2006 KIA Sorento service

Moving up a Steep grade from a
Standing Start
To move up a steep grade from a
standing start, depress the brake
pedal, shift the shift lever to D (Drive).
Select the appropriate gear depend-
ing on load weight and steepness of
the grade, and release the parking
brake. Depress the accelerator grad-
ually while releasing the service
brakes.
When accelerating from a stop on
a steep hill, the vehicle may have a
tendency to roll backwards.
Shifting the shift lever into 2
(Second Gear) while in Sport mode
will help prevent the vehicle from
rolling backwards.Shift Lock System
For your safety, the Automatic
Transmission has a shift lock system
which prevents shifting the transmis-
sion out of P (Park) unless the brake
pedal is depressed.
To shift the transmission out of P
(Park):
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine or turn the ignition
to the ON position.
3. Depress the lock release button
and move the shift lever.
When the ignition switch is in the
ACC or LOCK position, the transmis-
sion cannot be shifted from P (Park).
If the brake pedal is repeatedly
depressed and released with the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, a chat-
tering noise near the shift lever may
be heard. This is a normal condition.
Also, the ignition key cannot be
removed unless the shift lever is in
the P (Park) position. If the ignition
switch is in any other position, the key
cannot be removed.
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-19
(Continued)
 In sports mode, when the engine
rpm approaches the red zone
shift points are varied to upshift
automatically.
 To maintain the required levels of
vehicle performance and safety,
the system may not execute cer-
tain gearshifts when the shift
lever is operated.
 When driving on a slippery road,
push the shift lever forward into
the +(up) position. This causes
the transmission to shift into the
2nd gear which is better for
smooth driving on a slippery
road. Push the shift lever to the -
(down) side to shift back to the
1st gear.
 While the vehicle is driving in 5th
gear with the shift lever in the
"D" position, selecting the shift
lever to sports mode position
causes the transmission to down-
shift to 4th gear automatically to
secure driving performance. At
the time of shifting you can have a
shift feeling.
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In the Event of Brake Failure
If the service brakes should fail to
operate while the vehicle is in motion,
you can make an emergency stop
with the parking brake. The stopping
distance, however, will be much
greater than normal.
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-31
WARNING- Parking Brake
Pulling on the parking brake
while the vehicle is moving at
normal speeds can cause a
sudden loss of control of the
vehicle. If you must use the
parking brake to stop the vehi-
cle, use great caution in apply-
ing the brake.
WARNING
- Brakes
Do not drive with your foot
resting on the brake pedal.
This will create abnormally
high brake temperatures,
excessive brake lining and
pad wear, and increased stop-
ping distances.
When descending a long or
steep hill, shift to a lower gear
and avoid continuous applica-
tion of the brakes. Continuous
brake application will cause
the brakes to overheat and
could result in a temporary
loss of braking performance.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Wet brakes may result in the
vehicle not slowing down at
the usual rate and pulling to
one side when the brakes are
applied. Applying the brakes
lightly will indicate whether
they have been affected in
this way. Always test your
brakes in this fashion after
driving through deep water. To
dry the brakes, apply them
lightly while maintaining a
safe forward speed until brake
performance returns to nor-
mal.
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Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your vehicle has disc brakes.
When your brake pads are worn and
it’s time for new pads, you will hear a
high-pitched warning sound from
your front brakes. You may hear this
sound come and go or it may occur
whenever you depress the brake
pedal.
Please remember that some driving
conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when you first apply (or
lightly apply) the brakes. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a problem
with your brakes.Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, pull the
parking brake handle fully and firmly
upward while applying the service
brake.DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-32
S2BLC302B
WARNING
- Brake Wear
This brake wear warning sound
means your vehicle needs serv-
ice. If you ignore this audible
warning, you will eventually
lose braking performance,
which could lead to a serious
accident.
✽ ✽
NOTICETo avoid costly brake repairs, do
not continue to drive with worn
brake pads. Always replace brake
pads or linings as a complete front
or rear axle sets.
CAUTION
Always replace brake pads as
complete front or rear axle sets.
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Air Bag Warning
This warning light will blink for
approximately 6 seconds each time
you turn the ignition switch to the ON
position.
If this indicator does not do this or if it
illuminates while the vehicle is being
driven, see an Authorized Kia Dealer
for immediate service.
Auto Cruise Indicator
The indicator light illuminates when
the cruise control system is activated.
Front fog light indicator
(if equipped)
This light comes on when the front
fog lights are ON.4WD Indicator Light
(If equipped)
(Part Time 4WD Only)
When the key is turned to the “ON”
position, the 4WD indicator light will
come on and then go off in a few sec-
onds.
The 4WD indicator light will illuminate
when the transfer shift knob is set to
4HI position (Part time 4WD only).
4WD LOW Indicator Light
(If equipped)
When the key is turned to the “ON”
position, the 4WD Low indicator will
come on and then go off in a few sec-
onds. The 4WD Low indicator light
comes on when the transfer shift
knob is set to 4WD low position.
Part-time 4WD : 4LO position
Full-time 4WD : Low position
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-50
CRUISE
4WD
LOW
CAUTION
 Prolonged driving with the On
Board Diagnostic System
Malfunction Indicator Light
( ) illuminated may cause
damage to the emission con-
trol systems which could
effect driveability and/or fuel
economy.
