warning KIA SPORTAGE 2021 Owners Manual

Driving your vehicle
145
• Even if the smart key is in the vehi-cle, if it is far away from you, the
engine may not start.
• When the ENGINE START/STOP button is in the ACC position or
above, if any door is opened, the
system checks for the smart key. If
the smart key is not in the vehicle,
a message "key is not in the vehi-
cle" will appear on the LCD display.
And if all doors are closed, the
chime will sound for 5 seconds. The
indicator or warning will turn off
while the vehicle is moving. Always
have the smart key with you. • If the battery is weak or the smart
key does not work correctly, you
can start the engine by pressing
the engine start/stop button with
the smart key.
The side with the lock button
should contact the engine
start/stop button directly.
When you press the engine
start/stop button directly with the
smart key, the smart key should
contact the button at a right angle. • When the stop lamp fuse is blown,
you can't start the engine normally.
Replace the fuse with a new one. If
it is not possible, you can start the
engine by pressing the ENGINE
START/STOP button for 10 sec-
onds while it is in the ACC posi-
tion. The engine can start without
depressing the brake pedal. But for
your safety always depress the
brake pedal before starting the
engine.
Do not press the ENGINE START/
STOP button for more than 10 sec-
onds except when the stop lamp fuse
is blown.
WARNING - Unintended
vehicle movement
Never leave the smart key in the
vehicle with children or vehicle
occupants who are unfamiliar
with the vehicle operation.
Pushing the ENGINE
START/STOP button while the
smart key is in the vehicle may
result in unintended engine
activation and/or unintended
vehicle movement.
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Driving your vehicle
165
For smooth operation, depress thebrake pedal and the lock release but-ton when shifting from N (Neutral) toa forward or reverse gear.
When stopped on an incline, do not
hold the vehicle with the engine
power. Use the service brake or the
parking brake.
Transmission ranges
The indicator in the instrument clus-
ter displays the shift lever position
when the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park). This
position locks the transmission and
prevents the drive wheels from rotat-
ing.
Shifting into P (Park) while the vehi-
cle is in motion will cause the drive
wheels to lock which will cause you
to lose control of the vehicle.
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
WARNING- Leaving
Vehicle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always make sure the shift lever
is in the P (Park) position; then
set the parking brake fully and
shut the engine off. Do not use
the P position in place of the
parking brake. Always make
sure the shift lever is locked in
the P position and set the park-
ing brake fully. Unexpected and
sudden vehicle movement can
occur if these precautions are
not followed.
CAUTION- Transmission
To avoid damage to your trans- mission, do not accelerate theengine in R (Reverse) or any for-ward gear position with thebrakes on. The transmission maybe damaged if you shift into P(Park) while the vehicle is inmotion.

5 17
Driving your vehicle
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or service brakes
are applied.- Parking in N (Neutral) gear
Follow below steps when parking
and you want the vehicle to move
when pushed.
1. After parking your vehicle,
depress the brake pedal and move
the shift lever to [P] with the igni-
tion button in [ON] or while the
engine is running.
2. If the parking brake is applied unlock the parking brake.
- For EPB (Electronic ParkingBrake) equipped vehicles, push
the brake pedal with the ignition
button in [ON] or while the engine
is running to disengage the park-
ing brake. If [AUTO HOLD] func-
tion is used while driving (If
[AUTO HOLD] indicator is on in
the cluster), press [AUTO HOLD]
switch and [AUTO HOLD] func-
tion should be turn off.
3. While pressing the brake pedal, turn the ignition button [OFF].
- For smart key equipped vehicles,the ignition switch can be moved
to [OFF] only when the shift lever
is in [P].CAUTION- Shifting
Always come to a complete stopbefore shifting into or out of R(Reverse); you may damage thetransmission if you shift into R(Reverse) while the vehicle is inmotion, except when “Rockingthe vehicle” explained in thischapter.
WARNING
ALWAYS check the surrounding
areas near your vehicle for peo-
ple, especially children, before
shifting a vehicle into D (Drive)
or R (Reverse).

