
weather, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of
the items you may want to carry
include tow straps or chains, flash-
light, emergency flares, sand, shov-
el, jumper cables, window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, blan-
ket, etc.
TRAILER TOWING
We do not recommend using this
vehicle for trailer towing.