2008 KIA Sorento oil

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.

523
Driving tips
Hard-packed snow and ice offer the
worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it’s
very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for
example, the traction is so poor that you
will even have difficulty accelerating. And
if you do get moving, poor steering and
difficult braking can easily cause you to
slide out of control.Driving in water
Light rain causes no special off-road driv-
ing problems. However, heavy rain can
cause flash flooding, and flood waters
demand extreme caution.
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 bear-
ing hubs, it may be a good idea to have
an Authorized Kia dealer or other com-
petent service center repack your front
wheel bearings and examine your rear-
end fluid for evidence of water.CAUTION
• 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- Frozen sur-
faces
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or
rivers can be dangerous.
Underwater springs, currents under
the ice, or sudden thaws can weak-
en the ice. Your vehicle could fall
through the ice and you and your
passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces only.

Driving tips
38 5
Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-
tion to include engine oil, automatic
transmission fluid, axle lubricant and
cooling system fluid. Brake condition is
another important item to frequently
check. Each item is covered in this man-
ual, 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 maintenance
schedule that accompanied your trailer
and check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each day’s
driving. Most importantly, all hitch nuts
and bolts should be tight.CAUTION
• Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur
in hot days or during uphill driv-
ing. 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.
• When towing check transmission
fluid more frequently.
• If your vehicle is not equipped
with the air conditioner, you
should install a condenser fan to
improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.

63
In case of an emergency
OVERHEATING
If your temperature gauge indicates over-
heating, 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 symp-
toms occur, use the following procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flasher,
then drive to the nearest safe location
and stop your vehicle; set the automat-
ic transmission in P (Park), or shift the
manual transmission 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 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 anoth-
er 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 assis-
tance. If you do not find a leak or other
problem, carefully add coolant to the
reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats, have
the cooling system checked and repaired
by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
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 serious injury.

611
In case of an emergency
Driver side panel
Description Fuse rating Protected component
W/SHD* 15A Rear window defroster
TPMS* 10A Tire pressure monitoring system
WIPER(FRT) 20A Front wiper
DRL/OBD-II* 15A Daytime running light
HAZARD 15A Hazard warning light
WIPER(RR) 10A Rear wiper
S/ROOF* 20A Sunroof
O/S MIRROR 10A Outside rearview mirror
RELAY COIL 10A Ignition coil
START 10A Start motor
S/WARMER 20A Seat warmer
ACC 15A Accessory
STOP LAMP 20A Stop light
TCCS 20A TCS, ESC, Immobilizer
ROOM LAMP 10A Room lamp
CIGAR(FRT) 15A Cigar lighter
O/S MIRROR DEF 20A Outside rearview mirror heater
ENGINE 10A Engine control unit
METER 10A Multi-meter
ABS IG 10A ABS
A/BAG 10A Airbag
TURN LAMP 10A Turn signal light
POWER SEAT 30A Power seat
DOOR LOCK 20A Central door lock
SPARE 20A Spare fuse
*: if equipped

In case of an emergency
12 6
Engine compartment
Description Fuse rating Protected component
HORN 15A Horn
AUDIO 30A Audio
MAIN 140A Alternator
ALTERNATOR* 150A Alternator
HEAD (HI) 15A Headlight (high)
HEAD (LO) 15A Headlight (low)
DEF 25A Rear window defroster
MEMORY 10A Cluster, ETACS, A/C, Clock,
Room lamp
F/FOG* 15A Front fog light
IGN 2 30A Ignition
ABS* 40A ABS
F/PUMP* 20A Fuel pump
C/FAN 30A Radiator fan
IGN 1 40A Ignition
EXT AMP 30A Amplifier
ILLUMI 10A Instrument panel illumination
EXT* 15A Taillight, Turn signal light
CENTER P/OUTLET15A Power outlet
BTN 3 40A In panel B+
F/BLW 30A Blower
BTN 1 40A In panel B+
BTN 2 30A In panel B+
P/TRN 10A Power train control system sen-
sors,TCU
*: if equipped
Description Fuse rating Protected component
P/OUTLET 30A Power outlet
P/W LH 25A Power window (left)
P/W RH 25A Power window (right)
INJECTOR* 15A Injector
IG COIL 10A Ignition coil
O2 SNSR 15A O2 sensor
ECU* 15A Engine control unit
SPARE 25A Spare fuse
SPARE 20A Spare fuse
SPARE 15A Spare fuse
SPARE 10A Spare fuse

In case of an emergency
18 6
• Press the brake pedal with more force
than normal since you will have
reduced brake performance.
• More steering effort will be required
because the power steering system
will be disabled.
• If you are driving down a long hill, the
brakes may overheat and brake per-
formance will be reduced. Stop often
and let the brakes cool off.
✽
NOTICE
To prevent internal damage to the trans-
mission, never tow your vehicle from the
rear (backwards) with all four tires in
contact with the surface.
Tips for towing a stuck vehicle
The following methods are effective
when your vehicle is stuck in mud, sand
or similar substances that prevent the
vehicle from being driven out under its
own power.
• Remove the soil and sand, etc. from
the front and the back of the tires.
• Place a stone or wood under the tires.

7
Maintenance services / 7-2
Maintenance schedule / 7-3
Owner maintenance / 7-7
Engine compartment / 7-10
Engine oil / 7-11
Engine cooling system / 7-12
Brake fluid / 7-14
Power steering / 7-15
Automatic transmission / 7-16
Lubricants and fluids / 7-18
Air cleaner / 7-19
Climate control air filter / 7-20
Wiper blades / 7-20
Battery / 7-22
Tires and wheels / 7-25
Lubricant specifications / 7-37
Exterior care / 7-39
Interior care / 7-42
Maintenance