2015 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID check engine

H3
State of charge
The state of charge (SOC) gauge
indicates the hybrid battery's charge
level. If the SOC is near Low (L)
level, the vehicle automatically oper-
ates the engine to charge the battery.
The gauge will rarely approach the
High (H) level. This is normal and is
not an indication of a malfunction.
However, if the service indicator and
MIL(Malfunction indicator lamp) turn
on when the State of Charge(SOC)
is near L, have your vehicle checked
by an authorized Kia dealer immedi-
ately.
OTFH044057
CAUTION- Extendedcranking
Do not crank the engine for aprolonged period of time with-out the engine starting. Thiscould result in damage to theHEV battery and becomingtotally discharged.

H7
Starting the Hybrid System
1.Carry the smart key into the vehi-cle.
2.Make sure the parking brake is firmly applied.
3.Place the shift lever in the P(Park) position.
In N (neutral) position, the engine
(hybrid system) will not start.
4.Depress the brake pedal.
5.Press the engine start/stop button.
6.The engine should be started with- out pressing the accelerator. In
extremely cold weather or after the
vehicle has not been operated for
several days, let the engine warm
up without depressing the acceler-
ator.
• Even if the smart key is in thevehicle, it muse be within range of
the antenna before the engine
(hybrid system) will not start.
ton is in the ACC or ON position,
if any door is open, the system
checks for the smart key. If the
smart key is not in the vehicle, the
warning, "Key is not in vehicle"
will come on, and if all doors are
closed, the chime will also sound
for about 5 seconds. The indica-
tor will turn off while the vehicle is
moving. Keep the smart key in the
vehicle when using the ACC posi-
tion or if the vehicle engine is on. If the starting procedure is fol-
lowed, the "READY" symbol on
the instrument cluster will turn on.
For more details, Please check
chapter 5.
STARTING THE HYBRID VEHICLE (SMART KEY)

Introduction
21
Your new Kia vehicle is designed to
use only unleaded fuel having a
pump octane number ((R+M)/2) of
87 (Research Octane Number 91) or
higher. (Do not use methanol blend-
ed fuels.)
Your new vehicle is designed to
obtain maximum performance with
UNLEADED FUEL, as well as mini-
mize exhaust emissions and spark
plug fouling.
Never add any fuel system cleaning
agents to the fuel tank other than
what has been specified. (Consult an
authorized Kia dealer for details.)Gasoline containing alcohol andmethanol
Gasohol, a mixture of gasoline and
ethanol (also known as grain alco-
hol), and gasoline or gasohol con-
taining methanol (also known as
wood alcohol) are being marketed
along with or instead of leaded or
unleaded gasoline.
Pursuant to EPA regulations, ethanol
may be used in your vehicle.
Do not use gasohol containing more
than 10% ethanol, and do not use
gasoline or gasohol containing any
methanol. Ethanol provides less
energy than gasoline and it attracts
water, and it is thus likely to reduce
your fuel efficiency and could lower
your MPG results.
Methanol may cause drivability prob-
lems and damage to the fuel system,
engine control system and emission
control system.
Discontinue using gasohol of any
kind if drivability problems occur.
Vehicle damage or drivability prob-
lems may not be covered by the
manufacturer’s warranty if they result
from the use of: 1. Gasoline or gasohol containing
methanol.
2. Leaded fuel or leaded gasohol.
"E85" fuel is an alternative fuel com-
prised of 85 percent ethanol and 15
percent gasoline, and is manufac-
tured exclusively for use in Flexible
Fuel Vehicles. “E85” is not compati-
ble with your vehicle. Use of “E85”
may result in poor engine perform-
ance and damage to your vehicle's
engine and fuel system. Kia recom-
mends that customers do not use
fuel with an ethanol content exceed-
ing 10 percent.
✽ ✽

NOTICE
Your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty does not cover damage to
the fuel system or any performance
problems caused by the use of “E85”
fuel.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
WARNING - Refueling
• Do not "top off" after the nozzle automatically shuts off.
Attempts to force more fuel
into the tank can cause fuel
overflow onto you and the
ground causing a risk of fire.
Always check that the fuel cap is installed securely to prevent
fuel spillage in the event of an
accident.

Features of your vehicle
10
4
Battery replacement
A battery should last for several years,
but if the transmitter or smart key is
not working properly, try replacing the
battery with a new one. If you are
unsure how to use or replace the bat-
tery, contact an authorized Kia dealer.
1. Remove the mechanical key.
2. Pry open the rear cover.
3. Replace the battery with a new
battery (CR2032). When replacing
the battery, make sure the battery
position.
4. Install the battery in the reverse order of removal. The smart key is designed to give
you years of trouble-free use, how-
ever it can malfunction if exposed
to moisture or static electricity. If
you are unsure how to use or
replace the battery, contact an
authorized Kia dealer.
Using the wrong battery can cause the transmitter or smart key to mal-
function. Be sure to use the correct
battery.
An inappropriately dis- posed battery can be harm-
ful to the environment and
human health. Dispose the
battery according to your
local law(s) or regulation.
Immobilizer system
Your vehicle may be equipped with
an electronic engine immobilizer sys-
tem to reduce the risk of unautho-
rized vehicle use.
Your immobilizer system is com-
prised of a small transponder in the
ignition key and electronic devices
inside the vehicle.
With the immobilizer system, when-
ever you insert your ignition key into
the ignition switch and turn it to ON,
it checks and determines and verifies
that the ignition key is valid.
If the key is determined to be valid,
the engine will start.
If the key is determined to be invalid,
the engine will not start.
OTF044001N
CAUTION- Transmitter
damage
Do not drop, wet or expose thekeyless entry system transmit-ter to heat or sunlight.