Driving your vehicle
185
4. Change the gear shift lever to [N](Neutral) while pressing the brake
pedal and pushing [SHIFT LOCK
RELEASE] button or inserting,
pressing down a tool (e.g. flathead
screw-driver) into the [SHIFT
LOCK RELEASE] access hole at
the same time. Then, the vehicle
will move when external force is
applied. D (Drive)
This is the normal forward driving
position. The transmission will auto-
matically shift through a 6-gear
sequence, providing the best fuel
economy and power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or climbing grades,
depress the accelerator fully, at
which time the transmission will
automatically downshift to the next
lower gear.
Manual mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or
in motion, manual mode is selected
by pushing the shift lever from the D
(Drive) position into the manual gate.
To return to D (Drive) range opera-
tion, push the shift lever back into the
main gate.
WARNING- Parking In
Neutral
• With the exception of parking in neutral gear, always park
the vehicle in [P] (Park) for
safety and apply the parking
brake.
• Before parking in [N] (Neutral) gear, make sure the parking
ground is level and flat. Do not
park in [N] gear on any slopes
or gradients. If parked and left
in [N], the vehicle may move
and cause serious damage or
injury.OQL055009
Manual
mode
++

((UUPP))
--

((DDOOWWNN))

Driving your vehicle
205
With the shift lever in the D position
The paddle shifter will operate when
the vehicle speed is more than
6.2mph(10km/h).
Pull the [+] or [-] paddle shifter once
to shift up or down one gear and the
system changes from automatic
mode to manual mode.
When the vehicle speed is lower than
6.2mph(10km/h), if you depress the
accelerator pedal for more than 5
seconds or if you shift the shift lever
from D (Drive) to manual mode and
shift it from manual mode to D (Drive)
again, the system changes from
manual mode to automatic mode.
With the shift lever in the manual mode
Pull the [+] or [-] paddle shifter once
to shift up or down one gear.
✽NOTICE
If you pull the [+] and [-] paddle
shifters at the same time, you cannot
shift the gear.
Shift lock system
For your safety, the automatic trans-
mission has a shift lock system
which prevents shifting the transmis-
sion from P (Park) into R (Reverse)
unless the brake pedal is depressed.
To shift the transmission from P
(Park) into R (Reverse):
1.Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2.Start the engine or turn the ignitionswitch to the ON position.
3.Move the shift lever.
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the
shift lever in the P (Park) position, a
chattering noise & vibration near the
shift lever may be heard. It is a nor-
mal condition.WARNING- Shifting from park
Always fully depress the brake
pedal before and while shifting
out of the P (Park) position into
another position to avoid inad-
vertent motion of the vehicle
which could injure persons in
or around the vehicle.

Driving your vehicle
225
Good driving practices
• Never move the gear shift leverfrom P (Park) to any other position
with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
• Never move the gear shift lever into P (Park) when the vehicle is in
motion.
• Slow down before shifting to a lower gear. Otherwise, the lower
gear may not be engaged.
• Always use the parking brake. Do not depend on placing the trans-
mission in P (Park) to keep the
vehicle from moving.
• Optimum vehicle performance and economy is obtained by smoothly
depressing and releasing the
accelerator pedal.
✽NOTICE- Kickdown
Mechanism
Use the kickdown mechanism for
maximum acceleration. Depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pres-
sure point. The automatic transmis-
sion will shift to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
Driving up a steep grade from astanding start
To drive up a steep grade from a
standing start, depress the brake
pedal, shift the shift lever to D
(Drive). Select the appropriate gear
depending on load weight and steep-
ness of the grade, and release the
parking brake. Depress the accelera-
tor gradually while releasing the
service brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on
a steep hill, the vehicle may have a
tendency to roll backwards.
Shifting the shift lever into 2
(Second Gear) will help prevent
the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
WARNING
When driving uphill or downhill,
always shift to D (Drive) for driv-
ing forward or shift to R
(Reverse) for driving back-
wards, and check the gear posi-
tion indicated on the cluster
before driving.
Driving in the opposite direc-
tion of the selected gear can
lead to a dangerous situation by
shutting off the engine and
affecting the braking perform-
ance.

