2021 KIA NIRO PHEV Owners Manual

753
Maintenance
Occupant Distribution:Designated
seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall:The side
of a asymmetrical tire that has a par-
ticular side that faces outward when
mounted on a vehicle. The outward
facing sidewall bears white lettering
or bears manufacturer, brand, and/or
model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same moldings on
the inner facing sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:A tire
used on passenger cars and some
light duty trucks and multipurpose
vehicles.
Ply:A layer of rubber-coated parallel
cords
Pneumatic tire:A mechanical
device made of rubber, chemicals,
fabric and steel or other materials,
that, when mounted on an automo-
tive wheel, provides the traction and
contains the gas or fluid that sustains
the load.Production options weight:The
combined weight of installed regular
production options weighing over 5
lb.(2.3 kg) in excess of the standard
items which they replace, not previ-
ously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy
duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special trim.
Recommended Inflation Pressure:
Vehicle manufacturer's recommend-
ed tire inflation pressure and shown
on the tire placard.
Radial Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in
which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Rim:A metal support for a tire and
upon which the tire beads are seat-
ed.
Sidewall:The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead.Speed Rating:An alphanumeric
code assigned to a tire indicating the
maximum speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction:The friction between the
tire and the road surface. The
amount of grip provided.
Tread:The portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators:Narrow
bands, sometimes called "wear
bars," that show across the tread of a
tire when only 1/16 inch of tread
remains.
UTQGS:Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards, a tire information
system that provides consumers with
ratings for a tire's traction, tempera-
ture and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers
using government testing proce-
dures. The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire.
Vehicle Capacity Weight:The num-
ber of designated seating positions
multiplied by 150 lbs. (68kg) plus the
rated cargo and luggage load.

Maintenance
54 7
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire:Load on an individual tire due
to curb and accessory weight plus
maximum occupant and cargo
weight.
Vehicle Normal Load on the Tire:
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each
axle its share of the curb weight,
accessory weight, and normal occu-
pant weight and driving by 2.
Vehicle Placard:A label permanent-
ly attached to a vehicle showing the
original equipment tire size and rec-
ommended inflation pressure.All season tires
Kia specifies all season tires on
some models to provide good per-
formance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All season tires are identified
by ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud
and Snow) on the tire sidewall. Snow
tires have better snow traction than
all season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
Kia specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior perform-
ance on dry roads. Summer tire per-
formance is substantially reduced in
snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M+S
(Mud and Snow) on the tire side wall.
If you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions, Kia recom-
mends the use of snow tires or all
season tires on all four wheels.
WARNING
Do not use summer tires at tem-
peratures below 45°F (7°C) or
when driving on snow or ice. At
temperatures below 45°F (7°C),
summer tires can lose elastici-
ty, and therefore traction and
braking power as well. Change
the tires on your vehicle to win-
ter or all-weather tires of the
same size as the standard tires
of the vehicle. Both types of
tires are identified by the M+S
(Mud and Snow) marking. Using
summer tires at very cold tem-
peratures could cause cracks to
form, thereby damaging the
tires permanently.

755
Maintenance
Snow tires
If you equip your car with snow tires,
they should be the same size and
have the same load capacity as the
original tires. Snow tires should be
installed on all four wheels; other-
wise, poor handling may result.
Snow tires should carry 4 psi (28
kPa) more air pressure than the
pressure recommended for the stan-
dard tires on the tire label on the dri-
ver's side of the center pillar, or up to
the maximum pressure shown on the
tire sidewall, whichever is less.
Do not drive faster than 75 mph (120
km/h) when your vehicle is equipped
with snow tires.
Tire chains
Tire chains, if necessary, should be
installed on the front wheels.
Be sure that the chains are installed
in accordance with the manufactur-
er's instructions.
To minimize tire and chain wear, do
not continue to use tire chains when
they are no longer needed.
When driving on roads covered
with snow or ice, drive at less than
20 mph (30 km/h).
Use the SAE “S” class or wire
chains.
If you hear noise caused by chains
contacting the body, retighten the
chain to avoid contact with the
vehicle body.
To prevent body damage, retighten
the chains after driving 0.3~0.6
miles (0.5~1.0 km).
Do not use tire chains on vehicles
equipped with aluminum wheels.
In unavoidable circumstances, use
a wire type chain.
Use wire chains less than 0.47
inches (12 mm) to prevent damage
to the chain’s connection.
Radial-ply tires
Radial-ply tires provide improved
tread life, road hazard resistance and
smoother high speed ride. The radi-
al-ply tires used on this vehicle are
of belted construction and are select-
ed to complement the ride and han-
dling characteristics of your vehicle.
Radial-ply tires have the same load
carrying capacity as bias-ply or bias
belted tires of the same size and use
the same recommended inflation
pressure. Mixing of radial-ply tires
with bias-ply or bias belted tires is
not recommended. Any combina-
tions of radial-ply and bias-ply or bias
belted tires when used on the same
vehicle will seriously deteriorate
vehicle handling. The best rule to fol-
low is: identical radial-ply tires should
always be used as a set of four.

