For a 2019 car the wording is
"by selecting ‘User Settings > Convenience > Utility Mode’ in the cluster"

where the > symbol indictates moving to a sub menu each time

 

For a 2019 car the wording is
"by selecting ‘User Settings > Convenience > Utility Mode’ in the cluster"

where the > symbol indictates moving to a sub menu each time

Which is via the steering wheel mini in-dash menu, not the main touch screen.

 

...and the car has to be started

 

Well it seems lucky you. It's definately not one of the options under Convenience on mine :-(

 

Did you turn on the car with the brake pedal pressed?

 

RTFM

 

<Moderator hat>
No need for that Greg. The manual in an impenetrable word salad. Real human beings with English as their first language are much more useful. If you don't want to read threads of people asking questions about their car, then, don't read this forum.

 

OK, a more constructive comment. Before saying your car is "broke", maybe re-reading the section (the OP did read at least part of the manual, since he quoted it) and seeing that you missed a step in the procedure might help.

When I think something is wrong, I go back and retrace my steps to be sure I followed the procedure. Quite often that helps me, and avoids frustration.

Greg

 

The manual is total crap. I can’t be doing with it at all, it’s an embarrassment to Kia IMO. It’s a good job the car is rather better than the manual. If I need to know anything, the manual is my very extreme last resort. I would ask on here first for certain.
So if anyone says to me RTFM, I will likely say FRO! .
Peter

 

Agree too the manual is not great. My Kia dealer said English written version is translated from Korean original and lots lost in translation. I was asking about locking and theft-alarm activation. He told me pressing door handle button and then the key fob lock button will deadlock the car. Nothing about that in manual I can see. According to manual doing both of these activates theft-alarm system. Who to believe? I did RTFM!
Better to ask on this forum.

 

The manual is no good as a reference. It's slightly better when searchable as a PDF, but I've been unable to find a download for my e-Niro 3 (because very new?). Trying to find even the right section of the paper manual is hard, because the page index is so poor. I had no idea about Utility Mode and I've had the manual as my bedtime reading. Will check it out later. I've been on this forum for only a few days and it's a gold mine!

 

Can you not download it from the MyKia site if you’re registered? The manual supplied in my 4+ is more up to date than the pdf and in my opinion is better than the pdf, pictures include new September software update.

 

I don't think I went as far as registering. I've found UK manuals via this forum with 2020 slapped on them, but I think mine is 2021. Either way, the paper manual is always my first attempt. PDF when I can't find what I'm looking for.

Update: Just registered. Manual is 2020, but I guess there's not enough difference to require new edition. Will compare with printed manual later.

 

Heating (in fact everything except driving!) works in Utility mode.
Its in the manual somewhere.
Peter

 

I'm wary of Utility mode because I read somewhere (of course I can't find where it was now) that there was another difference besides driving, and that is that the 12V battery doesn't get charged in Utility mode. If you flattened the 12V battery with lights and radio and phone charging etc., you would need a 12V jump from another car or car starter pack to get your EV going even if you had plenty of charge in the main battery

 

Thanks for quick reply. I'm sure it is in the manual, shame they didn't do the index properly! I see that it also doesn't include an entry for winter mode, I wonder what else is missing.

 

The manual is sh1te. Good job the car is somewhat better
The best manual is this forum
Peter

 

Bumping this old thread because I used Utility Mode today and it was handy.

My 2019 doesn't have remote defrost so I was trying to find a way to turn it on and run the heater with the car sitting on my driveway without someone being able to drive it away lol

So putting it into utility mode worked because (a) heater then runs from main battery and (b) you cant drive it without turning it off and back on again

 

I think I'm confusing Accessory mode with Utility mode. Just start the car as normal with foot on brake and then switch to Utility mode whilst in Drive mode (parked-up of course). Starting the car without the foot on the brake puts it straight into Accessory mode, Utility mode will charge your 12 V battery, Accessory mode will drain it.

 

Correct in 2nd post. Utility mode good, accessory mode bad!

 

Easy way to remember this:

Accessory mode is easily accessed but useless
Utility mode is inaccessible but useful, inconveniently tucked away on the convenience menu

 

I so wish that the access method for these two (similar but significantly different) modes was swapped around! It would have been a super handy way to access Utility mode. And those that did it accidentally (because they didn’t hold foot on brake) wouldn’t end up with a discharged 12V battery! Peter.

 

Absolutely! Would have been so much better Peter


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I must admit, that I'm having difficulties to understand what's the point of utility mode? AFAIK it's the same as starting the car normally, except that you can't drive with it. So when do I need this utility mode? Why can't I just start the car? It's not like it will drive away unless I put it in gear.

Maybe if I leave the car unattended, there is a small benefit from utility mode, that no one can drive the car away. But other than that, like when I'm inside or near the car, why would I need this utility mode?

 

I must admit, that I'm having difficulties to understand what's the point of utility mode? AFAIK it's the same as starting the car normally, except that you can't drive with it. So when do I need this utility mode?

