Kia Sportage (2020 year). Owner's manual — part 23

Driving your vehicle

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5

Dirt, snow, or foreign substances on
the lens may adversely affect the
sensing performance of the sensor.

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✽

NOTICE

• Do not apply license plate molding

or foreign objects such as a
bumper sticker or a bumper guard
licence plate molding near the
radar

sensor. Doing so may

adversely affect the sensing per-
formance of the radar.

• Always keep the radar sensor and

the radar cover clean and free of
dirt and debris.

• Use only a soft cloth to wash the

vehicle. Do not spray pressurized
water directly on the sensor or
sensor cover.

• Be careful not to apply unneces-

sary force on the radar sensor or
sensor cover. If the sensor is
forcibly moved out of proper
alignment, the FCA system may
not operate correctly. In this case,
a warning message may not be dis-
played. In this case, we recom-
mend you have the vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.

(Continued)

(Continued)
• If the front bumper becomes dam-

aged in the area around the radar
sensor, the FCA system may not
operate properly. In this case, we
recommend you have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.

• Use only genuine parts to repair or

replace a damaged sensor or sen-
sor cover. Do not paint to the sen-
sor cover.

• Never install any accessories or

stickers on the front windshield,
or tint the front windshield.

• Never place any reflective objects

(i.e. white paper, mirror) over the
dashboard. Any light reflection
may cause a malfunction of the
system.

• Make sure the frontal camera does

not get wet.

• Never disassemble the camera

assembly, or apply any impact on
the camera assembly.

• Playing the vehicle audio system

at high volume may prevent occu-
pants from hearing the FCA warn-
ings.

(Continued)

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Driving your vehicle

(Continued)
• Be careful not to apply unneces-

sary force on the sensor. If the sen-
sor is forcibly moved out of proper
alignment, the system may not
operate correctly. In this case, a
warning message may not be dis-
played. In this case, we recom-
mend you have the vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.

Warning message and warning
light

When the cover is covered with dirt,
snow, or debris, the FCA system
operation may not be able to detect
vehicles.
If this occurs, a warning message will
appear on the LCD display.
Remove any dirt, snow, or debris and
clean the sensor before operating
the FCA system.

The system will operate normally
when such dirt, snow or debris is
removed.
However, the FCA system may not
properly operate in an area (e.g.
open terrain), where any objects are
not detected after turning ON the
engine.
Although a warning message will not
appear on the LCD display, the FCA
may not properly operate.

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System malfunction

• When the FCA is not working prop-

erly, the FCA warning light (

) will

illuminate and the warning mes-
sage will appear for a few seconds.
After the message disappears, the
master warning light (

) will illu-

minate. In this case, have the vehi-
cle inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.

• The FCA warning message may

appear along with the illumination
of the ESC warning light.

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WARNING

• The FCA is only a supplemen-

tal system for the driver's con-
venience. It is the driver's
responsibility to control the
vehicle operation. Do not
solely depend on the FCA
system. Rather, maintain a
safe braking distance, and, if
necessary, depress the brake
pedal to reduce the driving
speed or stop the vehicle.

• In certain instances and

under certain driving condi-
tions, the FCA system may
activate unintentionally.
Also, due to sensing limita-
tions, in certain situations,
the front radar sensor or front
view camera recognition sys-
tem may not detect the vehi-
cle or pedestrians ahead. The
FCA system may not activate
and the warning message
may not be displayed.

(Continued)

(Continued)
• The FCA system may not acti-

vate if the driver applies the
brake pedal to avoid the risk
of a collision.

• The brake control may be

insufficient, possibly causing
a collision, if a vehicle in front
abruptly stops. Always pay
extreme caution.

• The FCA system may not acti-

vate according to the road con-
ditions,

inclement whether,

driving conditions or traffic
conditions.

• The FCA system operates only

to detect vehicles and pedestri-
ans in front of the vehicle.

