KIA Sorento 2008 1.G Owner's Manual

411
Driving your vehicle
• Always hold the steering wheel firmly
when you are driving off-road.
• Make sure all passengers are wearing
seat belts.
• Do not drive in water if the level is high-
er than the bottom of the vehicle.
• Check your brake condition once you
are out of mud or water. Press the
brake pedal several times as you move
slowly until you feel normal braking
forces return.
• Shorten your scheduled maintenance
interval if you drive in off-road condi-
tions such as sand, mud or water (see
“Scheduled Maintenance” in the Index).
Always wash your car thoroughly.
Full-time 4WD operation
(if equipped)
When 4WD is selected with the transfer
shift knob, the vehicle will switch to 4WD
operation after a few seconds.
WARNING
If you are driving too fast in water,
the water spray can get into the
engine compartment and wet the
ignition system, causing your vehi-
cle a sudden stop. If this happens
and your vehicle is in a tilted posi-
tion, your vehicle may roll over.
WARNING
If you are driving in heavy wind, the
vehicle's higher center of gravity
decreases your steering control
capacity and requires you to drive
more slowly.
LOWAUTO
E2BLA411B

Driving your vehicle
12 4
✽
NOTICE
When the vehicle shifts into 4WD mode,
a slight mechanical sound and vibration
may be felt and does not indicate a prob-
lem with the system.
To avoid shift shock, when the vehicle is
stopped and you make a transfer case
shift using the transfer shift knob, wait
until the corresponding indicator light in
the instrument cluster illuminates before
driving.
Knob position
This is used to set different positions.
AUTO
Full power delivered to front and rear
axle for increased traction. Use this mode
for normal on-road driving.
The 4WD LOW indicator light ( ) will
be turned off after blinking for a few sec-
onds to remind you that you are in the
AUTO mode.
LOW
Full power to both axles, including a
lower gear ratio for low speed applica-
tions that require extra power such as
wet pavement, snow-covered roads
and/or off-road.
LOW Mode is not recommended on dry
pavement.
The 4WD LOW indicator light
( )will
be turned on after blinking for a few sec-
onds to remind you that you are in the
LOW mode.
Transfer shift knob operation
AUTO ↔
LOW
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Depress the clutch pedal (Manual
transmission) or put the shift lever into
N (Neutral) position (Automatic trans-
mission).
3.AUTO ➝
LOW
: Turn the transfer shift knob to LOW
mode.
LOW ➝
AUTO
: Turn the transfer shift knob to AUTO
mode.
4. Before releasing the clutch pedal
(Manual transmission) or shifting to
other ranges from N (Automatic trans-
mission), wait for the corresponding
indicator light in the instrument cluster
to go ON or OFF.
4WD
LOW
4WD
LOW
CAUTION
If the vehicle moves while the trans-
fer shift is in process, the gearbox
may be damaged.

413
Driving your vehicle
Part-time 4WD operation
(if equipped)
You can send your engine's driving
power to all front and rear wheels for
maximum power.
Four-wheel drive is useful when you
drive in snow, mud, ice or sand where
good traction is required, or when your
wheels lose traction using two-wheel
drive.When 4WD is selected with the transfer
shift knob, the vehicle will switch to 4WD
operation after a few seconds.
✽
NOTICE
When the vehicle shifts into 4WD mode,
a slight mechanical sound and vibration
may be felt and does not indicate a prob-
lem with the system.
To avoid shift shock, when the vehicle is
stopped and you make a transfer case
shift using the transfer shift knob, wait
until the corresponding indicator light in
the instrument cluster illuminates before
driving.
✽
NOTICE
 Do not select four wheel drive on flat
and normal roads.
 Four-wheel driving on flat roads for a
long period causes poor fuel economy
and noise and it also causes tires to
wear faster.
 Four-wheel driving on flat and nor-
mal roads can result in a severe bind-
ing and chattering condition when
turning the steering wheel.
 Four-wheel driving on flat roads for a
long period can also cause the differ-
ential oil temperature to increase,
resulting in damage to parts in the
power train.
OBL046901N

