KIA Niro Plug-in Hybrid (2018 year). Manual — part 22

Driving your vehicle

12

6

1. Always carry the smart key with

you.

2. Make sure the parking brake is

applied.

3. Make sure the shift lever is in P

(Park).

4. Depress the brake pedal.
5. Press the Engine Start/Stop but-

ton. If the hybrid system starts, the
“

” indicator will come on.

✽

✽

NOTICE

• Do not wait for the engine to warm

up while the vehicle remains sta-
tionary.
Start driving at moderate engine
speeds. (Steep accelerating and
decelerating should be avoided.)

• Always start the vehicle with your

foot on the brake pedal. Do not
depress the accelerator while
starting the vehicle. Do not race
the engine while warming it up.

• If ambient temperature is low, the

“

” indicator may remain illu-

minated longer than the normal
amount of time.

✽

✽

NOTICE

To prevent damage to the vehicle:
• If the “

” indicator turns off

while you are in motion, do not
attempt to move the shift lever to
the P (Park) position.
If traffic and road conditions per-
mit, you may put the shift lever in
the N (Neutral) position while the
vehicle is still moving and press
the Engine Start/Stop button in an
attempt to restart the hybrid sys-
tem.

• Do not push or tow your vehicle to

start the hybrid system.

6 13

Driving your vehicle

• If the battery is weak or the smart

key does not work correctly, you
can start the engine by pressing
the engine start/stop button with
the smart key.
The side with the lock button
should contact the engine
start/stop button directly.
When you press the engine
start/stop button directly with the
smart key, the smart key should
contact the button at a right angle.

• When the stop lamp fuse is blown,

you can't start the engine normally.
Replace the fuse with a new one. If
it is not possible, you can start the
engine by pressing the ENGINE
START/STOP button for 10 sec-
onds while it is in the ACC posi-
tion. The engine can start without
depressing the brake pedal. But for
your safety always depress the
brake pedal before starting the
engine.

Do not press the ENGINE START/
STOP button for more than 10 sec-
onds except when the stop lamp fuse
is blown.

WARNING

- Unintended

vehicle movement

Never leave the smart key in the
vehicle with children or vehicle
occupants who are unfamiliar
with the vehicle operation.
Pushing the ENGINE
START/STOP button while the
smart key is in the vehicle may
result in unintended engine
activation and/or unintended
vehicle movement.

ODE056008

Driving your vehicle

14

6

Dual clutch transmission oper-
ation

The dual clutch transmission has six
forward speeds and one reverse
speed.
The individual speeds are selected
automatically in the D (Drive) posi-
tion.

DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION (DCT)

ODE056010

The shift lever can freely operate.

Press the shift button while moving the shift lever.

Depress the brake pedal and press the shift button while moving the shift lever.

❈ To move the shift lever from/to P (Parking) or between R (Reverse) and D (Drive), you

must depress the brake pedal for the vehicle to stand still.

6 15

Driving your vehicle

• The dual Clutch Transmission

gives the driving feel of a manual
transmission, yet provides the
ease of a fully automatic transmis-
sion. Unlike a traditional automatic
transmission, the gear shifting can
be felt (and heard) on the dual
clutch transmission
- Think of it as an automatically

shifting manual transmission.

- Shift into Drive range and get fully

automatic shifting, similar to a con-
ventional automatic transmission.

• Dual clutch transmission adopts

dry-type dual clutch, which is dif-
ferent from torque converter of
automatic transmission, and
shows better acceleration perform-
ance during driving. But, initial
launch might be little bit slower
than Automatic Transmission.

• The dry-type clutch transfers torque

and provides a direct driving feeling
which may feel different from a con-
ventional automatic transmission
with a torque converter. This may be
more noticeable when starting from
a stop or low vehicle speed.

• When rapidly accelerating at low

vehicle speed, engine could rev at
high rpm depending on vehicle
drive condition.

• For smooth launch uphill, press

down the accelerator pedal
smoothly depending on the current
conditions.

• If you release your foot from the

accelerator pedal at low vehicle
speed, you may feel strong engine
brake, which is similar to manual
transmission.

• When driving downhill, you may

use Sports Mode to downshift to a
lower gear in order to control your
speed without using the brake
pedal excessively.

