2011 KIA Optima Hybrid brakes

515
Driving your vehicle
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.
Disc brakes wear indicator
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 (if equipped). 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.
Always replace the front or rear brake
pads as pairs.
WARNING - Parking brake
Avoid applying the parking brake to
stop the vehicle while it is moving
except in an emergency situation.
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.
CAUTION
If the driver’s door is not firmlyclosed for a long time, the auxiliarybattery may be discharged becausethe brake controller keeps thestandby operation. To prevent the battery discharge, close the doorcertainly.
CAUTION - Replace brake
pedal
Do not continue to drive with wornbrake pads. Continuing to drive with worn brake pads can damagethe braking system and result in costly brake repairs.

Driving your vehicle
16
5
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.
Releasing the parking brake
Foot type
To release the parking brake, depress
the parking brake pedal a second time
while applying the foot brake. The pedal
will automatically extend to the fully
released position.
OTF050015
WARNING - Brake wear
Do not ignore high pinched wear
sounds from your brakes. If you
ignore this audible warning, you
will eventually lose braking per-
formance, which could lead to a
serious accident.
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Driving your vehicle
18
5
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if equipped)
ABS (or ESC) will not prevent accidents
due to improper or dangerous 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 vehicle should be driven at reduced
speeds in the following circumstances:
When driving on rough, gravel or
snow-covered roads
When driving on roads where the road surface is pitted or has different sur-
face heights.
Driving in these conditions increases the
stoppinZg distance for 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.

519
Driving your vehicle
The ABS warning light will stay on for
approximately 3 seconds after the igni-
tion switch 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 but your regular
brakes will work normally. Contact an
authorized Kia dealer as soon as possi-
ble. When you drive on a road with poor
traction, such as an icy road, and oper-
ated your brakes continuously, the
ABS will be active continuously and the
ABS warning light may illuminate. Pull
your vehicle over to a safe place and
stop the engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS warning light is off, then your ABS is normal.
Otherwise, you may have a problem
with the ABS. Contact an authorized
Kia dealer as soon as possible.
✽ ✽ 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.
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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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523
Driving your vehicle
Hill-start assist control (HAC)
Hill start Assist Control works to prevent
the vehicle from rolling backwards while
driving from a stop on an inclined sur-
face. HAC holds the braking pressure
built up during stopping. The brakes are
held 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. 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 - Operating ESC
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.
WARNING - Activating
HAC
Drivers should pay close attention
when activating the HAC. The vehi-
cle may roll backward causing an
accident due to insufficient brake
hold pressure.

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.

Driving your vehicle
26
5
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.
Under some conditions your parking brake can freeze in the engaged posi-
tion. 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 that the
parking brake may freeze, apply it only
temporarily while you put the shift lever
in P (automatic transaxle) or in first or
reverse gear (manual transaxle) and
block the rear wheels so the vehicle
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake. Do not hold the vehicle on the upgrade
with the accelerator pedal. This can
cause the transaxle to overheat.
Always use the brake pedal or parking
brake.