tires KIA Sportage 2015 QL / 4.G User Guide

Driving your vehicle
56
5
WINTER DRIVING
E120000ASA
Severe weather conditions in the
winter result in greater wear and
other problems. To minimize the
problems of winter driving, you
should follow these suggestions:
E120100AUN
Snowy or icy conditions
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tires
on your tires. If snow tires are need-
ed, it is necessary to select tires
equivalent in size and type of the
original equipment tires. Failure to do
so may adversely affect the safety
and handling of your vehicle.
Furthermore, speeding, rapid accel-
eration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially very
hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden
brake applications on snowy or icy
roads may cause skids to occur. You
need to keep sufficient distance
between the vehicle in operation in
front and your vehicle. Also, apply
the brake gently.
E120101AUN
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, 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.
1VQA3005

559
Driving your vehicle
E140000AFD
If you are considering towing with
your vehicle, you should first check
with your country's Department of
Motor Vehicles to determine their
legal requirements.
Since laws vary the requirements for
towing trailers, cars, or other types of
vehicles or apparatus may differ. Ask
an authorized Kia dealer for further
details before towing.Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To
identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in
“Weight of the trailer” that appears
later in this section.Remember that trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in han-
dling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering requires
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
This section contains many time-
tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Please read this
section carefully before you pull a
trailer.
Load-pulling components such as
the engine, transaxle, wheel assem-
blies, and tires are forced to work
harder against the load of the added
weight. The engine is required to
operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads. This addi-
tional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements.
TRAILER TOWING
WARNING- Weight
limits
Before towing, make sure the
total trailer weight, GCW (gross
combination weight), GVW
(gross vehicle weight), GAW
(gross axle weight) and trailer
tongue load are all within the
limits.
CAUTION- Trailer instal-lation
Follow instructions in this sec-
tion when pulling a trailer.Pulling a trailer improperly candamage your vehicle and resultin costly repairs not covered byyour warranty.
WARNING- Towing a trailer
Always check your towing
equipment to confirm correct
equipment size and installation
before use. Using incompatible
or incorrectly installed trailer
equipment can effect the vehi-
cle operation and endanger you
and your passengers.

561
Driving your vehicle
E140400AUN
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.
E140401AUN
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sud-
den turns.
E140402AUN
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance
up ahead when you’re towing a trail-
er. And, because of the increased
vehicle length, you’ll need to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before you can return to your
lane. Due to the added load to the
engine when going uphill the vehicle
may also take longer to pass than it
would on flat ground.
E140403AUN
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, just move your
hand to the left. To move the trailer to
the right, move your hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
E140404AUN
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects near the edge of the
road. Avoid jerky or sudden maneu-
vers. Signal well in advance before
turning or lane changes.

Driving your vehicle
70
5
E150200AUN
Certification label
The certification label is located on
the driver's door sill at the center pil-
lar.
This label shows the maximum
allowable weight of the fully loaded
vehicle. This is called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel and
cargo.
This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weight 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. 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.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be cov-
ered by your warranty. Do not over-
load your vehicle.
WARNING- Over loading
Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle and
vehicle capacity weight.
Exceeding these ratings can
affect your vehicle’s handling
and braking ability.
WARNING- Over loading
Do not overload your vehicle.
Overloading your vehicle can
cause heat buildup in your vehi-
cle's tires and possible tire fail-
ure, increased stopping dis-
tances and poor vehicle han-
dling--all of which may result in
a crash.

What to do in an emergency
86
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE
F070100AEN
Jack and tools
The jack, jack handle, wheel lug nut
wrench are stored in the luggage
compartment.
Pull up the luggage box cover to
reach this equipment.
(1) Jack handle
(2) Jack
(3) Wheel lug nut wrench
F070101AAM
Jacking instructions
The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
To prevent the jack from “rattling”
while the vehicle is in motion, store it
properly.
Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of personal injury. Always move the vehicle complete-
ly off the road and onto the shoul-
der before trying to change a tire.
The jack should be used on a firm
level ground. If you cannot find a
firm, level place off the road, call a
towing service company for assis-
tance.
Be sure to use the correct front and rear jacking positions on the vehi-
cle; never use the bumpers or any
other part of the vehicle for jack
support.
OSL060004
WARNING- Changingtires
Never attempt vehicle repairs in
the traffic lanes of a public road
or highway.
WARNING- Tire Jack
Do not place any portion of your
body under a vehicle that is
only supported by a jack since
the vehicle can easily roll off the
jack. Use vehicle support
stands.

