warning KIA Optima 2012 3.G Owner's Manual

523
Driving your vehicle
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a stalled
engine or some other reason, you can
still stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than you nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, will be longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces.
In the event of brake failure
If service brakes fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an
emergency stop with the parking brake.
The stopping distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
(Continued)
When descending a long or steephill, shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
Wet brakes may impair the vehi- cle’s ability to sefely slow down;
the vehicle may also pull to one
side when the brakes are applied.
Applying the brakes lightly will
indicate whether they have been
affected in this way. Always test
your brakes in this fashion after
driving through deep water. To
dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
Always, confirm the position of the brake and accelerator pedal
before driving. If you don't check
the position of the accelerator
and brake pedal before driving,
you may depress the accelerator
instead of the brake pedal. It may
cause a serious accident.
WARNING- Parking brake
Applying the parking brake while
the vehicle is moving at normal
speeds can cause a sudden loss of
control of the vehicle. If you must
use the parking brake to stop the
vehicle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.
WARNING- Brakes
Do not drive with your foot rest-ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
(Continued)

Driving your vehicle
24
5
Disc brakes wear indicator
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and new
pads are required, you will hear a high-
pitched warning sound from your front
brakes or rear brakes. You may hear this
sound come and go or it may occur
whenever you depress the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving con-
ditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when you first apply (or lightly
apply) the brakes. This is normal and
does not indicate a problem with your
brakes.
Parking brake
Applying the parking brake
Foot type
To engage the parking brake, first apply
the foot brake and then depress the park-
ing brake pedal down as far as possible. Hand type
To engage the parking brake, first apply
the foot brake and then pull up the park-
ing brake lever as far as possible.
In addition it is recommended that when
parking the vehicle on a incline, the shift
lever should be in a low gear on manual
transaxle vehicles or in the P (Park) posi-
tion on automatic transaxle vehicles.
WARNING- Brake wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs service.
If you ignore this audible warning,
you will eventually lose braking
performance, which could lead to a
serious accident.
CAUTION
To avoid costly brake repairs, do
not continue to drive with wornbrake pads.
Always replace brake pads as complete front or rear axle sets.
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Driving your vehicle
26
5
If the parking brake does not release or
does not release all the way, have the
system checked by an authorized Kia
dealer.
Check the brake warning light by turning
the ignition switch ON (do not start the
engine). This light will illuminate when the
parking brake is applied with the ignition
switch in the START or ON position.
Before driving, be sure the parking brake
is fully released and the brake warning
light is off.
If the brake warning light remains on
after the parking brake is released while
the engine is running, there may be a
malfunction in the brake system.
Immediate attention is necessary.
If at all possible, stop driving the vehicle
immediately. If that is not possible, use
extreme caution while operating the vehi-
cle and only continue to drive the vehicle
until you can reach a safe location or
repair shop.Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if equipped)
WARNING
ABS (or ESC) will not prevent acci-
dents due to improper or danger-
ous driving maneuvers. Even
though vehicle control is improved
during emergency braking, always
maintain a safe distance between
you and objects ahead. Vehicle
speeds should always be reduced
during extreme road conditions.
The braking distance for vehicles
equipped with an anti-lock braking
system (Electronic Stability Control
System) may be longer than for
those without it in the following
road conditions.
During these conditions the vehicle
should be driven at reduced
speeds:
Rough, gravel or snow-coveredroads.
On roads where the road surface is pitted or has different surface
height.
(Continued)
W-75
WARNING
To prevent unintentional move-ment when stopped and leaving
the vehicle, do not use the
gearshift lever in place of the
parking brake. Set the parking
brake AND make sure the
gearshift lever is securely posi-
tioned in 1st (First) gear or R
(Reverse) for manual transaxle
equipped vehicles and in P (Park)
for automatic transaxle equipped
vehicles.
Never allow anyone who is unfa- miliar with the vehicle to touch
the parking brake. If the parking
brake is released unintentionally,
serious injury may occur.
All vehicles should always have the parking brake fully engaged
when parking to avoid inadver-
tent movement of the vehicle
which can injure occupants or
pedestrians.

527
Driving your vehicle
The ABS continuously senses the speed
of the wheels. If the wheels are going to
lock, the ABS system repeatedly modu-
lates the hydraulic brake pressure to the
wheels.
When you apply your brakes under con-
ditions which may lock the wheels, you
may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensation
in the brake pedal. This is normal and it
means your ABS is active.
In order to obtain the maximum benefit
from your ABS in an emergency situa-
tion, do not attempt to modulate your
brake pressure and do not try to pump
your brakes. Press your brake pedal as
hard as possible or as hard as the situa-
tion allows the ABS to control the force
being delivered to the brakes.
✽ ✽NOTICE
A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehicle
begins to move after the engine is start-
ed. These conditions are normal and
indicate that the anti-lock brake system
is functioning properly.
Even with the anti-lock brake system,
your vehicle still requires sufficient
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 pre-
vent accidents resulting from exces-
sive speeds.
On loose or uneven road surfaces, operation of the anti-lock brake system
may result in a longer stopping dis-
tance than for vehicles equipped with a
conventional brake system.
(Continued)
The safety features of an ABS (or
ESC) equipped vehicle should not
be tested by high speed driving or
cornering. This could endanger the
safety of yourself or others.
W-78
CAUTION
If the ABS warning light is on and
stays on, you may have a problemwith the ABS. In this case, howev-er, your regular brakes will worknormally.
The ABS warning light will stay on for approximately 3 seconds afterthe ignition switch is ON. Duringthat time, the ABS will go throughself-diagnosis and the light will gooff if everything is normal. If thelight stays on, you may have aproblem with your ABS. Contactan authorized Kia dealer as soonas possible.

