2016 • VOLUME 19, ISSUE 2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
1 Mahle R1234yf Refrigerant Reclaim A/C Machine Overview
2 Techline FAQs
2 Latest Technical Service Bulletins, Service Actions and
Campaigns
3 Kia University: Current News

7 Test Your Tech Times Knowledge
8 Forward Collision Warning (FCW) Indicator
9 Service Interval Minder: Increase Customer Satisfaction
& Vehicle Longevity

4 2016 Technician Satisfaction Survey
5 JOE'S CORNER: Don't Let The Lights Go Out (Parasitic Draw)

10 Apple CarPlay Overview
12 Electronic Troubleshooting Manual (ETM) Service Tips
13 Front License Plate Bracket Position on Vehicles with AEB
(17MY QL)

6 High Beam Assist (HBA) System

13 Test Your Tech Times Knowledge Answers

4 2016 Kia Skills World Cup: Going for the gold!

MAHLE R1234yf REFRIGERANT RECLAIM A/C MACHINE OVERVIEW
In March 2016 Kia introduced the Mahle
ACX1299 to service all new Kia vehicles
equipped with R1234yf refrigerant
systems (refer to TSB CLI 029).

6. O
il purge: Occasionally the machine will perform an oil purge
from the system during the auto recovery/ recharge.
7. H
ose drain: the system automatically performs a hose drain
following and sometimes prior to an A/C service.

The Mahle ACX1299 A/C machine is the next
generation of A/C equipment featuring
the Mahle ArticPro TechPro diagnostic
software, which includes Wi-Fi, wireless
Bluetooth VCI connectivity, and a 7" LCD
touch screen making navigation through
A/C services quick and easy. The machine also features onboard
diagnostic information to help find answers to common A/C
problems and diagrams/pictures such as A/C ports location.

The ACX1299 is easily field serviceable and can be accessed
remotely by Mahle technicians to perform software troubleshooting. In the coming months a companion application will
be launched that will mirror the processes happening on the
ACX1299 and provide alerts when input or intervention is needed
from the technician. This feature will give technicians the freedom
to work on other things while still keeping an eye on the machine
performing A/C service. To work with this new refrigerant you
need to be trained and certified by an EPA organization. You
can receive your Certification Training for Refrigerant Recovery
and Recycling review (Section 609 program) training from ASE
(ASE.com) or MACS (macsw.org).

The ACX1299 walks the user through each of the steps of the
auto recovery/ recharge process including:
1. C
onnect the VCI: Reads the vehicle VIN and determines the
amount of refrigerant required.
2. R
efrigerant identification: a small sample of refrigerant is
taken from the vehicle to verify R1234yf is in the vehicle to
avoid contamination.
3. R
efrigerant recovery: a vacuum is applied and all refrigerant is
recovered from the vehicle.
4. Refrigerant Pre-charge and test: the vehicle is loaded with 15%
refrigerant charge which is held for a leak test. It will then ask
the technician to perform a leak detection inside the vehicle
with the provided refrigerant leak detector “refrigerant sniffer.”
5. R
efrigerant recharge: the machine will then create a system
vacuum and charge the system with the required amount of
refrigerant.

Image shows A/C System recharging refrigerant.

2

TECH TIMES • Vol 19, No. 1•2016

TECHLINE FAQs

Q

I am unable to duplicate the
customer’s concern. What
should I do?

A

No repair attempts should be made prior to duplicating the customer’s concern.
Techline cases are opened where there is no duplication of the concern but the
technician has for example already added Stabilant to the connectors or tightened the
gas cap for EVAP codes then proceeded to try and duplicate the customer’s concern.
Often, these simple steps will have corrected the concern and the technicians are
often looking for a problem that has already been repaired.

A

No. Techline agents must close your PWA case to send the PWA approval. If you check
your messages from your email that you have associated with your KU profile, you
should see an email message from Techline stating the case was either approved
or denied. We often hear from technicians telling us they did not get an email
notification. Make sure the email address in your KU profile is up to date and update it
if necessary. All emails/responses from Techline will go to the email address you have
in your KU profile.