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Driving your vehicle

Limitation of the system

The Forward Collision-Avoidance
Assist (FCA) system is designed to
monitor the vehicle or a pedestrian
ahead in the roadway through radar
signals and camera recognition to
warn the driver that a collision is
imminent, and if necessary, apply
emergency braking.
In certain situations, the radar sen-
sor or the camera may not be able to
detect the vehicle ahead. In these
cases, the FCA system may not
operate normally. The driver must
pay careful attention in the following
situations where the FCA operation
may be limited.

Detecting vehicles

The sensor may be limited when:
• The radar sensor or camera is cov-

ered with a foreign object or debris

• The camera lens is contaminated

due to tinted, filmed or coated
windshield, damaged glass, or
stuck of foreign matter (sticker,
bug, etc.) on the glass

• Inclement weather such as heavy

rain or snow obscures the field of
view of the radar sensor or camera

• There is interference by electro-

magnetic waves

• Something in the path of travel

deflects the radar waves.

• The radar/camera recognition is

limited

• The vehicle in front is too small to

be detected (for example a motor-
cycle or a bicycle, etc.)

• The vehicle in front is an oversize

vehicle or trailer that is too big to
be detected by the camera recog-
nition system. (for example a trac-
tor, trailer, etc.)

WARNING

• The FCA system does not

operate when the vehicle is in
reverse.

• The FCA system is not

designed to detect other
objects on the road such as
animals.

• The FCA system does not

detect vehicles in the opposite
lane.

• The FCA system does not

detect cross traffic vehicles
that are approaching.

• The FCA system cannot detect

the driver approaching the side
view of a parked vehicle (for
example on a dead end street.)

In these cases, you must main-
tain a safe braking distance,
and if necessary, depress the
brake pedal to reduce the driv-
ing speed in order to maintain a
safe distance.

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5

• The camera's field of view is not well

illuminated (either too dark or too
much reflection or too much back-
light that obscures the field of view)

• The vehicle in front does not have

their rear lights properly turned ON
or their rear lights are located
unusually.

• The outside brightness changes

suddenly, for example when enter-
ing or exiting a tunnel

• When light coming from a street

light or an oncoming vehicle is
reflected on a wet road surface
such as a puddle in the road

• The field of view in front is

obstructed by sun glare or head-
light of oncoming vehicle.

• The windshield glass is fogged up
• The vehicle in front is driving errat-

ically

• The vehicle is on unpaved or

uneven rough surfaces, or roads
with sudden gradient changes

• The vehicle is driven near areas

containing metal substances as a
construction zone, railroad, etc.

• The vehicle is drives inside a build-

ing, such as a basement parking lot

• The camera does not recognize

the entire vehicle in front.

• The camera is damaged.
• The brightness outside is too low

such as when the headlamps are
not on at night or the vehicle is
going through a tunnel.

• Adverse road conditions cause

excessive vehicle vibrations while
driving

• The sensor recognition changes

suddenly when passing over a
speed bump

• The shadow is on the road by a

median strip, trees, etc.

• The vehicle drives through a toll-

gate.

• The rear part of the vehicle in front

is not fully visible.

• The vehicle in front is moving verti-

cally to the driving direction

• The vehicle in front is stopped ver-

tically

• The vehicle in front is driving

towards your vehicle or reversing

• You are on a roundabout and the

vehicle in front circles

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Driving your vehicle

- Driving on a curve
The performance of the FCA system
may be limited when driving on a
curved road.
On curved roads, the other vehicle in
the same lane may not be recog-
nized. The FCA system may produce
the warning message and the warn-
ing alarm, or apply the braking con-
trols, prematurely, or it may not pro-
duce the warning message or the
warning alarm, or apply the braking
controls, at all.

When driving on a curve, the driver
must maintain a safe braking dis-
tance, and if necessary, depress the
brake pedal to reduce your driving
speed in order to maintain a safe dis-
tance.

