steering KIA SPORTAGE 2021 Repair Manual

5 159
Driving your vehicle
Change to "winter weight" oil
if necessary
In some climates it is recommended
that a lower viscosity "winter weight"
oil be used during cold weather. See
chapter 9 for recommendations. If
you aren't sure what weight oil you
should use, consult an authorized
Kia dealer.
Check spark plugs and ignition
system
Inspect your spark plugs as
described in chapter 7 and replace
them if necessary. Also check all
ignition wiring and components to be
sure they are not cracked, worn or
damaged in any way.
To keep locks from freezing
To keep the locks from freezing,
squirt an approved de-icer fluid or
glycerine into the key opening. If a
lock is covered with ice, squirt it with
an approved de-icing fluid to remove
the ice. If the lock is frozen internally,
you may be able to thaw it out by
using a heated key. Handle the heat-
ed key with care to avoid injury.
Use approved window washer
anti-freeze in system
To keep the water in the window
washer system from freezing, add an
approved window washer anti-freeze
solution in accordance with instruc-
tions on the container. Window wash-
er anti-freeze is available from an
authorized Kia dealer and most auto
parts outlets. Do not use engine
coolant or other types of anti-freeze
as these may damage the paint fin-
ish.
Don’t let your parking brake
freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to happen
when there is an accumulation of
snow or ice around or near the rear
brakes or if the brakes are wet. If
there is a risk the parking brake may
freeze, apply it only temporarily while
you put the gear shift lever in P
(Park, Automatic Transmission) and
block the rear wheels so the vehicle
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
Don't let ice and snow accu-
mulate underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
vehicle to be sure the movement of
the front wheels and the steering
components are not obstructed.

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.

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.

6 25
What to do in an emergency
Introduction
With the Tire Mobility Kit (TMK) you
stay mobile even after experiencing a
tire puncture.
The system compressor and sealing
compound effectively seal most punc-
tures in a passenger car tire caused
by nails or similar objects and re-
inflate the tire.
After you ensure that the tire is prop-
erly sealed, you can drive cautiously
on the tire (up to 120 miles (200 km))
at a max. speed of 50 mph (80 km/h)
in order to reach a vehicle or tire deal-
er to have the tire replaced.It is possible that some tires, espe-
cially with larger punctures or dam-
age to the sidewall, cannot be sealed
completely.
Air pressure loss in the tire may
adversely affect tire performance.
For this reason, you should avoid
abrupt steering or other driving
maneuvers, especially if the vehicle is
heavily loaded or if a trailer is in use.
The Tire Mobility Kit is not designed
or intended as a permanent tire
repair method and is to be used for
one tire only.
This instruction shows you step by
step how to temporarily seal the
puncture.
Read the section "Notes on the safe
use of the Tire Mobility Kit".
OQL069008
CAUTION
• When replacing or repairing
the tire after using tire sealant,make certain to remove thesealant attached to the innerpart of the tire and wheel. If thesealant is not removed, noiseand vibration may occur.
• If the TPMS warning light illu- minates after using the TireMobility Kit, have your vehicleinspected by an authorizedKia dealer.
• When repairing a flat tire with the Tire Mobility Kit (TMK),quickly remove the sealant onthe tire pressure sensor andwheel. When installing therepaired tire and wheel, tight-en the wheel nut to a torquevalue of 11 ~ 13 kgf·m.

What to do in an emergency
286
8. Pressure gauge for displaying thetire inflation pressure
9. Button for reducing tire inflation pressure
Connectors and cable are stored in
the compressor housing.
✽NOTICE
The sealant container and insert
hose (3) cannot be reused. Purchase
an extra after use.
Using the Tire Mobility Kit
1. Detach the speed restriction label (1) from the sealant bottle (2), and
place it in a highly visible place
inside the vehicle such as on the
steering wheel to remind the driv-
er not to drive too fast.
2. Filling the sealant Strictly follow the specified sequence, otherwise
the sealant may escape under
high pressure.
OQL065009
CAUTION
Before using the Tire MobilityKit, please read carefully theinstruction attached on thesealant case. Detach the speedlimit label on the sealant caseand put it on a highly visibleplace. Always drive within thespeed limit.
WARNING- Expired sealant
Do not use the tire sealant after
the sealant has expired (after
the expiration date on the
sealant container). This can
increase the risk of tire failure.
WARNING- Sealant
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Avoid contact with eyes.
• Do not swallow.