Q

My PWA case just disappeared
from my case list. Do I need to
open up another one?

Q

The TPMS light is flashing after
installing a new TPMS module
and completing all the
programming steps. Why?

A

The issue is one of the steps is missing and it is only for TRW TPMS sensors. The step
that needs to be completed is changing the TPMS module from a Virgin state to a
Normal state. Go into S/W management and then go into TPMS mode configuration.
Change the module from Virgin state to Normal state. Please note that this process
should be done after writing the sensor IDs and adding the vehicle name.

Q

Techline referenced a Tech Times
article but when I look in KGIS the
issue is not listed.

A

Hit the reset button to clear the vehicle data from the search window and all
Tech Times articles will be listed.

LATEST TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS, SERVICE ACTIONS AND CAMPAIGNS
ELE 103

Service Action: Start Stop Button (SSB) Inspection and Replacement (2015MY KH)

BOD 136

Service Action: Door Latch Replacement (2017MY QL)

SC 130

Multi-Function Switch Replacement (2015 - 2016MY KH)

TRA 059

HCU/TCU Upgrade - For 100 Mesh Solenoid Equipped Hybrid Transmissions (2011-2016MY TFH)

CHA 066

Front Stabilizer Link Replacement (Multiple Models)

ELE 104

Apple CarPlay Roll Out and Troubleshooting Guide (2016MY JFa, 2017MY QL, UMa)

SC 131

Driver's Frontal Airbag Module Replacement (2016MY JFa)

ELE 100r2

Combination TSB/SA: UVO System Upgrade (SA222r2) (2014-2016MY PS, XMa, TF/QF, YD, SL)

CAUTION
Vehicle servicing performed by untrained persons could result in
damage to the vehicle.

WARNING
• Vehicle servicing performed by untrained persons could result in
injury to those persons or to others.
• Always take proper and necessary safety precautions when
performing any type of service on a vehicle.
• The Kia technician newsletter (Tech Times) is intended for use by
professional Kia automotive technicians only. It is written to inform
technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles. Trained
Kia technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions,
publications and expertise to help perform the job correctly.

NOTICE
The topics covered in this newsletter are designed to assist you with
the diagnosis and repair of specific vehicle conditions. Just because a
condition is described in this newsletter, do not assume that it applies
to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. In all cases,
the procedures in the applicable Service Manual and/or Electrical
Troubleshooting Manual or on KGIS should be performed first.
The information and specifications provided in this document were
accurate at the time of development. Kia reserves the right to
discontinue or change specifications or design at any time without
notice and without incurring any obligation.
Copyright © 2016 Kia Motors America, Inc. All rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be reproduced, stored electronically,
or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written
approval from Kia Motors America, Inc. ("KMA"). KMA reserves the right
to make any changes in the descriptions, specifications, or procedures
at any time.

3

TECH TIMES • Vol 19, No. 1•2016

KIA UNIVERSITY
Published by Kia Motors
America, Inc. and produced
by Kia University.
All rights reserved.
Director, Kia University

CURRENT NEWS

NEW COURSE LAUNCHES
Kia University is pleased to announce the launch of the following web-based test on KiaUniversity.com:

SPRING 2016 SERVICE TECHNICAL UPDATE TEST
Code:

TEC-04-058-1

David Wobst
Tech Times Editor
Lewis Thompson
Production Coordinator
Carlos Sicairos

Tech Times Contributors
Barry Nelson
Tony Cartagena
Carlos Sicairos

Service Technicians need the latest and most current information to increase productivity and fix it right the
first time performance. This will ultimately drive superior customer satisfaction and owner loyalty to their
dealership. This certification test challenges technicians to seek out the latest Service Information published
over the last several months pertaining to new technology operation and diagnosis, emerging troubleshooting
strategies and tips for effective special service tool usage.
Prior to beginning this test, please reference the following materials:
•Tech Times Volume 18 Issue 4
•Tech Times Volume 18 Issue 5
•Tech Times Volume 18 Issue 6
•Technical Service Bulletins and Pitstops released June 2015 thru December 2015
This web-based test is required for Service Technician’s certification.