Car camping 😎

 

It's handy for leaving the kids nice and warm in the car while you are out having a beer attending some serious business. That way you'll be sure the little rascals won't be taking the car for a joy ride or something.

 

@M_M Theres actually more to it than meets the eye. Utility mode is significantly different from full ready to drive mode…..

1. Utility mode cannot be driven.
2. Utility mode consumes a bit less energy from HV battery (as some drive systems are turned off).
3. Utility mode charges the 12V battery constantly at ~14.7V. Full drive mode (somewhat surprisingly) doesn’t! It periodically effectively stops charging after a while as the applied voltage from the D.C./D.C. converter dips to a low voltage ~13V. You can clearly see all this with a BM2 data logger installed. At 13V the battery is not being charged at all! It is just offsetting the present 12V system load demands.

I believe this is why Kia/Hyundai EVs are really not so great at properly recovering a deeply discharged battery by just normal driving around (worst case is after a jump start from being totally flat), no matter for how long a journey. Utility mode is the ideal solution for that as it charges properly at a constant ~14.7V always. A few hours on utility mode is way better for recharging the 12V than the same few hours of normal READY driving mode. Peter

 

Utility mode charges the 12V battery constantly at ~14.7V. Full drive mode (somewhat surprisingly) doesn’t!

Thank you! That's a very useful nugget of information.
If I want to ensure the 12V battery is kept topped up, I'd rather do it using utility mode than faff around with external battery chargers and deciding whether to disconnect the battery (as recommended in manual) or leave it connected (arguably risky even if people have done it without problems.)

I guess you know this from your datalogger. What does it says about the 12V battery state while the car is charging from a home EVSE? Nissan are clear that this is one of the times when the LEAF 12V battery is charged; Kia say nothing about this for the e-Niro.

Perhaps I should invest in some datalogging equipment and find out for myself. Is this an application of an OBD dongle - what do I need?
Perhaps I should just stick a multimeter on the battery terminals while charging.

 

Get one of these. Best investment you could make IMHO…..

Auto Battery Monitor BM2 Car Battery Tester Battery Load Tester Bluetooth 4.0 12V Device Car Battery Tester Auto Cranking Charging System Test Scan Tool Digital Battery Alternator Analyzer (1pcs): Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Auto Battery Monitor BM2 Car Battery Tester Battery Load Tester Bluetooth 4.0 12V Device Car Battery Tester Auto Cranking Charging System Test Scan Tool Digital Battery Alternator Analyzer (1pcs): Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

www.amazon.co.uk

Way better than an OBD device for this specific purpose. Ultra low power drain (1mA) It measures and logs the 12V status 24/7/365. Super easy to fit straight across the battery terminals. Can check battery status charts anytime without even unlocking the car. I can just about make it work from inside the house (via Bluetooth LE) with the App on your phone. I fitted mine the actual same day I took delivery of the car in 2020, as I had read about possible 12V issues. Gives total peace of mind.

Yes 12V is being charged ok when plugged in (but only whilst the car is actually being charged!). Peter

 

I've used Utility mode to defrost my car on my driveway. I dont have to worry about someone driving it off. Its unlocked so someone could nick my snacks or wooly hat or whatever but not so worried about that.

 

Using Utility Mode

I appreciate that if you go into accessory mode you are running the radio etc on the 12V whereas switching to Utility it runs from the Main traction battery, or else that charges the 12V I would imagine. I don't really see the point of going into utility, why not when you pull up just leave it...

www.speakev.com

Looks like you can lock it if you're willing to jump through a couple of hoops (summary: central lock from inside with doors closed, get out, lock with physical key)

 

Looks like you can lock it if you're willing to jump through a couple of hoops (summary: central lock from inside with doors closed, get out, lock with physical key)

Hence my reference to "difficulty of leaving the car locked in utility mode". It is possible but you need to know how.

 

Just done this myself and you can lock the car via the App so is great if you want to leave it charging. I have it charging now the traction HV battery, and the 12v battery, heater off everything off that I can turn off. Liking it!

 

If you are plugged in charging the HV battery, no need to use Utility mode as well. When HV is charging, so is the 12V anyway. Peter

PS I didn’t even know you could set Utility mode whilst plugged in charging. Every days a learning day.

 

I am not sure when you are charging it does normally charge the 12v, I thought it only did that when in Drive mode (or utility)

 

These BM2 monitor graph grabs should convince you once and for all. My car was on a Zappi solar charge from around 06:30 to 15:15. You can see the voltage here before the car charging started was 12.74V……

Then whilst car was charging you can see the voltage was up at 14.73V. Obviously the 12V was being charged all the time the car was being charged…….

Then finally after the car was unplugged (just before I went out in it) you can see the Voltage was now at 13.1V. Clearly much higher than before this car charging session started. The 12V battery had clearly been charged. The 2 peaks after this orange marker was me driving the car. Peter…..