tires KIA STINGER 2021 Owners Manual

Features of your vehicle
98 4
Low Tire Pressure
Warning Light
This warning light illuminates:
Once you set the Engine Start/Stop
Button to the ON position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3
seconds and then goes off.
When one or more of your tires are
significantly underinflated (The
location of the underinflated tires
are displayed on the LCD display).
❈For more details, refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in chapter 6.
The TPMS cannot alert you to
severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors.
If you notice any vehicle instability,
immediately take your foot off the
accelerator pedal, apply the brakes
gradually with light force, and slow-
ly move to a safe position off the
road.This warning light remains on after
blinking for approximately 60 seconds
or repeats blinking on and off at the
intervals of approximately 3 seconds:
When there is a malfunction with
the TPMS.
In this case, have the vehicle
inspected by an authorized Kia
dealer.
❈For more details, refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in chapter 6.
LED Headlamp Warning
Light (if equipped)
This warning light illuminates:
Once you set the Engine Start/Stop
Button to the ON position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3
seconds and then goes off.
When there is a malfunction with
the LED headlamp.
In this case, have the vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.
This warning light blinks:
When there is a malfunction with a
LED headlamp related part.
In this case, have the vehicle inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
Continuous driving with the LED
Headlamp Warning Light on or
blinking can reduce LED headlamp
(low beam) life.
WARNING - Low tire
pressure
Significantly low tire pressure
makes the vehicle unstable
and can contribute to loss of
vehicle control and increased
braking distances.
Continued driving on low pres-
sure tires will cause the tires to
overheat and fail.

55
Driving your vehicle
Before entering vehicle
• Be sure that all windows, outside
mirror(s), and outside lights are
clean.
Check the condition of the tires.
Check under the vehicle for any
sign of leaks.
Be sure there are no obstacles
behind you if you intend to back up.
Necessary inspections
Fluid levels, such as engine oil,
engine coolant, brake fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, at the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in chapter 7,
“Maintenance”.
Before starting
Close and lock all doors.
Position the seat so that all con-
trols are easily reached.
Buckle your seat belt.
Adjust the inside and outside
rearview mirrors.
Be sure that all lights work.
Check all gauges.
Check the operation of warning
lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
Release the parking brake and
make sure the brake warning light
goes out.
For safe operation, be sure you are
familiar with your vehicle and its
equipment.
BEFORE DRIVING
WARNING - Distracted
driving
Focus on the road while driving.
The driver's primary responsi-
bility is in the safe and legal
operation of the vehicle. Use of
any handled devices, other
equipment or vehicle systems
that distract the driver should
not be used during vehicle
operation.

539
Driving your vehicle
✽ ✽
NOTICE
• Do not drive in water if the level is
higher than the bottom of the vehi-
cle.
• Check your brake condition once
you are out of mud or water.
Depress the brake pedal several
times as you move slowly until you
feel normal braking 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 chap-
ter 7).
• Make sure that AWD vehicle is
towed by a flatbed tow truck.
For safe AWD operation
Before driving
Make sure all passengers are
wearing seat belts.
Sit upright and closer to the steer-
ing wheel than usual. Adjust the
steering wheel to a position com-
fortable for you to drive.
Driving on snow-covered or icy roads
Start off slowly by applying the
accelerator pedal gently.
Use snow tires or tire chains.
Keep sufficient distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you.
Use engine braking during deceler-
ation.
Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns to prevent skids.Driving in sand or mud
Maintain slow and constant speed.
Use tire chains driving in mud if
necessary.
Keep sufficient distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you.
Reduce vehicle speed and always
check the road condition.
Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration,
sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns to prevent getting
stuck.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
When the vehicle is stuck in snow,
sand or mud, place a non-slip mate-
rial under the drive wheels to pro-
vide traction OR slowly spin the
wheels in forward and reverse direc-
tions which causes a rocking motion
that may free the vehicle. See the
Section "Rocking the Vehicle" for
more details. However, avoid run-
ning the engine continuously at high
rpm, which could damage the AWD
system.

Driving your vehicle
40 5
✽
✽
NOTICE
• When using Snow Tires, mount
them on all four wheels.
• When using Tire Chains, install
them on all four tires. However, if
you are in a situation to use only
two tire chains, install them on the
rear tires. In this case, do not drive
more than a short distance to pre-
vent damage to the AWD system.
• If tire chains must be used, use
AutoSock (fabric snow chain) and
install the tire chain after review-
ing the instructions provided with
the tire chains.
❈ ❈
For more information on Snow
Tires and Tire Chains, refer to
"Winter Driving" in this chapter.
Driving up or down hills
Driving uphill
- Before starting off, check if it is
possible to drive uphill.
- Drive as straight as possible.
Driving downhill
- Do not change gear while driving
downhill. Select gear before driv-
ing downhill.
- Drive slowly using engine braking
while driving downhill.
- Drive as straight as possible.Emergency precautions
Tires
When replacing the tires, be sure to
equip all four tires with the tire and
wheel of the same size, type, tread,
brand and load-carrying capacity.
In case of emergency such as tire
puncture, repair it using TMK (Tire
Mobility Kit) for temporary use.
Afterwards, have the tire be inspect-
ed by an authorized Kia dealer.WARNING
Exercise extreme caution driv-
ing up or down steep hills. The
vehicle's tires could lose trac-
tion depending on the grade,
terrain and water/mud condi-
tions.
WARNING
Do not use tires and wheels of a
different size and type than the
ones originally installed on your
vehicle. It can affect the safety
and performance of your vehi-
cle, which could lead to
increased steering difficulty or
rollover causing serious injury.

