overheating KIA SPORTAGE 2018 Owners Manual

Features of your vehicle
54
4
Electronic power steering
(EPS)
The power steering uses a motor to
assist you in steering the vehicle. If
the engine is off or if the power steer-
ing system becomes inoperative, the
vehicle may still be steered, but it will
require increased steering effort.
Electronic power steering is con-
trolled by a power steering control
unit which senses the steering wheel
torque and vehicle speed to com-
mand the motor.
The steering becomes heavier as the
vehicle’s speed increases and
becomes lighter as the vehicle’s
speed decreases for optimum steer-
ing control.
Should you notice any change in the
effort required to steer during normal
vehicle operation, have the power
steering checked by an authorized
Kia dealer. If the Electronic Power Steering
System does not operate normally,
the warning light will illuminate on
the instrument cluster. The steering
wheel may require increased
steering effort. Take your vehicle to
an authorized Kia dealer and have
the vehicle checked as soon as
possible.
When you operate the steering wheel in low temperature, the steer-
ing effort may be high or abnormal
noise may occur. If temperature
rises, the noise will likely disappear.
This is a normal condition.
When the vehicle is stationary, and the steering wheel is turned all the
way to the left or right continuous-
ly, the steering wheel becomes
harder to turn. The power assist is
limited to protect the motor from
overheating.
As time passes, the steering wheel
will return to its normal condition.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
The following symptoms may occur
during normal vehicle operation:
• The EPS warning light does not
illuminate.
• The steering gets heavy immedi- ately after turning the ignition
switch on. This happens as the sys-
tem performs the EPS system
diagnostics. When the diagnostics
are completed, the steering wheel
will return to its normal condition.
• A click noise may be heard from the EPS relay after the ignition
switch is turned to the ON or
LOCK (OFF) position.
• A motor noise may be heard when the vehicle is at a stop or at a low
driving speed.
• If the Electronic Power Steering System does not operate normally,
the warning light will illuminate on
the instrument cluster. The steer-
ing wheel may become difficult to
control or operate abnormally.
Take your vehicle to an authorized
Kia dealer and have the vehicle
checked as soon as possible. (Continued)
STEERING WHEEL

Features of your vehicle
70
4
Gauges
Speedometer
The speedometer indicates the
speed of the vehicle and is calibrated
in miles per hour (mph) and/or kilo-
meters per hour (km/h).
Tachometer
The tachometer indicates the
approximate number of engine revo-
lutions per minute (rpm).
Use the tachometer to select the cor-
rect shift points and to prevent lug-
ging and/or over-revving the engine.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
This gauge indicates the tempera-
ture of the engine coolant when the
ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop
button is ON.
If the gauge pointer moves beyond
the normal range area toward the "H"
position, it indicates overheating that
may damage the engine.
Do not continue driving with an over-
heated engine. If your vehicle over-
heats, refer to “If the Engine
Overheats” in chapter 7.
OQL045184
OQL045183
CAUTION - Red zone
Do not operate the engine with-in the tachometer's RED ZONE.This may cause severe enginedamage.
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4141
Features of your vehicle
Air conditioning system operation tips
If the vehicle has been parked indirect 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 the windows on rainy or humid
days, decrease the humidity inside
the vehicle by operating the air
conditioning system.
During air conditioning system operation, you may occasionally
notice a slight change in engine
speed as the air conditioning com-
pressor cycles. This is a normal
system operation characteristic.
Use the air conditioning system every month only for a few minutes
to ensure maximum system per-
formance. When using the air conditioning
system, you may notice clear water
dripping (or even puddling) on the
ground under the passenger side
of the vehicle. This is a normal sys-
tem operation characteristic.
Operating the air conditioning sys- tem in the recirculated air position
provides maximum cooling, how-
ever, continual operation in this
mode may cause the air inside the
vehicle to become stale.
During cooling operation, you may occasionally notice a misty air flow
because of rapid cooling and
humid air intake. This is a normal
system operation characteristic.CAUTION - Excessive AC
When using the air conditioningsystem, monitor the tempera-ture gauge closely while drivingup hills or in heavy traffic whenoutside temperatures are high.Air conditioning system opera-tion may cause engine over-heating. Continue to use theblower fan but turn the air con-ditioning system off if the tem-perature gauge indicates engineoverheating.
CAUTION
When opening the windows inhumid weather, air conditioningmay create water dropletsinside the vehicle. Since exces-sive water droplets may causedamage to electrical equipment,air conditioning should only beused with the windows closed.