Driving your vehicle
14 4
Knob position
This is used to set different positions.
2HI (Rear-wheel drive)
This mode is used, when driving on nor-
mal roads and highway.
4HI (High-range 4-wheel drive)
This mode is used, when driving off-
roads, wet or snow covered roads with
normal speed.
The 4WD indicator light
()will be
turned on to remind you that you are in
the 4HI mode.
4LO (Low-range 4-wheel drive)
Use 4LO for climbing or descending hills,
off-roads driving and towing the vehicle,
especially when increased power is
required.
The 4WD LOW indicator light
( )will
be turned on to remind you that you are
in the 4LO mode.
Transfer shift knob operation
By turning the transfer knob (4HI, 4LO),
both front and rear axles are engaged.
This improves the traction characteristic.
2HI➝
4HI
Turn the transfer knob from the 2HI mode
to 4HI mode at speed below 80 km/h (50
mph).
It is not necessary to depress the clutch
pedal or put the shift lever into N
(Neutral) position (Manual transmission)
or put the shift lever into N (Neutral) posi-
tion (Automatic transmission).
Perform this operation when driving
straight. There will be a few seconds of
time delay before come into 4HI mode
when you shift the knob to 4 HI from 2HI.4HI➝
2HI
Turn the transfer knob from the 4HI mode
to the 2HI mode at speed below 80 km/h
(50 mph). It is not necessary to depress
the clutch pedal (Manual transmission) or
put the shift lever into N (Neutral)
(Automatic transmission). Perform this
operation when driving straight.
If the transfer mode does not shift into
2HI mode when you turn the transfer
knob to 2HI, drive straight ahead with
accelerating or decelerating, or drive in
reverse.
4WD
LOW

415
Driving your vehicle
4HI↔
4LO
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Depress the clutch pedal for the man-
ual transmission or put the shift lever
into N (Neutral) for the automatic
transmission.
3.4HI➝
4LO
: Select the 4LO mode.
4LO➝
4HI
: Select the 4HI mode.
4. Before releasing the clutch pedal
(Manual transmission) or shifting to
other ranges from N range (Automatic
transmission), wait for corresponding
indicator light turns on or off in the
cluster.For safe four-wheel drive opera-
tion
• Your vehicle allows you to drive in on-
road and off-road conditions.
• However, do not try to drive in deep
standing water, mud, or over steep
hills.
• When you are driving up or down hills,
drive as close to straight up and down
the hills as possible. Use extreme cau-
tion in going up or down steep hills,
since you can flip your vehicle over
depending on the grade, terrain and
water/mud conditions.
• Drive off-road carefully because your
vehicle may be damaged by rocks or
roots of trees. Become familiar with the
off-road conditions you are going to
drive before you start.
CAUTION
If the vehicle moves while the trans-
fer shift is in process, the gearbox
may be damaged.
WARNING - Four-wheel
driving
The conditions on-road or off-road
that demand four-wheel drive mean
all functions of your vehicle are
exposed to more extreme stress
than under highway conditions.
Slow down, look ahead, and be
ready for sudden changes in the
composition and traction of the sur-
face under your tires. If you have
any doubt about the safety of the
conditions you are facing,stop and
consider the best way to proceed.
Do not exceed the ability of yourself
or your vehicle to operate safely.
HILL1/HILL2
Approach Hill Straight
Up/DownDo not Approach at
Angle

Driving your vehicle
16 4
• You must learn how to corner in a 4WD
vehicle as soon as possible. Do not rely
on your experience in conventional
2WD vehicles in choosing a safe cor-
nering speed. You must drive more
slowly.
• Always hold the steering wheel firmly
when you are driving off-road.
• Make sure all passengers are wearing
seat belts.
WARNING - Steep hills
Driving across the contour of steep
hills can be extremely dangerous.
This danger can come from slight
changes in the hill angle which can
destabilize the vehicle. Even if the
vehicle is maintaining stability
under power, it can lose that stabil-
ity if the vehicle stops its forward
motion. Your vehicle may roll over
without warning and without time
for you to correct a mistake that
could cause serious injury or death.
WARNING - Turning cor-
ners
Reduce speed when you turn cor-
ners. The center of gravity of 4WD
and 2WD utility vehicles are raised
higher than that of conventional
2WD cars, making them more likely
to roll over when you turn corners
too fast.
WARNING
Do not grab inside of the steering
wheel when you are driving off-road.
Your arm may be hurt by a sudden
steering maneuver or from steering
wheel rebound due to impact with
objects on the ground. You could
lose control of the steering wheel.
OBL046499N

