2021 KIA NIRO HYBRID EV check engine light

Driving your vehicle
8 5
ON
The warning lights can be checked
before the engine is started. This is
the normal running position after the
engine is started.
Do not leave the ignition switch ON if
the engine is not running to prevent
battery discharge.START
Turn the ignition switch to the START
position to start the engine. The
engine will crank until you release
the key; then it returns to the ON
position. The brake warning light can
be checked in this position.
The anti-theft steering column lock (if
equipped) is not a substitute for the
parking brake. Before leaving the dri-
ver’s seat, always make sure the shift
lever is engaged in P (Park) for dual
clutch transmission, set the parking
brake fully and shut the engine off.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement may occur if these pre-
cautions are not taken.
WARNING- Key holder
Do not place small purses, mul-
tiple keys, or other heavy acces-
sories on your vehicle key ring.
The driver can accidently push
these objects causing the ACC
position to change while in
motion and disrupt the proper
operation of some of the vehi-
cle's safety features.
WARNING- Ignition switch
Never turn the ignition switch to
LOCK or ACC while the vehicle
is moving. This would result in
loss of directional control and
braking function, which could
cause an accident.

Driving your vehicle
12 5
ACC(Accessory)
Press the ENGINE START/STOP
button while it is in the OFF position
without depressing the brake pedal.
If the ENGINE START/STOP button
is in the ACC position for more than
1 hour, the button is turned off auto-
matically to prevent battery dis-
charge.
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 engine, depress the
brake pedal and press the ENGINE
START/ STOP button with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position. For
your safety, start the engine with the
shift lever in the P (Park) position.
If you press the ENGINE START/STOP
button without depressing the brake
pedal for dual clutch transmission vehi-
cles, the engine will not start and the
ENGINE START/STOP button
changes as follow:
OFF ➔ACC ➔ON ➔OFF or ACC
Not illuminated AmberRed

533
Driving your vehicle
Check the brake warning light by turn-
ing the ignition switch or ENGINE
START/STOP button ON (do not start
the engine). This light will be illuminat-
ed when the parking brake is applied
with the Ignition switch or ENGINE
START/STOP button 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 engine is running, there may
be a malfunction in the brake system.
Immediate attention is necessary.If at all possible, cease driving the
vehicle immediately. If that is not pos-
sible, use extreme caution while
operating the vehicle and only contin-
ue to drive the vehicle until you can
reach a safe location or repair shop.
WARNING - Parking brake
use
Never allow a passenger to
touch the parking brake. If the
parking brake is released
unintentionally, serious injury
may occur.
All vehicles should always
have the parking brake fully
engaged when parked to avoid
inadvertent movement of the
vehicles which can injure
occupants or pedestrians.
W-75

535
Driving your vehicle
To release EPB (Electronic Parking
Brake) automatically:
Shift lever in P (Park)
With the engine running depress
the brake pedal and shift out of P
(Park) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
Shift lever in N (Neutral)
With the engine running depress
the brake pedal and shift out of N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse) or D
(Drive).
Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly when the following condi-
tions are satisfied:
1. Start the engine.
2. Fasten the driver's seat belt.
3. Close the driver's door, engine
hood and liftgate.
4. The shift lever is in R (Rear), D
(Drive) or manual mode.
Make sure the brake warning light
goes off.✽ ✽
NOTICE
• For your safety, you can engage
the EPB even though the ignition
switch or ENGINE START/STOP
button is in the OFF position, but
you cannot release it.
• For your safety, depress the brake
pedal and release the parking
brake manually with the EPB
switch when you drive downhill or
when backing up the vehicle.
EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) may
be automatically applied when:
The EPB is overheated
Requested by other systems
The hybrid system is turned off
with the EPB applied
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• If Auto Hold is operating (Green
light), EPB is applied automatical-
ly when the hybrid system is
turned off.
• If Auto Hold is in ready position
(White light), EPB is applied auto-
matically after 1 second from the
hybrid system off timing. In this
case, if the EPB switch is pressed
within 1 second, the EPB will not
be applied.
CAUTION
If the parking brake warning
light is still on even though
the EPB has been released,
have the system checked by
an authorized Kia dealer.
Do not drive your vehicle with
the EPB applied. It may cause
excessive brake pad and
brake rotor wear.