The FCA system may recognize a
vehicle in the next lane when driving
on a curved road.
In this case, the system may alarm
the driver and apply the brake. Always
pay attention to road and driving con-
ditions while driving. If necessary,
depress the brake pedal to reduce
your driving speed in order to main-
tain a safe distance.
Also, when necessary depress the
accelerator pedal to prevent the sys-
tem from unnecessarily decelerating
your vehicle.
Always check the traffic conditions
around the vehicle.

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5

- Driving on a slope
The FCA performance may be limit-
ed while driving upward or downward
on a slope and may not recognize
the vehicle in front in the same lane.
It may produce the warning message
and the warning alarm prematurely
or it may not produce the warning
message and the warning alarm pre-
maturely at all.
When the FCA suddenly recognizes
the vehicle in front while passing
over a slope, you may experience
sharp deceleration.

Always keep your eyes forward while
driving upward or downward on a
slope, and, if necessary, depress the
brake pedal to reduce your driving
speed in order to maintain a safe dis-
tance.

- Changing lanes
When a vehicle changes lanes in
front of you, the FCA system may not
immediately detect the vehicle, espe-
cially if the vehicle changes lanes
abruptly. In this case, you must main-
tain a safe braking distance, and if
necessary, depress the brake pedal
to reduce your driving speed in order
to maintain a safe distance.

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When driving in stop-and-go traffic,
and a stopped vehicle in front of you
merges out of the lane, the FCA sys-
tem may not immediately detect the
new vehicle that is now in front of
you. In this case, you must maintain
a safe braking distance, and if nec-
essary, depress the brake pedal to
reduce your driving speed in order to
maintain a safe distance.

- Detecting the vehicle in front of you
If the vehicle in front of you has cargo
that extends rearward from the cab,
or when the vehicle in front of you
has higher ground clearance, addi-
tional special attention is required.
The FCA system may not be able to
detect the cargo extending from the
vehicle. In these instances, you must
maintain a safe braking distance
from the rearmost object, and if nec-
essary, depress the brake pedal to
reduce your driving speed in order to
maintain distance.

Detecting pedestrians

The sensor may be limited when:
• The pedestrian is not fully detected

by the camera recognition system,
for example, if the pedestrian is
leaning over or is not fully walking
upright

• The pedestrian is moving very

quickly or appears abruptly in the
camera detection area

• The pedestrian is wearing clothing

that easily blends into the back-
ground, making it difficult to be
detected by the camera recogni-
tion system

• The outside lighting is too bright

(e.g. when driving in bright sunlight
or in sun glare) or too dark (e.g.
when driving on a dark rural road
at night)

• It is difficult to detect and distin-

guish the pedestrian from other
objects in the surroundings, for
example, when there is a group of
pedestrians, or a large crowd.

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5

• There is an item similar to a per-

son's body structure

• The pedestrian is small
• The pedestrian has impaired

mobility

• The sensor recognition is limited
• The radar sensor or camera is cov-

ered with a foreign object or debris

• Inclement weather such as heavy

rain or snow obscures the field of
view of the radar sensor or camera

• When light coming from a street

light or an oncoming vehicle is
reflected on a wet road surface
such as a puddle in the road

• The field of view in front is

obstructed by sun glare

• The windshield glass is fogged up.
• Adverse road conditions cause

excessive vehicle vibrations while
driving

• When the pedestrian suddenly

appears in front of the vehicle

• When there is any other electro-

magnetic interference

• When a construction area, rail or

other metal object is near the
pedestrian.

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✽

NOTICE

In some instances, the FCA system
may be cancelled when subjected to
electromagnetic interference.

WARNING

• Do not use the Forward

Collision -Avoidance Assist
(FCA) system when towing a
vehicle. Application of the
FCA system while towing may
adversely affect the safety of
your vehicle or the towing
vehicle.