Joe Alt
Dan Algarin
Sujith Somasekharan

2ND QUARTER TECHNICIAN SATISFACTION SURVEY RAFFLE

Robert Scholer
Shari Brady
Mark Ramsey Adam
Pisz
Joe Perez

Technical Editors
Neem Van der Reest
Lewis Thompson
Engineering Support &
Technical Writer
Neem Van der Reest
Technical Writer
Mario Garcia

Greetings Kia Technicians!!
In an ongoing effort to continue increasing
Technician Satisfaction Survey responses
and continue to gain valuable feedback from
our technicians on their Techline experiences,
Kia Techline has brought back the Technician
Satisfaction Survey Raffle! The 2016 Quarter
2 raffle opened on April 1, 2016 and will end on
June 30, 2016. Winners will be notified via email
and phone call in the first week of July 2016.
As in previous raffles, all Kia dealer technicians
will have a chance at winning 1 of 3 $500
MasterCard gift cards each time he/she closes
their Techline Repair Assistance (RA) case and
completes the Technician Satisfaction Survey.
We had a very strong turnout the last two
raffles in quarter 3 and quarter 4 of 2015
with over 10,000 responses received within
6 months! Thank you all for your valuable
feedback! The overall results for Techline were
very positive with the overall satisfaction rating
for Techline at 88% (in 2015) using a 1 to 5 point
scoring system where only a score of 5 counts.
Anything less than 5 is considered a failure.
We would like to keep the momentum going,
so future raffles will continue each quarter
throughout 2016!

Please submit your feedback by completing the
Technician Satisfaction Survey when you close
your cases and get your chance to win some
cash!
Kia Techline continuously works hard to provide
industry leading technical support to all Kia
dealers in an efficient manner. Here are the
latest performance metrics for Kia Techline:
Web case response time avg: 16 minutes
PWA case response time avg: 9 minutes
Phone response time avg: 12 seconds
Comeback Ratio: 0.6%
New Case Count (includes PWA cases):
33,967 as of 5/23/2016
Overall Satisfaction Survey Score
(Only a score of 5 counts): 92%
Thank you all for your continued support!!
Go Kia!!!
Regards,
Tony Cartagena
Techline Communications Manager
Kia Motors America

4

TECH TIMES • Vol 19, No. 1•2016

2016 KIA SKILLS WORLD CUP

GOING FOR THE GOLD!

The time has come for the Kia Skill World Cup competition in Seoul, South Korea the week of May 23rd 2016. All four Kia Skill National
Cup winners are packed and ready to go. We are proud to support these talented technicians. Please join us in congratulating and
wishing luck to these extraordinary technicians. Let’s bring home the Gold. Go Team USA!
Stay tuned for a special Tech Times edition to see the results of the 2016 Kia Skill World Cup.

Kia Skill National Cup winners (left to right): Jason Powell Derek Eveler Gregory Dubs Ben Hendricks

KIA UNIVERSITY

2016 TECHNICIAN SATISFACTION SURVEY

This summer, Kia University will
launch our annual Technician
Satisfaction Survey. We recognize this
is one of your busiest times of the
year, but we have retooled the survey
and it now has fewer questions. The
new survey focuses on GDS/KDS and
KGIS, and should only take about 5-10
minutes to complete.
It’s important that we receive your
honest opinions about GDS/KDS and
KGIS. We encourage you to tell us how
we’re doing so we can improve our
service to you. Remember, this survey
is completely confidential. Thank you
for participating in the survey, and we
look forward to your feedback.

55

TECH TIMES • Vol 19, No. 1•2016

JOE’S CORNER

DON'T LET THE LIGHTS GO OUT (PARASITIC DRAW )

How do you know if a vehicle has excessive parasitic draw?
The tried and true method is to place an ammeter between the negative battery post and the negative battery cable and measure the
current flow.
Check the fuse in your ammeter!
A quick way to check the fuse:
• Set the DVOM to measure 10 amps
• Connect a good 1.5V AA or AAA battery in series
• A good battery with a good fuse will measure typically between
one (1) and four (4) amps
To test for excessive parasitic draw:
• Disconnect the hood switch for the alarm system (if equipped)
• Leave the hood open
• If the battery is in the trunk, also leave the trunk open
• Roll down the driver’s window
• Turn the ignition OFF
• Remove the key/FOB and place it several feet away (to
ensure that the key/FOB and the Smart Key Module do not
communicate and wake up any of the systems.)