Driving your vehicle
38 5
EPB malfunction indicator
(if equipped)
This warning light illuminates if the
ignition switch or ENGINE START/
STOP button is changed to the ON
position and goes off in approximately
3 seconds if the system is operation
normally.
If the EPB malfunction indicator
remains on, comes on while driving,
or does not come on when the igni-
tion switch or ENGINE START/STOP
button is changed to the ON position,
this indicates that the EPB may have
malfunctioned.If this occurs, have your vehicle
checked by an authorized Kia dealer
as soon as possible.
The EPB malfunction indicator may
illuminate when the ESC indicator
comes on to indicate that the ESC is
not working properly, but it does not
indicate a malfunction of the EPB.
ODEP059286
CAUTION
The EPB warning light may
illuminate if the EPB switch
operates abnormally. Shut the
engine off and turn it on again
after a few minutes. The warn-
ing light will go off and the
EPB switch will operate nor-
mally. However, if the EPB
warning light is still on, have
the system checked by an
authorized Kia dealer.
If the parking brake warning
light does not illuminate or
blinks even though the EPB
switch was pulled up, the EPB
is not applied.
(Continued)
(Continued)
If the parking brake warning
light blinks when the EPB
warning light is on, press the
switch, then pull it up. Once
more press it back to its origi-
nal position and pull it back
up. If the EPB warning does
not go off, have the system
checked by an authorized Kia
dealer.

Driving your vehicle
42 5
(Continued)
In these cases, the brake warning
light comes on, the AUTO HOLD
indicator changes from green to
white, and a warning sounds and a
message will appear to inform you
that EPB has been automatically
engaged. Before driving off again,
press foot brake pedal, check the
surrounding area near your vehi-
cle and release parking brake
manually with the EPB switch.
• If the AUTO HOLD indicator
lights up yellow, the Auto Hold is
not working properly. Take your
vehicle to an authorized Kia deal-
er and have the system checked.
• While operating Auto Hold, you
may hear mechanical noise.
However, it is normal operation
noise.Warning messages
Parking brake automatically
engaged
When the EPB is applied from Auto
Hold, a warning will sound and a
message will appear.
WARNING
Press the accelerator pedal
slowly when you start the
vehicle.
For your safety, cancel the
Auto Hold when you drive
downhill or back up or park
the vehicle.
CAUTION
If there is a malfunction with the
driver’s door, engine hood open
detection system, the Auto Hold
may not work properly.
Take your vehicle to an author-
ized Kia dealer and have the sys-
tem checked.
OJF058377L

Driving your vehicle
46 5
✽
✽
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 low battery voltage. It does not
mean your ABS has malfunctioned.
• Do not pump your brakes!
• Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC)
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system is designed to stabi-
lize the vehicle 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 hydroplaning on wet surfaces
can still result in serious 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 driving - including
driving at safe speeds for the condi-
tions.
ODEP059016
WARNING
For maximum protection, always
wear your seat belt. No system,
no matter how advanced, can
compensate for all driver error
and/or driving conditions.
Always drive responsibly.

547
Driving your vehicle
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system is an electronic system
designed to help the driver maintain
vehicle control under adverse condi-
tions. It is not a substitute for safe driv-
ing practices. Factors including speed,
road conditions and driver steering
input can all affect whether ESC will be
effective in preventing a loss of control.
It is still your responsibility to drive and
corner at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
When you apply your brakes under
conditions which may lock the wheels,
you may hear a “tik-tik’’ sound from the
brakes, or feel a corresponding sensa-
tion in the brake pedal. This is normal
and it means your ESC is active.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
A click sound may be heard in the
engine compartment when the vehi-
cle begins to move after the engine is
started. These conditions are normal
and indicate that the Electronic
Stability Control System is function-
ing properly.
ESC operation
ESC ON condition
When the ignition switch or
the ENGINE START/STOP
button is turned ON, ESC
and ESC OFF indicator
lights illuminate for approxi-
mately 3 seconds, then
ESC is turned on.

ton for at least half a sec-
ond after turning the igni-
tion switch or the ENGINE
START/STOP button 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 tick-
ing sound. This is the ESC
performing an automatic
system self-check and does
not indicate a problem.When operating
When the ESC is in opera-
tion, the ESC indicator light
blinks.

Stability Control is operat-
ing properly, you can feel a
slight pulsation in the vehi-
cle. This is only the effect
of brake control and indi-
cates nothing unusual.

mud or driving on a slip-
pery road, pressing the
accelerator pedal may not
cause the engine rpm
(revolutions per minute) to
increase.
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