automatic KIA Sorento 2008 1.G Repair Manual

59
Driving tips
Winter driving
• We recommend that you carry emer-
gency equipment, including tire chains,
a window scraper, windshield deicer, a
bag of sand or salt, flares, a small
shovel and jumper cables.
• Make sure you have sufficient ethylene
glycol coolant in the radiator.
• Check the battery condition and
cables. Cold temperatures reduce the
capacity of any battery, so it must be in
excellent condition to provide enough
winter starting power.
• Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for cold weather.
• Check the ignition system for loose
connections and damage.
• Use antifreeze formulated windshield
washer fluid. (Do not use engine
coolant antifreeze.)
• Do not use the parking brake if it might
freeze. When parking, shift to 1 (First)
or R (Reverse) with a manual trans-
mission or P (Park) with an automatic
transmission and block the rear
wheels.
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your Kia,
make sure they are radial tires of the
same size and load range as the original
tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels
to balance your vehicle’s handling in all
weather conditions. Keep in mind that the
traction provided by snow tires on dry
roads may not be as high as your vehi-
cle's original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for max-
imum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without first
checking local, state and municipal regu-
lations for possible restrictions against
their use.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no high-
er than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow
adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
WARNING - Snow tire size
Snow tires should be equivalent in
size and type to the vehicle's stan-
dard tires. Otherwise, the safety and
handling of your vehicle may be
adversely affected.

Driving tips
18 5
Driving uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up
the hill, you need to take some special
steps.
• Use a low gear and get a firm grip on
the steering wheel.
• Get a smooth start up the hill and try to
maintain your speed. Don’t use more
power than you need, because you
don’t want your wheels to start spin-
ning or sliding.
• Try to drive straight up the hill, if at all
possible. If the path twists and turns,
you may have to find another route.• Slow down as you approach the top of
the hill.
• Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you
more visible to approaching traffic on
trails or hills.
• Sound the horn as you approach the
top of the hill to let opposing traffic
know you’re there.
• Use your headlights even during the
day. They make you more visible to
other drivers.
Stalling while driving uphill
What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is
about to stall, and I can’t make it up the
hill?
If your vehicle stalls, or is about to stall
while driving uphill, there are some
things you should do, and there are some
things you must not do. First, here’s what
you should do:
• Push the brake pedal to stop the vehi-
cle and keep it from rolling backwards.
Also, apply the parking brake.
• If your engine is still running, shift the
transmission into reverse, release the
parking brake, and slowly back down
the hill in reverse.
• If your engine has stopped running,
you’ll need to restart it. With the brake
pedal depressed and the parking
brake still applied, shift a manual trans-
mission to N (Neutral), or an automatic
transmission to P (Park) and restart
the engine. Then, shift to reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill in reverse.
• As you are backing down the hill, put
your left hand on the steering wheel at
the 12 o’clock position. This way, you’ll
be able to tell if your wheels are
straight or turned to the left or right as
you back down.
WARNING - Driving across
hills
Turning or driving across steep
hills can be dangerous. You could
lose traction, slide sideways, or just
reach an area too steep to traverse.
In any case, it could cause you to
roll over. You could be seriously or
fatally injured. When driving up
hills, always try to go as straight up
as possible.
WARNING- Driving over
hills
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at
full speed can cause an accident
and result in serious or fatal injury.
There could be a drop-off, embank-
ment, cliff, another vehicle or peo-
ple sitting on the ground. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down and
stay alert.