5 23
Driving your vehicle
The All Wheel Drive (AWD) system
delivers engine power to the front
and rear wheels for maximum trac-
tion. AWD is useful when extra trac-
tion is required on road, such as,
when driving on slippery, muddy
such as wet, or snow-covered roads.These vehicles are not designed for
challenging off-road use.
It is always important when traveling
on unpaved roads that the driver
carefully reduces the speed to a level
that does not exceed the safe operat-
ing speed for those conditions. In
general, unpaved roads provide less
traction and braking effectiveness
than normal road conditions.
* AWD : All Wheel Drive
FWD : Front Wheel Drive The driver must be especially alert to
avoid driving on slopes which tilt the
vehicle to either side.
✽NOTICE
If the AWD system warning light
( ) illuminates, this indicates that
there is a malfunction in the AWD
system.
If this occurs, we recommend that
the system be checked by an author-
ized Kia dealer.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING - Off road
driving
Do not attempt to operate your
vehicle under extreme or chal-
lenging off road driving condi-
tions. This vehicle was not
designed to be driven off road.
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■ Type A
■Type B

Driving your vehicle
265
For safe all wheel drive opera-
tion
✽NOTICE- All wheel drive
The road conditions that demand all
wheel drive mean all functions of
your vehicle are exposed to extreme
stress than under normal road con-
ditions. Slow down and be ready for
changes in the composition and trac-
tion of the surface under your tires.
If you have any doubt about the
safety of the conditions you are fac-
ing, stop and consider the best way
to proceed. Do not exceed the ability
of yourself or your vehicle to operate
safely.
• Do not try to drive in deep standingwater 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 vehicle. • When you are driving up or down
hills drive as straight 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.
HILL1HILL2

5 27
Driving your vehicle
• You must consciously take theeffort to learn how to corner in a
AWD vehicle. Do not rely on your
experience in conventional FWD
vehicles in choosing safe cornering
speed in AWD mode. For starters,
you must drive more slowly in
AW D.
• Drive carefully when driving on unpaved roads because your vehi-
cle may be damaged by rocks or
roots of trees. • Always hold the steering wheel firm-
ly when you are driving off-road.
• Make sure all passengers are wearing seat belts.
WARNING - Steering
wheel
Do not grab the inside of the
steering wheel when you are
driving off-road. You may hurt
your arm by a sudden steering
maneuver or from steering
wheel rebound due to impact
with objects on the ground. You
could also lose control of your
steering wheel while driving on
rough terrain.
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.
OQL058127L
WARNING - AWD
Reduce speed when you turn
corners. The center of gravity of
AWD vehicles is higher than
that of conventional FWD vehi-
cles, making them more likely to
roll over when you turn corners
too fast.

Driving your vehicle
285
• If you need to drive in the water,stop your vehicle, set your transfer
to the AWD LOCK mode and drive
at less than 5 mph (8 km/h).✽NOTICE
• Do not drive in water if the level ishigher 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 under
severe usage conditions” in section
8). Always wash your vehicle thor-
oughly after off-road use, especially
cleaning the bottom of the vehicle.
• Since the driving torque is always applied to the 4 wheels the per-
formance of the AWD vehicle is
greatly affected by the condition of
the tires. Be sure to equip the vehi-
cle with four tires of the same size
and type.
• A full time all wheel drive vehicle cannot be towed by an ordinary
tow truck. Make sure that the
vehicle is placed on a flat bed
truck for moving.
WARNING - Driving
through water
Drive slowly. If you are driving
too fast in water, the water can
get into the engine compart-
ment and wet the ignition sys-
tem, causing your vehicle to
suddenly stop. If this happens
and your vehicle is in a tilted
position, your vehicle may roll
over.
WARNING - AWD 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.
• 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.