2006 KIA Sorento coolant level

GAUGESSpeedometer
The speedometer indicates the for-
ward speed of the vehicle.
Odometer/Tripmeter
You can choose the odometer, trip-
meter A and tripmeter B by pressing
the mode selection button.
Odometer
The odometer indicates the total dis-
tance the vehicle has been driven.
Tripmeter
TRIP A : Tripmeter A
TRIP B : Tripmeter B
The tripmeter indicates the distance
of individual trips selected by the driv-
er. Tripmeter A and B can be reset to
zero by pressing the mode selection
button for one second or more then
releasing.Engine Temperature Gauge
This gauge shows the temperature of
the engine coolant when the ignition
switch is ON.
If the gauge pointer moves beyond
the normal range area toward the H
position, it indicates overheating that
may damage the engine.
Do not continue driving with an over-
heated engine. If your vehicle over-
heats, refer to “Overheating’’in the
Index.Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge indicates the approx-
imate amount of fuel remaining in the
fuel tank.
Fuel tank capacity - 20.8 gal. (80
liters).
The fuel gauge is supplemented by a
low fuel warning light, which will illu-
minate when the fuel level has
dropped to about 3.1 gal. (12 liters).
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-43
F
E
S2BLA428
H
C
S2BLA427
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Immobilizer Indicator
When you turn the ignition key to the
ON position, if the IMMO indicator
goes off after blinking 6 times, this
indicates that the immobilizer system
is normal. However, if the IMMO indi-
cator remains on continuously after
blinking 6 times, this indicates that
the immobilizer system is out of order
and you cannot start the engine with-
out the limp home procedure. Refer
to the “Limp home procedure”on
page 3-4.Malfunction Indicator
The CHECK ENGINE or malfunction
indicator light is installed in your vehi-
cle’s instrument panel and responds
to signals from the vehicle’s On
Board Diagnostic (OBD -II) System.
The OBD-II System monitors the per-
formance of the vehicle’s Emission
Control System (ECS), which is
designed to reduce the amount of air
pollutants in engine exhaust to the
levels required by government regu-
lations.
When you first start the engine, the
check engine light will illuminate
briefly as a system check to confirm
that the OBD-II System is operating
properly. As the engine starts, this
light turns off. However, if at any time
the OBD-II system detects a faulty
signal or determines that the ECS is
not performing to specification, the
CHECK ENGINE light will illuminate
continuously or flash.Continuously ON :
If the CHECK ENGINE light comes
ON while driving and illuminates con-
tinuously, a potential problem has
been discovered in the ECS or one of
the exhaust system components.
Generally, the vehicle will continue to
be driveable but it should be checked
by an authorized Kia dealer as soon
as possible. This condition is unlikely
to lead to engine damage unless a
decrease in vehicle power or poor
running conditions is immediately
apparent.
Note that the CHECK ENGINE light
will illuminate for a problem like a
loose or missing gas cap, but will not
illuminate as a result of low engine oil
or coolant, low automatic transaxle
fluid or engine overheating. The driv-
er will be alerted to these conditions
by other indicators on the instrument
panel
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
4-49
CHECK
IMMO
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Air Conditioning System
Operation Tips
If the vehicle has been parked in
direct sunlight during hot weather,
open the windows for a short time
to let the hot air inside the vehicle
escape.
To help reduce moisture inside of
windows on rainy humid days,
decrease the humidity inside the
vehicle by operating the air condi-
tioning system.
During air conditioning system
operation, you may occasionally
notice a slight change in engine
speed at idle as the air conditioning
compressor cycles on. This is a
normal system operation charac-
teristics.
Use the air conditioning system
every month if only for a few min-
utes.After the use of the air conditioning
system, you may notice clear water
dripping (or even pudding) on the
ground under the passenger side
of the vehicle. This is a normal sys-
tem operation characteristics.
The air conditioning system
includes a function that will auto-
matically turns the air conditioning
compressor off if engine coolant
temperature approaches an over
heating level. The air conditioning
compressor operation will resume
once engine coolant temperature
returns to the normal range. Also,
the air conditioning compressor is
automatically turned off for a few
seconds when the accelerator is
fully depressed.
When operating the air conditioning
system use the outside (fresh) air
position.Operating the air conditioning sys-
tem in the recirculated air position
does provide maximum cooling,
however, continual operation in this
mode may cause the air inside the
vehicle to become stale.DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE4-78
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TIPS ON DRIVING YOUR
VEHICLEBefore 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/clutch fluid,
and washer fluid should be checked
on a regular basis, with the exact
interval depending on the fluid.
