check engine KIA Sorento 2009 2.G Owner's Guide

465
Driving your vehicle
Air conditioning system opera-
tion tips If the vehicle has been parked in directsunlight during hot weather, open the
windows for a short time to let the hot
air inside the vehicle escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of win- dows on rainy humid days, decrease
the humidity inside the vehicle by oper-
ating the air conditioning system.
During air conditioning system opera- tion, you may occasionally notice a
slight change in engine speed at idle as
the air conditioning compressor cycles
on. This is a normal system operation
characteristics.
Use the air conditioning system every month if only for a few minutes to
ensure maximum system performance.
When using the air conditioning sys- tem, you may notice clear water drip-
ping (or even puddling) on the ground
under the passenger side of the vehi-
cle. This is a normal system operation
characteristics.
Operating the air conditioning system in the recirculated air position does
provide maximum cooling, however,
continual operation in this mode may
cause the air inside the vehicle to
become stale.
Checking the amount of air con-
ditioner refrigerant and compres-
sor lubricantWhen the amount of refrigerant is low,
the performance of the air conditioning is
reduced. Overfilling also has a bad influ-
ence on the air conditioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer.
CAUTION
When using the air conditioning system, monitor the temperaturegauge closely while driving up hills or in heavy traffic when out-side temperatures are high. Airconditioning system operationmay cause engine overheating. Continue to use the blower fanbut turn the air conditioning sys-tem off if the temperature gauge indicates engine overheating.
When opening the windows in humid weather air conditioningmay create water droplets insidethe vehicle. Since excessive water droplets may cause dam-age to electrical equipment, airconditioning should only be run with the windows closed.
CAUTION
The air conditioner refrigerant con-tainer is highly pressurized.Therefore it should be serviced by an authorized Kia dealer. Improperservice may cause serious injury.
CAUTION
When the performance of the air conditioning system is reduced it isimportant that the correct type andamount of oil and refrigerant isused. Otherwise, damage to the compressor and abnormal systemoperation may occur.

Driving your vehicle74
4
Air conditioning system opera-
tion tips If the vehicle has been parked in direct
sunlight during hot weather, open the
windows for a short time to let the hot
air inside the vehicle escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of win- dows on rainy humid days, decrease
the humidity inside the vehicle by oper-
ating the air conditioning system.
During air conditioning system opera- tion, you may occasionally notice a
slight change in engine speed at idle
as the air conditioning compressor
cycles on. This is a normal system
operating characteristic.
Use the air conditioning system every month if only for a few minutes to
ensure maximum system perform-
ance.
When using the air conditioning sys- tem, you may notice clear water drip-
ping (or even puddling) on the ground
under the passenger side of the vehi-
cle. This is a normal system operating
characteristic.
Operating the air conditioning system in the recirculated air position does
provide maximum cooling, however,
continual operation in this mode may
cause the air inside the vehicle to
become stale.
Checking the amount of air con-
ditioner refrigerant and compres-
sor lubricantWhen the amount of refrigerant is low,
the performance of the air conditioning is
reduced. Overfilling also has a bad influ-
ence on the air conditioning system.
Therefore, if abnormal operation is
found, have the system inspected by an
authorized Kia dealer.
CAUTION
When using the air conditioningsystem, monitor the temperature gauge closely while driving up hillsor in heavy traffic when outside tem-peratures are high. Air conditioningsystem operation may cause engine overheating. Continue to use theblower fan but turn the air condi-tioning system off if the temperature gauge indicates engine overheat-ing.
CAUTION
The air conditioner refrigerant con-tainer is highly pressurized.Therefore it should be serviced by an authorized Kia dealer. Improperservice may cause serious injury.
CAUTION
When the performance of the airconditioning system is reduced it is important that the correct type andamount of oil and refrigerant is used. Otherwise, damage to thecompressor and abnormal systemoperation may occur.

53
Driving tips
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMThe emission control system of your
vehicle is covered by a written limited
warranty. Please see the warranty infor-
mation contained in the Warranty &
Consumer Information Manual in your
vehicle.Vehicle modifications This vehicle should not be modified.
Modification of your Kia could affect its
performance, safety or durability and
may even violate governmental safety
and emissions regulations.
In addition, damage or performance
problems resulting from any modification
may not be covered under warranty.
Engine exhaust gas precautions
(carbon monoxide) Carbon monoxide can be present withother exhaust fumes. Therefore, if you
smell exhaust fumes of any kind inside
your vehicle, have it inspected and
repaired immediately. If you ever sus-
pect exhaust fumes are coming into
your vehicle, drive it only with all the
windows fully open. Have your vehicle
checked and repaired immediately. Do not operate the engine in confined
or closed areas (such as garages) any
more than what is necessary to move
the vehicle in or out of the area.
When the vehicle is stopped in an open area for more than a short time
with the engine running, adjust the
ventilation system (as needed) to draw
outside air into the vehicle.
Never sit in a parked or stopped vehi- cle for any extended time with the
engine running.
When the engine stalls or fails to start, excessive attempts to re-start the
engine may cause damage to the
emission control system.
WARNING -
Exhaust
Engine exhaust gases contain car-
bon monoxide (CO). Though color-
less and odorless, it is dangerous
and could be lethal if inhaled.
Follow the instructions following to
avoid CO poisoning.

