Search by Title only
Home > Driving your vehicle > Brake system > Downhill Brake Control (DBC)

Downhill Brake Control (DBC)

The Downhill Brake Control (DBC) feature assists the driver to descend down a steep hill without having to depress the brake pedal.

The system automatically applies the brakes to maintain the vehicle speed 4 km/h (2.5mph) ~ 40 km/h (25 mph) and allows the driver to concentrate on steering the vehicle down hill.

Always turn off the DBC on normal roads. The DBC might activate inadvertently from the stand by mode when driving through speed bumps or making sharp curves.

NOTICE

The DBC defaults to the OFF position whenever the ignition switch or EV button is placed in the ON position.

Noise or vibration may occur from thebrakes when the DBC is activated. Therear stop lights illuminate when DBC isactivated.These are normal conditions.

DBC operation

Mode

Indicator light

Description

Standby

Appeared

Press the DBC button when vehicle speed is under 60 km/h (38 mph). The DBC system will turn ON and enter standby mode.

The system does not turn ON if vehicle speed is over 60 km/h (38 mph).

Activated

Blinks

In the standby mode, It enters the operating mode when the following conditions are met.

  • The road surface should be more than a certain angle of inclination

  • The accelerator pedal must not be depressed.

  • The vehicle speed is between 4 km/h (2.5 mph) ~ 40 km/h (25 mph)

    • 2.5 km/h (1.5 mph) ~ 8 km/h (5 mph) when driving backward.

With vehicle speed between 4 km/h (2.5 mph) ~ 40 km/h (25 mph), the drivercan or decrease or increase vehicle speed by depresing the brakel or acceleratorpedal.

Temporarily deactivated

Appeared

In the activated mode, DBC will temporarily deactivate under the following conditions:

  • The hill is not steep enough.

  • The accelerator pedal is depressed.

  • When the vehicle speed is in the range of 40 km/h (25 mph) ~ 60 km/h (38 mph)

If the above conditions are not met, the DBC will automatically re-activate.

OFF

Not appeared

The DBC will turn OFF under the following conditions:

  • The DBC button is pressed again.

  • When the accelerator pedal is depressed and vehicle speed exceeds 60 km/h (38 mph)
NOTICE

If the DBC yellow indicator light appears, the system may have overheated or malfunctioned. When the warning light appears even after the DBC system has cooled, have your vehicle checked by an authorized Kia dealer as soon as possible.

NOTICE

  • DBC may not deactivate on very steep downhill even though the brake or accelerator pedal is depressed.

  • DBC will not operate when:

    • The gear is in P (Park).

    • ESC is activated.