towing KIA SPORTAGE 2020 Owners Manual

327
Safety features of your vehicle
Stowing the rear seat belt
The rear seat belt buckles can bestowed in the pocket between the
rear seatback and cushion when
not in use. The center seat belt can be stowed
with the plate and webbing rolled in
the pocket between the rear seat-
back and cushion.
Routing the seat belt webbing through the rear seat belt guides
will help keep the belts from being
trapped behind or under the seats.
After inserting the seat belt, tighten
the belt webbing by pulling it up.
OQL035030
OQL035029
CAUTION
Take the seatbelt out of the seat-belt guide prior to using it. If youpull the seat belt when it isstored in the guides, it maydamage the guides and/or thebelt webbing.
WARNING
Prior to fastening the rear seat
belts, ensure the latch matches
the seat belt buckle. Forcefully
fastening the left or right seat
belt to the center buckle can
result in an improper fastening
scenario that will not protect
you in an accident.

Adding equipment to or modi-
fying your air bag-equipped
vehicle
If you modify your vehicle by chang-
ing your vehicle's frame, bumper sys-
tem, front end or side sheet metal or
ride height, this may affect the opera-
tion of your vehicle's air bag system.
Air bag warning label
Air bag warning labels, some
required by the U.S. National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), are attached to the sunvi-
sor to alert the driver and passen-
gers of potential risks of the air bag
system.
WARNING- Tamperingwith SRS
Do not tamper with or discon-
nect SRS wiring, or other com-
ponents of the SRS system.
Doing so could result in the
accidental inflation of the air
bags or by rendering the SRS
inoperative.
WARNING- Towing Vehicle
Always have the ignition off
when your vehicle is being
towed. The side air bags may
inflate if the vehicle is tilted
such as when being towed
because of the rollover sensors
in the vehicle.
OQLA035057
OQLA035058
372
Safety features of your vehicle

4119
Features of your vehicle
6. Wireless transmitters or mobilephones are within range of the
sensor.
7. The sensor is covered with snow.
8. Trailer towing The detecting range may decrease
when:
1. The sensor is covered with foreign
matter such as snow or water.
(The sensing range will return to
normal when removed.)
2. Outside air temperature is extremely hot or cold.
The following objects may not be
recognized by the sensor:
1. Sharp or slim objects such as ropes, chains or small poles.
2. Objects which tend to absorb the sensor frequency such as clothes,
sound absorbent material or snow.
3. Undetectable objects smaller than 40 in. (1 m) in height and narrower
than 6 in. (14 cm) in diameter.Parking distance warning-
reverse precautions
The parking distance warning-reverse may not sound consistent-
ly depending on the speed and
shapes of the objects detected.
The parking distance warning- reverse may malfunction if the vehi-
cle bumper height or sensor instal-
lation has been modified or dam-
aged. Any non-factory installed
equipment or accessories may also
interfere with the sensor perform-
ance.
The sensor may not recognize objects less than 11 in. (30 cm)
from the sensor, or it may sense an
incorrect distance. Use caution.
When the sensor is frozen or cov- ered with snow, dirt, or water, the
sensor may be inoperative until the
material is removed using a soft
cloth.
To prevent damage, do not push, scratch or strike the sensor.

5
Winter driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-149
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-149
. . . . . . . . . 5-151
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-151
. . . . . . 5-152

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-152
. 5-152
. . . . . . . . . . . . 5-152
. . . 5-152
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-153
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-154
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
5-155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-155
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-156
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-159
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-160
Vehicle load limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-162
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-162
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-166
Vehicle weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-167

Driving your vehicle
66
5
There is an item similar to a per-
son's body structure
The pedestrian is small
The pedestrian has impaired mobility
The sensor recognition is limited
The camera is blocked with a for- eign object or debris
Inclement weather such as heavy rain or snow obscures the field of
view of the radar sensor or camera
When light coming from a street light or an oncoming vehicle is
reflected on a wet road surface
such as a puddle in the road
The field of view in front is obstructed by sun glare
The windshield glass is fogged up.
Adverse road conditions cause excessive vehicle vibrations while
driving
When the pedestrian suddenly appears in front of the vehicle
When there is any other electro- magnetic interference
When a construction area, rail or other metal object is near the
pedestrian.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
In some instances, the FCA system
may be cancelled when subjected to
electromagnetic interference.
WARNING
Do not use the Forward
Collision -Avoidance Assist
(FCA) system when towing a
vehicle. Application of the
FCA system while towing may
adversely affect the safety of
your vehicle or the towing
vehicle.
Use extreme caution when the vehicle in front of you has
cargo that extends rearward
from the cab, or when the
vehicle in front of you has
higher ground clearance.
The FCA system is designed to detect and monitor the
vehicle ahead in the roadway
through camera recognition. It
is not designed to detect bicy-
cles, motorcycles, or smaller
wheeled objects such as lug-
gage bags, shopping carts, or
strollers.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Never try to test the operationof the FCA system. Doing so
may cause severe injury or
death.
When front bumper or wind- shield glass is replaced or
repaired, have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized
Kia dealer.