55
Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING Before entering vehicle: Be sure that all windows, outside mir-ror(s), and outside lights are clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles behind you if you intend to back up.Necessary inspections Fluid levels, such as engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid
should be checked on a regular basis,
with the exact interval depending on the
fluid. Further details are provided in
Section 7, Maintenance.
Before starting Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all controls areeasily reached.
Adjust the inside and outside rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON position.
Release the parking brake and make sure the brake warning light goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are famil-
iar with your vehicle and its equipment.
WARNING
- Driving under
the influence of alcohol or
drugs
Drinking and driving is dangerous.
Drunk driving is the number one
contributor to the highway death
toll each year. Even a small amount
of alcohol will affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement. Driving
while under the influence of drugs
is as dangerous or more dangerous
than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to have a
serious accident if you drink or take
drugs and drive.
If you are drinking or taking drugs,
don’t drive. Do not ride with a driv-
er who has been drinking or taking
drugs. Choose a designated driver
or call a cab.

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 firstchecking local, state and municipal regu-lations for possible restrictions againsttheir 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.

511
Driving tips
USING FOUR-WHEEL DRIVEDriving on snow- or ice-covered
roads ("4HI, 4LO" for part-time
4WD operation or "AUTO" for full-
time 4WD operation) Use snow tires. See “Tires” in this sec-tion for more information.
Keep an adequate distance between yourself and other vehicles.
Avoid sudden braking, acceleration or steering. These actions can cause your
vehicle to lose traction.
Driving in sand or mud ("4HI,
4LO" for part-time 4WD operation
or "AUTO" for full-time 4WD oper-
ation) Avoid sudden braking, acceleration orsteering. These actions can cause your
vehicle to get stuck in the sand or mud.
Drive at low speeds whenever possi- ble.
You may need to get out of your vehi- cle at times to check road conditions.
If you get stuck in the sand or mud, try placing stones, wood or other similar
materials under the tires to get traction,
or move forward and backward repeat-
edly to get unstuck.
WARNING
- Traction
Make sure that no one stands in
front of or behind the tires when
materials are placed under the tires
to get more traction. The tires may
cause loose materials to fly out
from under the vehicle, potentially
causing serious bodily injury or
death.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may causeengine damage, overheating, trans-mission differential or transfer case damage or failure and tire damage.

513
Driving tips
Off-road driving with your four-
wheel drive vehicleOff-road driving can be great fun. But it
has definite hazards. The greatest of
these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the paved
road system behind. Traffic lanes are not
marked. Curves are not banked.
There are no carefully engineered road
signs to warn you of dangerous condi-
tions or to advise you of a safe speed.
You have to assess the environment
yourself. Surfaces can be slippery, rough,
uphill or downhill.
Off-road driving involves learning new
skills. That’s why it’s important that you
read and understand this section. You’ll
find useful driving information and sug-
gestions. These will help make your off-
road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before you go off-roadingThere are some things to do before you
leave the paved roads. Be sure to have
all necessary maintenance and service
work done beforehand. Be sure to read
all the information about your four-wheel
drive vehicle in this manual. Is there
enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inflat-
ed? Are the fluid levels at the proper lev-
els? What are the local laws that apply to
off-roading where you’ll be driving? If you
don’t know, you should check with law
enforcement people in the area. Will you
be on someone’s private land? If so, be
sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading your vehicle for off-roaddrivingThere are some important items to
remember about how to properly load
your vehicle.
The heaviest things should be in the cargo area and forward of your rear
axle. Place heavier items as far forward
as you can.
Be sure the load is properly secured, so driving over off-road terrain doesn’t
shift your load or throw items toward
the driver or passengers.

Driving tips38
5Maintenance 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 occurin hot days or during uphill driv-ing. If the coolant gauge indicates over-heating, switch off the A/Cand stop the vehicle in a safe areato cool down the engine.
When towing check transmission fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with the air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan to improve engine performancewhen towing a trailer.

63
In case of an emergency
If engine stalls while driving1. Reduce your speed gradually, keepinga straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try to start the engine again. If your vehicle will not start, contact an
authorized Kia dealer or seek other
qualified assistance. If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, if you experience a loss of
power, or if you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine has probably
overheated. Should any of these symp-
toms occur, use the following procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flasher,
then drive to the nearest safe location
and stop your vehicle; set the auto-
matic transmission in P (Park), or shift
the manual transmission to N
(Neutral) and apply the parking brake.
2. Make sure the air conditioner is off.
3. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator, stop the engine and call an
Authorized Kia Dealer for assistance.
If coolant is not boiling out, allow the
engine to idle and open the hood to
permit the engine to cool gradually.
If the temperature does not go down
with the engine idling, stop the engine
and allow sufficient time for it to cool. 4. The coolant level should then be
checked. If the level in the reservoir is
low, look for leaks at the radiator hoses
and connections, heater hoses and
connections, radiator, and water
pump. If you find a major leak or anoth-
er problem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operate the
engine until it has been corrected. Call
an Authorized Kia Dealer for assis-
tance. If you do not find a leak or other
problem, carefully add coolant to the
reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats, havethe cooling system checked and repaired by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
WARNING
- Removing
radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine and radiator are
hot. Scalding hot coolant and steam
may blow out under pressure. This
could cause serious injury.
OVERHEATING

In case of an emergency66Jump 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 isnot 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 forwardwhen the engine starts could causea collision with the tow vehicle.
CAUTION -
Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper cable from the negative terminal of thebooster 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.