weight KIA Sportage 2005 JE_ / 2.G User Guide

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Weight of the trailer tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is an
important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
vehicle weight (GVW) of your vehi-
cle. This weight includes the curb
weight of the vehicle, any cargo you
may carry in it, and the people who
will be riding in the vehicle. And if you
will tow a trailer, you must add the
tongue load to the GVW because
your vehicle will also be carrying that
weight.
The trailer tongue should weigh a
maximum of 10% of the total loaded
trailer weight. After you've loaded
your trailer, weigh the trailer and then
the tongue, separately, to see if the
weights are proper. If they aren’t, you
may be able to correct them simply
by moving some items around in the
trailer.
Hitches It's important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to
follow:
 Will you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then
be sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly car-
bon monoxide (CO) from your
exhaust can get into your vehicle,
as well as dirt and water.
 The bumpers on your vehicle are
not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
WARNING
 Never load a trailer with more
weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately
60% of the total trailer load;
the rear should be loaded with
approximately 40% of the total
trailer load.
 Never exceed the maximum
weight limits of the trailer or
trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and/or
personal injury. Check
weights and loading at a com-
mercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped with
scales.
 An improperly loaded trailer
can cause loss of vehicle con-
trol.
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Safety chains You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recom-
mendation for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trail-
er. And, never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer brakes If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes loaded, then it needs its
own brakes and they must be ade-
quate. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
 Don’t tap into your vehicle's brake
system.
Driving with a trailer Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you must get
to know your trailer. Acquaint your-
self with the feel of handling and
braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that
the vehicle you are driving is now a
good deal longer and not nearly so
responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer
hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector(s), lights, tires
and mirror adjustment. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer
brakes are still working.
WARNING
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have properly
set up the brake system. This is
not a task for amateurs. Use an
experienced, competent trailer
shop for this work.
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Do not connect a trailer lighting sys-
tem directly to your vehicle’s lighting
system. Use only an approved trailer
wiring harness.
Your Authorized Kia Dealer can
assist you in installing the wiring har-
ness.
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 possi-
bility of engine and transaxle over-
heating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transaxle, you should drive in D
(Drive) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer will minimize
heat build up and extend the life of
your transaxle.
✽ ✽
NOTICE• When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 12%) pay close
attention to the engine coolant
temperature gauge to ensure the
engine does not overheat. 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 possibil-
ity of engine and transaxle over-
heating.
CAUTION
Failure to use an approved trail-
er wiring harness could result in
damage to the vehicle electrical
system and/or personal injury.
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Maintenance when trailer tow-
ing Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered in this manual, 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 mainte-
nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight.
✽ ✽
NOTICE• Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur in
hot days or during uphill driving.
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 transaxle
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.
OVERLOADING
CAUTION
The gross axle weight rating
(GAWR) and the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) for your
vehicle are on the manufactur-
er's label attached to the dri-
ver's door. Exceeding these rat-
ings can cause an accident or
vehicle damage. You can calcu-
late the weight of your load by
weighing the items (or people)
before putting them in the vehi-
cle. Be careful not to overload
your vehicle.
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Driving tips40 5
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VEHICLE LOAD LIMITTire and loading information
labelThe tire label located on the driver's
door sill gives the original tire size,
cold tire pressures recommended for
your vehicle, the number of people
that can be in your vehicle and vehi-
cle capacity weight.
Steps for determining correct
load limit1. Locate the statement "The com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.'' on your vehicle's
placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity. For example, if
the "XXX" amount equals 640 kg
(1400 lbs.), and there will be five
70 kg (150 lbs.). passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load
capacity is 290 kg (650 lbs.).
(640-350 (5 x 70) = 290 kg or
1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.)5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.
1KMN5039
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C190F01JM
Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity 1400 lbs
Weight (640 kg)
Subtract Occupant
B Weight 300 lbs
150 lbs (70 kg) × 2(140 kg)
C
Available Cargo and
1100 lbs
Luggage weight (500 kg)
C190F02JM
Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity 1400 lbs
Weight (640 kg)
Subtract Occupant
B Weight 750 lbs
150 lbs (70 kg) × 5(350 kg)
C
Available Cargo and
650 lbs
Luggage weight (290 kg)
C190F03JM
Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity 1400 lbs
Weight (640 kg)
Subtract Occupant
B Weight 860 lbs
172 lbs (78 kg) × 5(390kg)
C
Available Cargo and
540 lbs
Luggage weight (250 kg)
Example 1
ABC ABC ABCExample 2 Example 3
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Driving tips42 5
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Refer to your vehicle's tire and load-
ing information label for specific
information about your vehicle's
capacity weight and seating posi-
tions. The combined weight of the
driver, passengers and cargo should
never exceed your vehicle's capacity
weight.
Compliance labelThe compliance label is located on
the driver's door sill.
The label shows the size of your orig-
inal tires and the inflation pressures
needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is
called the GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occu-
pants, fuel and cargo.This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weights that can be supported
by the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
To find out the actual loads on your
front and rear axles, you need to go
to a weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help you with
this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the center-
line.
WARNING
 Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, or the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle.
 Do not load your vehicle any
heavier than the GVWR, or
either the maximum front or
rear GAWR. If you do, parts on
your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehi-
cle handles. This could cause
you to lose control and crash.
Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
C190G01JM
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✽ ✽
NOTICE• Overloading your vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do
not overload your vehicle.
• Using heavier suspension compo-
nents to get added durability
might not change your weight rat-
ings. Ask your dealer to help you
load your vehicle the right way.The label will help you decide how
much cargo and installed equipment
your vehicle can carry.
If you carry items inside your vehicle
- like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else - they are moving as
fast as the vehicle. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a crash,
the items will keep going and can
cause an injury if they strike the driv-
er or a passenger.
WARNING
Items you carry inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash.
 Put things in the cargo area of
your vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
 Never stack items, like suit-
cases, inside the vehicle
above the tops of the seats.
 Do not leave an unsecured
child restraint in your vehicle.
 When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure it.
 Do not drive with a seat folded
down unless necessary.
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Maintenance34 7
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TIRES AND WHEELSTires care For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.Inflation pressures All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked every day
when the tires are cold. “Cold Tires”
means the vehicle has not been driv-
en for at least three hours or driven
less than 1.6 km (one mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear.All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the front driver’s door sill.
1KMN5045
WARNING
Severe underinflation (70 kPa
(10 psi) or more) can lead to
severe heat build-up, especially
on hot days and when driving at
high speed. This can potentially
cause tread separation and
other tire irregularities to
appear that can result in the
loss of vehicle control leading
to severe injury or death.
WARNING
 Underinflation results in
excessive wear, poor han-
dling, reduced fuel economy,
and the possibility of
blowouts from overheated
tires. Also, low tire pressure
can cause poor sealing of the
tire bead. If the tire pressure is
excessively low, wheel defor-
mation and/or tire separation
is possible. So, keep your tire
pressures at the proper levels.
If a tire frequently needs refill-
ing, have it checked by an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
 Overinflation produces a
harsh ride, handling prob-
lems, excessive wear at the
center of the tire tread, and a
greater possibility of damage
from road hazards.
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Wheel alignment and tire
balance The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.✽ ✽
NOTICEImproper wheel weights can dam-
age your vehicle's aluminum wheels.
Use only approved wheel weights.
WARNING
 When replacing tires, never
mix radial, bias-belted, and
bias-type tires. All four tires
should be of the same size,
design and construction. Use
only the tire sizes listed on the
Tire Label found below the
door striker on the driver’s
side. Make sure that all tires
and wheels are the same size
and have the same load-carry-
ing capacity. Use only tire and
wheel combinations recom-
mended on the Tire Label or
by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
Failure to follow these precau-
tions can adversely affect the
safety and handling of your
vehicle.
(Continued)
(Continued)
 The use of any other tire size
or type may seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clear-
ance, tire clearance, and
speedometer calibration.
 Driving on worn-out tires is
very hazardous and will
reduce braking effectiveness,
steering accuracy, and trac-
tion.
 It is best to replace all four
tires at the same time. If that is
not possible, or necessary,
then replace the two front or
two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can
seriously affect your vehicle’s
handling.
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