2012 KIA Optima Hybrid brakes

15
Introduction
By following a few simple precautions for
the first 1,000 km (600 miles) you may
add to the performance, economy and
life of your vehicle.
Do not race the engine.
Avoid hard stops, except in emergen-cies, to allow the brakes to seat prop-
erly.
Don't tow a trailer during the first 2,000 km (1,200 miles) of operation.
HEV POWERTRAIN

465
Features of your vehicle
Brake system & Parking brake & Brake fluid warning light
The brake warning light will illuminate
when the Regenerative Brake System is
not operating properly.
Have the system checked by an author-
ized Kia dealer as soon as possible.
When the brake function is not well or the
regenerative brake system is not operat-
ed with brake system malfunction, the
brake warning light turned on and 'check
brake' is displayed on the LCD. Have the
system checked by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
Parking brake warning
This light illuminated when the parking
brake is applied with engine start/stop
button in the START or ON position. The
warning light should go off when the
parking brake is released. Low brake fluid level warning
If the warning light remains on, it may
indicate that the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low.
If the warning light remains on:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle.
2. With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required. Then check all brake
components for fluid leaks.
3. Do not drive the vehicle if leaks are found, the warning light remains on or
the brakes do not operate properly.
Have the vehicle towed to any author-
ized Kia dealer for a brake system
inspection and necessary repairs.
Your vehicle is equipped with a dual-
diagonal braking system. This means you
still have braking on two wheels even if
one of the brake circuits is damaged or
malfunctions. With only one of the circuits
working, more than normal pedal travel
and greater pedal pressure are required
to stop the car. Also, the car will not stop
in as short a distance with only a portion
of the brake system working. If the
brakes fail while you are driving, shift to a
lower gear for additional engine braking
and stop the car as soon as it is safe to
do so.
CAUTION
If the oil pressure warning light stays on while the engine is run-ning, serious engine damage mayresult. The oil pressure warninglight comes on whenever there is insufficient oil pressure. In normaloperation, it should come on whenthe engine start/stop button isturned on, then go out when theengine is started. If the oil pressurewarning light stays on while theengine is running, there is a seriousmalfunction.
If this happens, stop the vehicle assoon as it is safe to do so, turn off the engine and check the oil level. Ifthe oil level is low, fill the engine oilto the proper level and start theengine again. If the light stays onwith the engine running, turn theengine off immediately. In anyinstance where the oil light stays onwhen the engine is running, theengine should be checked by an authorized Kia dealer before the caris driven again.

Features of your vehicle
66
4
To check bulb operation, check whether
the parking brake and brake fluid warning
light illuminates when the engine
start/stop button is in the ON position.Front fog light indicator
(if equipped)
This indicator comes on when the front
fog lights are ON.
Shift pattern indicator
The indicator displays which automatic
transaxle shift position is selected.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
If the engine coolant temperature warn-
ing light illuminates, it indicates over-
heating that may damage the engine.
WARNING
Driving the vehicle with a warning
light on is dangerous. If the brake
warning light remains on, have the
brakes checked and repaired imme-
diately by an authorized Kia dealer.
WARNING
When the brake function is not well
and the regenerative brake system
is not operated with brake system
malfunction, the brake warning
light turned on with 'check brake' is
displayed on the LCD and warning
chime will sound. In this condition
you can stop your vehicle by apply-
ing greater force to the brake pedal
than normal and the stopping dis-
tance will be longer. Have the sys-
tem checked by an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.

Features of your vehicle
82
4
Non-operational conditions of
rear parking assist system
The rear parking assist system may
not operate properly when:
1. Moisture is frozen to the sensor. (It will
operate normally when the moisture
has been cleared.)
2. The sensor is covered with foreign matter, such as snow or water, or the
sensor cover is blocked. (It will operate
normally when the material is removed
or the sensor is no longer blocked.)
3. Driving on uneven road surfaces (unpaved roads, gravel, bumps, gradi-
ent).
4. Objects generating excessive noise (vehicle horns, loud motorcycle
engines, or truck air brakes) are within
range of the sensor.
5. Heavy rain or water spray exists.
6. Wireless transmitters or mobile phones are within range of the sensor.
7. The sensor is covered with snow.
8. Trailer towing The detecting range may decrease
when:
1. The sensor is stained with foreign mat-
ter such as snow or water. (The sens-
ing range will return to normal when
removed.)
2. Outside air temperature is extremely hot or cold.
The following objects may not be rec-
ognized by the sensor:
1. Sharp or slim objects such as ropes, chains or small poles.
2. Objects which tend to absorb the sen- sor frequency such as clothes, spongy
material or snow.
3. Undetectable objects smaller than 1 m (40 in.) in height and narrower than 14
cm (6 in.) in diameter.
Rear parking assist system pre-
cautions
The rear parking assist system maynot sound sequentially depending on
the speed and shapes of the objects
detected.
The rear parking assist system may malfunction if the vehicle bumper
height or sensor installation has been
modified or damaged. Any non-factory
installed equipment or accessories
may also interfere with the sensor per-
formance.
The sensor may not recognize objects less than 40 cm (15 in.) from the sen-
sor, or it may sense an incorrect dis-
tance. Use caution.
When the sensor is frozen or stained with snow, dirt, or water, the sensor
may be inoperative until the stains are
removed using a soft cloth.
Do not push, scratch or strike the sen- sor. Sensor damage could occur.

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
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U
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P
P
P
P
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- (DOWN)
Sports mode

513
Driving your vehicle
Shift-lock override
(with smart key system)
If the shift lever cannot be moved from
the P (Park) or N (Neutral) position into
the R (Reverse) position with the brake
pedal depressed, continue depressing
the brake, then do the following:
1. Carefully remove the cap covering theshift-lock access hole (1).
2. Insert a key (or screwdriver) into the access hole and press down on the
key (or screwdriver).
3. Move the shift lever.
4. Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Kia dealer immediately.
Ignition key interlock system (if equipped)
The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P (Park)
position.
Good driving practices
Never move the shift lever from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to any other posi-
tion with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
Never move the shift lever into P (Park) when the vehicle is in motion.
Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. Otherwise, the lower gear may
not be engaged.
Always use the parking brake. Do not depend on placing the transaxle in P
(Park) to keep the vehicle from moving.
Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the accelera-
tor pedal.
Moving up a steep grade from astanding start
To move up a steep grade from a stand-
ing start, depress the brake pedal, shift
the shift lever to D (Drive). Select the
appropriate gear depending on load
weight and steepness of the grade, and
release the parking brake. Depress the
accelerator gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
OTF050011

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.