• Use the 10 amp setting, it will allow
you to measure down to 10 mA. (50
mA on most displays will read as
0.05 A).
So how do you keep everything alive
while disconnecting the negative
battery cable?

If the battery is in the trunk:
• Connect the jumper box to the
positive and negative charging ports
under the hood (if equipped)
• Remove the negative battery cable
and connect your ammeter in series

If the battery is up front:

• Allow the vehicle to sit undisturbed
for 20 minutes

• Connect a jumper box (not a battery
charger) to the positive battery cable
and the engine block or head

• Disconnect the jumper box and read
the value on the meter

• An amperage draw greater than
50 mA after the 20 minutes
indicates something is not
shutting down or shutting off.
In my next issue, I will deal with coolant
(what happens in coolant, stays in
coolant!)

6

TECH TIMES • Vol 19, No. 1•2016

KIA UNIVERSITY

HIGH BEAM ASSIST (HBA) SYSTEM

Kia first introduced the High Beam Assist (HBA) feature on
the 2015MY Sedona. It is available on models fitted with Lane
Departure Warning System (LDWS) such as the 2016MY
Optima and 2017MY Sportage. The HBA system automatically
adjusts the headlamps lighting range (switching between
High & Low beam) according to the headlamp and/or tail lamp
brightness of other vehicles, plus road conditions such as
street lighting.
The system uses the Lane Departure Warning System
(LDWS) camera to monitor ambient light brightness and
traffic conditions, and can detect the headlights of
approaching vehicles up to a distance of approximately 3000
feet and the rear lights of vehicles ahead up to a distance of
approximately 1,600 feet (See Fig. 1).
The HBA system switches the headlights from high beam
to low beam automatically. As soon as other vehicles are no
longer in danger of being overwhelmed by the bright high
beams, the system automatically switches from low beam to

high beam again. The system also automatically switches to
low beam when the vehicle enters an area with a relatively
high amount of street lighting.
HBA requires a few conditions in order for the system to
operate.
First, the light switch needs to be in the
AUTO position and the multi-function
switch lever needs to be pushed away
from the driver to the High Beam position.
The system needs to travel at 25mph to
become active. At this point the greencolored HBA assist indicator (See Fig. 2),
will illuminate.

Fig. 2. HBA indicator

Once active, the HBA system automatically switches to Low
beam in any conditions such as when the head lamps from an
oncoming vehicle are detected or the tail lamps from a vehicle
in front are detected. When lighting from other vehicles such
as motorcycles or bicycles is detected, or when street or road
lighting is detected and high beam is not necessary. Finally,
the system stops operating and defaults to low beam when
vehicle speed drops below 19 mph.
If the HBA system encounters an error or malfunction (e.g., a
burned out bulb), the system will display a warning message
in the instrument cluster
message center (See Fig. 3).
Since the HBA operation is
primarily controlled by the
LDWS system (see Fig. 4),
all diagnostics procedures
and
diagnostic
trouble
codes (DTCs) can be found
under the LDWS shop
manual section. HBA system
Electrical wiring schematics
can be found under LDWS
and Auto Lights systems.
Fig. 3. H
BA Malfunction Message

Fig. 1. HBA System operation

C-CAN

LDWS/HBA Unit

Cluster

LDWS Switch

Mul4-Func4on Switch

Warning Buzzer

Fig. 4. L
ane Departure System
(LDWS) & High Beam Assist
(HBA) System Diagram

77

TECH TIMES • Vol 19, No. 1•2016

TEST YOUR TECH TIMES KNOWLEDGE
Test your knowledge of the articles in this issue of Tech Times. This edition of Word Scramble maybe slightly more challenging.
Unscramble all the words below to reveal the secret phrase.

1. F N E T I A R R E R G — — — — — — — — — — —
2. E R M P E A G A — — — — — — — —

(Page 7)

(Page 4)