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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.
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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
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513
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICE
If you leave the ENGINE START/
STOP button in the ACC or ON
position for a long time, the battery
will discharge.
Starting the hybrid system✽ ✽
NOTICE
• The hybrid system will start by
pressing the Engine Start/Stop
button, only when the smart key is
in the vehicle.
• Even when the smart key is in the
vehicle, if it is far away from the
driver, the hybrid system may not
start.
• When the Engine Start/Stop but-
ton is in the ACC or ON position,
and any door is open, the system
checks for the smart key. When
the smart key is not in the vehicle,
the “ ” indicator will blink and
the warning “Key not in vehicle”
will come on. When all doors are
closed, the chime will also sound
for about 5 seconds. Keep the
smart key in the vehicle when in
the ACC position or if the hybrid
system is ON.
WARNING- Starting
vehicle
Never press the ENGINE
START/STOP button while the
vehicle is in motion except in an
emergency. This would result in
loss of directional control and
braking function, which could
cause an accident.
WARNING
Always wear appropriate
shoes when operating your
vehicle. Unsuitable shoes,
such as high heels, ski boots,
sandals, flip-flops, etc., may
interfere with your ability to
use the brake and accelerator
pedals.
Do not start the vehicle with the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle can move and
lead to an accident.
Page 351 of 710
![KIA NIRO 2021 Owners Manual Driving your vehicle
28 5
Regenerative Braking
(Paddle Shifter)
The paddle shifter is used to adjust
the regenerative braking level from 0
to 3 during decelerating or braking.
Left side [-] : Increa KIA NIRO 2021 Owners Manual Driving your vehicle
28 5
Regenerative Braking
(Paddle Shifter)
The paddle shifter is used to adjust
the regenerative braking level from 0
to 3 during decelerating or braking.
Left side [-] : Increa](/manual-img/2/54800/w960_54800-350.png)
Driving your vehicle
28 5
Regenerative Braking
(Paddle Shifter)
The paddle shifter is used to adjust
the regenerative braking level from 0
to 3 during decelerating or braking.
Left side [-] : Increases regenera-
tive braking and deceleration.
Right side [+] : Decreases regener-
ative braking and deceleration.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• The control level will be started at
0 when the engine start. It will
activate only in D (Drive) range.
• If you operate the shift lever (to P,
R, N/Sport), Regen B mode will be
cancelled and if you return to D
(Drive) range, the Regen B mode
will be returned to 0 level.
• Regen B mode will be cancelled
when ABS, ESC operate.
• The speed decrement may differ-
ent depends on the vehicle speed
even in the same Regen B level.
(The speed decrement in each level
is bigger in the city driving than
that of highway driving.)
✽ ✽
NOTICE
The vehicle does not completely stop
by using paddle shifter lever. When
the Regen B power reduced, the
vehicle slowly moves about 10 km/h.
In order to stop the vehicle, depress
the brake pedal.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
The paddle shifter does not operate
when:
• The [-] and [+] paddle shifters are
pulled at the same time.
• The vehicle is decelerating by
depressing the brake pedal.
• Cruise Control or Smart Cruise
Control is activated.
REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM
ODEP059294
WARNING
Usage of the regenerative brak-
ing function may be limited
according to the battery and
motor’s condition. (over charge,
high and low temperature)
Check traffic and driving condi-
tions. If necessary, control the
vehicle speed by using the
brake pedal.
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Driving your vehicle
30 5
Regeneration unavailable. Battery
full
If SOC(State of High voltage battery
Charge) is high, it is not possible to
enable Regen B mode. Use the func-
tion again after normal driving.
Regeneration conditions not met
If the motor and battery is in
high/low temperature status or if
there is a malfunction on battery
and transmission, the warning
message will be displayed.
If the vehicle entering the Regen B
mode during the activation of
ABS/Cruise Control/Smart Cruise
Control, the warning message will
be displayed.
Once the warning message is dis-
played, the usage of function will be
temporarily limited. Use the function
again after normal driving.
ODEP059296L
ODEP059295L
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Driving your vehicle
32 5
Wet brakes may impair the vehicle’s
ability to safely slow down; the vehi-
cle 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.
Always test your brakes in this fash-
ion after driving through deep water.
To dry the brakes, apply them lightly
while maintaining a safe forward
speed until brake performance
returns to normal.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Do not depress the brake pedal con-
tinuously without the “ ” indica-
tor ON. The battery may be dis-
charged.
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 dis-
tance, 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. You
may hear this sound come and go or
it may occur whenever you depress
the brake pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal 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 emer-
gency 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
applying the brake.
CAUTION- Replace brake
pads
Do not continue to drive with
worn brake pads. Continuing to
drive with worn brake pads can
damage the braking system and
result in costly brake repairs.
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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.
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5191
Driving your vehicle
The use of chains may adversely
affect vehicle handling.
Do not exceed 20 mph (30 km/h)
or the chain manufacturer’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps,
holes, sharp turns, and other road
hazards, which may cause the
vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-wheel
braking.Use high quality ethylene gly-
col coolant
Your vehicle is delivered with high
quality ethylene glycol coolant in the
cooling system. It is the only type of
coolant that should be used because
it helps prevent corrosion in the cool-
ing system, lubricates the water
pump and prevents freezing. Be sure
to replace or replenish your coolant
in accordance with the maintenance
schedule in chapter 8. Before winter,
have your coolant tested to assure
that its freezing point is sufficient for
the temperatures anticipated during
the winter.
Check battery and cables
Winter puts additional burdens on
the battery system. Visually inspect
the battery and cables as described
in chapter 8. The level of charge in
your battery can be checked by an
authorized Kia dealer or a service
station.
Change to "winter weight" oil
if necessary
In some climates it is recommended
that a lower viscosity "winter weight"
oil be used during cold weather. See
chapter 9 for recommendations. If
you aren't sure what weight oil you
should use, consult an authorized
Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition
system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in chapter 8 and replace
them if necessary. Also check all
ignition wiring and components to be
sure they are not cracked, worn or
damaged in any way.CAUTION- Snow chains
Chains that are the wrong size
or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle's brake
lines, suspension, body and
wheels.
Stop driving and retighten the
chains any time you hear them
hitting the vehicle.