2005 KIA Sportage low oil pressure

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Driving your vehicle
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Engine oil pressure
warning This warning light indicates the
engine oil pressure is low.
If the warning light illuminates while
driving:
1. Drive safely to the side of the road
and stop.
2. With the engine off, check the
engine oil level. If the level is low,
add oil as required.
If the warning light remains on after
adding oil or if oil is not available, call
an Authorized Kia Dealer.✽ ✽
NOTICEIf the engine is not stopped immedi-
ately, severe damage could result.
Charging system
warning This warning light indicates a mal-
function of either the generator or
electrical charging system.
If the warning light comes on while
the vehicle is in motion:
1. Drive to the nearest safe location.
2. With the engine off, check the gen-
erator drive belt for looseness or
breakage.
3. If the belt is adjusted properly, a
problem exists somewhere in the
electrical charging system. Have
an Authorized Kia Dealer correct
the problem as soon as possible.
Safety belt warning If the driver's safety belt is not fas-
tened when the key is turned ON or
if it is unfastened after the key is
turned ON, the safety belt warning
light blinks until the belt fastened.
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527
Driving tips
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Driving in mud, sand, snow, or
iceWhen you drive in mud, sand, snow,
or ice, your wheels won’t get good
traction. You can’t accelerate as
quickly, turning is more difficult, and
you’ll need longer braking distances.
It’s best to use a low gear when
you’re in mud, the deeper the mud,
the lower the gear. In extremely deep
mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle
moving so you don’t get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you’ll
sense a change in wheel traction.
But it will depend upon how loosely
packed the sand is. On loosely
packed sand (as on beaches or sand
dunes) your tires will tend to sink into
the sand. This has an effect on steer-
ing, accelerating, and braking. You
may want to reduce the air pressure
in your tires slightly when driving on
sand. This will improve traction.
Remember to re-inflate them the first
chance that you have after you leave
the loosely packed sand.
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NOTICE• In case of loss of traction in mud,
loose soil, or sand, turn the steer-
ing wheel rapidly from side-to-
side. This can help generate addi-
tional traction.
• Do not gun the engine. This will
cause the tires to spin and dig
down, not forward, and could
bury the vehicle to the frame.
Smooth, easy power is better than
too much power.
WARNING
- Exiting vehi-
cle
Getting out on the downhill
(low) side of a vehicle stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you
could be crushed or fatally
injured. Always get out on the
uphill (high) side of the vehicle
and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
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In case of an emergency
OVERHEATING If your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss
of power, or if you hear a loud knock-
ing or pinging noise, the engine has
probably overheated. Should any of
these symptoms occur, use the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flash-
er, then drive to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle; set
the automatic transaxle in P
(Park), or shift the manual
transaxle to N (Neutral) and apply
the parking brake.
2. Make sure the air conditioner is
off.
3. If coolant or steam is boiling out of
the radiator, stop the engine and
call an Authorized Kia Dealer for
assistance.If coolant is not boiling out, allow
the engine to idle and open the
hood to permit the engine to cool
gradually.
If the temperature does not go
down with the engine idling, stop
the engine and allow sufficient
time for it to cool.
4. The coolant level should then be
checked. If the level in the reser-
voir is low, look for leaks at the
radiator hoses and connections,
heater hoses and connections,
radiator, and water pump. If you
find a major leak or another prob-
lem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operate
the engine until it has been cor-
rected. Call an Authorized Kia
Dealer for assistance. If you do not
find a leak or other problem, care-
fully add coolant to the reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats,
have the cooling system checked
and repaired by an Authorized Kia
Dealer.
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WARNING
- Removing
radiator cap
Do not remove the radiator cap
when the engine and radiator
are hot. Scalding hot coolant
and steam may blow out under
pressure. This could cause seri-
ous injury.
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Maintenance8 7
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OWNER MAINTENANCE Owner maintenance schedule The following lists are vehicle checks
and inspections that should be per-
formed by the owner or an
Authorized Kia Dealer at the fre-
quencies indicated to help ensure
safe, dependable operation of your
vehicle.
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.
When you stop for fuel: Check the engine oil level.
 Check coolant level in coolant
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
road.
 When stopping, listen and check
for strange 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 transaxle occurs,
check the transaxle fluid level.
 Check automatic transaxle P
(Park) function.
 Check parking brake.
 Check for fluid leaks under your
vehicle (water dripping from the air
conditioning system during or after
use is normal).
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level when the
engine is hot. Scalding hot
coolant and steam may blow out
under pressure. This could
cause serious injury.
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