Tag: Kia

Dog Mode is slowly spreading

Dog Mode

Dog modeI have a friend who has had some recent headaches with her Tesla and has threatened to move on to another vehicle. But, she wonders why no one else has Dog Mode, which she makes great us of.

Dog Mode allows the temperature in the car to be set, keeping the vehicle interior at that temperature until you return. Whether the cabin needs to be heated or cooled, the car will control the HVAC to hold the selected temperature.

She has a point, and rather misses another.

First and foremost, any car — electric or otherwise — with a remote start option or a remote climate control option can be effectively used as a pet protector, which is the missed point! More on that in a bit.

But, since dog mode is such a good idea, this first spurred a search, and while its taken more time than it should have, it does appear that pet protection is at last being added by a number of manufacturers.

Other Manufacturers

The search found that Ford, Rivian, Lucid and Volvo have added similar features. Hyundai and Chevrolet were included in the list, but we couldn’t find any indication of this in any Hyundai, Kia, Genesis or Chevrolet model.

The other manufacturers use different names, and while there may be a copyright on the use of Dog Mode, its more likely that others just like to apply their own name to systems that perform the same function. For instance Ford calls theirs Pet Mode, which is sensible, while Lucid takes it a step too far calling it Creature Comfort Mode.

But back to remote start. In an EV, since there is no engine to warm up, this is nothing more than cabin preconditioning. This could easily be used in place of an actual pet mode to keep a pet safe.

However, remote start shuts down if no one comes to the vehicle to actually drive it. In a Kia for instance, this is 10 minutes.

Further, remote start is available in vehicles using internal combustion engines (ICE) as well. In this case, the engine would be running throwing its exhaust into the air, but at least your pet will be safe.

However, if you use remote start to keep a pet safe be sure you have enough battery power or gasoline. The Telsa feature only works above 20% battery or a little less than a “quarter” tank of fuel. A good rule of thumb.

But the real point to manufacturers is this: just exactly how difficult is it to gather existing software applications and making a Dog Mode button and screen? This is a seriously popular and potentially even life saving feature. It can be applied to humans left in the car as well…

If you make use of remote start for this purpose, you may want to make a sign to place in your window letting outsiders know. Otherwise a good samaritan may be tempted to smash a window to rescue your pet…

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/11/dog-mode-is-slowly-spreading/

Kia symbols page gets the new color treatment

Kia LogoKia symbols page

On the heels of finding another half dozen symbols that were not included in the owner’s manual list, we have transformed our Kia symbols page into the new color alignment. The addition of the new symbols, discussed here as an owner’s manual fail, the page now holds exactly 100 entries.

We’ve now transformed well some 15 pages, including our primary symbols page, to reflect the new color ordering.

The page is now ordered red through yellow/orange/amber (depending on how you interpret the color!), then to green and blue and finally to black and white or gray scale. This generally provides a “mostly serious” to “simply letting you know” range. We used the term “mostly serious” here for the red indicators because many legacy red symbols do not point to a problem with the vehicle at all.

Regardless, ordering by color provides a cleaner, simpler option for drivers searching for information.

Our now increased set of Kia indicators can be seen here.

Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.

At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble – a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/11/kia-symbols-page-gets-the-new-color-treatment/

Kia Niro EV first impressions

Kia Niro EV

The lease on my Polestar 2 recently expired, and I purchased a pre-owned 2022 Kia Niro EV outright (22,000 miles). Over the last few years a rather healthy used EV market has developed, which is great for the industry.

The Kia does not have the prestige of the Polestar but there were a number of reasons why I chose it. The primary one one was my experience driving a rented Hyundai Kona EV while the Polestar was down for body repair. The car, while quite small, was surprisingly capable and full of most of the same features as the Polestar. Hyundai has proven itself a capable EV maker, and Kia is a chip off the block.

There are some things I miss about the Polestar, the surround view camera being the biggest, but several things I don’t miss at all, the center nav stack being the largest. The Niro‘s is so much better thought out.

In the Polestar, if you wanted to switch from media to radio, you had to switch screens. That’s a physical button on the Kia. But its behavior in operation is standout. You can change a pre-set radio station on the steering wheel, which was the same as the Polestar. But unless you had memorized the stations while on the nav screen, to see the new station again required changing screens! In the Kia, the new station is displayed for a few seconds on the far side of the screen! Beautiful.

Plus it picks up the media from the phone without a hitch, while this was always a struggle for the Polestar. Further, the overall sound quality is superior in the Kia. The Polestar‘s front center speaker so dominated the output that I simply reverted to keeping the front speakers turned off.

A surprising advantage not given much attention is the Kia‘s efficiency. Its EPA range is 250 miles. However, it has consistently stayed at about 280 miles! That’s on the order of 4.4 miles per kW from its 64 kW battery, easily one of the highest available. We covered EV efficiency’s here.

I’m quite satisfied with the purchase.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/10/kia-niro-ev-first-impressions/

Hyundai, Kia, Genesis back up entry page overhaul is complete

Kia LogoBack up entry page overhaul

We just completed the last step of a Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis back up entry page overhaul. The intent is to fully separate the three manufacturers who now have way too many back up entry processes.

As a first step, we separated Genesis, admittedly the simplest of the three. Overall, the page used to have only a handful of entry processes, made necessary when the battery in the key fob dies. But Hyundai in particular seems to add a new one each year!

The final step was to move Kia to its own page, leaving parent company Hyundai to populate the original. Its done, and we believe that the result is a cleaner and simpler user experience across all three vehicle lines.