4153
Features of your vehicle
Air conditioning system operation tips
If the vehicle has been parked indirect 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 the windows on rainy or humid
days, decrease the humidity inside
the vehicle by operating the air
conditioning system.
During air conditioning system operation, you may occasionally
notice a slight change in engine
speed as the air conditioning com-
pressor cycles. This is a normal
system operation characteristic.
Use the air conditioning system every month only for a few minutes
to ensure maximum system per-
formance. When using the air conditioning
system, you may notice clear water
dripping (or even puddling) on the
ground under the passenger side
of the vehicle. This is a normal sys-
tem operation characteristic.
Operating the air conditioning sys- tem in the recirculated air position
provides maximum cooling, how-
ever, continual operation in this
mode may cause the air inside the
vehicle to become stale.
During cooling operation, you may occasionally notice a misty air flow
because of rapid cooling and
humid air intake. This is a normal
system operation characteristic.CAUTION - Excessive A/C
Use
When using the air conditioningsystem, monitor the tempera-ture gauge closely while drivingup hills or in heavy traffic whenoutside temperatures are high.Air conditioning system opera-tion may cause engine over-heating. Continue to use theblower fan but turn the air con-ditioning system off if the tem-perature gauge indicates engineoverheating.
CAUTION
When opening the windows inhumid weather, air conditioningmay create water dropletsinside the vehicle. Since exces-sive water droplets may causedamage to electrical equipment,air conditioning should only beused with the windows closed.

665
Driving your vehicle
To dry the brakes, apply the brakes
lightly until the braking action returns
to normal, taking care to keep the
vehicle under control at all times. If
the braking action does not return to
normal, stop as soon as it is safe to
do so and we recommend that you
call an authorized Kia dealer for
assistance.
DO NOT drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light, but
constant pedal pressure can result in
the brakes overheating, brake wear,
and possibly even brake failure.
If a tire goes flat while you are driv-
ing, apply the brakes gently and
keep the vehicle pointed straight
ahead while you slow down. When
you are moving slowly enough for it
to be safe to do so, pull off the road
and stop in a safe location.
Keep your foot firmly on the brake
pedal when the vehicle is stopped to
prevent the vehicle from rolling for-
ward.

Driving your vehicle
86
6
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
Drive cautiously and allow extra
distance for braking.
Avoid sudden braking or steering.
When braking with non-ABS brakes pump the brake pedal with
a light up-and-down motion until
the vehicle is stopped.
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS. If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,
use the second gear. Accelerate
slowly to avoid spinning the drive
wheels.
Use sand, rock salt, or other non- slip material under the drive
wheels to provide traction when
stalled in ice, snow, or mud.
Rocking the vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle
to free it from snow, sand, or mud,
first turn the steering wheel right and
left to clear the area around your
front wheels. Then, shift back and
forth between R (Reverse) and any
forward gear in vehicles equipped
with an Automatic Transaxle. Do not
race the engine, and spin the wheels
as little as possible. If you are still
stuck after a few tries, have the vehi-
cle pulled out by a tow vehicle to
avoid engine overheating and possi-
ble damage to the transaxle.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING- Downshifting
Do not downshift with an auto-
matic transaxle while driving on
slippery surfaces. The sudden
change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid and
result in an accident.
WARNING- Sudden
Vehicle Movement
Do not attempt to rock the vehi-
cle if people or objects are near-
by. The vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backwards as it
becomes unstuck.