6 35
What to do in an emergency
3. Install the towing hook by turning itclockwise into the hole until it is
fully secured.
4. Remove the towing hook and install the cover after use.Emergency towing
If towing is necessary, we recom-
mend you to have it done by an
authorized Kia dealer or a com-
mercial tow truck service. If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or
chain secured to the emergency tow-
ing hook under the front (or rear) of
the vehicle. Use extreme caution
when towing the vehicle. A driver
must be in the vehicle to steer it and
operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done
only on hard-surfaced roads for a
short distance and at low speed.
Also, the wheels, axles, power train,
steering and brakes must all be in
good condition.
• Do not use the tow hooks to pull a
vehicle out of mud, sand or other
conditions from which the vehicle
cannot be driven out under its own
power.
• Avoid towing a vehicle heavier than the vehicle doing the towing.
• The drivers of both vehicles should communicate with each other fre-
quently.
OQL068019N
OQL068020N
■Front
■ Rear

6 37
What to do in an emergency
• Use a towing strap less than 16feet (5 m) long. Attach a white or
red cloth (about 12 inches (30 cm)
wide) in the middle of the strap for
easy visibility.
• Drive carefully so that the towing strap is not loosened during tow-
ing.
• The driver must be in the vehicle for steering and braking operations
when the vehicle is towed and pas-
sengers other than the driver must
not be allowed to be on board.
Emergency towing precautions
• Turn the ignition switch to ACC sothe steering wheel isn’t locked.
• Place the transmission shift lever in N (Neutral).
• Release the parking brake.
• Press the brake pedal with more force than normal since you will
have reduced brake performance.
• More steering effort will be required because the power steer-
ing system will be disabled.
• If you are driving down a long hill, the brakes may overheat and brake
performance will be reduced. Stop
often and let the brakes cool off.
• The vehicle should be towed at a speed of 25 km/h or less within the
distance of 20 km. • If the car is being towed with all
four wheels on the ground, it can
be towed only from the front. Be
sure that the transmission is in
neutral. Be sure the steering is
unlocked by placing the ignition
switch in the ACC position. A driver
must be in the towed vehicle to
operate the steering and brakes.
CAUTION - Automatic
transmission
• To avoid serious damage to the automatic transmission, limitthe vehicle speed to 10 mph(15 km/h) and drive less than 1mile (1.5 km) when towing.
• Before towing, check the auto- matic transmission for fluidleaks under your vehicle. If theautomatic transmission fluid isleaking, flatbed equipment or atowing dolly must be used.
OQL065021

77
Maintenance
OWNER MAINTENANCE
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
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.
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
roads.
• 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 transmission
occurs, check the transmission
fluid level.
• Check the automatic transmission 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.

7 11
Maintenance
Number of months or driving distance, whichever comes first
Months1224364860728496108120132144156168180
Miles×1,00061218243036424854606672788490
Km×1,000102030405060708090100110120130140150
Rotate tiresRotate every 7,500 miles (12,000 km)
Climate control air filterRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Vacuum hoseIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Coolant (Engine)At first, replace at 120,000 miles (200,000 km) or 10 years :
after that, replace every 30,000 miles (50,000 km) or 24 months
Battery conditionIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Brake lines, hoses and connectionsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Disc brakes and padsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Steering gear rack, linkage and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Driveshaft and bootsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Suspension mounting boltsIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Air conditioner refrigerantIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Air conditioner compressorIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Propeller shaftIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Exhaust pipe and mufflerIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Normal Maintenance Schedule - Turbo Models (CONT.)
I : Inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace.
R : Replace or change.
MAINTENANCE INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE
ITEM

Maintenance
147
Maintenance Under Severe Usage Conditions - Turbo Models
The following items must be serviced more frequently on cars normally used under severe driving conditions. Refer
to the chart below for the appropriate maintenance intervals.
R : Replace I : Inspect and, after inspection, clean, adjust, repair or replace if neces\
sary
MAINTENANCE ITEMMAINTENANCEOPERATIONMAINTENANCE INTERVALSDRIVING
CONDITION
Engine oil and engine oil filterTheta II 2.0L T-GDIREvery 3,000 miles (5,000 km) or 6 monthsA, B, C, D, E,
F, G, H, I, J, K
Air cleaner filterIMore frequentlyC, E
Spark plugs RMore frequentlyA, B, F, G, H, I, K
Automatic transmission fluidREvery 60,000 miles (100,000 km) A, C, E, F, G, H, I, J
Front brake disc/pads, calipersIMore frequentlyC, D, E, G, H
Rear brake disc/padsIMore frequentlyC, D, E, G, H
Parking brakeIMore frequentlyC, D, G, H
Steering gear box, linkage & boots/
Lower arm ball joint, upper arm ball jointIMore frequentlyC, D, E, F, G