Get Driving your vehicle -> Winter driving Guide for Kia Sportage SUV Third Generation (2011-2016)

Driving your vehicle

WINTER DRIVING

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Snow tires

Snowy or icy conditions

If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,

make sure they are radial tires of the

same size and load range as the original

tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels

to balance your vehicle’s handling in all

weather conditions. Keep in mind that the

traction provided by snow tires on dry

roads may not be as high as your vehi-

cle's original equipment tires. You should

drive cautiously even when the roads are

clear. Check with the tire dealer for max-

imum speed recommendations.

To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may

be necessary to use snow tires on your

tires. If snow tires are needed, it is nec-

essary to select tires equivalent in size

and type of the original equipment tires.

Failure to do so may adversely affect the

safety and handling of your vehicle.

Furthermore, speeding, rapid accelera-

tion, sudden brake applications, and

sharp turns are potentially very haz-

ardous practices.

During deceleration, use engine braking

to the fullest extent. Sudden brake appli-

cations on snowy or icy roads may cause

skids to occur. You need to keep suffi-

cient distance between the vehicle in

operation in front and your vehicle. Also,

apply the brake gently.

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Severe weather conditions in the winter

result in greater wear and other prob-

lems. To minimize the problems of winter

driving, you should follow these sugges-

tions:

WARNING - Snow tire size

Snow tires should be equivalent in

size and type to the vehicle's stan-

dard tires. Otherwise, the safety

and handling of your vehicle may

be adversely affected.

Do not install studded tires without first

checking local, state and municipal regu-

lations for possible restrictions against

their use.

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Driving your vehicle

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Use high quality ethylene glycol

coolant

Change to "winter weight" oil if

necessary

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

heated key with care to avoid injury.

Your vehicle is delivered with high quality

ethylene glycol coolant in the cooling

system. It is the only type of coolant that

should be used because it helps prevent

corrosion in the cooling system, lubri-

cates the water pump and prevents

freezing. Be sure to replace or replenish

your coolant in accordance with the

maintenance schedule in section 7.

Before winter, have your coolant tested to

assure that its freezing point is sufficient

for the temperatures anticipated during

the winter.

In some climates it is recommended that

a lower viscosity "winter weight" oil be

used during cold weather. See section 8

for recommendations. If you aren't sure

what weight oil you should use, consult

an authorized Kia dealer.

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Check spark plugs and ignition

system

Inspect your spark plugs as described in

section 7 and replace them if necessary.

Also check all ignition wiring and compo-

nents to be sure they are not cracked,

worn or damaged in any way.

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 instructions on the con-

tainer. Window washer 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

finish.

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Check battery and cables

Winter puts additional burdens on the

battery system. Visually inspect the bat-

tery and cables as described in section

7. The level of charge in your battery can

be checked by an authorized Kia dealer

or a service station.

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Driving your vehicle

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Don’t let your parking brake

freeze

Carry emergency equipment

Depending on the severity of the weath-

er, you should carry appropriate emer-

gency equipment. Some of the items you

may want to carry include, tow straps or

chains, flashlight, emergency flares,

sand, shovel, jumper cables, window

scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls,

blanket, etc.

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 temporar-

ily while you put the gear shift lever in P

(Park, automatic transaxle) or in first or

reverse gear (manual transaxle) and

block the rear wheels so the vehicle can-

not roll. Then release the parking brake.

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Don't let ice and snow accumu-

late underneath

Under some conditions, snow and ice

can build up under the fenders and inter-

fere 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.

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Driving your vehicle -> Winter driving for Your Kia Sportage SUV Third Generation (2011-2016)

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