Driving your vehicle
80
5
There is an item similar to a per-
son's body structure
The pedestrian is small
The pedestrian has impaired mobility
The sensor recognition is limited
The radar sensor or camera is cov- ered with a foreign object or debris
Inclement weather such as heavy rain or snow obscures the field of
view of the radar sensor or camera
When light coming from a street light or an oncoming vehicle is
reflected on a wet road surface
such as a puddle in the road
The field of view in front is obstructed by sun glare
The windshield glass is fogged up.
Adverse road conditions cause excessive vehicle vibrations while
driving
When the pedestrian suddenly appears in front of the vehicle
When there is any other electro- magnetic interference When a construction area, rail or
other metal object is near the
pedestrian.
✽ ✽ NOTICE
In some instances, the FCA system
may be cancelled when subjected to
electromagnetic interference.
WARNING
Do not use the Forward
Collision -Avoidance Assist
(FCA) system when towing a
vehicle. Application of the
FCA system while towing may
adversely affect the safety of
your vehicle or the towing
vehicle.
Use extreme caution when the vehicle in front of you has
cargo that extends rearward
from the cab, or when the
vehicle in front of you has
higher ground clearance.
The FCA system is designed to detect and monitor the
vehicle ahead in the roadway
through radar signals and
camera recognition. It is not
designed to detect bicycles,
motorcycles, or smaller
(Continued)
(Continued)wheeled objects such as lug-
gage bags, shopping carts, or
strollers.
Never try to test the operation of the FCA system. Doing so
may cause severe injury or
death.
When front bumper or wind- shield glass is replaced or
repaired, have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized
Kia dealer.

Driving your vehicle
154
5
If you are considering towing with
your vehicle, you should first check
with your state's Department of
Motor Vehicles to determine the 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.
You may require an additional wiring
harness connector to install a trailer
hitch. Please contact an authorized
Kia dealer for more details. 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, transmission, wheel
assemblies, 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
CAUTION - Trailer
installation
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 affect the vehi-
cle operation and endanger you
and your passengers.
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.

Driving your vehicle
156
5
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

5157
Driving your vehicle
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly connected,
the trailer lights will also flash to alert
other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are
seeing your signals when, in fact,
they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you dis-
connect and then reconnect the
wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting sys-
tem directly to your vehicle’s lighting
system. Use only an approved trailer
wiring harness.
An authorized Kia dealer can assist
you in installing the wiring harness.
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 45
mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transmission
overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transmission, 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 transmission.CAUTION
Always use an approved trailerwiring harness. Failure to usean approved trailer wiring har-ness could result in damage tothe vehicle electrical system.

Driving your vehicle
158
5
Towing up hill
When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) pay close
attention to the engine coolant
temperature gauge to ensure the
engine does not overheat.
If the needle of the coolant temper-
ature 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 transmission
overheating.
Parking on hills
Generally, if you have a trailer
attached to your vehicle, you should
not park your vehicle on a hill. People
can be seriously or fatally injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer
can be damaged if they unexpected-
ly roll downhill.
However, if you ever have to park
your trailer on a hill, here's how to do
it:
1.Pull the vehicle into the parkingspace. Turn the steering wheel in
the direction of the curb (right if
headed downhill, left if headed up
hill).
2.If the vehicle has an automatic transmission, place the vehicle in P
(Park).
3.Set the parking brake and shut off the engine.
4.Place chocks under the trailer wheels on the down hill side of the
wheels. 5.Start the vehicle, hold the brakes,
shift to neutral, release the parking
brake and slowly release the
brakes until the trailer chocks
absorb the load.
6.Reapply the brakes, reapply the parking brake and shift the vehicle
to P (Park) for automatic transmis-
sion.
7.Shut off the vehicle and release the vehicle brakes but leave the park-
ing brake set.