towing KIA SPORTAGE 2021 User Guide

5 163
Driving your vehicle
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.

Driving your vehicle
1645
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 possibil-
ity of engine and transmission over-
heating.
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.

5 165
Driving your vehicle
Towing up hill
• When towing a trailer on steepgrades (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.

Driving your vehicle
1665
When you are ready to leave after
parking on a hill
1. With the automatic transmission inP (Park), apply your brakes and
hold the brake pedal down while
you:
• Start your engine;
• Shift into gear; and
• Release the parking brake.
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 transmission fluid, axle lubri-
cant and cooling system fluid. Brake
condition 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 transmission
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.

5 167
Driving your vehicle
If you do decide to pull a trailer
Here are some important points if
you decide to pull a trailer:
• Consider using a sway control. Youcan ask a hitch dealer about sway
control.
• Do not do any towing with your vehicle during its first 1,200 miles
(2,000 km) in order to allow the
engine to properly break in. Failure
to heed this caution may result in
serious engine or transmission
damage.
• When towing a trailer, be sure to consult an authorized Kia dealer
for further information on additional
requirements such as a towing kit,
etc.
• Always drive your vehicle at a mod- erate speed (less than 60 mph
(100 km/h)).
• On a long uphill grade, do not exceed 45 mph (70 km/h) or the
posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower.
• The chart contains important con- siderations that have to do with
weight: ItemTheta II 2.0L
T-GDI Theta II 2.4L
GDI
Maximum
trailer weight Without brake
System
1,650 lbs(748 kg) 1,650 lbs
(748 kg)
With brake System
2,000 lbs(907 kg) 2,000 lbs
(907 kg)
Maximum tongue weight
220 lbs
(100 kg) 220 lbs
(100 kg)
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 sec-
tion. For North America

Driving your vehicle
1705
Vehicle capacity weight:
970 lbs (440 kg)
Vehicle capacity weight is the maxi-
mum combined weight of occupants
and cargo. If your vehicle is equipped
with a trailer, the combined weight
includes the tongue load.
Seating capacity:
Total : 5 persons (Front seat : 2 persons, Rear seat : 3 persons)
Seating capacity is the maximum
number of occupants including a
driver, your vehicle may carry.
However, the seating capacity may
be reduced based upon the weight of
all of the occupants, and the weight
of the cargo being carried or towed.
Do not overload the vehicle as there
is a limit to the total weight, or load
limit including occupants and cargo,
the vehicle can carry.
Towing capacity:
* 2.0L T-GDI Engine
Without trailer brakes
: 1,650 lbs (748 kg)
With trailer brakes
: 2,000 lbs (907 kg)
* 2.4L GDI Engine
Without trailer brakes
: 1,650 lbs (748 kg)
With trailer brakes
: 2,000 lbs (907 kg)
Towing capacity is the maximum
trailer weight including its cargo
weight, your vehicle can tow.

5 171
Driving your vehicle
Cargo capacity:
The cargo capacity of your vehicle
will increase or decrease depending
on the weight and the number of
occupants and the tongue load, if
your vehicle is equipped with a trailer.
Steps For Determining CorrectLoad Limit -
1. Locate the statement "The com- bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX
kg or XXX lbs.'' on your vehicle's
placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity. For example, if
the "XXX" amount equals 1400
lbs. and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.) 5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trail- er, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.
WARNING - Loose cargo
Do not travel with unsecured
blunt objects in the passenger
compartment of your vehicle
(e.g. suit cases or unsecured
child seats). These items may
strike occupant during a sud-
den stop or crash.

What to do in an emergency
Road warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
• Hazard warning flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
In case of an emergency while driving . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
• If the engine stalls at a crossroad or crossing. . . . . . . 6-3
• If you have a flat tire while driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
• If the engine stalls while driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
If the engine will not start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
• If engine doesn't turn over or turns over slowly . . . . 6-4
• If engine turns over normally but does not start . . . . 6-4
Emergency starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
• Jump starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
• Push-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
If the engine overheats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) . . . . . . 6-8
• Check tire pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
• Low tire pressure telltale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
• Low tire pressure position telltale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
• Changing a tire with TPMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
If you have a flat tire (with spare tire) . . . . . . . . . 6-15
• Jack and tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
• Removing and storing the spare tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
• Changing tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17
If you have a flat tire (with Tire Mobility Kit) . . 6-24
• Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25
• Notes on the safe use of the Tire Mobility Kit . . . . . 6-25
• Components of the Tire Mobility Kit (TMK). . . . . . 6-27
• Using the Tire Mobility Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28
• Distributing the sealant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
• Checking the tire inflation pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
• Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-\
33
• Towing service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33
• Removable towing hook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
• Emergency towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-35
6

65
What to do in an emergency
EMERGENCY STARTING
Connect cables in numerical order
and disconnect in reverse order.
Jump starting
Jump starting can be dangerous if
done incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid
harm to yourself or damage to your
vehicle or battery, follow these jump
starting procedures. If in doubt, we
strongly recommend that you have a
competent technician or towing serv-
ice jump start your vehicle.
CAUTION - Push/pull start
to 12 Volt Battery
Use only a 12-volt jumper sys- tem. You can damage a 12-voltstarting motor, ignition system,and other electrical partsbeyond repair by use of a 24-volt power supply (either two12-volt batteries in series or a24-volt motor generator set).
WARNING- Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as
this may cause the battery to
rupture or explode.
OQL068043
WARNING- Frozen batteries
Do not attempt to jump start the
vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte
level is low as the battery may
rupture or explode.
WARNING- Sulfuric acid risk
When jump starting your vehi-
cle, be careful not to get acid on
yourself, your clothing or on the
vehicle. Automobile batteries
contain sulfuric acid. This is poi-
sonous and highly corrosive.
WARNING- Battery
Keep all flames or sparks away
from the battery. The battery
produces hydrogen gas which
will explode if exposed to flame
or sparks.

6 15
What to do in an emergency
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE (WITH SPARE TIRE, IF EQUIPPED)
Jack and tools
The jack and wheel lug nut wrench
are stored in the luggage compart-
ment.
Remove the panel to find the follow-
ing tools shown in the illustration.
(1) Jack handle
(2) Jack
(3) Wheel lug nut wrench
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 bodily 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.
• Do not allow anyone to remain in the 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.
WARNING- Changing
tires
Never attempt vehicle repairs in
the traffic lanes of a public road
or highway.
OQL068025L
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.