Features of your vehicle
26
4
Opening the hood
1. Pull the release lever to unlatch
the hood. The hood should pop
open slightly.
Open the hood after turning off the
engine on a flat surface, shifting the
shift lever to the P(Park) position for
automatic transaxle and setting the
parking brake. 2. Go to the front of the vehicle, raise
the hood slightly, pull the second-
ary latch (1) inside of the hood
center and lift the hood (2).
3. Raise the hood. It will raise com- pletely by itself after it has been
raised about halfway.
HOOD
OTF040024
OTFH044025
WARNING
Always double check to besure that the hood is firmly
latched before driving away. If
it is not latched, the hood
could fly open while the vehi-
cle is being driven, causing a
total loss of visibility, which
might result in an accident.
Do not move the vehicle with the hood raised. The view will
be blocked and the hood
could fall or be damaged.

427
Features of your vehicle
Closing the hood
1. Before closing the hood, check thefollowing:
ment must be correctly installed.
bustible material must be removed
from the engine compartment.
2. Lower the hood halfway and push down to securely lock in place.WARNING- Fire risk
Do not leave gloves, rags or any
other combustible material in the
engine compartment. Doing so
may cause a heat induced fire.
CAUTION
Before closing the hood, ensure that all obstructions areremoved from the engine com-partment and surrounding bodysheet metal. Closing the hoodwith an obstruction presentcould result in damage to theengine, sheet metal or theimpacted objects.

Features of your vehicle
30
4
Make sure to refuel your vehicle
according to the "Fuel requirements"
suggested in chapter 1.
If the fuel filler cap requires replace-
ment, use only a genuine Kia cap or
the equivalent specified for your vehi-
cle. An incorrect fuel filler cap can
result in a serious malfunction of the
fuel system or emission control sys-
tem.Emergency fuel filler lid release
If the fuel filler lid does not open
using the remote fuel filler lid
release, you can open it manually.
Remove the panel in the cargo area.
Pull the handle out slightly.
CAUTION- Exterior paint
Do not spill fuel on the exterior
surfaces of the vehicle. Anytype of fuel spilled on paintedsurfaces may damage the paint.
WARNING - Refueling&
Vehicle fires
When refueling, always shut the
engine off. Sparks produced by
electrical components related
to the engine can ignite fuel
vapors causing a fire. Once
refueling is complete, check to
make sure the filler cap and
filler door are securely closed,
before starting the engine.
WARNING - Smoking
DO NOT use matches or a lighter
and DO NOT SMOKE or leave a
lit cigarette in your vehicle while
at a gas station especially during
refueling. Automotive fuel is
highly flammable and can, when
ignited, result in fire.
CAUTION
Do not pull the handle exces- sively, otherwise the luggagecompartment area trim orrelease handle may be damaged.
OTFH044031

437
Features of your vehicle
Electric power steering
Power steering uses the motor to
assist you in steering the vehicle. If
the engine is off or if the power steer-
ing system becomes inoperative, the
vehicle may still be steered, but it will
require increased steering effort.
The motor driven power steering is
controlled by the power steering con-
trol unit which senses the steering
wheel torque and vehicle speed to
command the motor.
The steering wheel becomes heavier
as the vehicle’s speed increases and
becomes lighter as the vehicle’s
speed decreases for better control of
the steering wheel.
Should you notice any change in the
effort required to steer during normal
vehicle operation, have the power
steering checked by an authorized
Kia dealer.
✽ ✽NOTICE
The following symptoms may occur
during normal vehicle operation:
• The steering effort is increased
immediately after turning the igni-
tion switch on. This happens as the
system performs the EPS system
diagnostics. When the diagnostics
are completed, the steering wheel
will return to its normal condition
• A click noise may be heard from the EPS relay after the ignition
switch is turned to the ON or
LOCK position.
• Motor noise may be heard when the vehicle is at a stop or at a low
driving speed.
• The steering effort increases if the steering wheel is rotated continuous-
ly when the vehicle is not in motion.
However, after a few minutes, it will
return to its normal conditions.
• When you operate the steering wheel in low temperature, abnor-
mal noise could occur. If tempera-
ture rises, the noise will disappear.
This is a normal condition.
If the Electric Power Steering System
does not operate normally, the warn-
ing light will illuminate on the instru-
ment cluster. The steering wheel may
become difficult to control or operate
abnormally. Take your vehicle to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the
vehicle checked as soon as possible.
STEERING WHEEL