• When you turn the engine on and

off, you may hear clicking sounds
as the system goes through a self
test. This is a normal sound for the
dual Clutch Transmission.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death:
• ALWAYS check the surround-

ing areas near your vehicle for
people, especially children,
before shifting a vehicle into
D (Drive) or R (Reverse).

• Before leaving the driver’s

seat, always make sure the
shift lever is in the P (Park)
position, then set the parking
brake, and place the ignition
switch in the LOCK/OFF posi-
tion. Unexpected and sudden
vehicle movement can occur
if these precautions are not
followed.

• Do not use engine braking

(shifting from a high gear to
lower gear) rapidly on slip-
pery roads. The vehicle may
slip causing an accident.

Driving your vehicle

16

6

• To hold the vehicle on a hill use the

foot brake or the parking brake. If
the vehicle is held by applying the
accelerator pedal on a hill the
clutch and transmission will be
overheated resulting in damage.
At this time, a warning message
(“Steep grade! Press brake pedal”)
will appear on the LCD display.

• If the clutch becomes overheated

by excessive use of the clutch to
hold on a hill, you may notice a
shudder feeling and a blinking dis-
play on the instrument cluster.
When this occurs, the clutch is dis-
abled until the clutch cools to nor-
mal temperatures. If this occurs,
pull over to a safe location, shift
into P (Park) and apply the foot
brake for a certain time on the LCD
warning until it disappears.

• If the LCD warning is active, the

foot brake must be applied.

• Ignoring the warnings can lead to

damage to the transmission.

• If the display continues to blink, for

your safety, we recommend that you
contact an authorized Kia dealer.

• Under certain conditions such as

repeated launch on steep grades,
the clutch in the transmission could
overheat.
When the clutch is overheated, the
safe protection mode engages. If
the safe protection mode engages,
the gear position indicator on the
cluster blinks with a chime sound.
At this time, a warning message
(“Transmission temp. is high! Stop
safely”, “Trans hot! Park with engine
on”, “Trans Cooling. Remain parked
for 00 min.”, “Trans Cooled. Resume
driving”) will appear on the LCD dis-
play and driving may not be smooth.
If you ignore this warning, the driv-
ing condition may become worse.
To return the normal driving condi-
tion, stop the vehicle and apply the
foot brake for a few minutes before
driving off.

• Gear shifts may be more notice-

able than a conventional automatic
transmission. This is a normal
characteristic of this type of dual
clutch transmission.

• During the first 1,500 km (1,000

miles), you may feel that the vehi-
cle may not be smooth when accel-
erating at low speed. During this
break-in period, the shift quality
and performance of your new vehi-
cle is continuously optimized.

• Always come to a complete stop

before shifting into D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).

• Do not put the shift lever in N

(Neutral) while driving.

CAUTION

• To avoid damage to your

transaxle, do not try to accel-
erate in R (Reverse) or any for-
ward gear position with the
brakes on.

• When stopped on slope, do

not hold the vehicle with
accelerator pedal. Use the
service brake or the parking
brake.

6 17

Driving your vehicle

The indicator in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position
when the ignition switch 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.

R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.

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.

CAUTION

Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transmission if you shift into R
(Reverse) while the vehicle is in
motion.

Driving your vehicle

18

6

N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
engaged.

- Parking in N (Neutral) gear

Follow below steps when parking
and you want the vehicle to move
when pushed.
1.After parking your vehicle, step on

the brake pedal and move the shift
lever to P with the ignition button in
ON or while the engine is running.

2.If the parking brake is applied

unlock the parking brake.

3.While pressing the brake pedal,

turn the ignition button OFF.
- For smart key equipped vehicles,

the ignition switch can be moved
to OFF only when the shift lever
is in P.

4.Change the gear shift lever to N

(Neutral) while pressing the brake
pedal and pushing [SHIFT LOCK
RELEASE] button or inserting,
pressing down a tool (e.g. flathead
screw-driver) into the [SHIFT
LOCK RELEASE] access hole at
the same time. Then, the vehicle
will move when external force is
applied.