• Use extreme caution when the

vehicle in front of you has
cargo that extends rearward
from the cab, or when the
vehicle in front of you has
higher ground clearance.

• The FCA system is designed

to detect and monitor the
vehicle ahead in the roadway
through radar signals and
camera recognition. It is not
designed to detect bicycles,
motorcycles, or smaller

(Continued)

(Continued)

wheeled objects such as lug-
gage bags, shopping carts, or
strollers.

• Never try to test the operation

of the FCA system. Doing so
may cause severe injury or
death.

• When front bumper or wind-

shield glass is replaced or
repaired, have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized
Kia dealer.

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Driving your vehicle

Downhill Brake Control (DBC)

The Downhill Brake Control (DBC)
allows the vehicle to descend from a
steep hill without depressing the
brake pedal. It slows down the vehi-
cle under 8 km/h (5 mph) and allows
the driver concentrate on steering
the vehicle.

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✽

NOTICE

• The DBC defaults to the OFF posi-

tion whenever the ignition switch
is placed in the ON position.

• Noise or vibration may occur from

the brakes when the DBC is acti-
vated.

• The rear stop light comes on when

DBC is activated.

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WARNING

Always turn off the DBC on nor-
mal roads. The DBC might acti-
vate inadvertently from the
standby mode when driving
through speed bumps or mak-
ing sharp curves increasing the
risk of a crash.

WARNING

The DBC is a supplemental sys-
tem only and is not a substitute
for safe driving practices. A
driver should not solely rely on
this system when descending
from a hill and should always be
ready to apply the brakes
depending on road and traffic
conditions.

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5

DBC operation

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✽

NOTICE

If the DBC red indicator light illu-
minates, the system may have over-
heated or

have malfunctioned.

When the warning light illuminates
even though the DBC system has
cooled off, we recommend that the
vehicle be checked by an authorized
Kia dealer as soon as possible.

✽

✽

NOTICE

• The DBC may not deactivate on

steep inclines even though the
brake or accelerator pedal is
depressed.

• The DBC does not operate when:

- The shift lever is in P (Park).
- The ESC is activated.

Standby

Press the DBC button when vehicle speed is under 40
km/h (25 mph). The DBC system will turn ON and enter
the standby mode.

The system does not turn ON if vehicle speed is over 40
km/h (25 mph).

In the standby mode, if vehicle speed is under 35 km/h
(22 mph) while driving down a steep hill, the DBC will
activate automatically.

In the activated mode, the DBC will temporarily deacti-
vate under the following conditions:
• The hill is not steep enough.
• The brake pedal or accelerator pedal is depressed.
If the above conditions are gone, the DBC will automat-
ically activate again.

The DBC will turn OFF under the following conditions:

• The DBC button is pressed again.

• Vehicle speed is over 60 km/h (38 mph).

Activated

Temporarily

deactivated

OFF

Mode

Indicator light

Description

blinks

illuminated

not

illuminated

illuminated

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Driving your vehicle

Good braking practices

Wet brakes can be dangerous! The
brakes may get wet if the vehicle is
driven through standing water or if it
is washed. 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 we recommend that you
call an authorized Kia dealer for
assistance.
DO NOT drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light, but
constant pedal pressure can result in
the brakes overheating, brake wear,
and possibly even brake failure.
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 location.
Keep your foot firmly on the brake
pedal when the vehicle is stopped to
prevent the vehicle from rolling for-
ward.

WARNING

Whenever leaving the vehicle or
parking, always come to a com-
plete stop and continue to
depress the brake pedal. Move
the shift lever into the P (Park)
position, then apply the parking
brake, and place the Engine
Start/Stop button in the OFF
position.
Vehicles with the parking brake
not fully engaged are at risk for
moving inadvertently and caus-
ing injury to yourself or others.

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5

1. Cruise indicator
2. Speed set indicator
The cruise control system allows you
to program the vehicle to maintain a
constant speed without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
This system is designed to function
above approximately 30 km/h (20
mph).

