2008 KIA Sorento brakes

Driving your vehicle
24 4
• Even with the anti-lock brake system,
your vehicle still requires sufficient
stopping distance. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front
of you.
• Always slow down when cornering.
The anti-lock brake system cannot pre-
vent accidents resulting from exces-
sive speeds.
• On loose or uneven road surfaces,
operation of the anti-lock brake system
may result in a longer stopping dis-
tance than for vehicles equipped with a
conventional brake system.
✽
NOTICE
When you jump start your vehicle
because of a drained battery, the engine
may not run as smoothly and the ABS
warning light may turn on at the same
time. This happens because of the low
battery voltage. It does not mean your
ABS is malfunctioning.
 Do not pump your brakes!
 Have the battery recharged before
driving the vehicle.
ABS
W-78
CAUTION
• If the ABS warning light is on and
stays on, you may have a problem
with the ABS system. In this case,
however, your regular brakes will
work normally.
• The ABS warning light will stay
on for approximately 3 seconds
after the ignition switch is ON.
During that time, the ABS will go
through self-diagnosis and the
light will go off if everything is
normal. If the light stays on, you
may have a problem with your
ABS system. Contact an author-
ized Kia dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
CAUTION
• When you drive on a road having
poor traction,such as an icy road,
and operate your brakes continu-
ously, the ABS will be active con-
tinuously and the ABS warning
light may illuminate. Pull your car
over to a safe place and stop the
engine.
•Restart the engine. If the ABS
warning light is off, then your
ABS system is normal.
Otherwise, you may have a prob-
lem with the ABS. Contact an
authorized Kia dealer as soon as
possible.

Driving your vehicle
34 4
Non-operational conditions of
rear parking assist system
Rear parking assist system may not
operate normally when:
1. Moisture is frozen to the sensor. (It will
operate normally when moisture
melts.)
2. Sensor is covered with foreign matter,
such as snow or water, or the sensor
cover is blocked. (It will operate nor-
mally when the material is removed or
the sensor is no longer blocked.)
3. Driving on uneven road surfaces
(unpaved roads, gravel, bumps, gradi-
ent).
4. Objects generating excessive noise
(vehicle horns, loud motorcycle
engines, or truck air brakes) are within
range of the sensor.
5. Heavy rain or water spray exists.
6. Wireless transmitters or mobile phones
are within range of the sensor.
7. Sensor is covered with snow.
8. Trailer towing
Detecting range may decrease when:
1. Sensor is coverd with foreign matter
such as snow or water. (Sensing range
will return to normal when removed.)
2. Outside air temperature is extremely
hot or cold.
Following objects may not be recog-
nized by the sensor:
1. Sharp or slim objects such as ropes,
chains or small poles.
2. Objects which tend to absorb sensor
frequency such as clothes, spongy
material or snow.
3. Undetectable objects smaller than 1 m
(40 in.) and narrower than 14 cm (6 in.)
in diameter.
CAUTION
1. The rear parking assist system
may not sound sequentially
depending on the speed and
shapes of the objects detected.
2. The rear parking assist system
may malfunction if the vehicle
bumper height or sensor installa-
tion has been modified or dam-
aged. Any non-factory installed
equipment or accessories may
also interfere with the sensor per-
formance.
3. Sensor may not recognize
objects less than 40 cm (15 in.)
from the sensor, or it may sense
an incorrect distance. Use cau-
tion.
4. When the sensor is covered with
snow, dirt or water,sensor may
be inoperative until the debris is
removed us
ing a soft cloth
5. Do not push,scratch or strike the
sensor. Sensor damage could
occur.

441
Driving your vehicle
Immobilizer indicator
(if equipped)
This light illuminates when the immobiliz-
er key is inserted and turned to the ON
position to start the engine.
At this time, you can start the engine. The
light goes out after the engine is running.
In case this light goes out before you
start the engine, you must turn to the
LOCK position and restart the engine.
If this light blinks when the ignition switch
is in the ON position before starting the
engine, have the system checked by an
authorized Kia Dealer.
Parking brake & brake
fluid warning
Parking brake warning
This light is illuminated when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch in
the START or ON position. The warning
light should go off when the parking
brake is released.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the warning light remains on, it may
indicate that the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is low.
If the warning light remains on:
1. Drive carefully to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle.
2. With the engine stopped, check the
brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required. Then check all brake
components for fluid leaks.
3. Do not drive the vehicle if leaks are
found, the warning light remains on or
the brakes do not operate properly.
Have it towed to any Authorized Kia
Dealer for a brake system inspection
and necessary repairs.
To check bulb operation, check whether
the parking brake and brake fluid warning
light illuminates when the ignition switch
is in the ON position.
Rear hatch open
warning (if equipped)
This warning light comes on when the
rear hatch/window is not closed securely.
Low fuel level
warning
This warning light indicates the fuel tank is
nearly empty. The warning light will come
on when the fuel has a little amount.
Refuel as soon as possible.
Rear hatch window
defroster indicator
This light comes on when the rear hatch
defroster switch is depressed to remove
the frost on the rear hatch glass.
Press the switch again to shut off the
defroster when the frost is removed.
The rear hatch window defroster will
automatically turn off after 20 minutes.
It will also turn off whenever you remove
the ignition key.
WARNING
Driving the vehicle with a warning
light on is dangerous. If the brake
warning light remains on, have the
brakes checked and repaired imme-
diately by an Authorized Kia Dealer.

