[NNolan]

It looks like the battery actually charged just fine, but the light keeps blinking. The car doesn't even have 300 miles on it yet, and I've only charged it 4 times. I'm using the 120V charger that came with the car, because I'm not calling an electrician to put a dedicated charger in my garage until it stops snowing and the temperature gets up over 50 degrees on a regular basis.

The dealer should be open in another hour, but that means taking the to the other side of the city in a snow storm. Ugh.

Other than this I love the car. I still have 3/4 of a tank of gas after 280 miles of driving and I love the blind spot sensor and rear view camera and sensor.

 

[myronbg]

Hey Admin... This is a great example for the need of a seperate PHEV thread

 

[NNolan]

So, it turns out that what I thought was the charger light is actually a little blinking red light that Kia puts on all their dashboards just behind the windshield. There's no reference in the manual to that light at all and I see from checking out the forums for other Kia models I'm not the only one confused about the what and why of that light. I'm back to using the Level 1 charger until spring arrives and I can get an electrician to work in my garage.

 

[PAULRIDES]

Seems I remember that light (windshield that blinks all the time) being the out side temperature sensor (don't hold me to that).

 

[realto]

That little red light is telling you the anti-theft feature is armed. More a visual for would be thieves than anything.

 

[eddarrah]

So, it turns out that what I thought was the charger light is actually a little blinking red light that Kia puts on all their dashboards just behind the windshield. There's no reference in the manual to that light at all and I see from checking out the forums for other Kia models I'm not the only one confused about the what and why of that light. I'm back to using the Level 1 charger until spring arrives and I can get an electrician to work in my garage.

Yes, Realto is correct, that is the light indicating that your anti theft/alarm system is activated. When you turn the car off the light will start blinking in 1-2 min. Thereis a way to disable the alarm and thankfully Kia made it difficult enough to do so that you can't do it by accident. It's in the manual. Obviously I wouldn't suggest turning the alarm off but if you wanted to for some reason, it IS possible.

Also, I guess you can accidentally set the alarm off. If you power the car OFF and sit in it for more than two minutes, then open the door to get out, the alarm will go off, as the open door is seen as an "intrusion". It also will go off if it senses ANY forced entry, prying, glass breakage etc. This stock alarm prevented me from going out and buying a $400 after market alarm that our Honda Civic had installed after two incidents of vandalism. The after market alarm had both impact and motion (proximity) sensors so it would go off if anyone came within two feet of either side of the vehicle. The only down side to a motion/proximity sensor alarm is that rain, if heavy enough, will set it off, as well as squirrels, high winds, etc..............and that gets you some unhappy neighbors.

 

[NNolan]

I wonder why Kia decided it should blink even when all the doors are unlocked.

 

[BaliThai]

Alarm Settings

Yes, Realto is correct, that is the light indicating that your anti theft/alarm system is activated. When you turn the car off the light will start blinking in 1-2 min. Thereis a way to disable the alarm and thankfully Kia made it difficult enough to do so that you can't do it by accident. It's in the manual. Obviously I wouldn't suggest turning the alarm off but if you wanted to for some reason, it IS possible.

Also, I guess you can accidentally set the alarm off. If you power the car OFF and sit in it for more than two minutes, then open the door to get out, the alarm will go off, as the open door is seen as an "intrusion". It also will go off if it senses ANY forced entry, prying, glass breakage etc. This stock alarm prevented me from going out and buying a $400 after market alarm that our Honda Civic had installed after two incidents of vandalism. The after market alarm had both impact and motion (proximity) sensors so it would go off if anyone came within two feet of either side of the vehicle. The only down side to a motion/proximity sensor alarm is that rain, if heavy enough, will set it off, as well as squirrels, high winds, etc..............and that gets you some unhappy neighbors.

I am considering buying the Niro PHEV, and have been browsing the forums. Regarding the alarm - do you know if you can change the alarm settings? Of it for sure goes off when the doors are unlocked and you open one? I would like to keep it activated, but many times I will be sitting in the car waiting to pick up a kid, and wouldn't want it to go off when they open the door. The alarm feature in my Toyota Camry Hybrid does not go off for someone opening the door (when it is unlocked).

 

[BaliThai]

Also, I guess you can accidentally set the alarm off. If you power the car OFF and sit in it for more than two minutes, then open the door to get out, the alarm will go off, as the open door is seen as an "intrusion". It also will go off if it senses ANY forced entry, prying, glass breakage etc.

Does anyone know if this is actually the case - that the alarm will go off if you power the car off and sit in the car for more than a few minutes?

I hope not! I'd like to keep the alarm functioning, but I am often sitting around waiting for kids (school, soccer, etc.) where I turn off the car and wait for them. I wouldn't want the car to alarm to go off every time they get into the car in those circumstances! My 2007 Toyota Hybrid has an alarm, but it doesn't start until you've locked the car. So it doesn't go off when the door opens if I am sitting the car.