WARNING

Do not shift into gear unless
your foot is firmly on the brake
pedal. Shifting into gear when
the engine is running at high
speed can cause the vehicle to
move very rapidly. You could
lose control of the vehicle and
hit people or objects.

WARNING

Do not drive with the shift lever
in N (Neutral).
The engine brake will not work
and lead to an accident.

WARNING -

Parking In
Neutral

• With the exception of parking

in neutral gear, always park
the vehicle in [P] (Park) for
safety and apply the parking
brake.

• Before parking in [N] (Neutral)

gear, make sure the parking
ground is level and flat. Do not
park in [N] gear on any slopes
or gradients. If parked and left
in [N], the vehicle may move
and cause serious damage or
injury.

6 19

Driving your vehicle

D (Drive)
This is the normal driving position.
The transmission will automatically
shift through a six-gear sequence,
providing the best fuel economy and
power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or driving uphill depress
the accelerator pedal further until
you feel the transmission downshift
to a lower gear.
To stop the vehicle during driving,
please press brake pedal fully to pre-
vent unintended movement.

Manual mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or
in motion, manual mode is selected
by pushing the shift lever from the D
(Drive) position into the manual gate.
To return to D (Drive) range opera-
tion, push the shift lever back into the
main gate.
In manual mode, moving the shift lever
backwards and forwards will allow you
to select the desired range of gears for
the current driving conditions.
+ (Up) : Push the lever forward once

to shift up one gear.

- (Down) : Pull the lever backwards

once to shift down one gear.

✽

✽

NOTICE

• Only the six forward gears can be

selected. To reverse or park the
vehicle, move the shift lever to the
R (Reverse) or P (Park) position as
required.

• Downshifts are made automatical-

ly when the vehicle slows down.
When the vehicle stops, 1st gear is
automatically selected.

• When the engine rpm approaches

the red zone the transmission will
upshift automatically.

• If the driver presses the lever to +

(Up) or - (Down) position, the trans-
mission may not make the request-
ed gear change if the next gear is
outside of the allowable rpm range.

ODE056012

Driving your vehicle

20

6

SPORT Mode / ECO Mode
When you drive after changing the
gear shift lever to manual mode, the
vehicle will automatically shift to
SPORT mode. When you drive the
vehicle after putting the gear shift
lever to ‘D’, the vehicle will automati-
cally shift to ECO mode. Each auto-
matic change in shift will be dis-
played on the instrument cluster.
• ECO mode
This driving mode increases fuel effi-
ciency. The actual fuel mileage will
depend on your driving habits and
road conditions.
• SPORT mode
This driving mode provides sporty
driving experience. Be aware that fuel
efficiency may decrease in this mode.

Shift lock system

For your safety, the dual clutch trans-
mission has a shift lock system which
prevents shifting the transaxle from P
(Park) into R (Reverse) unless the
brake pedal is depressed.
To shift the transaxle from P (Park)
into R (Reverse):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition

switch to the ON position.

3. Move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chat-
tering noise & vibration near the shift
lever may be heard. This is a normal
condition.

Shift-lock override
If the shift lever cannot be moved
from the P (Park) position into R
(Reverse) position with the brake
pedal depressed, continue depress-
ing the brake, then do the following:
1. Place the ignition switch in the

LOCK/OFF position.

2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Carefully remove the cap (1) cov-

ering the shift-lock release access
hole.

4. Insert a tool (e.g. flathead screw-

driver) into the access hole and
press down on the tool.

ODE056013L

6 21

Driving your vehicle

5. Move the shift lever.
6. Remove the tool from the shiftlock

override access hole then install
the cap.

7. We recommend that the system

be inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.

Ignition key interlock system
(if equipped)
The ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in the P
(Park) position.

Good driving practices

• Never move the shift lever from P

(Park) or N (Neutral) to any other
position with the accelerator pedal
depressed.

• Never move the shift lever into P

(Park) when the vehicle is in motion.

• Be sure the car is completely

stopped before you attempt to shift
into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).

• Never take the car out of gear and

coast down a hill. This may be
extremely hazardous. Always leave
the car in gear when moving.

• Do not "ride" the brakes. This can

cause them to overheat and mal-
function. Instead, when you are
driving down a long hill, slow down
and shift to a lower gear. When you
do this, engine braking will help
slow the car.

