2008 KIA Sorento brake

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.

Driving tips
18 5
Driving uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up
the hill, you need to take some special
steps.
• Use a low gear and get a firm grip on
the steering wheel.
• Get a smooth start up the hill and try to
maintain your speed. Don’t use more
power than you need, because you
don’t want your wheels to start spin-
ning or sliding.
• Try to drive straight up the hill, if at all
possible. If the path twists and turns,
you may have to find another route.• Slow down as you approach the top of
the hill.
• Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you
more visible to approaching traffic on
trails or hills.
• Sound the horn as you approach the
top of the hill to let opposing traffic
know you’re there.
• Use your headlights even during the
day. They make you more visible to
other drivers.
Stalling while driving uphill
What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is
about to stall, and I can’t make it up the
hill?
If your vehicle stalls, or is about to stall
while driving uphill, there are some
things you should do, and there are some
things you must not do. First, here’s what
you should do:
• Push the brake pedal to stop the vehi-
cle and keep it from rolling backwards.
Also, apply the parking brake.
• If your engine is still running, shift the
transmission into reverse, release the
parking brake, and slowly back down
the hill in reverse.
• If your engine has stopped running,
you’ll need to restart it. With the brake
pedal depressed and the parking
brake still applied, shift a manual trans-
mission to N (Neutral), or an automatic
transmission to P (Park) and restart
the engine. Then, shift to reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill in reverse.
• As you are backing down the hill, put
your left hand on the steering wheel at
the 12 o’clock position. This way, you’ll
be able to tell if your wheels are
straight or turned to the left or right as
you back down.
WARNING - Driving across
hills
Turning or driving across steep
hills can be dangerous. You could
lose traction, slide sideways, or just
reach an area too steep to traverse.
In any case, it could cause you to
roll over. You could be seriously or
fatally injured. When driving up
hills, always try to go as straight up
as possible.
WARNING- Driving over
hills
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at
full speed can cause an accident
and result in serious or fatal injury.
There could be a drop-off, embank-
ment, cliff, another vehicle or peo-
ple sitting on the ground. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down and
stay alert.

519
Driving tips
Here are some things you must not do if
you stall, or are about to stall, when
going up a hill.
• Never attempt to prevent a stall by
depressing the clutch or shifting to N
(Neutral) to “rev-up” the engine and
regain forward momentum. This won’t
work. Your vehicle will roll backwards
very quickly and you could go out of
control or roll over.
Instead, apply the brake to stop the vehi-
cle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift
into reverse, release the parking brake,
and slowly back down.Stalled on a steep uphill
If your vehicle stalls and you can’t back
down the hill, try this: Set the parking
brake, put your transmission in 1 (First)
gear or P (Park), and turn the engine off.
Leave the vehicle and get some help. If
your vehicle is at an angle to the slope of
the hill, exit the vehicle on the uphill side
and stay clear of the path the vehicle
would take if it rolled downhill. Leave it in
1 (First) gear for manual transmission or
P (Park) for automatic transmission.
WARNING - STALLING
Never attempt to turn around if you
are about to stall when going up a
hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough
to cause you to roll over if you turn
around. If you can’t make it up, you
must back down the hill.
WARNING- Exiting vehicle
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.
WARNING- Leaving vehi-
cle
If you are going to leave your vehicle,
set the parking brake and shift a
manual transmission to 1 (First), or
an automatic transmission to P
(Park).

Driving tips
20 5
Driving downhill
Going downhill can be considerably more
dangerous than driving uphill. When off-
roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider many of the same things you
thought about before you went uphill. As
a brief reminder, those include:
• How steep is the downhill? Will I be
able to maintain vehicle control?
• What’s the surface like? Smooth?
Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed dirt?
Gravel?
• Are there hidden surface obstacles?
Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
• What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is
there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
• Have changes in the weather condi-
tions and their effect on the terrain
since you went uphill made your task
more difficult?
Once you have decided that you can go
down a hill safely, try to keep your vehicle
headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine braking can help
your brakes so they won’t have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your
vehicle under control at all times.Avoid turns that take you across the
incline of the hill. A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to
drive across. You could roll over if you
don’t drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the clutch pedal
depressed. This is called “free-wheeling.”
Your brakes will have to do all the work
and could overheat and fade.
If your wheels lock up during downhill
braking, you may feel the vehicle starting
to slide sideways. To regain your direc-
tion, just ease off the brakes and steer to
keep the front of the vehicle pointing
straight downhill.
WARNING- Braking
Heavy braking when going down a
hill can cause your brakes to over-
heat and fade. This could cause
loss of control and a serious acci-
dent. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
WARNING-Wheel locking
Avoid braking so hard that you lock
the wheels when going downhill. If
your front wheels are locked, you
can’t steer your vehicle.
WARNING-Downhill
Before beginning to go downhill, it
is critical that you ensure that no
cargo can shift forward while you
are heading downhill. Such shifting
could either endanger you and your
occupants, or interfere with your
ability to control the vehicle.

521
Driving tips
Stalling downhill
Stalling is much more likely to happen
going uphill. But if it happens going
downhill, here’s what to do.
• Stop your vehicle by applying the
brakes. Then apply the parking brake.
• Move the shift lever to P (Park) in auto-
matic transmission or shift to N
(Neutral) in manual transmission and,
while still braking, restart the engine.
• Shift back to a low gear, release the
parking brake, and drive straight down.
• If the engine won’t start, get out and
seek help. Exit on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it rolled downhill.
Driving across an incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will prob-
ably go across the incline of a hill. If this
happens, you have to decide whether or
not to try to drive across the incline. Here
are some things to consider:
• A hill that can be driven straight up or
down may be too steep to drive across.
When you go straight up or down a hill,
the length of the wheel base (the dis-
tance from the front wheels to the rear
wheels) reduces the likelihood the
vehicle will tumble end over end. But
when you drive across an incline, the
much narrower track width (the dis-
tance between the left and right
wheels) may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driv-
ing across an incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels. This could
cause a downhill slide or a rollover.
• Surface conditions can be a problem
when you drive across a hill. Loose
gravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass
can cause your tires to slip sideways. If
the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit
something that will tip it (a rock, a rut,
etc.) and cause it to roll over.• Hidden obstacles can make the steep-
ness of the incline even worse. If you
drive across a rock with the uphill
wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop
into a rut or depression, your vehicle
can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need to
decide carefully whether or not to try to
drive across an incline. Just because the
trail goes across the incline doesn’t
mean you have to drive it.
WARNING- Roll over
Driving across an incline that’s too
steep will make your vehicle roll
over. You could be seriously or
fatally injured. If you have any
doubt about the steepness of the
incline, don’t drive across it. Find
another route instead.