Driving tips
6 5
SUGGESTIONS FOR ECONOMICAL OPERATION
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where you
drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how many
kilometers (miles) you can get from a
liter (gallon) of fuel. To operate your vehi-
cle as economically as possible, use the
following driving suggestions to help
save money in both fuel and repairs:
• Avoid lengthy warm-up idling. Once the
engine is running smoothly, begin driv-
ing. Remember, engine warm-up may
take a little longer on cold days.
• Save fuel by accelerating slowly after
stopping.
• Keep the engine in tune and follow the
recommended periodic maintenance
schedule. This will increase the life of
all parts and lower your operating
costs.• Do not use the air conditioner unnec-
essarily.
• Slow down when driving on rough
roads.
• For longer tire life and better fuel econ-
omy, always keep the tires inflated to
the recommended pressures.
• Maintain a safe distance from other
vehicles to avoid sudden stops. This
will reduce wear on brake linings and
pads. Driving in such a way will also
save fuel because extra fuel is required
to accelerate back to driving speed.
• Do not carry unnecessary weight in the
vehicle.
• Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
needless wear, possible damage to the
brakes, and poor fuel economy.
• Improper wheel alignment results in
faster tire wear and lower fuel econo-
my.• Open windows at high speeds can
reduce fuel economy.
• Fuel economy is less in crosswinds
and headwinds. To help offset some of
this loss, slow down when driving in
these conditions.
Keeping a vehicle in good operating con-
dition is important both for economy and
safety. Therefore, have an authorized Kia
dealer perform scheduled inspections
and maintenance.
WARNING - Engine off dur-
ing motion
Never turn the engine off to coast
down hills or anytime the vehicle is
in motion. The power steering and
power brakes will not function with-
out the engine running. Instead,
keep the engine on and downshift
to an appropriate gear for engine
braking effect.

57
Driving tips
SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions are
encountered such as water, snow, ice,
mud, sand, or similar hazards, follow
these suggestions:
• Drive cautiously and allow extra dis-
tance for braking.
• Avoid sudden movements in braking or
steering.
• When braking with non-ABS brakes
pump the brake pedal with a light up-
and-down motion until the vehicle is
stopped.• If stalled in snow, mud, or sand, use
second gear. Accelerate slowly to
avoid spinning the drive wheels.
• Use sand, rock salt, tire chains, or
other non-slip material under the drive
wheels to provide traction when stalled
in ice, snow, or mud.
Rocking the vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to
free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn
the steering wheel right and left to clear
the area around your drive wheels. Then,
shift back and forth between 1 (First) and
R (Reverse) in vehicles equipped with a
manual transmission or R (Reverse) and
any forward gear in vehicles equipped
with an automatic transmission. Do not
race the engine, and spin the wheels as
little as possible. If you are still stuck after
a few tries, have the vehicle pulled out by
a tow vehicle to avoid engine overheating
and possible damage to the transmis-
sion.
WARNING - Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transmission, while driving on slip-
pery surfaces can cause an acci-
dent. The sudden change in tire
speed could cause the tires to skid.
Be careful when downshifting on
slippery surfaces.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal on a
vehicle equipped with ABS.
CAUTION
Prolonged rocking may cause
engine over-heating, transmission
damage or failure, and tire damage.

Driving tips
8 5
Driving at night
Because night driving presents more
hazards than driving in the daylight, here
are some important tips to remember:
• Slow down and keep more distance
between you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
• Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare
from other driver's headlights.
• Keep your headlights clean and prop-
erly aimed on vehicles not equipped
with the automatic headlight aiming
feature. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlights will make it much more diffi-
cult to see at night.
• Avoid staring directly at the headlights
of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not pre-
pared for the slick pavement. Here are a
few things to consider when driving in the
rain:
• A heavy rainfall will make it harder to
see and will increase the distance
needed to stop your vehicle, so slow
down.
• Keep your windshield wiping equip-
ment in good shape. Replace your
windshield wiper blades when they
show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield.
• If your tires are not in good condition,
making a quick stop on wet pavement
can cause a skid and possibly lead to
an accident. Be sure your tires are in
good shape.
• Turn on your headlights to make it eas-
ier for others to see you.
• Driving too fast through large puddles
can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
• If you believe you may have gotten
your brakes wet, apply them lightly
while driving until normal braking oper-
ation returns.WARNING- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels, especially
at speeds more than 56 km/h (35
mph). Spinning the wheels at high
speeds when the vehicle is station-
ary could cause a tire to overheat,
explode and injure bystanders.
CAUTION
The ESC system (if equipped)
should be turned OFF prior to rock-
ing the vehicle.

59
Driving tips
Winter driving
• We recommend that you carry emer-
gency equipment, including tire chains,
a window scraper, windshield deicer, a
bag of sand or salt, flares, a small
shovel and jumper cables.
• Make sure you have sufficient ethylene
glycol coolant in the radiator.
• Check the battery condition and
cables. Cold temperatures reduce the
capacity of any battery, so it must be in
excellent condition to provide enough
winter starting power.
• Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for cold weather.
• Check the ignition system for loose
connections and damage.
• Use antifreeze formulated windshield
washer fluid. (Do not use engine
coolant antifreeze.)
• Do not use the parking brake if it might
freeze. When parking, shift to 1 (First)
or R (Reverse) with a manual trans-
mission or P (Park) with an automatic
transmission and block the rear
wheels.
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your Kia,
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.
Do not install studded tires without first
checking local, state and municipal regu-
lations for possible restrictions against
their use.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no high-
er than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow
adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be affected.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
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.

Driving tips
12 5
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 possi-
ble, especially if there is water in the
ditch. Your vehicle may stall if the elec-
trical system gets wet. If you must
cross a ditch, select 4LO or LOW
mode.
• 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 serv-
iced.
• Tap lightly on the brake pedal during
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 difference in tire rotation at
the four wheels and the zero-degree
alignment of the front wheels and sus-
pension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be car-
ried out with caution.
WARNING -4WD
When turning sharply on a paved
road at low speed while in four-
wheel drive, steering control will be
difficult.