2018 Kia Optima Phev Owner’s Manual

The 2018 Kia Optima PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) is a world-first combination of eco-friendly technology and sleek form that sets a new standard for driving in a sustainable way. The Optima PHEV is easy to spot because it has beautiful lines on the outside and is very efficient. This hybrid car is powered by a dynamic mix of an efficient gasoline engine and an electric motor. It gets great gas mileage and has lower emissions, and it can also be driven on pure electric power for shorter trips. Inside, there are modern entertainment systems, high-quality materials, and a lot of space for comfort. The fact that the 2018 Kia Optima PHEV can easily switch between hybrid and electric modes is a big step toward a more environmentally friendly future without sacrificing style or performance.

Safety features of your vehicle

You will find many safety precautions and recommendations throughout this section and throughout this manual.The safety precautions in this section are among the most important.

Always wear your seat belt
A seat belt is your best protection in all types of accidents. Airbags are designed to supplement seat belts, not replace them. So even though your vehicle is equipped with airbags, ALWAYS make sure you and your passengers wear your seat belts and wear them properly.

Restrain all children
All children under age 13 should ride in your vehicle properly restrained in the rear seat, not the front seat. Infants and small children should be restrained in an appropriate child restraint. Larger children should use a booster seat with the lap/shoulder belt until they can use the seat belt properly without a booster seat.

Airbag hazards
While airbags can save lives, they can also cause serious or fatal injuries to occupants who sit too close to them, or who are not properly restrained. Infants, young children, and shorter adults are at the greatest risk of being injured by an inflating air bag. Follow all instructions and warnings in this manual.

Driver distraction
Driver distraction presents a serious and potentially deadly danger, especially for inexperienced drivers. Safety should be the first concern when behind the wheel and drivers need to be aware of the wide array of potential distractions, such as drowsiness, reaching for objects, eating, personal grooming, other passengers, and using cellular phones.
Drivers can become distracted when they take their eyes and attention off the road or their hands off the wheel to focus on activities other than driving. To reduce your risk of distraction or getting into an accident:

• ALWAYS set up your mobile devices (i.e., MP3 players, phones, navigation units, etc.) when your vehicle is parked or safely stopped.
• ONLY use your mobile device when allowed by laws and when conditions permit safe use. NEVER text or email while driving. Most states have laws prohibiting drivers from texting. Some states and cities also prohibit drivers from using handheld phones.
• NEVER let the use of a mobile device distract you from driving. You have a responsibility to your passengers and others on the road to always drive safely, with your hands on the wheel as well as your eyes and attention on the road.

AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE

Automatic transaxle operation
The automatic transaxle has 6 for-ward speeds and one reverse speed. The individual speeds are selected automatically, depending on the position of the shift lever.

NOTICE
The first few shifts on a new vehicle, if the battery has been disconnected, may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal condition, and the shifting sequence will adjust after shifts are cycled a few times by the TCM (Transaxle Control Module) or PCM (Powertrain Control Module).

WARNING – Automatic transaxle

• Always check the surrounding 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 fully and shut the engine off. Unexpected and sudden vehicle movement can occur if these precautions are not followed in the order identified.
• Do not use the engine brake (shifting from a high gear to lower gear) rapidly on slip-pery roads.
  The vehicle may slip causing an accident.

CAUTION

• To avoid damage to your transaxle, do not accelerate the engine in R (Reverse) or any forward gear position with the brakes on.
• When stopped on an uphill
  grades, do not hold the vehi-cle stationary with engine power. Use the brake pedal or the parking brake.
• Do not shift from N (Neutral) or P (Park) into D (Drive), or R (Reverse) when the engine is above idle speed.

Transaxle ranges
The indicator lights in the instrument cluster displays the shift lever posi-tion when the engine start/stop but-ton switch is in the ON position.

P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before shifting into P (Park). This position locks the transaxle and pre-vents the front wheels from rotating.
To shift from P (Park), you must depress firmly on the brake pedal and make sure your foot is off the accelerator pedal.
If you have done all of the above and still cannot shift the lever out of P (Park), see “Shift-lock override” in this chapter.
The shift lever must be in P (Park) before turning the hybrid system off.

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

N (Neutral)
The wheels and transaxle are not engaged. The vehicle will roll freely even on the slightest incline unless the parking brake or service brakes are applied.

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 whilst the engine is running.
2. If the parking brake is applied unlock the parking brake.
   For EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) equipped vehicles, push the brake pedal with the ignition button in [ON] or whilst the engine is running to disengage the parking brake. If [AUTO HOLD] function is used whilst driving (If [AUTO HOLD] indicator is on in the cluster), press [AUTO HOLD] switch and [AUTO HOLD] function should be turn off.
3. Whilst 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) whilst 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.

CAUTION

• With the exception of parking in neutral gear, always park the vehicle in [P] (Park) for safety and engage the parking brake.
• Before parking in [N] (Neutral) gear, first make sure the park-ing ground is level and flat. Do not park in [N] gear on any slopes or gradients.
  If parked and left in [N], vehicle may move and cause serious damage and injury.
• After the ignition switch has been turned off, the electronic parking brake cannot be dis-engaged.
• For EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) equipped vehicles with
  [AUTO HOLD] function used whilst driving, if the ignition button has been turned [OFF], the electronic parking brake will be engaged automatically.
  Therefore, [AUTO HOLD] function should be turned off before the ignition button is turned off.

D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving position. The transaxle will automatically shift through a 6-gear sequence, providing the best fuel economy and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-er vehicle or climbing grades, depress the accelerator pedal fully (more than 82%) until the kick-down mechanism works with a clicking noise, at which time the transaxle will automatically downshift to the next lower gear.

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 backward and forwards will allow you to make gearshifts rapidly.
Up (+) : Push the lever forward once to shift up one gear.
Down (-) : Pull the lever backward once to shift down one gear.

Shift lock system
For your safety, the automatic transaxle has a shift lock system that 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 hybrid system 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 chattering 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 depressing the brake, then do the following:

1. Place the engine start/stop button switch in the LOCK/OFF position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Carefully remove the cap (1) covering 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.
5. Move the shift lever.
6. Remove the tool from the shiftlock override access hole then install the cap.
7. Have the system inspected by a professional workshop. Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.

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 vehicle is completely stopped before you attempt to shift into R (Reverse) or D (Drive).
• Never take the vehicle out of gear and coast down a hill. This may be extremely hazardous. Always leave the vehicle in gear when moving.
• Do not “ride” the brakes. This can cause them to overheat and malfunction. 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 down the vehicle.
• 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 vehicle 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.

FAQ