687
Driving your vehicle
The ESC system should be turned
OFF prior to rocking the vehicle.
Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are
wet. Ideally, corners should always
be taken under gentle acceleration. If
you follow these suggestions, tire
wear will be held to a minimum.
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight,
here are some important tips to
remember:
Slow down and keep more dis-tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
CAUTION- Vehicle rocking
Prolonged rocking may causeengine overheating, transaxledamage or failure, and tire dam-age.
CAUTION- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-cially at speeds more than 35mph (56 km/h). Spinning thewheels at high speeds when thevehicle is stationary couldcause a tire to overheat whichcould result in tire damage thatmay injure bystanders.
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689
Driving your vehicle
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no
higher 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 sev-
eral times while the vehicle is moving
slowly.
Driving off-road
Drive carefully off-road because your
vehicle may be damaged by rocks or
roots of trees. Become familiar with
the off-road conditions where you
are going to drive before you begin
driving.
Highway driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation pressures to
specification. Low tire inflation pres-
sures will result in overheating and
possible failure of the tires.
Avoid using worn or damaged tires
which may result in reduced traction
or tire failure.
Never exceed the maximum tire
inflation pressure shown on the tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
High speed travel consumes more
fuel than urban motoring. Do not for-
get to check both the engine coolant
and engine oil.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
result in overheating of the engine.
WARNING- Under/overinflated tires
Always check the tires for proper
inflation before driving.
Underinflated or overinflated
tires can cause poor handling,
loss of vehicle control, and sud-
den tire failure leading to acci-
dents, injuries, and even death.
For proper tire pressures, refer to
“Tires and wheels” in chapter 9.
WARNING- Tire tread
Always check the tire tread
before driving your vehicle.
Worn-out tires can result in loss
of vehicle control. Worn-out tires
should be replaced as soon as
possible. For further information
and tread limits, refer to "Tires
and wheels" in chapter 8.

699
Driving your vehicle
When you are ready to leave after
parking on a hill
1. With the automatic transaxle in P(Park), apply your brakes and hold
the brake pedal down while you:

and

2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.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. When towing check transaxle fluid
more frequently.
CAUTION - Air condition
Do not use the A/C while usingyour vehicle to tow uphill. Dueto higher load during trailerusage, overheating might occuron hot days or during uphilldriving.

77
What to do in an emergency
IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATS
If your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, you experience a loss
of power, or hear loud pinging or
knocking, the engine will probably be
too hot. If this happens, you should:
1.Pull off the road and stop as soonas it is safe to do so.
2.Place the shift lever in P (for Automatic transaxle) and set the
parking brake. If the air condition-
ing is on, turn it off.
3.If engine coolant is running out under the vehicle or steam is com-
ing out from underneath the hood,
stop the engine. Do not open the
hood until the coolant has stopped
running or the steaming has
stopped. If there is no visible loss
of engine coolant and no steam,
leave the engine running and
check to be sure the engine cool-
ing fan is operating. If the fan is not
running, turn the engine off. 4.Check to see if the water pump
drive belt is missing. If it is not
missing, check to see that it is
tight. If the drive belt seems to be
satisfactory, check for coolant leak-
ing from the radiator, hoses or
under the vehicle. (If the air condi-
tioning had been in use, it is nor-
mal for cold water to be draining
from it when you stop).
5.If the water pump drive belt is bro- ken or engine coolant is leaking
out, stop the engine immediately
and call the nearest authorized Kia
dealer for assistance. 6.If you cannot find the cause of the
overheating, wait until the engine
temperature has returned to nor-
mal. If coolant has been lost, care-
fully add coolant to the reservoir to
bring the fluid level in the reservoir
up to the halfway mark.
7.Proceed with caution, keeping alert for further signs of overheat-
ing. If overheating happens again,
call an authorized Kia dealer for
assistance.
Serious loss of coolant indicates
there is a leak in the cooling system
and this should be checked as soon
as possible by an authorized Kia
dealer.
WARNING - Under the hood
While the engine is running, keep hair,
hands and clothing
away from moving
parts such as the fan
and drive belts to pre-
vent injury.
WARNING - Radiator cap
Do not remove the
radiator cap when the
engine is hot. This may
result in coolant being
blown out of the open-
ing and cause serious
burns.