2021 KIA NIRO Stop vehicle and check brakes

H32
LCD Display Messages
Check Hybrid system
This message is displayed when
there is a problem with the hybrid
control system.
Refrain from driving when the warn-
ing message is displayed.
In this case, have your vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.
Check Hybrid system.
Turn off engine
This message is displayed when
there is a problem with the hybrid
system. The " " indicator will blink
and a warning chime will sound until
the problem is solved.
In this case, have your vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.
Check Hybrid system.
Do not start engine.
This message is displayed when the
hybrid battery power (SOC) level is
low. A warning chime will sound until
the problem is solved.
In this case, park the vehicle in a safe
location and have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia dealer.
Stop vehicle and check power
Supply
This message is displayed when a
failure occurs in the power supply
system.
In this case, park the vehicle in a safe
location and have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia dealer.
Refill inverter coolant
This message is displayed when the
inverter coolant is nearly empty.
You should refill the inverter coolant.
In this case, have your vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.
Stop vehicle and check brakes
This message is displayed when a
failure occurs in the brake system.
In this case, park the vehicle in a safe
location and have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia dealer.
Check brakes
This message is displayed when the
brake performance is low or the
regenerative brake does not work
properly due to a failure in the brake
system.
In this case, it may take longer for the
brake pedal to operate and the brak-
ing distance may become longer.
DRIVING THE HYBRID/PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE (CONT.)

4107
Features of your vehicle
Parking Brake & Brake
Fluid Warning Light
This warning light illuminates:
Once you set the ignition switch or
ENGINE START/STOP button to
the ON position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3
seconds
- It remains on if the parking brake
is applied.
When the parking brake is applied.
When the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low.
- If the warning light illuminates
with the parking brake released, it
indicates the brake fluid level in
reservoir is low.If the brake fluid level in the reservoir
is low:
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 (For
more details, refer to “Brake Fluid”
in chapter 7).
Then check all brake components
for fluid leaks. If any leaks in the
brake system are still found, the
warning light remains on, or the
brakes do not operate properly, do
not drive the vehicle.
In this case, have your vehicle
towed to an authorized Kia dealer
and inspected.Dual-diagonal braking system
Your vehicle is equipped with dual-
diagonal braking systems. This
means you still have braking on two
wheels even if one of the dual sys-
tems should fail.
With only one of the dual systems
working, greater pedal pressure is
required to stop the vehicle.
Also, the vehicle will require
increased stopping distance with
only a portion of the brake system
working.
If the brakes fail while you are driv-
ing, shift to a lower gear for addition-
al engine braking and stop the vehi-
cle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Driving the vehicle with a warning
light ON is dangerous. If the Parking
Brake & Brake Fluid Warning Light
illuminate with the parking brake
released, it indicates that the brake
fluid level is low.
In this case, have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia deal-
er.

Driving your vehicle
20 5
If the vehicle continues to be driv-
en and the clutch temperatures
reach the maximum temperature
limit, the " Transmission Hot! Park
with engine on" warning will be dis-
played. When this occurs, the
clutch is disabled until the clutch
cools to normal temperatures.
The warning will display a time to
wait for the transmission to cool.
If this occurs, pull over to a safe
location, stop the vehicle with the
engine running, apply the brakes,
shift the vehicle to P (Park), and
allow the transmission to cool.
When the message "Trans cooled.
Resume driving.“ appears, you can
continue to drive your vehicle.
When possible, drive the vehicle
smoothly.
If any of the warning messages in
the LCD display continue to blink, for
your safety, we recommend having
the system checked by an authorized
Kia dealer.Transmission ranges
The indicator in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position
when the ignition switch or ENGINE
START/STOP button is in the ON
position.P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park).
To shift from P (Park), you must
depress firmly on the brake pedal
and make sure your foot is off the
accelerator pedal.
The shift lever must be in P (Park)
before turning the engine off.
WARNING
Shifting into P (Park) while the
vehicle is in motion may
cause you to lose control of
the vehicle.
After the vehicle has stopped,
always make sure the shift
lever is in P (Park), apply the
parking brake, and turn the
engine off.
Do not use the P (Park) position
in place of the parking brake.

Driving your vehicle
48 5
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.
-

Driving your vehicle
52
5
Malfunction indicator
The VSM can be deactivated even if
you don’t cancel the VSM operation
by pressing the ESC OFF button. It
indicates that a malfunction has
been detected somewhere in the
Electric Power Steering system or
VSM system. If the ESC indicator
light ( ) or EPS warning light
remains on, take your vehicle to an
authorized Kia dealer and have the
system checked. The Vehicle Stability Management
system is not a substitute for safe
driving practices but a supplemen-
tary function only. It is the responsi-
bility of the driver to always check
the speed and the distance to the
vehicle ahead. Always hold the
steering wheel firmly while driving.
Your vehicle is designed to activate according to the driver’s intention,
even with installed VSM. Always fol-
low all the normal precautions for
driving at safe speeds for the condi-
tions – including driving in inclement
weather and on a slippery road.
Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
A vehicle has the tendency to roll
back on a steep hill when it starts to
go after stopping. The Hill-start
Assist Control (HAC) prevents the
vehicle from rolling back by applying
the brakes automatically for about 2
seconds. The brakes are released
when the accelerator pedal is
depressed or after about 2 seconds.
The HAC is activated only for about 2
seconds, so when the vehicle is
starting off always depress the accel-
erator pedal.
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.
WARNING- Maintaining
Brake Pressure on Incline
HAC does not replace the need
to apply brakes while stopped on
an incline. While stopped, make
sure you maintain brake pres-
sure sufficient to prevent your
vehicle from rolling backward
and causing an accident. Don’t
release the brake pedal until you
are ready to accelerate forward.

