check engine KIA Optima Hybrid 2011 3.G Owner's Guide

Driving your vehicle
25
Be sure the exhaust system does
not leak.
The exhaust system should be checked
whenever the vehicle is raised to change
the oil or for any other purpose. If you
hear a change in the sound of the
exhaust or if you drive over something
that strikes the underneath side of the
car, have the exhaust system checked as
soon as possible by an authorized Kia
dealer.
WARNING - Engine
exhaust
Do not inhale exhaust fumes or
leave your engine running in a
enclosed area for a prolonged time.
Exhaust fumes contain carbon
monoxide, a colorless, odorless
gas that can cause unconscious-
ness and death by asphyxiation.
WARNING - Open
trunk
Do not drive with the trunk open.
Poisonous exhaust gases can enter
the passenger compartment
If you must drive with the trunk
open proceed as follows:
1. Close all windows.
2. Open side vents.
3. Set the air intake control at"Fresh", the air flow control at
"Floor" or "Face" and the fan at
the highest speed.

53
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in
Section 7, “Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls areeasily reached.
Buckle your seat belt.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING - Distracted
driving
Focus on the road while driving.
The driver's primary responsibility
is in the safe and legal operation of
the vehicle. Use of any handled
devices, other equipment or vehicle
systems that distract the drive
should not be used during vehicle
operation.
WARNING - Check
surrounding
Always check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for people,
especially children, before putting a
vehicle into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).

Driving your vehicle
65
ON
Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
while it is in the ACC position without
depressing the brake pedal.
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. Do not leave
the ENGINE START/STOP button in the
ON position for a long time. The battery
may discharge, because the engine is
not running.
START/RUN
To start the hybrid system, depress the
brake pedal and press the ENGINE
START/ STOP button with the shift lever
in the P (Park) or the N (Normal) position.
For your safety, start the hybrid system
with the shift lever in the P (Park) posi-
tion.
If you press the ENGINE START/STOP
button without depressing the brake
pedal, the hybrid system will not start
and the button will change as follow:
OFF ➔ ACC ➔ON ➔OFF If you leave the ENGINE START/ STOP
button in the ACC or ON position for a
long time, the battery will discharge.
Green indicatorNot illuminated WARNING - Starting
vehicle
Never press the ENGINE
START/STOP button while the vehi-
cle is in motion. This would result in
loss of directional control and brak-
ing function, which could cause an
accident.

57
Driving your vehicle
Starting the hybrid system with a
smart key (if equipped)
1. Carry the smart key or leave it insidethe vehicle.
2. Make sure the parking brake is firmly applied
3. Place the transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
4. Press the ENGINE START/STOP but- ton while depressing the brake pedal.
5. In extremely cold weather (below -18°C (0°F) or after the vehicle has not
been operated for several days, let the
engine warm up without depressing
the accelerator. Whether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without depressing the
accelerator.
Even if the smart key is in the vehicle,
if it is far away from you, the engine
may not start.
When the ENGINE START/STOP but- ton is in the ACC position or above, if
any door is opened, the system checks
for the smart key. If the smart key is not
in the vehicle, the warning "Key is not
in vehicle" will illuminate on the LCD
display. And if all doors are closed, the
chime will sound for 5 seconds. The
indicator or warning will turn off while
the vehicle is moving. Always have the
smart key with you.
STARTING THE HYBRID SYSTEM
WARNING - Unintended
vehicle movement
Never leave the smart key in the
vehicle with children or vehicle
occupants who are unfamiliar with
the vehicle operation. Pushing the
ENGINE START/STOP button while
the smart key is in the vehicle may
result in unintended engine activa-
tion and/or unintended vehicle
movement.
OTF050007
CAUTION
If ambient temperature is low, the
"READY" symbol may stay illumi-nated longer than the normal amount of time.

