2012 KIA Optima Hybrid brake light

Features of your vehicle
86
4
Battery saver function
The purpose of this feature is to pre-
vent the battery from being dis-
charged. The system automatically
turns off the parking lights when the
driver removes the ignition key and
opens the driver- side door.
With this feature, the parking lights will turn off automatically if the driver parks
on the side of the road at night.
If necessary, to keep the lights on
when the Hybrid System is turned off,
perform the following
1) Open the driver-side door.
2) Turn the parking lights OFF and ON again using the light switch on the
steering column.
Daytime running light
Daytime Running Lights (DRL) can make
it easier for others to see the front of your
vehicle during the day. DRL can be help-
ful in many different driving conditions,
and it is especially helpful after dawn and
before sunset.
The DRL system will turn OFF when:
1. The headlight switch is ON.
2. The parking brake is applied.
3. Engine stops.
Headlight escort function
(if equipped)
The headlights (and/or taillights) will
remain on for approximately 20 minutes
after the ignition key is removed or turned
to the ACC or LOCK position. However, if
the driver’s door is opened and closed,
the headlights are turned off after 30 sec-
onds.
The headlights can be turned off by
pressing the lock button on the transmit-
ter (or smart key) twice or turning off the
light switch from the headlight or Auto
light position.
Headlight leveling device
(if equipped)
Automatic type
It is automatically adjusted the headlight
beam level according to the number of
the passengers and the loading weight in
the luggage area.
And it offers the proper headlight beam
under the various conditions.
LIGHTING
WARNING
If the headlights are not working
properly, have your vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.
Don't attempt to inspect or replace
the wiring yourself to prevent mal-
function.
CAUTION
If the driver gets out of the vehiclethrough other doors (except dri-ver's door), the battery saver func-tion does not operate and the head- light escort function does not turnoff automatically. Therefore, It caus-es the battery to be discharged. In this case, make sure to turn off thelamp before getting out of the vehi-cle.

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).

55
Driving your vehicle
Illuminated ENGINE START/STOP
button
Whenever the front door is opened, the
ENGINE START/STOP button will illumi-
nate for your convenience. The light will
go off after about 30 seconds when the
door is closed.
ENGINE START/STOP button
position
OFF
To turn off the engine (START/RUN posi-
tion) or vehicle power (ON position),
press the ENGINE START/STOP button
with the shift lever in the P (Park) posi-
tion. When you press the ENGINE
START/STOP button without the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, the
ENGINE START/STOP button will not
change to the OFF position but to the
ACC position.
In an emergency situation while the vehi-
cle is in motion, you are able to turn the
engine off and to the ACC position by
pressing the ENGINE START/STOP but-
ton for more than 2 seconds or 3 times
successively within 3 seconds.
ACC(Accessory)
Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
while it is in the OFF position without
depressing the brake pedal.
The steering wheel unlocks and electri-
cal accessories are operational.
If the ENGINE START/STOP button is in
the ACC position for more than 1 hour,
the button is turned off automatically to
prevent battery discharge.
ENGINE START/STOP BUTTON (IF EQUIPPED)
OTF050005
Not illuminated
Orange indicator

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.

Driving your vehicle
10
5
For smooth operation, depress the brake
pedal when shifting from N (Neutral) to aforward or reverse gear.
When stopped on an upgrade, do not
hold the vehicle with engine power. Use
the service brake or the parking brake.
Transaxle ranges
The indicator light in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position when
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before
shifting into P (Park). This position locks
the transaxle and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehicle is
in motion will cause the drive wheels to
lock which will cause you to lose control
of the vehicle.
WARNING - Automatic
transaxle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever is
in the P (Park) position; then set the
parking brake fully and shut the
engine off. Do not use the P posi-
tion in place of the parking brake.
Always make sure the shift lever is
latched in the P position and set the
parking brake fully. Unexpected
and sudden vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are not
followed.
CAUTION - Transaxle
To avoid damage to your transaxle,do not accelerate the engine in R(Reverse) or any forward gear posi-tion with the brakes on. Thetransaxle may be damaged if you shift into P (Park) while the vehicleis in motion.

511
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or service brakes are applied.D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving posi-
tion. The transaxle will automatically shift
through a 6-gear sequence, providing the
best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing grades, depress the
accelerator fully, at which time the
transaxle will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear.
Sports mode
Whether the vehicle is stopped or in
motion, sports mode is selected by push-
ing the shift lever from the D (Drive) posi-
tion into the manual gate. To return to D
(Drive) range operation, push the shift
lever back into the main gate.
In sports mode, moving the shift lever
backwards and forwards will allow you to
make gearshifts rapidly.
CAUTION - Shifting
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage the transaxle if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is inmotion, except when “Rocking theVehicle” explained in this section.
OTF050012
+
+
+
+




(
(
(
(
U
U
U
U
P
P
P
P
)
)
)
)
- (DOWN)
Sports mode

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.

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.