69
What to do in an emergency
Do not allow anyone to remain inthe vehicle while it is on the jack.
Make sure any children present are in a secure place away from
the road and from the vehicle to be
raised with the jack.
Removing and storing the
spare tire
Turn the tire hold-down wing bolt
counterclockwise.
Store the tire in the reverse order of
removal.
To prevent the spare tire and tools
from “rattling” while the vehicle is in
motion, store them properly.
F070300AAM-EU-U1
Changing tires
1.Park on a level surface and applythe parking brake firmly.
2.Place the transaxle shift lever in R (Reverse) with manual transaxle or
P (Park) with automatic transaxle.
3.Activate the hazard warning flash- er.
1VQA4022OSL060003
■Type A
■Type B
WARNING- Running
vehicle on jack
Do not start or run the engine of
the vehicle while the vehicle is
on the jack as this may cause
the vehicle to fall off the jack.

613
What to do in an emergency
If you have a tire gauge, remove the
valve cap and check the air pressure.
If the pressure is lower than recom-
mended, drive slowly to the nearest
service station and inflate to the cor-
rect pressure. If it is too high, adjust
it until it is correct. Always reinstall
the valve cap after checking or
adjusting the tire pressure. If the cap
is not replaced, dust and dirt may get
into the tire valve and air may leak
from the tire. If you lose a valve cap,
buy another and install it as soon as
possible.
After you have changed the wheels,
always secure the flat tire in its place
and return the jack and tools to their
proper storage locations.Note that most lug nuts do not have
metric threads. Be sure to use
extreme care in checking for thread
style before installing aftermarket lug
nuts or wheels. If in doubt, consult an
authorized Kia dealer.To prevent the jack, jack handle,
wheel lug nut wrench and spare tire
from rattling while the vehicle is in
motion, store them properly.
Check the inflation pressures as
soon as possible after installing the
spare tire. Adjust it to the specified
pressure, if necessary. Refer to
“Tires and wheels” in section 8.CAUTION - Reusing lug
nuts
Make certain during wheelremoval that the same nuts thatwere removed are reinstalled -or, if replaced, that nuts withmetric threads and the samechamfer configuration are used.Your vehicle has metric threadson the wheel studs and nuts.Installation of a non-metricthread nut on a metric stud willnot secure the wheel to the hubproperly and will damage thestud so that it must be replaced.
WARNING- Wheel studs
If the studs are damaged, they
may lose their ability to retain
the wheel. This could lead to the
loss of the wheel and a colli-
sion.

615
What to do in an emergency
Avoid driving over obstacles. Thecompact spare tire diameter is
smaller than the diameter of a con-
ventional tire and reduces the
ground clearance approximately
25 mm (1 inch), which could result
in damage to the vehicle.
Do not take this vehicle through an automatic car wash while the com-
pact spare tire is installed.
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. The compact spare tire should not
be used on any other wheels, nor
should standard tires, snow tires,
wheel covers or trim rings be used
with the compact spare wheel. If
such use is attempted, damage to
these items or other car compo-
nents may occur.
Do not use more than one compact spare tire at a time.
Do not tow a trailer while the com- pact spare tire is installed.

Maintenance
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Maintenance services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
• Owner’s responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Owner maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5

Normal maintenance schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Maintenance under severe usage conditions . . . . 7-12
Explanation of scheduled maintenance items . . . 7-14
Engine oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Brake/clutch fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23
Air cleaner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24
Climate control air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-25
Wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-26
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-\
29
Tires and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
7-32
. . . . . . . 7-32
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-\
44
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-45
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
7-46
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-47


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-52
Appearance care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-58
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-58
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-63
Emission control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-65
7

75
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE
G030000AUN
The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an author-
ized Kia dealer at the frequencies
indicated to help ensure safe,
dependable operation of your vehi-
cle.
Any adverse conditions should be
brought to the attention of your deal-
er as soon as possible.
These Owner Maintenance Checks
are generally not covered by war-
ranties and you may be charged for
labor, parts and lubricants used.Owner maintenance schedule
G030101AHM
When you stop for fuel:
Check the engine oil level.
Check the coolant level in thecoolant reservoir.
Check the windshield washer fluid level.
Look for low or under-inflated tires.
G030102AAM
While operating your vehicle:
Note any changes in the sound of the exhaust or any smell of
exhaust fumes in the vehicle.
Check for vibrations in the steering wheel. Notice any increased steer-
ing effort or looseness in the steer-
ing wheel, or change in its straight-
ahead position.
Notice if your vehicle constantly turns slightly or “pulls” to one side
when traveling on smooth, level
road.
When stopping, listen and check for unusual sounds, pulling to one
side, increased brake pedal travel
or “hard-to-push” brake pedal.
If any slipping or changes in the operation of your transaxle occurs,
check the transaxle fluid level.
Check the automatic transaxle P (Park) function.
Check the parking brake.
Check for fluid leaks under your vehicle (water dripping from the air
conditioning system during or after
use is normal).
WARNING- Hot coolant
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot
coolant and steam may blow
out under pressure.