 If the On Board Diagnostic
System Malfunction Indicator
Light ( ) illuninates, poten-
tial catalytic converter dam-
age is possible which could
result in loss of engine power.
Have the On Board Diagnostic
System inspected as soon as
possible by an authorized Kia
dealer.
CHECK
CHECK
✽ ✽
NOTICEA loose fuel filler cap may cause the
On Board Diagnostic System
Malfunction Indicator Light ( )
in the instrument panel to illumi-
nate unnecessarily. Always make
sure that the fuel filler cap is tight.
CHECK
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Driving on a Hill (“4LO” for Part-
time 4WD Operation or “LOW” for
Full-time 4WD operation)
 Use low gear when going uphill or
downhill and avoid sudden braking.
 Do not shift gears or use your
clutch when going downhill. Do not
coast downhill in Neutral.Crossing a Ditch (“4LO” for Part-
time 4WD Operation or “LOW” for
Full-time 4WD operation)
 Avoid driving through ditches if pos-
sible, especially if there is water in
the ditch. Your vehicle may stall if
the electrical system gets wet. If
you must cross a ditch, shift the
transfer knob to 4LO or LOW.
 Avoid driving where the water level
is higher than the bottom of the
wheel hub. If the water level rises
above this mark, your vehicle will
need to be serviced.
 Tap lightly on the brake pedal dur-
ing and after driving through water.
This will help keep the brakes dry
and in proper working order.
 Do not shift gears while crossing a
ditch.Tight Corner Brake Effect
This is called tight corner brake
effect. Tight corner brake effect is a
unique characteristic of four-wheel
drive vehicles caused by the differ-
ence in tire rotation at the four wheels
and the zero-degree alignment of the
front wheels and suspension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution.
DRIVING TIPS
5-15
CAUTION
When turning sharply on a paved
road at low speed while in four-
wheel drive, steering control will be
difficult.
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Off-Road Driving with Your Four-
Wheel Drive Vehicle
Off-road driving can be great fun. But
it has definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the
paved road system behind. Traffic
lanes are not marked. Curves are not
banked.
There are no carefully engineered
road signs to warn you of dangerous
conditions or to advise you of a safe
speed. You have to assess the envi-
ronment yourself. Surfaces can be
slippery, rough, uphill or downhill.
Off-road driving involves learning
new skills. That’s why it’s important
that you read and understand this
section. You’ll find useful driving infor-
mation and suggestions. These will
help make your off-road driving safer
and more enjoyable.Before you go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before
you leave the paved roads. Be sure to
have all necessary maintenance and
service work done beforehand. Be
sure to read all the information about
your four-wheel drive vehicle in this
manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the
spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid
levels at the proper levels? What are
the local laws that apply to off-road-
ing where you’ll be driving? If you
don’t know, you should check with
law enforcement people in the area.
Will you be on someone’s private
land? If so, be sure to get the neces-
sary permission.DRIVING TIPS5-16
WARNING
- Rollover
As with other Sports Utility
Vehicles (SUVs), failure to oper-
ate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control, an acci-
dent or vehicle rollover.
 Specific design characteris-
tics (higher ground clearance,
narrower track, etc.) give this
vehicle a higher center of
gravity than ordinary cars.
 A SUV is not designed for cor-
nering at the same speeds as
conventional 2-wheel drive
vehicles.
 Avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
 In a rollover crash, an unbelt-
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.
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Driving in Water
Light rain causes no special off-road
driving problems. However, heavy
rain can cause flash flooding, and
flood waters demand extreme cau-
tion.
Find out how deep the water is before
you drive through it. If it’s deep
enough to cover your wheel bearing
hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, don’t try
it. You probably won’t get through.
Also, water that deep can damage
your axle and other vehicle parts.If the water isn’t too deep, then drive
through slowly. At fast speeds, water
can splash on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling
can also occur if your tailpipe goes
underwater. As long as your tailpipe
is underwater, you will not be able to
start your engine. When you go
through water, remember that it may
take you longer to stop when your
brakes are wet.
If you have driven through water that
was deep enough to cover your
wheel bearing hubs, it may be a good
idea to have an authorized Kia dealer
repack your front wheel bearings and
examine your rear-end fluid for evi-
dence of water.After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has
collected on the underbody, chassis
or under the hood. These accumula-
tions can be a fire hazard.
After driving in mud or sand, clean
and check the brake linings.
Accumulation of mud or sand can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage. Also,
check the fuel lines and cooling sys-
tem for any leakage. Your vehicle will
also require more frequent service
due to off-road use.DRIVING TIPS5-30
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When You Are Ready to Leave
After Parking on a Hill
1. With the manual transmission in
Neutral or automatic transmission
in P (Park), apply your brakes and
hold the brake pedal down while
you:
Start your engine;
Shift into gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Slowly remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up
and store the chocks.Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transmission fluid, axle lubri-
cant and cooling system fluid. Brake
condition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered in this manual, and the Index will
help you find them quickly. If you’re
trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your
trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your
trailer and hitch. Follow the mainte-
nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight.DRIVING TIPS5-42
✽ ✽
NOTICEDue to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur in
hot days or during uphill driving. If
the coolant gauge indicates over-
heating, switch off the A/C and stop
the vehicle in a safe area to cool
down the engine.
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