Further details are provided in the
“Maintenance” section.Before Starting
 Close and lock all doors.
 Position the seat so that all controls
are easily reached.
 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.
DRIVING TIPS
5-5
WARNING- Driving Under the
Influence of Alcohol or
Drugs
Drinking and driving is danger-
ous. Drunk driving is the num-
ber one contributor to the high-
way death toll each year. Even
a small amount of alcohol will
affect your reflexes, percep-
tions and judgement.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink and drive.
If you are drinking or taking
drugs, don’t drive. Do not ride
with a driver who has been
drinking or taking drugs.
Choose a designated driver or
call a cab.
Driving while under the influ-
ence of drugs is as dangerous
or more dangerous than driving
drunk.
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OVERHEATINGIf your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss of
power, or if you hear a loud knocking or
pinging noise, the engine has probably
overheated. Should any of these
symptoms occur, use the following pro-
cedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flash-
er, then drive to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle; shift
to Neutral (manual transaxle) or
Park (automatic transaxle) 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 assis-
tance.
If there is no visible coolant, you
may 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. Use the coolant reservoir
dipstick to check the level. If the
level in the reservoir 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 problem that may have
caused the engine to overheat, do
not operate the engine until it has
been corrected. Call an authorized
Kia dealer for assistance. If you do
not find a leak or other problem,
carefully add coolant to the reser-
voir.If the engine frequently overheats,
have the cooling system checked and
repaired by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
6-3
WARNING- Removing Radiator Cap
Never 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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MAINTENANCE7-6Chart Symbols:
I- Inspect these items and their related parts. If necessary, correct, clean, refill, adjust of replace.
R- Replace or change
L- Lubricate.
(1) Refer to the lubricant and coolant specifications in the Owner’s Manual
(2) More frequent maintenance is required if driving under dusty conditions.
(3) More frequent maintenance is required if the vehicle is operated under any of the following conditions:
a. Short-distance driving
b. Driving on dusty roads.
c. Extensive idling or slow-speed driving in stop-and-go traffic.
(4) If necessary, rotate and balance the wheels.
* Note: Check the engine oil and coolant levels every week.
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OWNER MAINTENANCEOwner Maintenance Schedule
The owner should perform these
vehicle inspections at the indicated
intervals to ensure safe and depend-
able operation.
Bring any problem to the attention of
an authorized Kia dealer as soon as
possible.When refueling, check the follow-
ing:
 Engine oil level
 Engine coolant level
 Brake (and clutch, if equipped) fluid
level
 Washer fluid levelEvery month, check:
 Tire inflation pressures (cold)
 Coolant level in reservoir (cold
engine)
Every 6 months (for example,
every spring and fall), check:
 Power steering fluid level
 Automatic transmission fluid level
MAINTENANCE
7-7
WARNING
Be careful when checking your
engine coolant level. The engine
compartment will be hot and
you could be burned.
WARNING- Engine Cooling Fans
Because your engine cooling
fans are electronically con-
trolled, they will run if the igni-
tion switch is ON, even if the
engine is not running. This
could cause serious injury. To
prevent this, be sure the igni-
tion is OFF, unless you must run
the engine while performing
maintenance or an inspection.
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ENGINE COOLING SYSTEMThe high-pressure cooling system
has a reservoir filled with year-round
antifreeze coolant. The reservoir is
filled at the factory.
Check the antifreeze protection and
coolant level at least once a year, at
the beginning of the winter season,
and before traveling to a colder cli-
mate.Checking the Coolant Level
MAINTENANCE
7-11
WARNING- Removing Radiator Cap
 Never attempt to remove the
radiator cap while the engine
is operating. Doing so might
lead to cooling system and
engine damage and could
result in serious personal
injury from escaping hot
coolant or steam. Turn the
engine off and wait until it has
cooled. Even then, use
extreme care when removing
the radiator cap. Wrap a thick
towel around it, and turn it
counterclockwise slowly to
the first stop. Step back while
the pressure is released from
the cooling system. When you
are sure all the pressure has
been released, press down on
the cap, using a thick towel,
and continue turning counter-
clockwise to remove it.
(Continued)
(Continued)
 Even if the engine is not oper-
ating, do not remove the radi-
ator cap or the drain plug
while the engine and radiator
are hot. Hot coolant and
steam may still blow out
under pressure, causing seri-
ous injury.
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