If the cruise control is left on,
(CRUISE indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster illuminated) the cruise
control can be switched on acciden-
tally. Keep the cruise control system
off (CRUISE indicator light OFF)
when the cruise control is not in use,
to avoid inadvertently setting a speed.
Use the cruise control system only
when traveling on open highways in
good weather.
Do not use the cruise control when
driving in heavy or varying traffic, or
on slippery (rainy, icy or snow-cov-
ered) or winding roads or over 6%
up-hill or down-hill roads.

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✽

NOTICE

• During normal cruise control oper-

ation, when the SET switch is acti-
vated or reactivated after applying
the brakes, the cruise control will
energize after approximately 3 sec-
onds. This delay is normal.

• To activate cruise control, depress

the brake pedal at least once after
turning the ignition switch to the
ON position or starting the engine.

CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM

WARNING

- Misuse of

Cruise Control

Do not use cruise control if the
traffic situation does not allow
you to drive safely at a constant
speed and with sufficient dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.

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To set cruise control speed:

1. Press the CRUISE button on the

steering wheel to turn the system
on. The CRUISE indicator light in
the instrument cluster will illumi-
nate.

2. Accelerate to the desired speed,

which must be more than 30 km/h
(20 mph).

3. Move the lever down (to SET-),

and release it at the desired
speed. The SET indicator light in
the instrument cluster will illumi-
nate. Release the accelerator at
the same time. The desired speed
will automatically be maintained.

On a steep grade, the vehicle may
slow down or speed up slightly while
going uphill or downhill.

To increase cruise control set
speed:

Follow either of these procedures:
• Move the lever up (to RES+) and

hold it. Your vehicle will accelerate.
Release the lever at the speed you
want.

• Move the lever up (to RES+) and

release it immediately. The cruising
speed will increase by 2 km/h (1.0
mph) each time the lever is operat-
ed in this manner.

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To decrease the cruising
speed:

Follow either of these procedures:
• Move the lever down (to SET-) and

hold it. Your vehicle will gradually
slow down. Release the lever at the
speed you want to maintain.

• Move the lever down (to SET-) and

release it immediately. The cruising
speed will decrease by 2 km/h (1.0
mph) each time the lever is operat-
ed in this manner.

To temporarily accelerate with
the cruise control on:

If you want to speed up temporarily
when the cruise control is on,
depress the accelerator pedal.
Increased speed will not interfere
with the cruise control operation or
change the set speed.
To return to the set speed, take your
foot off the accelerator.

To cancel cruise control, do
one of the following:

• Depress the brake pedal.
• Shift into N (Neutral) with an

Automatic Transmission.

• Press the CANCEL switch.
• Decrease the vehicle speed lower

than the memory speed by 20
km/h (12 mph).

• Decrease the vehicle speed to less

than approximately 25 km/h (15
mph).

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Each of these actions will cancel
cruise control operation (the SET
indicator light in the instrument clus-
ter will go off), but it will not turn the
system off. If you wish to resume
cruise control operation, move the
lever up (to RES+). You will return to
your previously preset speed.

To resume cruising speed at
more than approximately 30
km/h (20 mph):

If any method other than the
CRUISE ON-OFF switch was used
to cancel cruising speed and the sys-
tem is still activated, the most recent
set speed will automatically resume
when you move the lever up. It will
not resume, however, if the vehicle
speed has dropped below approxi-
mately 30 km/h (20 mph).

✽

✽

NOTICE

Always check the road conditions
before you move the lever up (to
RES+) to resume the speed.

To turn cruise control off, do
one of the following:

• Press the CRUISE button (the

CRUISE indicator light in the
instrument cluster will go off).

• Turn the ignition off.
Both of these actions will cancel the
cruise control operation. If you want
to resume the cruise control opera-
tion, repeat the steps provided in “To
set cruise control speed” on the pre-
vious page.

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