Kia Rio: Tire pressure monitoring system

(1) Low tire pressure telltale / TPMS malfunction indicator

Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)

As an added feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.

Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.

Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.

Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale.

When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.

TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly.

Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function properly.

If the TPMS indicator does not illuminate for 3 seconds when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position or engine is running, or If it comes on after blinking for approximately one minute, take your car to your nearest authorized Kia dealer and have the system checked.

Low tire pressure telltale

When the tire pressure monitoring system warning indicator is 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 Low Tire Pressure telltale may flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated after restarting and 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 outside temperature is greatly higher or lower, you should check the tire inflation pressure and adjust the tires to the recommended tire inflation pressure.

WARNING - Low pressure damage

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.

TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) malfunction indicator

The TPMS malfunction indicator will illuminate after it blinks for approximately one minute when there is a problem with the Tire Pressure Monitoring System. If the system is able to correctly detect an under inflation warning at the same time as system failure then it will illuminate the TPMS malfunction indicator.

Have the system checked by an authorized Kia dealer as soon as possible to determine the cause of the problem.

The TPMS malfunction indicator may be illuminated if the vehicle is moving around electric power supply cables or radios transmitter such as at police stations, government and public offices, broadcasting stations, military installations, airports, or transmitting towers, etc. This can interfere with normal operation of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

The TPMS malfunction indicator may illuminate if snow chains or some separately purchased devices such as notebook computers, mobile charger, remote starter, navigation etc. are used in the vehicle. This can interfere with normal operation of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Changing a tire with TPMS

If you have a flat tire, the Low Tire Pressure 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.

CAUTION

Never use a puncture-repairing agent not approved by Kia to repair and/or inflate a low pressure tire. The tire sealant not approved by Kia may damage the tire pressure sensor. The sealant on the tire pressure sensor and wheel shall be eliminated when you replace the tire with a new one.

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.

Even if you replace the low pressure tire with the spare tire, the Low Tire Pressure Telltale will blink or remain on until the low pressure tire is repaired and placed on the vehicle.

After you replace the low pressure tire with, the TPMS spare tire, the Low Tire Pressure telltale may blink or illuminate after a few minutes because the TPMS sensor mounted on the spare wheel is not initiated.

Once the low pressure tire is reinflated to the recommended pressure and installed on the vehicle or the TPMS sensor mounted on the replaced spare wheel is initiated by an authorized Kia dealer, the TPMS malfunction indicator and the low tire pressure telltale will extinguish within a few minutes of driving.

If the indicator is not extinguished after a few minutes of driving, please visit an authorized Kia dealer.

If original mounted tire is replaced with the spare tire, the TPMS sensor on the replaced spare wheel should be initiated and the TPMS sensor on the original mounted wheel should be deactivated. If the TPMS sensor on the original mounted wheel located in the spare tire carrier still activates, the tire pressure monitoring system may not operate properly.

Have the tire with TPMS serviced or replaced by an authorized Kia dealer.

You may not be able to identify a low tire by simply looking at it. Always use a good quality tire pressure gauge to measure the tire's inflation pressure. Please note that a tire that is hot (from being driven) will have a higher pressure measurement than a tire that is cold.

A cold tire means the vehicle has been sitting for 3 hours and driven for less than 1 mile (1.6 km) in that 3 hour period.

Allow the tire to cool before measuring the inflation pressure. Always be sure the tire is cold before inflating to the recommended pressure.

The TPMS cannot alert you to severe and sudden tire damage caused by external factors such as nails or road debris.

If you feel any vehicle instability, immediately take your foot off the accelerator, apply the brakes gradually and with light force, and slowly move to a safe position off the road.

✽ NOTICE

Tampering with, modifying, or disabling the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) components may interfere with the system's ability to warn the driver of low tire pressure conditions and/or TPMS malfunctions. Tampering with, modifying, or disabling the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) components may void the warranty for that portion of the vehicle.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules.

Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1.This device may not cause harmful interference, and

2.This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.