Get Driving tips -> Special driving conditions Guide for Kia Sportage SUV Second Generation (2004-2010)

Driving tips

SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS

Hazardous driving conditions

• If stalled in snow, mud, or sand,

Rocking the vehicle

use second gear. Accelerate slow-

When hazardous driving conditions

If it is necessary to rock the vehicle

ly to avoid spinning the drive

are encountered such as water,

to free it from snow, sand, or mud,

wheels.

snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-

first turn the steering wheel right and

• Use sand, rock salt, tire chains, or

ards, follow these suggestions:

left to clear the area around your

other non-slip material under the

front wheels. Then, shift back and

• Drive cautiously and allow extra

drive wheels to provide traction

forth between 1 (First) and R

distance for braking.

when stalled in ice, snow, or mud.

(Reverse) in vehicles equipped with

• Avoid sudden movements in brak-

a manual transaxle or R (Reverse)

ing or steering.

and any forward gear in vehicles

WARNING - Downshifting

• When braking with non-ABS

equipped with an automatic

Downshifting with an automatic

brakes pump the brake pedal with

transaxle. Do not race the engine,

transaxle, while driving on slip-

a light up-and-down motion until

and spin the wheels as little as pos-

pery surfaces can cause an

the vehicle is stopped.

sible. If you are still stuck after a few

accident. The sudden change in

tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a

tire speed could cause the tires

CAUTION - ABS

tow vehicle to avoid engine overheat-

to skid. Be careful when down-

ing and possible damage to the

Do not pump the brake pedal on

shifting on slippery surfaces.

transaxle.

a vehicle equipped with ABS.

✽ NOTICE

Prolonged rocking may cause engine

over-heating, transaxle damage or

failure, and tire damage.

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Driving tips

Driving at night

• Keep your headlights clean and

WARNING - Spinning tires

properly aimed on vehicles not

Because night driving presents more

equipped with the automatic head-

Do not spin the wheels, espe-

hazards than driving in the daylight,

light aiming feature. Dirty or

cially at speeds more than 56

here are some important tips to

improperly aimed headlights will

km/h (35 mph). Spinning the

remember:

make it much more difficult to see

wheels at high speeds when the

• Slow down and keep more dis-

at night.

vehicle is stationary could

tance between you and other vehi-

cause a tire to overheat, explode

• Avoid staring directly at the head-

cles, as it may be more difficult to

and injure bystanders.

lights of oncoming vehicles. You

see at night, especially in areas

could be temporarily blinded, and it

where there may not be any street

will take several seconds for your

lights.

eyes to readjust to the darkness.

• Adjust your mirrors to reduce the

glare from other driver's head-

lights.

5 9

Driving tips

Driving in the rain

• If your tires are not in good condi-

Winter driving

tion, making a quick stop on wet

Rain and wet roads can make driving

• We recommend that you carry

pavement can cause a skid and

dangerous, especially if you’re not

emergency equipment, including

possibly lead to an accident. Be

prepared for the slick pavement.

tire chains, a window scraper,

sure your tires are in good shape.

Here are a few things to consider

windshield de-icer, a bag of sand

• Turn on your headlights to make it

when driving in the rain:

or salt, flares, a small shovel and

easier for others to see you.

jumper cables.

• A heavy rainfall will make it harder

• Driving too fast through large pud-

to see and will increase the dis-

• Make sure you have sufficient eth-

dles can affect your brakes. If you

tance needed to stop your vehicle,

ylene-glycol coolant in the radiator.

must go through puddles, try to

so slow down.

• Check the battery condition and

drive through them slowly.

• Keep your windshield wiping

cables. Cold temperatures reduce

• If you believe you may have gotten

equipment in good shape. Replace

the capacity of any battery, so it

your brakes wet, apply them lightly

your windshield wiper blades when

must be in excellent condition to

while driving until normal braking

they show signs of streaking or

provide enough winter starting

operation returns.

missing areas on the windshield.

power.

• Make sure the engine oil viscosity

is suitable for cold weather.

• Check the ignition system for loose

connections and damage.

5 10

Driving tips

• Use antifreeze-formulated wind-

Snow tires

WARNING - Snow tire

shield washer fluid. (Do not use

If you mount snow tires on your Kia,

engine coolant antifreeze.)

size

make sure they are radial tires of the

• Do not use the parking brake if it

same size and load range as the

Snow tires should be equivalent

might freeze. When parking, shift

original tires. Mount snow tires on all

in size and type to the vehicle's

to 1 (First) or R (Reverse) with a

four wheels to balance your vehicle’s

standard tires. Otherwise, the

manual transaxle or P (Park) with

handling in all weather conditions.

safety and handling of your

an automatic transaxle and block

Keep in mind that the traction provid-

vehicle may be adversely affect-

the rear wheels.

ed by snow tires on dry roads may

ed.

not be as high as your vehicle's orig-

inal equipment tires. You should drive

Do not install studded tires without

cautiously even when the roads are

first checking local, state and munic-

clear. Check with the tire dealer for

ipal regulations for possible restric-

maximum speed recommendations.

tions against their use.

5 11

Driving tips

Driving in flooded areas

Reducing the risk of a rollover

Rollover warning label

Avoid driving through flooded areas

This multi-purpose passenger vehi-

To remind you of the danger of the

cle is defined as a Sports Utility

unless you are sure the water is no

rollover, a rollover warning label

Vehicle (SUV). SUV’s have higher

higher than the bottom of the wheel

which is now required by the Federal

ground clearance and a narrower

hub. Drive through any water slowly.

Safety regulations is adhered to the

track to make them capable of per-

Allow adequate stopping distance

driver’s sunvisor.

forming in a wide variety of off-road

because brake performance may be

applications. Specific design charac-

affected.

teristics give them a higher center of

After driving through water, dry the

gravity than ordinary cars. An advan-

brakes by gently applying them sev-

tage of the higher ground clearance

eral times while the vehicle is moving

is a better view of the road, which

slowly.

allows you to anticipate problems.

They are not designed for cornering

at the same speeds as conventional

passenger drive vehicles, any more

than low-slung sports cars are

designed to perform satisfactorily in

off-road conditions. Due to this risk,

driver and passengers are strongly

recommended to buckle their seat-

belts. In a rollover crash, an unbelt-

ed person is more likely to die than a

person wearing a seatbelt. There

are steps that a driver can make to

reduce the risk of a rollover. If at all

possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt

maneuvers, do not load your roof

rack with heavy cargo, and never

modify your vehicle in any way.

5 12

Driving tips

WARNING - Rollover

As with other Sports Utility

Vehicle (SUV), failure to operate

this vehicle correctly may result

in loss of control, an accident or

vehicle rollover.

• Specific design characteris-

tics (higher ground clearance,

narrower track, etc.) give this

vehicle a higher center of

gravity than ordinary cars.

1KMN5513

To remind you of the danger of the

• A SUV is not designed for cor-

rollover, the rollover warning label is

nering at the same speeds as

adhered to the driver’s sunvisor. If

conventional vehicles.

you close the driver’s sunvisor, you

• Avoid sharp turns or abrupt

can see the rollover warning label

maneuvers.

which is located at the side of the air

• In a rollover crash, an unbelt-

bag warning label.

ed person is significantly

more likely to die than a per-

son wearing a safety belt.

Make sure everyone in the

vehicle is properly buckled up.

5 13

Driving tips -> Special driving conditions for Your Kia Sportage SUV Second Generation (2004-2010)

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