Maintenance
56 7
Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear. It
is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval shown in this section
to achieve the tread life potential of
these tires. Cuts and punctures in
radial-ply tires are repairable only in
the tread area, because of sidewall
flexing. Consult your tire dealer for
radial-ply tire repairs.Low aspect ratio tire
(if equipped)
Low aspect ratio tires, whose aspect
ratio is lower than 50, are provided
for sporty looks.
Because the low aspect ratio tires
are optimized for handling and brak-
ing, it may be more uncomfortable to
ride in and there is more noise com-
pare with normal tires.
CAUTION
Because the sidewall of the low
aspect ratio tire is shorter than
the normal, the wheel and tire of
the low aspect ratio tire is easi-
er to be damaged. So, follow the
instructions below.
When driving on a rough road
or off road, drive cautiously
because tires and wheels may
be damaged. And after driv-
ing, inspect tires and wheels.
When passing over a pothole,
speed bump, manhole, or curb
stone, drive slowly so that the
tires and wheels are not dam-
aged.
If the tire is impacted, we rec-
ommend that you inspect the
tire condition or contact an
authorized Kia dealer.
To prevent damage to the tire,
inspect the tire condition and
pressure every 1,900 miles
(3,000 km).

757
Maintenance
It is not easy to recognize the tire
damage with your own eyes. But if
there is the slightest hint of tire
damage, even though you cannot
see it, have the tire checked or
replaced because the tire damage
may cause air leakage from the tire.
If the tire is damaged by driving on
a rough road, off road, pothole,
manhole, or curb stone, it will not
be covered by the warranty.
You can find out the tire information
on the tire sidewall.

Maintenance
58 7
FUSES
❈Left side : Normal , Right side : Blown
A vehicle’s electrical system is pro-
tected from electrical overload dam-
age by fuses.
This vehicle has 2 (or 3) fuse panels,
one located in the driver’s side panel
bolster, the other in the engine com-
partment near the battery.
If any of your vehicle’s lights, acces-
sories, or controls do not work, check
the appropriate circuit fuse. If a fuse
has blown, the element inside the
fuse will melt.
If the electrical system does not
work, first check the driver’s side
fuse panel.
Always replace a blown fuse with
one of the same rating.
If the replacement fuse blows, this
indicates an electrical problem. Avoid
using the system involved and imme-
diately consult an authorized Kia
dealer.
Three kinds of fuses are used: blade
type for lower amperage rating, car-
tridge type, and multi fuse for higher
amperage ratings.
Do not arbitrarily modify or add-on
electric wiring to the vehicle.
WARNING- Fuse replace-
ment
Never replace a fuse with any-
thing but another fuse of the
same rating.
A higher capacity fuse could
cause damage and possibly a
fire.
Never install a wire or alu-
minum foil instead of the
proper fuse - even as a tem-
porary repair. It may cause
extensive wiring damage and
a possible fire.
CAUTION
Do not use a screwdriver or any
other metal object to remove
fuses because it may cause a
short circuit and damage the
system.
OJF075021 ■Blade type
■Cartridge type
■Multi fuse
■BFT

759
Maintenance
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• When replacing fuse, turn the
ignition “OFF” and turn off
switches of all electrical devices
then remove battery (-) terminal.
• The actual fuse/relay panel label
may differ from equipped items.
Inner panel fuse replacement
1. Turn the engine start/stop button
to the OFF position and all other
switches off.
2. Open the fuse panel cover.
If the switch is located in the “OFF”
position, a caution indicator will be
displayed in the cluster.
WARNING- Electrical Fire
Always ensure replacements
fuses and relays are securely
fastened when installed. Failure
to do so can result in a vehicle
fire.
CAUTION
When replacing a blown fuse
or relay, make sure the new
fuse or relay fits tightly into
the clips. Failure to tightly
install the fuse or relay may
cause damage to the wiring
and electric systems.
Do not remove fuses, relays
and terminals fastened with
bolts or nuts. The fuses, relays
and terminals may not be fas-
tened correctly which may
cause vehicle damage.
ODEP079017

Maintenance
60 7
3. Pull the suspected fuse straight
out. Use the removal tool provided
on the engine compartment fuse
panel cover.
4. Check the removed fuse; replace it
if it is blown.
Spare fuses are provided in the
engine compartment fuse panel.
5. Push in a new fuse of the same
rating, and make sure it fits tightly
in the clips.
If it fits loosely, consult an authorized
Kia dealer.
If you do not have a spare, use a
fuse of the same rating from a circuit
you may not need for operating the
vehicle, such as the power outlet
fuse.
If the head lamp, turn signal lamp,
stop signal lamp, fog lamp, DRL, tail
lamp, HMSL do not work and the
fuses are OK, check the fuse panel
in the engine compartment. If a fuse
is blown, it must be replaced.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
If the headlamp, fog lamp, turn sig-
nal lamp, or tail lamp malfunction
even without any problem to the
lamps, have the vehicle checked by
an authorized Kia dealer for assis-
tance.
ODEP079020
CAUTION
Do not input any other objects
except fuses or relays into
fuse/relay terminals, such as a
driver or wiring. It may cause
contact failure and system
malfunction.
Do not plug in screwdrivers or
aftermarket wiring into the ter-
minal originally designed for
fuse and relays only. The elec-
trical system and wiring of the
vehicle interior may be dam-
aged or burned due to contact
failure.
If you directly connect the
wire on the taillight or replace
the bulb which is over the reg-
ulated capacity to install trail-
ers, etc., the inner junction
block can get burned.