Driving your vehicle
14
5
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.
Wet brakes may impair the vehicle’s abil-
ity to safely 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.
To dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward speed
until brake performance returns to nor-
mal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING - Steep hill
braking
Avoid continuous application of the
brakes when descending a long or
steep hill by shifting to a lower
gear. Continuous brake application
will cause the brakes to overheat
and could result in a temporary
loss of braking performance.
WARNING
If the brake pedal does not return to
its normal position when released,
there may be a malfunction in the
brake system. Take your vehicle to
an authorized Kia dealer and have
the system checked.
WARNING
Do not turn off the Hybrid system
while going down a hill. The brake
booster may not work sufficiently
and the braking distance may be
longer.
CAUTION - Brake pedal
Do not drive with your foot restingon the brake pedal. This will createabnormally high brake tempera- tures which can cause excessivebrake lining and pad wear.
CAUTION
Do not depress the brake pedal continuously without READY sta-tus. The battery may be discharged.

517
Driving your vehicle
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 hybrid system is in READY state,
there may be a malfunction in the brake
system. Immediate attention is neces-
sary.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.
WARNING - Parking brake
use
All vehicles should always have the
parking brake fully engaged when
parking to avoid inadvertent move-
ment of the vehicle which can
injure occupants or pedestrians.
W-75

Driving your vehicle
20
5
Electronic stability control (ESC)
The Electronic Stability control (ESC)
system is designed to stabilize the vehi-
cle 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 hydroplan-
ing on wet surfaces can still result in seri-
ous 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 driv-
ing - including driving at safe speeds for
the conditions.
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 sub-
stitute for safe driving practices. Factors
including speed, road conditions and
driver steering input can all affect
whether ESC will be effective in prevent-
ing a loss of control. It is still your respon-
sibility 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.
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521
Driving your vehicle
ESC operation
ESC ON conditionON, ESC and ESC OFF indi-
cator lights illuminate for
approximately 3 seconds,
then ESC is turned on.
for at least half a second after
turning the ignition 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 ticking
sound. This is the ESC per-
forming an automatic system
self-check and does not indi-
cate a problem. When operating
When the ESC is in operation,
ESC indicator light blinks.
Control is operating properly,
you can feel a slight pulsation
in the vehicle. This is only the
effect of brake control and
indicates nothing unusual.
or slippery road, pressing the
accelerator pedal may not
cause the engine rpm (revo-
lutions per minute) to
increase.
ESC operation off
ESC OFF state
press the ESC OFF button
(ESC OFF indicator light illu-
minates).
to LOCK position when ESC
is off, ESC remains off. Upon
restarting the engine, the
ESC will automatically turn
on again.
-

525
Driving your vehicle
The Vehicle Stability Management sys-tem is not a substitute for safe driving
practices but a supplementary function
only. It is the responsibility of the driver
to always check the speed and the dis-
tance 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 – includ-
ing driving inclement weather and on a
slippery road.Good braking practices
Check to be sure the parking brake isnot 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.
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.

527
Driving your vehicle
The cruise control system allows you to
program the vehicle to maintain a con-
stant speed without depressing the
accelerator pedal.
This system is designed to function
above approximately 40 km/h (25 mph).
If the cruise control is left on, (CRUISE
indicator light in the instrument cluster
illuminated) the cruise control can be
switched on accidentally. 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 driv-
ing in heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snow-covered) or wind-
ing roads or over 6% up-hill or down-hill
roads.✽ ✽NOTICE
During normal cruise control operation,
when the SET switch is activated or
reactivated after applying the brakes,
the cruise control will energize after
approximately 3 seconds. This delay is
normal.
✽ ✽NOTICE
To activate cruise control, depress the
brake pedal at least once after turning
the ignition switch 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.
To set cruise control speed:
1. Press the CRUISE ON-OFF button on
the steering wheel to turn the system
on. The CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument cluster will illuminate.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed, which must be more than 40 km/h (25 mph).
CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING - Misuse cruise
control
Do not use cruise control if the traf-
fic situation does not allow you to
drive safely at a constant speed
and with sufficient distance to the
vehicle in front.
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