519
Driving tips
Here are some things you must not do if
you stall, or are about to stall, when
going up a hill.
• Never attempt to prevent a stall by
depressing the clutch or shifting to N
(Neutral) to “rev-up” the engine and
regain forward momentum. This won’t
work. Your vehicle will roll backwards
very quickly and you could go out of
control or roll over.
Instead, apply the brake to stop the vehi-
cle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift
into reverse, release the parking brake,
and slowly back down.Stalled on a steep uphill
If your vehicle stalls and you can’t back
down the hill, try this: Set the parking
brake, put your transmission in 1 (First)
gear or P (Park), and turn the engine off.
Leave the vehicle and get some help. If
your vehicle is at an angle to the slope of
the hill, exit the vehicle on the uphill side
and stay clear of the path the vehicle
would take if it rolled downhill. Leave it in
1 (First) gear for manual transmission or
P (Park) for automatic transmission.
WARNING - STALLING
Never attempt to turn around if you
are about to stall when going up a
hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough
to cause you to roll over if you turn
around. If you can’t make it up, you
must back down the hill.
WARNING- Exiting vehicle
Getting out on the downhill (low)
side of a vehicle stopped across an
incline is dangerous. If the vehicle
rolls over, you could be crushed or
fatally injured. Always get out on
the uphill (high) side of the vehicle
and stay well clear of the rollover
path.
WARNING- Leaving vehi-
cle
If you are going to leave your vehicle,
set the parking brake and shift a
manual transmission to 1 (First), or
an automatic transmission to P
(Park).

Driving tips
36 5
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.
Use only an approved trailer wiring har-
ness.
Your Authorized Kia Dealer can assist
you in installing the wiring harness.Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 70 km/h (45
mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transmission overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
and you have an automatic transmission,
you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-
ing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat build up
and extend the life of your transmission.
If you have a manual transmission, drive
in fourth gear (or, as you need to, a lower
gear).
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer
wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.
CAUTION
• When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) pay
close attention to the engine
coolant temperature gauge to
ensure the engine does not over-
heat. If the needle of the coolant
temperature gauge moves across
the dial towards “H” (HOT), pull
over and stop as soon as it is safe
to do so, and allow the engine to
idle until it cools down. You may
proceed once the engine has
cooled sufficiently.
• You must decide driving speed
depending on trailer weight and
uphill grade to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transmission
overheating.

537
Driving tips
Parking on hills
Generally, you should not park your vehi-
cle, with a trailer attached, on a hill.
People can be seriously or fatally injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged if they begin a downhill tra-
jectory.However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your brakes, but don’t shift into
gear.
2. Have someone place chocks under
the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the brakes until the chocks
absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brakes. Apply your park-
ing brake, and then shift to R
(Reverse) for a manual transmission or
P (Park) for an automatic transmis-
sion.
5. Release the brakes.
When you are ready to leave after
parking on a hill
1. With the manual transmission in
Neutral or automatic transmission in P
(Park), apply your brakes and hold the
brake pedal down while you:
• Start your engine;
• Shift into gear; and
• Release the parking brake.
2. Slowly remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of
the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
store the chocks.
WARNING- Parking brake
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the parking brake is
not firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be seriously or
fatally injured.
WARNING- Parking on a
hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause serious
injury or death, should the trailer
break lose.

Driving tips
38 5
Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-
tion to include engine oil, automatic
transmission fluid, axle lubricant and
cooling system fluid. Brake condition is
another important item to frequently
check. Each item is covered in this man-
ual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea
to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nuts
and bolts should be tight.CAUTION
• Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur
in hot days or during uphill driv-
ing. If the coolant gauge indicates
over-heating, switch off the A/C
and stop the vehicle in a safe area
to cool down the engine.
• When towing check transmission
fluid more frequently.
• If your vehicle is not equipped
with the air conditioner, you
should install a condenser fan to
improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.

