2021 KIA NIRO light

Driving your vehicle
34 5
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.
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535
Driving your vehicle
Electronic Parking Brake
(EPB) (if equipped)
Applying the parking brake
To apply the EPB (Electronic Parking
Brake):
1. Press the brake pedal.
2. Pull up the EPB switch.
3. Make sure the warning light comes
on. Also, the EPB is applied auto-
matically if the Auto Hold button is
on when the engine is turned off.
However, if you keep pressing the
EPB switch till the engine is turned
off, the EPB will not be applied.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
On a steep incline or when pulling a
trailer if the vehicle does not stand
still, do as follows:
1. Apply the EPB.
2. Pull up the EPB switch for more
than 3 seconds.
Releasing the parking brake
To release the EPB (Electronic
Parking Brake), press the EPB switch
in the following condition:
1. Place the ENGINE START/STOP
button in the ON position.
2. Press the brake pedal.
3. The shift lever must be in P (Park).
4. Make sure the brake warning light
goes off.ODEP059284
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CAUTION
Do not operate the EPB while
the vehicle is moving except in
an emergency situation. It could
damage the vehicle system and
endanger driving safety.

Driving your vehicle
36 5
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.

539
Driving your vehicle
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
40 5
Emergency braking
If there is a problem with the brake
pedal while driving, emergency brak-
ing is possible by pulling up and
holding the EPB switch. Braking is
possible only while you are holding
the EPB switch.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
During emergency braking by the
EPB, the parking brake warning
light will illuminate to indicate that
the system is operating.
When the EPB (Electronic Parking
Brake) does not release
If the EPB does not release normal-
ly, take your vehicle to an authorized
Kia dealer by loading the vehicle on
a flatbed tow truck and have the sys-
tem checked.
WARNING
Do not operate the parking
brake while the vehicle is mov-
ing except in an emergency sit-
uation.
CAUTION
If you continuously notice a
noise or burning smell when the
EPB is used for emergency brak-
ing, have your vehicle checked
by an authorized Kia dealer.

543
Driving your vehicle
(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
Even with the anti-lock brake sys-
tem, your vehicle still requires suf-
ficient 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
prevent accidents resulting from
excessive speeds.
On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake
system may result in a longer stop-
ping distance than for vehicles
equipped with a conventional
brake system.The ABS warning light will stay on for
approximately 3 seconds after the
ignition switch or the ENGINE
START/STOP button 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. Contact an author-
ized Kia dealer as soon as possible. When you drive on a road having
poor traction, such as an icy road,
and have operated your brakes
continuously, the ABS will be active
continuously and the ABS warning
light may illuminate. Pull your vehi-
cle over to a safe place and stop
the engine.
Restart the engine. If the ABS
warning light goes off, then your
ABS system is normal. Otherwise,
you may have a problem with the
ABS. Contact an authorized Kia
dealer as soon as possible.
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547
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
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.