And given that we have 18 videos from all three manufacturers lumped together, it’s likely time to separate them as well…

Smart Keys or Intelligent Keys, or Access Keys – or whatever the manufacturer of your chooses to call them – that let you into your car and start it with just a touch use up their internal batteries at alarming rates, catching busy drivers unawares – even though the car had tried to warn you.

Our goal is to help you feel safe – and keep you moving or get you moving if at all possible – rather than leave you fretting whenever your key fob stops working. The instructions for getting into and starting most keyless start cars can be found on our pages – without roadside assistance.

The new Genesis page is here.

The new Kia page is here.

And the original page, now belonging solely to Hyundai, is here.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/hyundai-kia-genesis-back-up-entry-page-overhaul-is-complete/

Open a Kia with a Dead Key Fob

How to Open a Kia with a Dead Key Fob

Hyundai flip key fobRetrieving the mechanical key

Kia has used a flip key key fob since 2015 and they remain in use today (2025) in some models. The mechanical key is found by pressing the chrome button on the end opposite the key ring. The mechanical key is released and remains attached to the fob.

hyundai Mechanical KeyTo use the most common Kia key fobs, press and hold the release button at the key ring end of the remote control or ‘clicker’ and pull the key ring to remove mechanical key. Use the key to unlock the driver’s door. They too remain in limited use today (2025).

Kia key fobKia added a new fob in 2022 that features all the the buttons on the side (right). The button at the very top — that is, the one closest to the key ring end — is the one to push in order to release the mechanical key.

If a key hole is visible, use the key to unlock the driver’s door.

Hidden Keyholes

Two Piece Door Handles

Kia Keyhole CoverStarting with the 2014 Cadenza and K900, the manufacturer adopted the hidden keyhole trick. The Optima and Sportage were added in 2016. These models all feature a two-piece door handle. As shown in the image to the right, press the mechanical key into the slot found under the cover at the back of the driver’s door handle (1) and pull forward and up by hand (2).

Pulling the cap while holding some upward pressure will work best. There is a black button in the slot that is being pushed up with the key in this move and the cap is immediately to move!

Hyundai hybrid door unlockA “hybrid” of this was introduced in 2024 in the Sorento and Telluride. The mechanical key is again slipped into a slot beneath the back of the door handle and pushed upwards. Now however, a small cover, seen in blue to the right, is slid to the side and out of the way. This should be done when the mechanical key is still inserted and pushed upward. The keyhole is then revealed.

And yes, with the two-piece handle one way or another you must pull a piece of your car off, but its ok! The cover will come off exposing the keyhole.

One Piece Door Handles

Hyundai flush handleKia EV6 vehicles feature a flush door handle.  A push on the front of the handle will rotate the rear part outward. Then pull the handle out as far as it will go. The key hole is immediately visible (right). The mechanical key can be inserted and turned to unlock the vehicle.

Check our videos for additional help.

Continue to Part II, Getting Started …

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/open-a-kia-with-a-dead-key-fob/

Kia symbols page swells to 90+ indicators

Kia LogoKia symbols page

We’ve completed an update of our Kia symbols page, adding 20 new entries as a result. Overall, this completes the Hyundai Motor Group of manufacturers.

The large number of add ons points to additional technology handed down from parent Hyundai. Among them are the Lane Following Assistance (LFA) symbols, in multiple colors. LFA is now found across the company’s offerings.

Lane following assist greenLane following assist in grayLane following assist in whiteThe technology detects lane markings and/or a vehicle ahead on the road, and helps center the vehicle in the lane. It is essentially a light duty self driving system that is a step above lane keeping and behind hands free driving. In fact, the driver gets a hands-off warning and if he or she still does not have their hands on the steering wheel lane following assist is automatically canceled.

Low Coolant IndicatorGlow Plug Indicator SymbolWe’ve already given kudos to Kia for finding new uses for older symbols rather than adding more new symbols and in electric vehicles (EVs). One is the Glow Plug indicator, generally found in diesel engines and the Low Coolant indicator originally intended for gas and diesel engines.

Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.

At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble – a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.

See the Kia symbols page here for more, now holding over 90 entries.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/kia-symbols-page-swells-to-90-indicators/

Low coolant symbol recycled for electrical equipment

Kia LogoLow coolant symbol

In a previous post, we congratulated Kia for recycling a diesel symbol for use in an electrical vehicle (EV) to describe a similar job, rather than invent something new, which would add to the mountain of symbols that already exist.

Here, we get to congratulate them again with a low coolant symbol.

Low Coolant IndicatorKia is using one of the original Low Coolant symbols not for a gasoline or diesel engine but for the cooling system of an electrical inverter. The symbol looks like a rectangle with a mouth at the top and a wavy line across the bottom, meant to represent liquid.

The company could have thought up a brand new symbol to describe cooling an electrical inverter, but chose not to add to the 1,000+ symbols already in use.

Cars are changing, and among those changes is the growing number of symbols and indicators that will invariably show up on your dashboard or instrument panel. Every year, new features are added to vehicles, each of which is accompanied by a new symbol or symbols and likely a new acronym.

At DashboardSymbols.com, our aim is to help you understand what is happening to your vehicle at the first sign of trouble – a new warning light illuminated on your instrument panel. Its all here on this website. Our first intention is to bring the latest technologies down to earth and understandable for everyday drivers.

Kia‘s symbols page is here and the inverter can be seen on this page.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/low-coolant-symbol-recycled-for-electrical-equipment/