What To Do In An Emergency Kia 2021-Forte

In an emergency situation, knowing the right actions to take can make a significant difference. Are you a respected owner of a 2021 Kia Forte and want to know what to do when faced with an emergency situation? This article will provide a practical guide on the actions you need to take if you encounter an emergency situation with your Kia Forte 2021. From the steps to be taken in accident situations to emergency maintenance when your car experiences damage, let’s explore the essential steps that will help you face all kinds of emergencies calmly and effectively.

ROAD WARNING

Hazard warning flasher

The hazard warning flasher serves as a warning to other drivers to exercise extreme caution when approaching, overtaking, or passing your vehicle. It should be used whenever emergency repairs are being made or when the vehicle is stopped near the edge of a roadway.

Press the flasher switch with the ignition switch in any position. The flasher switch is located in the center facia panel. All turn signal lights will flash simultaneously.

• The hazard warning flasher operates whether your vehicle is running or not.
• The turn signals do not work when the hazard flasher is on.
• Care must be taken when using the hazard warning flasher while the vehicle is being towed.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY WHILE DRIVING

If the engine stalls at a crossroad or crossing

If the engine stalls at a crossroad or crossing, set the shift lever in the N (Neutral) position and then push the vehicle to a safe place.

If you have a flat tire while driving

If a tire goes flat while you are driving:

1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and let the vehicle slow down while driving straight ahead. Do not apply the brakes immediately or attempt to pull off the road as this may cause a loss of control. When the vehicle has slowed to such a speed that it is safe to do so, brake carefully and pull off the road. Drive off the road as far as possible and park on firm level ground. If you are on a divided highway, do not park in the median area between the two traffic lanes.
2. When the vehicle is stopped, turn on your emergency hazard flashers, set the parking brake and put the transmission in P (for Intelligent Variable Transmission) or in reverse (Manual Transmission).
3. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle. Be sure they all get out on the side of the vehicle that is away from traffic.
4. When changing a flat tire, follow the instruction provided later in this section.

If the engine stalls while driving

1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight line. Move cautiously off the road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try to start the engine again. If your vehicle will not start, contact an authorized Kia dealer or seek other qualified assistance.

⚠ If there was a check engine light and loss of power or stall, and if safe to do so, wait at least 10 seconds to restart the vehicle after it stalls. This may reset the car so it will no longer run at low power (limp home) condition.

IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START

If engine doesn’t turn over or turns over slowly

1. If your vehicle has an Intelligent Variable Transmission, be sure the shift lever is in N (Neutral) or P (Park) and the emergency brake is set.
2. Check the battery connections to be sure they are clean and tight.
3. Turn on the interior light. If the light dims or goes out when you operate the starter, the battery is discharged.
4. Check the starter connections to be sure they are securely tightened.
5. Do not push or pull the vehicle to start it. See instructions for “Jump starting”

⚠ Do not push or pull the vehicle to start it. Push or pull starting may cause the catalytic converter to overload and create a fire hazard.

If engine turns over normally but does not start

1. Check the fuel level.
2. With the ignition switch in the LOCK position, check all connectors at the ignition coils and spark plugs. Reconnect any that may be disconnected or loose.
3. Check the fuel line in the engine compartment.
4. If the engine still does not start, call an authorized Kia dealer or seek other qualified assistance.

EMERGENCY STARTING

Connect cables in numerical order and disconnect in reverse order.

Jump starting

Jump starting can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to yourself or damage to your vehicle or battery, follow these jump starting procedures. If in doubt, we strongly recommend that you have a
competent technician or towing service jump start your vehicle.

⚠ Use only a 12-volt jumper system. You can damage a 12-volt starting motor, ignition system, and other electrical parts beyond repair by use of a 24- volt power supply (either two 12-volt batteries in series or a 24volt motor generator set).

TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)

1) Low tire pressure indicator/ TPMS malfunction indicator
(2) Low tire pressure position telltale* (Shown on the LCD display)

• : if equipped

Check tire pressure

• You can check the tire pressure in the information mode on the cluster.
• Refer to “User settings mode” in chapter 4.
• Tire pressure is displayed 1~2 minutes after driving.
• If tire pressure is not displayed when the vehicle is stopped, “Drive to display” message displays. After
  driving, check the tire pressure.
• You can change the tire pressure unit in the user settings mode on the cluster.
  • psi, kpa, bar (Refer to “User settings mode” in chapter 4).