417
Driving your vehicle
• If you need to drive in water, stop your
vehicle, set your transfer knob to 4LO
or LOW and drive at less than 8 km/h
(5 mph).• Do not drive in water if the level is high-
er than the bottom of the wheel hubs.
• Check your brake condition once you
are out of mud or water. Press the
brake pedal several times as you move
slowly until you feel normal braking
forces return.
• Shorten your scheduled maintenance
interval if you drive off-road in condi-
tions such as sand, mud or water (see
“Scheduled Maintenance’’ in the
Index). Always wash your car thor-
oughly.
• The full time four wheel drive vehicle
cannot be towed by an ordinarily tow
truck. Make sure that the vehicle is
towed with its four wheels raised off the
ground.
• Since the driving torque is always
applied to the 4 wheels the perform-
ance of the 4WD vehicle is greatly
affected by the condition of the tires.
Be sure to equip them with all four tires
with same size and type.
WARNING
If you are driving in heavy wind, the
vehicle’s higher center of gravity
decreases your steering control.
Drive more slowly than you would
in calm conditions.
WARNING- Driving
through water
If you are driving too fast in water,
the water spray can get into the
engine compartment and wet the
ignition system, causing your vehi-
cle to suddenly stop. If this hap-
pens and your vehicle is in a tilted
position, your vehicle may roll over.
WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide for safe ride
and handling capability.
Do not use a size and type of tire
and wheel that is different from the
one that is originally installed on
your vehicle. It can affect the safety
and performance of your vehicle,
which could lead to handling failure
or rollover and serious injury.
When replacing the tires, be sure to
equip all four tires with the tire and
wheel of the same size, type, tread,
brand and load-carrying capacity. If
you nevertheless decide to equip
your vehicle with any tire/wheel
combination not recommended by
Kia for off road driving, you should
not use these tires for highway driv-
ing.

Driving your vehicle
18 4
• For speedometer test or inspection/
maintenance (I/M) program of full-time
4WD vehicle, use a four wheel chassis
dynamometer.• A 4WD vehicle should not be tested on
a 2WD drive roll tester. If a 2WD roll
tester must be used, perform the fol-
lowing:
1. Check the tire pressures recommend-
ed for your vehicle.
2. Place the rear wheels on the roll tester
for speedometer test as shown in the
illustration.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Place the front wheels on the tempo-
rary free roller as shown in the illustra-
tion.
E5BLA401 Roll tester (speedometer)Temporary free roller
CAUTION
Never engage the parking brake
while performing these tests.
CAUTION
While the full-time 4WD vehicle is
being raised on a jack, never start
the engine or cause the tires to
rotate.
There is the danger that rotating
tires touching the ground could
cause the vehicle to go off the jack
and to jump forward.
If one of the front or rear wheels
begins to spin in mud,snow, etc.
the vehicle can sometimes be driv-
en out by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal further; however avoid
running the engine continuously at
high rpm because doing so could
damage the 4WD system.
WARNING
Keep away from the front of the
vehicle while inspecting. This is
very dangerous as the vehicle can
jump forward and cause serious
injury or death.

419
Driving your vehicle
A limited slip differential if equipped, is for
the rear wheel differential only. The fea-
tures of this limited slip differential are
described below;
Just as with conventional differential, the
wheel on one side is allowed to turn at a
different speed from the wheel on the
other side when the vehicle is cornering.
The difference between the limited slip
differential and a conventional differential
is that if the wheel on one side of the
vehicle loses traction, a greater amount
of torque is applied to the rear wheel on
the other side to improve traction.
WARNING
To avoid injury, never run the
engine with one wheel off the
ground,such as when changing a
tire.
WARNING
• Avoid high cornering speed.
• Do not make quick steering wheel
movements,such as sharp lane
changes or fast,sharp turns.
• The risk of rollover is greatly
increased if you lose control of
your vehicle at high speeds.
• In a collision crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more likely
to die compared to a person
wearing a seat belt.
•Loss of control often occurs if
two or more wheels drop off the
roadway and the driver over
steers to re-enter the roadway.
• In the event your vehicle leaves
the roadway, do not steer sharply.
Instead,slow down before pulling
back into the travel lanes.
LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (IF EQUIPPED)

Driving your vehicle
20 4
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
usage.
In the event that the power-assisted
brakes lose power because of a stalled
engine or some other reason, you can
still stop your vehicle by applying greater
force to the brake pedal than you nor-
mally would. The stopping distance, how-
ever, will be somewhat longer.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially depleted
each time the brake pedal is applied. Do
not pump the brake pedal when the
power assist has been interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when neces-
sary to maintain steering control on slip-
pery surfaces.
In the event of brake failure
If service brakes fail to operate while the
vehicle is in motion, you can make an
emergency stop with the parking brake.
The stopping distance, however, will be
much greater than normal.
BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING -Brakes
• Do not drive with your foot rest-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lining
and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
• When descending a long or steep
hill,shift to a lower gear and
avoid continuous application of
the brakes. Continuous brake
application will cause the brakes
to overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
• Wet brakes may result in the vehi-
cle not slowing down at the usual
rate and pulling to one side when
the brakes are applied. After
going through water, apply the
brakes lightly to regain smooth
braking performance.
WARNING- Parking brake
Operating the parking brake while
the vehicle is moving at normal
speeds can cause a sudden loss of
control of the vehicle. If you must
use the parking brake to stop the
vehicle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.