563
Driving your vehicle
Vehicle stability management
(VSM)
This system provides further
enhancements to vehicle stability
and steering responses when a vehi-
cle is driving on a slippery road or a
vehicle detects changes in coeffi-
cient of friction between right wheels
and left wheels when braking.
VSM operation
When the VSM is in operation, ESC
indicator light ( ) blinks.
When the vehicle stability manage-
ment is operating properly, you can
feel a slight pulsation in the vehicle
and/or abnormal steering responses
EPS (Electric Power Steering). This
is only the effect of brake and EPS
control and indicates nothing unusu-
al.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on a sloping road such as a
gradient or incline
Driving in reverse
ESC OFF indicator light ( )
remains on the instrument cluster
EPS (Electric Power Steering) indi-
cator light remains on the instru-
ment cluster
VSM operation off
If you press the ESC OFF button to
turn off the ESC, the VSM will also
cancel and the ESC OFF indicator
light ( ) illuminates.
To turn on the VSM, press the button
again. The ESC OFF indicator light
goes out.
WARNING- Tire/
Wheel size
When replacing tires and wheels,
make sure they are the same size
as the original tires and wheels
installed. Driving with varying
tire or wheel sizes may diminish
any supplemental safety benefits
of the VSM system.WARNING- Vehicle stabili-
ty management
Drive carefully even though your
vehicle has Vehicle stability man-
agement. It can only assist you in
maintaining control under cer-
tain circumstances.

Driving your vehicle
102 5
- After an engine start, please stop
for several seconds. If system ini-
tialization is not completed, Smart
Cruise Control system will not
operate.
- After an engine start, if the sensor
cover is obscured with foreign sub-
stances, there is a possibility that
Smart Cruise Control system may
not work.
- The following conditions may
cause a malfunction: over-loading
the liftgate, suspension modifica-
tion, tire replacement with unau-
thorized tires or tires with different
tread wear and pressure levels.
- Keep a safe distance according to
road conditions and vehicle speed.
If the vehicle to vehicle distance is
too close during a high-speed driv-
ing, a serious collision may result.
- Smart Cruise Control system can-
not recognize a stopped vehicle,
pedestrians or an oncoming vehi-
cle. Always look ahead cautiously
to prevent unexpected and sudden
situations from occurring.
WARNING - Inclines &
Towing
Do not use Smart Cruise
Control system on steep
inclines or when towing another
vehicle or trailer since such
extreme loading can interfere
with your vehicle's ability to
maintain the selected speed.
WARNING
- Safe Use of Smart Cruise
Control system
Smart Cruise Control system can
provide you with an additional
level of safety and fatigue reduc-
tion. However, you must maintain
careful observation of the road-
way in front and around you and
maintain control of your vehicle
and spacing around other vehi-
cles as you normally would. For
example, this will require you to
apply the brakes as needed
when coming upon a slower
moving vehicle, or when a vehi-
cle from another lane drives
quickly in front of you.
WARNING - Emergency
Stops
Smart Cruise Control system
may not be able to completely
stop the vehicle or avoid a colli-
sion in every situation. If an
emergency stop is necessary,
you must apply the brakes.

5137
Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many miles (kilometers) you can get
from a gallon (liter) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in both
fuel and repairs:
Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a
moderate rate. Don't make "jack-
rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts
and maintain a steady cruising
speed. Don't race between stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed to
the traffic so you don't have to
change speeds unnecessarily.
Avoid heavy traffic whenever pos-
sible. Always maintain a safe dis-
tance from other vehicles so you
can avoid unnecessary braking.
This also reduces brake wear.
Drive at a moderate speed. The
faster you drive, the more fuel your
vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate
speed, especially on the highway,
is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption. Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with
your foot resting on the brake pedal
may cause the brakes to overheat,
which reduces their effectiveness
and may lead to more serious con-
sequences.
Take care of your tires. Keep them
inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.
Be sure that the wheels are
aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire wear and may also result
in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption. Keep your vehicle in good condi-
tion. For better fuel economy and
reduced maintenance costs, main-
tain your vehicle in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in
chapter 7. If you drive your vehicle
in severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see
chapter 7 for details).
Keep your vehicle clean. For maxi-
mum service, your vehicle should
be kept clean and free of corrosive
materials. It is especially important
that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be
allowed to accumulate on the
underside of the vehicle. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to
corrosion.
Travel lightly. Don't carry unneces-
sary weight in your vehicle. Weight
reduces fuel economy.
Don't let the engine idle longer
than necessary. If you are waiting
(and not in traffic), turn off your
engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION

5139
Driving your vehicle
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 Transmission. Do
not race the engine, and spin the
wheels as little as possible. If you are
still stuck after a few tries, have the
vehicle pulled out by a tow vehicle to
avoid engine overheating and possi-
ble damage to the transmission.
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
WARNING- Downshifting
Do not downshift with an auto-
matic transmission while driv-
ing 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.

Driving your vehicle
140 5
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 cause
engine overheating, transmis-
sion damage or failure, and tire
damage.
CAUTION- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, espe-
cially at speeds more than 35
mph (56 km/h). Spinning the
wheels at high speeds when the
vehicle is stationary could
cause a tire to overheat which
could result in tire damage that
may injure bystanders.
OYG056065

5141
Driving your vehicle
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the
glare from other driver's head-
lights.
Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed. (On vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature.) Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
Avoid staring directly at the head-
lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared for the slick pavement.
Here are a few things to consider
when driving in the rain:
A heavy rainfall will make it harder
to see and will increase the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
Keep your windshield wiping
equipment in good shape. Replace
your windshield wiper blades when
they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
If your tires are not in good condi-
tion, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and
possibly lead to an accident. Be
sure your tires are in good shape.
Turn on your headlights to make it
easier for others to see you. Driving too fast through large pud-
dles can affect your brakes. If you
must go through puddles, try to
drive through them slowly.
If you believe you may have gotten
your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking
operation returns.