Low tire pressure position telltale

When the tire pressure monitoring system warning indicators are illuminated, one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated. If the telltale illuminates, immediately reduce your speed, avoid hard cornering and anticipate increased stopping distances. You should stop and check your tires as soon as possible.

Inflate the tires to the proper pressure as indicated on the vehicle’s placard or tire inflation pressure label
located on the driver’s side center pillar outer panel. If you cannot reach a service station or if the tire cannot
hold the newly added air, replace the low pressure tire with the spare tire.

Then the TPMS malfunction indicator and the Low Tire Pressure telltale may turn on and illuminate after restarting and for about 20 minutes of continuous driving before you have the low pressure tire repaired
and replaced on the vehicle.

In winter or cold weather, the low tire pressure telltale may be illuminated if the tire pressure was adjusted to the
recommended tire inflation pressure in warm weather. It does not mean your TPMS is malfunctioning because the decreased temperature leads to a proportional lowering of tire pressure.

When you drive your vehicle from a warm area to a cold area or from a cold area to a warm area, or the out-
side temperature is significantly higher or lower, you should check the tire inflation pressure and adjust the tires to the recommended tire inflation pressure.

⚠ Do not drive on low pressure tires. Significantly low tire pressure can cause the tires to overheat and fail making the vehicle unstable resulting in increased braking distances and a loss of vehicle control.

Changing a tire with TPMS

If you have a flat tire, the Low Tire Pressure telltale will come on. Have the flat tire repaired by an authorized
Kia dealer as soon as possible or replace the flat tire with the spare tire.

⚠ Never use a puncture-repairing agent not approved by Kia to repair and/or inflate a low pressure tire. A sealant not approved by Kia may damage the tire pressure sensor.

Each wheel is equipped with a tire pressure sensor mounted inside the tire behind the valve stem. You must
use TPMS specific wheels. It is recommended that you always have your tires serviced by an authorized Kia dealer.

IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE

Jack and tools (if equipped)

The jack and wheel lug nut wrench are stored in the luggage compartment. Remove the panel indicated in the
illustration.

(1) Jack handle
(2) Jack
(3) Wheel lug nut wrench
(4) Towing hook
(5) Rear towing hook (if equipped )

Jacking instructions

The jack is provided for emergency tire changing only. To prevent the jack from “rattling” while the vehicle is in motion, store it properly. Follow jacking instructions to reduce the possibility of personal injury.

⚠ Do not place any portion of your body under a vehicle that is only supported by a jack since the vehicle can easily roll off the jack. Use vehicle support stands.

Removing and storing the spare tire (if equipped)

Turn the tire hold-down wing bolt counterclockwise to remove. Store the tire in the reverse order of removal.
To prevent the spare tire and tools from “rattling” while the vehicle is in motion, store them properly.

If it is hard to loosen the tire hold down wing bolt by hand, you can loosen it easily using the jack handle.

1. Put the jack handle (1) inside of the tire hold-down wing bolt.
2. Turn the tire hold-down wing bolt counterclockwise with the jack handle.

⚠ Do not touch the metal surface of the luggage room floor while the engine is operating or hot. Doing so could result in serious bodily injury. Turn the engine off and wait until it cools down or wear globes to remove the spare tire from the luggage room.

Changing tires (if equipped)

1. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park) with Dual clutch transmission/Intelligent variable transmission and R (Reverse) with manual transmission.
3. Activate the hazard warning flashers.

4. Remove the wheel lug nut wrench, jack and spare tire from the vehicle.
5. Chock both the front and rear of the wheel that is diagonally opposite from the jack position.

⚠ To reduce the possibility of injury, be sure to use only the jack provided with the vehicle in the correct jack position; never use any other part of the vehicle for jack support.

6. Loosen the wheel lug nuts counterclockwise one turn each, but do not remove any nut until the tire has been raised off the ground.