In case of an emergency
6 6
Jump starting procedure
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12-
volt and that its negative terminal is
grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, do not allow the vehicles to
touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical
loads.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the exact
sequence shown in the previous illus-
tration. First connect one end of a
jumper cable to the positive terminal of
the discharged battery (
➀), then con-
nect the other end to the positive ter-
minal on the booster battery (
➁).
Proceed to connect one end of the
other jumper cable to the negative ter-
minal of the booster battery (
➂), then
the other end to a solid, stationary,
metallic point (for example, the engine
lifting bracket) away from the battery
(
➃). Do not connect it to or near any
part that moves when the engine is
cranked.Do not allow the jumper cables to con-
tact anything except the correct bat-
tery terminals or the correct ground.
Do not lean over the battery when
making connections.
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the
booster battery and let it run at 2,000
rpm, then start the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent, you should have your vehi-
cle checked by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
Push-starting
Your manual transmission-equipped
vehicle should not be push-started
because it might damage the emission
control system.
Vehicles equipped with automatic trans-
mission cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section for
jump-starting.
CAUTION
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge forward
when the engine starts could cause
a collision with the tow vehicle.
CAUTION - Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper cable
from the negative terminal of the
booster battery to the negative ter-
minal of the discharged battery.
This can cause the discharged bat-
tery to overheat and crack, releas-
ing battery acid.

617
In case of an emergency
• Use a towing strap less than 5 m (16
feet) long. Attach a white or red cloth
(about 30 cm (12 inches) wide) in the
middle of the strap for easy visibility.
• Drive carefully so that the towing strap
is not loosened during towing.
When your vehicle is being towed
by another vehicle other than a tow
truck (in case of an emergency)
(2WD vehicles or part-time 4WD
vehicles)
• Turn the ignition switch to ACC so the
steering wheel isn’t locked.
• Place the transmission shift lever in N
(Neutral).
• Place the transfer shift knob for part-
time 4WD operation in the 2HI posi-
tion.
• Release the parking bake.
• Vehicle equipped with automatic trans-
missions should not exceed 45 km/h
(28 mph) and should not be towed
more than 80 km (50 miles).
✽
NOTICE
Remove the rear drive shaft if it is nec-
essary to exceed 45 km/h (28 mph)
and/or 80 km (50 miles). If the drive
shaft cannot be removed, stop every 80
km (50 miles) and start the engine.
Allow the engine to idle for a few min-
utes. This will ensure that the transmis-
sion is sufficiently lubricated.
E4BLA613

In case of an emergency
22 6
• Do not take this vehicle through an
automatic car wash.
• This tire should not be installed on
the front axle if the vehicle must be
driven in snow or on ice.
• Do not use the compact spare tire
on any other vehicle because this
tire has been designed especially
for your vehicle.
• The compact spare tire’s tread life
is shorter than a regular tire.
Inspect your compact spare tire
regularly and replace worn com-
pact spare tires with the same size
and design, mounted on the same
wheel.Changing tires
Jacking instructions
The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of personal injury.
WARNING- Changing
tires
• Never attempt vehicle repairs
in the traffic lanes of a public
road or highway.
•Always move the vehicle com-
pletely off the road and onto
the shoulder before trying to
change a tire. If you cannot
find a firm, level place off the
road, call a towing service
company for assistance.
• Be sure to use the correct
front and rear jacking posi-
tions on the vehicle; never use
the bumpers or any other part
of the vehicle for jack support.
(Continued)
(Continued)
• The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack causing serious
injury or death. Never allow
any portion of your body to
get beneath the vehicle while
using the jack.
• Do not start or run the engine
while the vehicle is on the
jack.
• Do not allow anyone to remain
in the vehicle while it is on the
jack.
• Make sure any children pres-
ent are in a secure place away
from the road and from the
vehicle to be raised with the
jack.

7
Maintenance services / 7-2
Maintenance schedule / 7-3
Owner maintenance / 7-7
Engine compartment / 7-10
Engine oil / 7-11
Engine cooling system / 7-12
Brake fluid / 7-14
Power steering / 7-15
Automatic transmission / 7-16
Lubricants and fluids / 7-18
Air cleaner / 7-19
Climate control air filter / 7-20
Wiper blades / 7-20
Battery / 7-22
Tires and wheels / 7-25
Lubricant specifications / 7-37
Exterior care / 7-39
Interior care / 7-42
Maintenance