• Slow down before shifting to a

lower gear. Otherwise, the lower
gear may not be engaged.

• Always use the parking brake. Do

not depend on placing the
transaxle in P (Park) to keep the
car from moving.

• Exercise extreme caution when

driving on a slippery surface. Be
especially careful when braking,
accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change
in vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
the vehicle to go out of control.

• Optimum vehicle performance and

economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator pedal.

CAUTION

- Holding the Vehicle Using

Accelerator Pedal

Do not attempt to hold your
vehicle on a hill by applying the
accelerator pedal. This can
cause your clutch and transmis-
sion to be damaged as a result
of overheating.

Driving your vehicle

22

6

WARNING

If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you
may attempt to rock the vehicle
free by moving it forward and
backward. Do not attempt this
procedure if people or objects
are anywhere near the vehicle.
During the rocking operation the
vehicle may suddenly move for-
ward of backward as it becomes
unstuck, causing injury or dam-
age to nearby people or objects.

6 23

Driving your vehicle

Power brakes

Your vehicle has power-assisted
brakes that adjust automatically
through normal usage.
If the hybrid system is not on or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
You can still stop your vehicle by
applying greater force to the brake
pedal than typical. The stopping dis-
tance, however, will be longer than
with power brakes.
When the hybrid system is not on,
the reserve brake power is partially
depleted each time the brake pedal
is applied. Do not pump the brake
pedal when the power assist has
been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery surfaces.

BRAKE SYSTEM

WARNING

- Steep hill

braking

Avoid continuous application of
the brakes when descending a
long or steep hill by shifting to a
lower gear. Continuous brake
application will cause the
brakes to overheat and could
result in a temporary loss of
braking performance.

WARNING

- HEV driving

down hill

Do not turn off the Hybrid sys-
tem while going down a hill. The
brake booster may not work
sufficiently and the braking dis-
tance may be longer.

CAUTION

- Brake Pedal

Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormally high brake
temperatures which can cause
excessive brake lining and pad
wear.

Driving your vehicle

24

6

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.

6 25

Driving your vehicle

Parking brake – Foot type
(if equipped)

Applying the parking brake

To engage the parking brake, first
apply the foot brake and then
depress the parking brake pedal
down as far as possible.

Releasing the parking brake

To release the parking brake,
depress the parking brake pedal a
second time while applying the foot
brake. The pedal will automatically
extend to the fully released position.

WARNING

- Brake wear

Do not ignore high pitched wear
sounds from your brakes. If you
ignore this audible warning, you
will eventually lose braking per-
formance, which could lead to a
serious accident.

ODE056015

ODE056014

CAUTION

- Parking brake

Driving with the parking brake
applied will cause excessive
brake pad (or lining) and brake
rotor wear.

Driving your vehicle

26

6

Check the brake warning light by
pressing engine start/stop button ON
(do not start the engine). This light will
be illuminated when the parking brake
is applied with the 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

6 27

Driving your vehicle

Anti-lock brake system (ABS)

ABS (or ESC) will not prevent acci-
dents due to improper or dangerous
driving maneuvers. Even though
vehicle control is improved during
emergency braking, always maintain
a safe distance between you and
objects ahead.

Vehicle speeds

should always be reduced during
extreme road conditions. The vehicle
should be driven at reduced speeds
in the following circumstances:
• When driving on rough, gravel or

snow-covered roads

• When driving with tire chains

installed

• When driving on roads where the

road surface is pitted or has differ-
ent surface heights.

Driving in these conditions increases
the stopping distance for your vehicle.

The ABS continuously senses the
speed of the wheels. If the wheels
are going to lock, the ABS system
repeatedly modulates the hydraulic
brake pressure to the wheels.
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 cor-
responding sensation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and it means
your ABS is active.
In order to obtain the maximum benefit
from your ABS in an emergency situa-
tion, do not attempt to modulate your
brake pressure and do not try to pump
your brakes. Press your brake pedal as
hard as possible or as hard as the sit-
uation allows the ABS to control the
force being delivered to the brakes.

✽

✽

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 anti-lock brake
system is functioning properly.

• 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.