7. Place the jack at the front (1) or rear (2) jacking position closest to the tire you are changing. Place the jack at the designated locations under the frame. The jacking positions are plates welded to the frame with two tabs and a raised dot to line up with the jack.

8. Insert the wheel lug nut wrench into the jack and turn it clockwise, raising the vehicle until the tire just clears the ground. This measurement is approximately 1 in. (30 mm). Before removing the wheel lug nuts, make sure the vehicle is stable and that there is no chance for movement or slippage.
9. Loosen the wheel nuts and remove them with your fingers. Slide the wheel off the studs and lay it flat so it cannot roll away. To put the wheel on the hub, pick up the spare tire, line up the holes with the studs and slide the wheel onto them. If this is difficult, tip the wheel slightly and get the top hole in the wheel lined up with the top stud. Jiggle the wheel back and forth until the wheel can slide over the other studs.

Wheels may have sharp edges. Handle them carefully to avoid possible severe injury. Before putting the wheel into place, be sure that there is nothing on the hub or wheel (such as mud, tar, gravel, etc.) that prevents the wheel from fitting solidly against the hub.

⚠ Make sure the wheel makes good contact with the hub when installed. If the contact of the mounting surface between the wheel and hub is not good, the wheel nuts could come loose and cause the loss of a wheel. Loss of a wheel may result in loss of control of the vehicle.

10. To install the wheel, hold it on the studs, put the wheel nuts on the studs and tighten them finger
    tight. Jiggle the tire to be sure it is completely seated, then tighten the nuts as much as possible with your fingers again.
11. Insert the wrench into the jack and lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the wheel nut wrench counterclockwise.

Position the wrench as shown in the drawing and tighten the wheel nuts. Be sure the socket is seated completely over the nut. Do not stand on the wrench handle or use an extension pipe over the wrench handle. Go
around the wheel, tightening every nut following the numerical sequence shown in the image until they are all
tight. Double-check each nut for tightness. After changing wheels, have an authorized Kia dealer tighten the wheel nuts to their proper torque as soon as possible.

Jack label

❈ The actual Jack label in the vehicle may differ from the illustration. For more detailed specifications, refer to the label attached to the jack.

1. Model Name
2. Maximum allowable load
3. When using the jack, set your parking brake.
4. When using the jack, stop the engine.
5. Do not get under a vehicle that is supported by a jack.
6. The designated locations under the frame
7. When supporting the vehicle, the base plate of the jack must be vertical under the lifting point.
8. Move the shift lever to the P position on vehicles with intelligent variable transmission.
9. The jack should be used on firm level ground.
10. Jack manufacturer
11. Production date
12. Representative company and address

IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE (WITH TIRE MOBILITY KIT, IF EQUIPPED)

Please read the instructions before using the Tire Mobility Kit.

(1) Compressor
(2) Sealant bottle

The Tire Mobility Kit is a temporary fix to the tire and the tire should be inspected by an authorized Kia dealer as soon as possible.

⚠ When two or more tires are flat, do not use the Tire Mobility Kit because the canister of sealant only contains enough sealant for one flat tire.

Introduction

With the Tire Mobility Kit (TMK) you stay mobile even after experiencing a tire puncture. The system compressor and sealing compound effectively seal most punctures in a passenger car tire caused by nails or similar objects and reinflates the tire.

After you ensure that the tire is properly sealed, you can drive cautiously on the tire at a max. speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h) in order to reach a vehicle or tire dealer to have the tire replaced as soon as possible.

It is possible that some tires, especially with larger punctures or damage to the sidewall, cannot be sealed
completely. Air pressure loss in the tire may adversely affect tire performance. For this reason, you should avoid
abrupt steering or other driving maneuvers, especially if the vehicle is heavily loaded or if a trailer is in use.

The Tire Mobility Kit is not designed or intended as a permanent tire repair method and is to be used for
one tire only. This instruction shows you step by step how to temporarily seal the puncture. Read the section “Notes on the safe use of the Tire Mobility Kit”.