553
Driving your vehicle
Good braking practices
Check to be sure the parking brake
is not engaged and the parking
brake indicator light is out before
driving away.
Driving through water may get the
brakes wet. They can also get wet
when the vehicle is washed. Wet
brakes can be dangerous! Your
vehicle will not stop as quickly if the
brakes are wet. Wet brakes may
cause the vehicle to pull to one side.
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action
returns to normal, taking care to
keep the vehicle under control at all
times. If the braking action does not
return to normal, stop as soon as it
is safe to do so and call an author-
ized Kia dealer for assistance.
Don't coast down hills with the
vehicle out of gear. This is extreme-
ly hazardous. Keep the vehicle in
gear at all times, use the brakes to
slow down, then shift to a lower
gear so that engine braking will
help you maintain a safe speed. Don't "ride" the brake pedal.
Resting your foot on the brake
pedal while driving can be danger-
ous because the brakes might
overheat and lose their effective-
ness. It also increases the wear of
the brake components.
If a tire goes flat while you are driv-
ing, apply the brakes gently and
keep the vehicle pointed straight
ahead while you slow down. When
you are moving slowly enough for it
to be safe to do so, pull off the road
and stop in a safe place.
If your vehicle is equipped with a
dual clutch transmission, don't let
your vehicle creep forward. To
avoid creeping forward, keep your
foot firmly on the brake pedal when
the vehicle is stopped.
Be cautious when parking on a hill.
Firmly engage the parking brake
and place the shift lever in P (Dual
clutch transmission). If your vehicle
is facing downhill, turn the front
wheels into the curb to help keep
the vehicle from rolling.If your vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the
curb to help keep the vehicle from
rolling. If there is no curb or if it is
required by other conditions to
keep the vehicle from rolling, block
the wheels.
Under some conditions your park-
ing brake can freeze in the
engaged position. This is most like-
ly to happen when there is an
accumulation of snow or ice
around or near the rear brakes or if
the brakes are wet. If there is a risk
that the parking brake may freeze,
apply it only temporarily while you
put the shift lever in P (Dual clutch
transmission) and block the rear
wheels so the vehicle cannot roll.
Then release the parking brake.
Do not hold the vehicle on an
incline with the accelerator pedal.
This can cause the transaxle to
overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.

5139
Driving your vehicle
Always be cautious for vehicles
with higher height or vehicles car-
rying loads that sticks out to the
back of the vehicle.
WARNING
Smart Cruise Control cannot
guarantee stopping for every
emergency situation.
If an emergency stop is nec-
essary, you must apply the
brakes.
Keep a safe distance accord-
ing to road conditions and
vehicle speed. If the vehicle
distance is too close during
high-speed driving, a serious
collision may result.
Smart Cruise Control cannot
recognize a stopped vehicle,
pedestrian or an oncoming
vehicle. Always look ahead
cautiously to react to unex-
pected and sudden situations.
SCC may have difficulty in
maintaining the correct dis-
tance or speed, if the vehicle
is driving on a steep incline or
towing a trailer.
(Continued)
ODEP059328N
(Continued)
When other vehicles are
changing lanes in front of you
frequently, Smart Cruise
Control may not operate
appropriately. Always look
ahead cautiously to react to
unexpected and sudden situa-
tions.
Smart Cruise Control is not a
substitute for safe driving
practices but a convenience
function only. It is the respon-
sibility of the driver to always
check the speed and the dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead.
Always be aware of the select-
ed speed and vehicle dis-
tance.
Always maintain sufficient
braking distance and deceler-
ate your vehicle by applying
the brakes if necessary.
(Continued)

Driving your vehicle
182 5
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many miles (kilometers) you can get
from a gallon (liter) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in both
fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a
moderate rate. Don't make "jack-
rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts
and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Don't race between stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed to
the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily.
Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you
can avoid unnecessary braking.
This also reduces brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The
faster you drive, the more fuel your
vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate
speed, especially on the highway,
is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with
your foot resting on the brake pedal
may cause the brakes to overheat,
which reduces their effectiveness
and may lead to more serious con-
sequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them
inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are
aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire wear and may also result
in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condi-
tion. For better fuel economy and
reduced maintenance costs, main-
tain your vehicle in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in
chapter 8. If you drive your vehicle
in severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see
chapter 8 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maxi-
mum service, your vehicle should
be kept clean and free of corrosive
materials. It is especially important
that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be
allowed to accumulate on the
underside of the vehicle. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to
corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unneces-
sary weight in your vehicle. Weight
reduces fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer
than necessary. If you are waiting
(and not in traffic), turn off your
engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION