four wheel drive KIA Sportage 2008 JE_ / 2.G Owner's Manual

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9Ignition switch / 4-2
Starting the engine / 4-4
Manual transaxle / 4-5
Automatic transaxle / 4-6
Four wheel drive (4WD) / 4-12
Brake system / 4-18
Steering wheel / 4-25
Cruise control system / 4-28
Traction control system / 4-33
Electronic stability control / 4-36
Instrument cluster / 4-39
Gauges / 4-40
Warnings and indicators / 4-46
Compass / 4-54
Lighting / 4-57
Wipers and washers / 4-61
Defroster / 4-64
Hazard warning flasher / 4-65
Manual climate control system / 4-66
Automatic climate control system / 4-75
Windshield defrosting and defogging / 4-88
Driving your vehicle
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Driving your vehicle
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Engine power can be delivered to all
front and rear wheels for maximum
traction. Full-time 4WD is useful
when extra traction is required on
road, such as, when driving on slip-
pery, muddy, wet, or snow-covered
roads. These vehicles are not
designed for challenging off-road
use. Occasional off-road use such as
established unpaved roads and trails
is OK. It is always important when
traveling off-highway that the driver
carefully reduce speed to a level that
does not exceed the safe operating
speed for those conditions. In gener-
al, off-road conditions provide less
traction and braking effectiveness
than normal road conditions. The dri-
ver must be especially alert to avoid
driving on slopes which tilt the vehi-
cle to either side.These factors must be carefully con-
sidered when driving off-road.
Keeping the vehicle in contact with
the driving surface and under control
in these conditions is always the dri-
ver's responsibility for the safety of
him/herself and his or her passen-
gers.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (IF EQUIPPED)
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WARNING - Off road dri-
ving
This vehicle is designed primar-
ily for on road use although it
can operate effectively off road.
However it was not designed for
driving in challenging off-road
conditions.Driving in condi-
tions that exceed the vehicle's
intended design or the driver's
experience level may result in
severe injury or death.1KMA3053 4WD
1KMA3054
2WDFront wheel
Front wheel Rear wheel

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Driving your vehicle
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) transfer mode selection
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Transfer mode Selection button Indicator light Description
• This mode is used for climbing or descending sharp grades,
off-road driving, driving on sandy and muddy roads etc. to
maximize traction.
• This mode automatically begins to deactivate at speed above
30 km/h (19 mph) and is shifted to 4WD AUTO mode at
speed above 40 km/h (25 mph). If the vehicle decelerates to
speeds below 30 km/h (19 mph), however, the transfer mode
is shifted into 4WD LOCK mode again.
• When driving in AUTO mode, the vehicle operates similar to
the conventional 2WD vehicles under normal operating con-
ditions. However, if the system determines that there is a
need for the 4WD mode, the engine’s driving power is dis-
tributed to all four wheels automatically without driver inter-
vention.
• When driving on normal roads and pavement, the vehicle
moves similar to the conventional 2WD vehicles.
4WD
LOCK
4WD LOCK
4WD AUTO
(4WD LOCK is
deactivated)
4WD
LOCK
(Indicator light is
not illuminated) (Indicator light is
illuminated)
✽
NOTICE
• When driving on normal roads, deactivate the 4WD LOCK mode by pushing the 4WD LOCK button(the indica-
tor light goes off). Driving on normal roads with 4WD LOCK mode(especially, when cornering) may cause
mechanical noise or vibration. The noise and vibration will disappear when the 4WD LOCK mode is deactivated.
Some parts of the power train may be damaged by prolonged driving with the noise and vibration.
• When the 4WD LOCK mode is deactivated, a shock may be felt as the drive power delivered entirely to the front
wheels. This shock is not a mechanical failure.

Driving your vehicle
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For safe four-wheel drive oper-
ation
• Do not try to drive in deep standing
water or mud since such conditions
can stall your engine and clog your
exhaust pipes. Do not drive down
steep hills since it requires extreme
skill to maintain control of the vehi-
cle.• When you are driving up or down
hills drive as close to straight up
and down the hill as possible. Use
extreme caution in going up or
down steep hills, since you may flip
your vehicle over depending on the
grade, terrain and water/mud con-
ditions.
WARNING - Hills
Driving across the contour of
steep hills can be extremely
dangerous.This danger can
come from slight changes in the
wheel angle which can destabi-
lize the vehicle or, even if the
vehicle is maintaining stability
under power,it can lose that
stability if the vehicle stops its
forward motion.Your vehicle
may roll over without warning
and without time for you to cor-
rect a mistake that could cause
serious injury or death.
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 nor-
mal road conditions.Slow down
and be ready for changes in the
composition and traction of the
surface 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 vehi-
cle to operate safely.
HILL1HILL2