Components of the Tire Mobility Kit (TMK)

1. Speed restriction label
2. Sealant bottle and label with speed restriction
3. Filling sealant and air hose from sealant bottle to wheel
4. Connectors and cable for the power outlet direct connection
5. Holder for the sealant bottle
6. Compressor
7. On/off switch
8. Pressure gauge for displaying the tire inflation pressure
9. Tire Pressure Control Release Button

Connectors and cable are stored in the compressor housing.

⚠ Do not use the Tire sealant after the sealant has expired (i.e. after the expiration date on the sealant container). This can increase the risk of tire failure.

Components of the Tire Mobility Kit (TMK)

1. Speed restriction label
2. Sealant bottle and label with speed restriction
3. Filling sealant and air hose from sealant bottle to wheel
4. Connectors and cable for the power outlet direct connection
5. Holder for the sealant bottle
6. Compressor
7. On/off switch
8. Pressure gauge for displaying the tire inflation pressure
9. Tire Pressure Control Release Button.

Connectors and cable are stored in the compressor housing.

⚠ Do not use the Tire sealant after the sealant has expired (i.e. after the expiration date on the sealant container). This can increase the risk of tire failure.

Using the Tire Mobility Kit

1. Detach the speed restriction label (1) from the sealant bottle (2), and place it in a highly visible place
   inside the vehicle such as on the steering wheel to remind the driver not to drive too fast.
2. Filling the sealant: Strictly follow the specified sequence, otherwise the sealant may escape under high pressure.

⚠ Before using the tire repair kit, please read the instructions attached on the sealant case carefully. Detach the speed limit label on the sealant case and put it in a highly visible place. Always drive within the speed
limit.

3. Shake the sealant bottle.

4. Screw the filling hose (a) onto the connector of the sealant bottle (1).
5. Insert the sealant bottle into the housing(b) of the compressor so that the bottle is upright.
6. Ensure that the button (9) on the compressor is not pressed.

7. Unscrew the valve cap from the valve of the defective wheel and screw filling hose (3) of the sealant
   bottle onto the valve.

⚠ If the sealant is injected when the tire air pressure injection valve and sealant injection hose are not fully interlocked, the sealant may overflow and clog the valve.

8. Connect the compressor to the vehicle power outlet using the cable and connectors (4).
9. With the engine start/stop button position on: switch on the compressor and let it run for approximately 5~7 minutes to fill the sealant up to proper pressure (refer to the “Tires and wheels” section in Chapter 8). Be careful not to overinflate the tire and stay away from the tire when filling it. When the tire and wheel are damaged, do not use Tire Mobility Kit for your safety.

⚠ Do not attempt to drive your vehicle if the tire pressure is below 29 psi (200 kPa). This could result in an accident due to sudden tire failure.

10. Switch off the compressor.
11. Detach the hose from the sealant bottle connector and from the tire valve.

Return the Tire Mobility Kit to its storage location in the vehicle.

⚠ Carbon monoxide poisoning and suffocation is possible if the engine is left running in a poorly ventilated or unventilated location (such as inside a building).

TOWING

Towing service

If emergency towing is necessary, we recommend having it done by an authorized Kia dealer or a commercial tow-truck service. Proper lifting and towing procedures are necessary to prevent damage to the vehicle. The use of wheel dollies or flatbed is recommended.

It is acceptable to tow the vehicle with the rear wheels on the ground (without dollies) and the front wheels
off the ground. If any of the loaded wheels or suspension components are damaged or the vehicle is being towed with the front wheels on the ground, use a towing dolly under the front wheels. When being towed by a commercial tow truck and wheel dollies are not used, the front of the vehicle should always be lifted, not the rear.

⚠ If the Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) does not release normally, take your vehicle to an authorized Kia dealer by loading the vehicle on a flatbed tow truck and have the system checked.

Removable towing hook (if equipped)

1. Open the tailgate, and remove the towing hook from the tool case.
2. Remove the hole cover pressing the lower (front) part of the cover on the bumper.
3. Install the towing hook by turning it clockwise into the hole until it is fully secured.
4. Remove the towing hook and install the cover after use.

Emergency towing

If towing is necessary, we recommend you to have it done by an authorized Kia dealer or a commercial tow truck service.

If towing service is not available in an emergency, your vehicle may be temporarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency towing hook under the front (or rear) of the vehicle. Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle. A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.