engine KIA NIRO PHEV 2021 Owners Manual

Driving your vehicle
46 5
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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547
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
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.
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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.

Driving your vehicle
48 5
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.
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549
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.“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

553
Driving your vehicle
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.

Driving your vehicle
54 5
FCA is designed to detect the vehicle
ahead or pedestrian ahead in the
roadway through front view camera
recognition to warn the driver that a
collision is imminent, and if neces-
sary, apply emergency braking.
❈FCA stands for Forward Collision-
Avoidance AssistFunction setting and activa-
tion
Forward safety
The driver can activate FCA by plac-
ing the ignition switch or ENGINE
START/STOP button to the ON posi-
tion and by selecting:
“User Settings Driver Assistance
Forward Safety”
- If you select “Active Assist”, FCA
activates. FCA produces warning
messages and warning alarms in
accordance with the collision risk
levels. Also, it controls the brakes
in accordance with the collision
risk levels.
- If you select “Warning Only”, FCA
activates and produces only warn-
ing alarms in accordance with the
collision risk levels. You should
control the brake directly because
FCA do not control the brake.
- If you select “Off ”, FCA deacti-
vates,
FORWARD COLLISION-AVOIDANCE ASSIST (FCA) (FRONT VIEW CAMERA ONLY)
(IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING
Take the following precautions
when using Forward Collision-
Avoidance Assist :
This function is only a supple-
mental function 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 condi-
tions or while cornering.
Always drive cautiously to
prevent unexpected and sud-
den situations from occur-
ring. FCA does not stop the
vehicle completely and is only
intended to help mitigate an
imminent collision.

Driving your vehicle
70 5
FCA is to reduce or to avoid accident
risk. It recognizes the distance 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 mes-
sage or the warning alarms and
apply emergency braking.
❈FCA stands for Forward Collision-
Avoidance Assist.
❈Sensor fusion (front view camera
+ front radar) FCA operates for the
vehicle ahead, the pedestrian or
the cyclist in front.Function setting and activa-
tion
Forward safety
The driver can activate FCA by plac-
ing the ignition switch or ENGINE
START/STOP button to the ON posi-
tion and by selecting:
“User Settings Driver Assistance
Forward Safety”
- If you select “Active Assist”, FCA
activates. FCA produces warning
messages and warning alarms in
accordance with the collision risk
levels. Also, it controls the brakes
in accordance with the collision
risk levels.
- If you select “Warning Only”, FCA
activates and produces only warn-
ing alarms in accordance with the
collision risk levels. You should
control the brake directly because
FCA do not control the brake.
- If you select “Off ”, FCA deacti-
vates,
FORWARD COLLISION-AVOIDANCE ASSIST (FCA) (SENSOR FUSION) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING
Take the following precautions
when using Forward Collision-
Avoidance Assist :
This function is only a supple-
mental function 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 does not stop the
vehicle completely and is only
intended to help mitigate an
imminent collision.

577
Driving your vehicle
Warning message and warning
light
If the sensor or sensor cover is cov-
ered by bad weather or foreign
objects, dust, etc., FCA operation
may temporarily stop. In this case,
the warning message appears to
warn the driver.
This is not a malfunction with FCA. To
operate FCA again, remove the for-
eign substances.
FCA may not properly operate when
the front radar is contaminated or an
object such as an open area is not
existed after engine start.
Function malfunction
When FCA is not working properly,
FCA warning light ( ) will illumi-
nate and the warning message will
appear for a few seconds. After the
message disappears, the master
warning light ( ) will illuminate. In
this case, have your vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.
FCA warning message may
appear along with the illumination
of the ESC warning light.
WARNING
FCA may not activate without
any warning messages accord-
ing to driving condition, traffic
on the road, weather, road con-
dition, etc.
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Driving your vehicle
88 5
LKA operation
To activate/deactivate LKA :
With the ignition switch or ENGINE
START/STOP button in the ON posi-
tion, press the Lane Safety button
located on the instrument panel on
the lower left hand side of the driver.
The indicator ( )in the cluster dis-
play will initially illuminate white.
When the indicator(white) was acti-
vated in the previous ignition cycle,
the function turns on without any
control. If you press the Lane Safety
button again, the indicator on the
cluster display will go off.
(Continued)
The function detects lane
markers and controls the
steering wheel by a front view
camera, therefore, if the lane
markers are hard to detect,
the function may not work
properly. Always be cautious
when using the function.
When the lane markers are
hard to detect, please refer to
“DRIVER’S ATTENTION”.
Do not remove or damage the
related parts of the front view
camera function.
Do not place objects on the
crash pad that reflect light
such as mirrors, white paper,
etc. it may cause malfunction
of LKA if sunlight is reflected.
You may not hear warning
sound of LKA because of the
excessive audio sound.
(Continued)(Continued)
If other beeps such as the
seat belt warning sound are in
operation and override LKA
alarming function, LKA beeps
may not occur.
At high vehicle speeds, the
steering torque needed for
assistance may not be suffi-
cient to keep your vehicle
within the lane. If so, the vehi-
cle may move out of its lane.
Always obey the speed limit
when using LKA.
If you attach objects to the
steering wheel, the function
may not assist steering.
If you attach objects to the
steering wheel, hands off
alarm may not work properly.
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597
Driving your vehicle
Function setting and activa-
tion
Function setting
The driver can activate the function
by placing the ignition switch or
ENGINE START/STOP button to the
ON position and by selecting “User
Settings Driver Assistance 
Blind-Spot Safety”
- BCW turns on and gets ready to
be activated when “Warning
Only” is selected. Then, if a vehi-
cle approaches the driver's blind
spot area a warning sounds.
- The function is deactivated and
the indicator on the Blind-Spot
Safety button is extinguished
when 'Off' is selected. If you press Blind-Spot Safety but-
ton while “Warning Only” is select-
ed the indicator on the button extin-
guishes and the function deacti-
vates.
If you press Blind-Spot Safety but-
ton while the function is cancelled
the indicator on the button illumi-
nates and the function activates. In
this case, the function returns to the
state before the vehicle turned off.
When the function is initially turned
on and when the motor is turned off
then on again while the function is
in activation, the warning light will
illuminate for 3 seconds on the out-
side rearview mirror. If the vehicle is turned off then on
again, the function maintains the
previous state.
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