Driving your vehicle
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• If you need to drive in water, stop
your vehicle, set your transfer to
“4WD LOCK” and drive at less than
8 km/h (5 mph).
✽
NOTICE
• Do not drive in water if the level is
higher than the bottom of the vehi-
cle.
• 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 nor-
mal braking forces return.
• Shorten your scheduled mainte-
nance interval if you drive in off-
road conditions such as sand, mud
or water (see “Maintenance
Schedule” in the Index). Always
wash you car thoroughly after off
road use, especially cleaning the
under side of the vehicle.
• Since the driving torque is always
applied to the 4 wheels the perfor-
mance of the 4WD vehicle is great-
ly affected by the condition of the
tires. Be sure to equip the vehicle
with four tires of the same size and
type.
• A full time four wheel drive vehi-
cle cannot be towed by an ordi-
nary tow truck. Make sure that
the vehicle is placed on a flat bed
truck for moving.WARNING - Wind danger
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.WARNING - Driving
through water
Drive slowly.If you are driving
too fast in water, the water spray
can get into the engine com-
partment and wet the ignition
system, causing your vehicle to
suddenly stall.If this happens
and your vehicle is in a tilted
position, your vehicle may roll
over.

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Driving your vehicle
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WARNING - 4WD driving
•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 speed.
• In a collision, an unbelted per-
son 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.
WARNING - Jacked vehi-
cle
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.WARNING
Your vehicle is equipped with
tires designed to provide for
safe ride and handling capabili-
ty.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 perfor-
mance 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 ti
re 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 driving.
CAUTION - Mud or snow
If one of the front or rear wheels
begins to spin in mud,snow,
etc.the vehicle can sometimes
be driven out by depressing the
accelerator pedal further; how-
ever avoid running the engine
continuously at high rpm
because doing so could dam-
age the 4WD system.

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9Fuel requirements / 5-2
Emission control system / 5-3
Before driving / 5-5
Suggestions for economical operation / 5-6
Special driving conditions / 5-8
Using four-wheel drive / 5-14
Weight of the vehicle / 5-32
Trailer towing / 5-33
Overloading / 5-40
Vehicle load limit / 5-41
Homelink® wireless control system / 5-45
Label information / 5-51
Driving tips

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Driving tips
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• Use antifreeze-formulated wind-
shield 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 transaxle or P (Park) with
an automatic transaxle 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 provid-
ed by snow tires on dry roads may
not be as high as your vehicle's orig-
inal equipment tires. You should drive
cautiously even when the roads are
clear. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local, state and munic-
ipal regulations for possible restric-
tions against their use.
WARNING- Snow tire
size
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires.Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.

Driving tips
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USING FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
Driving on snow- or Ice-cov-
ered roads (“4WD LOCK”for
full-time 4WD operation)
• Use snow tires. See “Tires” in this
section for more information.
• Keep an adequate distance
between yourself and other vehi-
cles.
• Avoid sudden braking, acceleration
or steering. These actions can
cause your vehicle to lose traction.
Driving in sand or mud (“4WD
LOCK”for full-time 4WD opera-
tion)
• Avoid sudden braking, acceleration
or steering. These actions can
cause your vehicle to get stuck in
the sand or mud.
• Drive at low speeds whenever pos-
sible.
• You may need to get out of your
vehicle at times to check road con-
ditions.
• 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 repeatedly to get
unstuck.
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NOTICE
Prolonged rocking may cause engine
damage, overheating, transaxle dif-
ferential or transfer case damage or
failure and tire damage.
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 bod-
ily injury or death.

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Driving tips
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Driving on a hill (“4WD LOCK”
for full-time 4WD operation)
• Use low gear when going uphill or
downhill and avoid sudden braking.
• Do not shift gears or use your
clutch when going downhill. Do not
coast downhill in Neutral.
Crossing a ditch (“4WD LOCK”
for full-time 4WD operation)
• Avoid driving through ditches if
possible, especially if there is
water in the ditch. Your vehicle may
stall if the electrical system gets
wet. If you must cross a ditch,
select 4WD LOCK mode.
• Avoid driving where the water level
is higher than the bottom of the
wheel hub. If the water level rises
above this mark, your vehicle will
need to be serviced.
• Tap lightly on the brake pedal dur-
ing and after driving through water.
This will help keep the brakes dry
and in proper working order.
• Do not shift gears while crossing a
ditch.
Tight corner brake effect
This is called tight corner brake
effect. Tight corner brake effect is a
unique characteristic of four-wheel
drive vehicles caused by the differ-
ence in tire rotation at the four
wheels and the zero-degree align-
ment of the front wheels and sus-
pension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution.
CAUTION - 4WD
When turning sharply on a
paved road at low speed while
in four-wheel drive,steering
control will be difficult.