Driving your vehicle
28
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 the 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 stabilize 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 management
system to stabilize the vehicle.
CAUTION
When you drive on a road with
poor traction, such as an icy road,and operated your brakes contin-uously, the ABS will be activecontinuously and the ABS warn- ing light may illuminate. Pull yourvehicle over to a safe place andstop the engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning light is off, then yourABS system is normal.Otherwise, you may have a prob-lem with the ABS. Contact anauthorized Kia dealer as soon aspossible.
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529
Driving your vehicle
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is an electronic system designed
to help the driver maintain vehicle control
under adverse conditions. It is not a
substitute for safe driving 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 con-
ditions which may lock the wheels, you
may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensation
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 vehicle
begins to move after the engine is start-
ed. These conditions are normal and
indicate that the Electronic Stability
Control System is functioning properly. WARNING
Never drive too fast according to
the road conditions or too quickly
when cornering. Electronic stability
control (ESC) will not prevent acci-
dents. Excessive speed in turns,
abrupt maneuvers and hydroplan-
ing 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 trac-
tion. Even with ESC installed,
always follow all the normal precau-
tions for driving - including driving
at safe speeds for the conditions.

531
Driving your vehicle
Indicator light
When the ignition switch is turned ON,
the indicator light illuminates, then goes
off if ESC system is operating normally.
The ESC indicator light blinks whenever
ESC is operating.
ESC OFF indicator light comes on when
either the ESC is turned off with the but-
ton, or ESC fails to operate when turned
on.
ESC OFF usage
When driving
It’s a good idea to keep the ESC turnedon for daily driving whenever 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 indicator light
blinks).
If ESC is turned off while ESC is operat-
ing, the vehicle may slip out of control.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
• When operating the vehicle on a
dynamometer, ensure that the ESC is
turned off (ESC OFF light illuminat-
ed). If the ESC is left on, it may pre-
vent the vehicle speed from increas-
ing, and result in false diagnosis.
• Turning the ESC off does not affect the ABS or brake system operation.
■ESC indicator light (blinks)
■ ESC OFF indicator light (comes on)
CAUTION
Driving with varying tire or wheel
sizes may cause the ESC system tomalfunction. When replacing tires,make sure they are the same size asyour original tires.
WARNING
The Electronic Stability Control sys-
tem is only a driving aid; use pre-
cautions for safe driving by slowing
down on curved, snowy, or icy
roads. Drive slowly and don’t
attempt to accelerate whenever the
ESC indicator light is blinking, or
when the road surface is slippery.

Driving your vehicle
32
5
Hill-start assist control (HAC)
(if equipped)
Hill start Assist Control is a comfort func-
tion. The main intend is to prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards while driv-
ing off uphill on an inclined surface. HAC
holds the braking 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 driver’s inten-
tion to drive off.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• 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 activate
when the ESP has malfunctioned. WARNING
Never press the ESC OFF button
while ESC is operating.
If the ESC is turned off while ESC is
operating, the vehicle may go out of
control.
To turn ESC off while driving, press
the ESC OFF button while driving
on a flat road surface.
WARNING
The HAC is usually activated only
for 2 seconds. The driver should be
careful from the rolling backward
causing the accident with behind
objects or human, when the driver
may feel the unintended rolling
backward while driving off on hill
due to insufficient brake hold pres-
sure built-up by driver during stop-
ping procedure.

533
Driving your vehicle
Vehicle stability management
(VSM) (if equipped)
This system provides further enhance-
ments to vehicle stability and steering
responses when a vehicle is driving on a
slippery road or a vehicle detected
changes in coefficient of friction between
right wheels and left wheels when brak-
ing.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESC indi-
cator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability management
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 nothing unusual.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on bank road such as gradientor incline
Driving rearward
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 ( ) illumi-
nates.
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 press-
ing the ESC OFF button. It indicates that
a malfunction has been detected some-
where in the Electric Power Steering sys-
tem 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 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 different
friction forces.
WARNING
The Vehicle Stability Management
system is not a substitute for
safe driving practices but a sup-
plementary function only. It is the
responsibility 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 acti- vate 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 inclement
weather and on a slippery road.
Driving with varying tire or wheel sizes may cause the VSM system
to malfunction. When replacing
tires, make sure they are the
same size as your original tires.

Driving your vehicle
34
5
Good braking practices
Check to be sure the parking brake is
not engaged and that the parking
brake indicator light is out before driv-
ing 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 extremely haz-
ardous. 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 driv-
ing can be dangerous because the
brakes might overheat and lose their
effectiveness. It also increases the
wear of the brake components. If a tire goes flat while you are driving,
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 vehi-
cle 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 (automatic
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.
WARNING
Whenever you leave or park yourvehicle, always set the parking
brake as far as possible and fully
engage the vehicle's transaxle
into the P (Park) position. If the
parking brake is not fully
engaged, the vehicle may move
inadvertently and injure yourself
and others.
All vehicles should always have the parking brake fully engaged
when parking to avoid inadver-
tent movement of the vehicle
which can injure occupants or
pedestrians.