2008 KIA Sportage light

Driving your vehicle
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Air conditioning system oper-
ation 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 condition-
ing compressor cycles on. This is a
normal system operating charac-
teristic.• Use the air conditioning system
every month if only for a few min-
utes to ensure maximum system
performance.
• When using 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 operating characteristic.
• The air conditioning system
includes a function that automati-
cally 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 (wide open throt-
tle).• When operating the air condition-
ing 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.

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Driving your vehicle
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The indicator light in the air intake
control button will blink 3 times at 0.5
second intervals. This indicates that
the defogging logic is canceled or
has returned to the programmed
condition.
If the battery has been discharged or
disconnected, the defog logic is reset
to the original condition.Automatic climate control system
To reduce the probability of fogging
up inside of the windshield, the air
intake control is set to outside (fresh)
air position automatically if any of fol-
lowing occur.
• The ignition switch is turned on
while the mode is selected to the
, , .
• The OFF button is pushed.
• The mode is selected to the ,
or position.
Press the air intake control button to
select the recirculated air position
while the ignition switch is on.How to cancel or return defogging
logic of automatic climate control sys-
tem
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position.
2. Select the defrost position press-
ing defrost button ( ).
3. While holding the air conditioning
button (A/C) pressed, press the air
intake control button ( ) at least
5 times within 3 seconds.
1KMA2156
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Driving tips
BEFORE DRIVING
Before 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 fluid, and
washer fluid should be checked on a
regular basis, with the exact interval
depending on the fluid. Further
details are provided in Section 7,
Maintenance.
Before starting
• Close and lock all doors.
• Position the seat so that all con-
trols 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.
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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, perceptions
and judgement.Driving while
under the influence of drugs is
as dangerous or more danger-
ous than driving drunk.
You are much more likely to
have a serious accident if you
drink or take drugs and drive.
If you are dr
inking 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 tips
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SPECIAL DRIVING CONDITIONS
Hazardous driving conditions
When hazardous driving conditions
are encountered such as water,
snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar haz-
ards, follow these suggestions:
• Drive cautiously and allow extra
distance for braking.
• Avoid sudden movements in brak-
ing 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 slow-
ly 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
front wheels. Then, shift back and
forth between 1 (First) and R
(Reverse) in vehicles equipped with
a manual transaxle or R (Reverse)
and any forward gear in vehicles
equipped with an automatic
transaxle. Do not race the engine,
and spin the wheels as little as pos-
sible. If you are still stuck after a few
tries, have the vehicle pulled out by a
tow vehicle to avoid engine overheat-
ing and possible damage to the
transaxle.
✽
NOTICE
Prolonged rocking may cause engine
over-heating, transaxle damage or
failure, and tire damage.
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WARNING - Downshifting
Downshifting with an automatic
transaxle, while driving on slip-
pery surfaces can cause an
accident.The sudden change in
tire speed could cause the tires
to skid.Be careful when down-
shifting on slippery surfaces.
CAUTION - ABS
Do not pump the brake pedal on
a vehicle equipped with ABS.

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Driving tips
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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 dis-
tance between you and other vehi-
cles, 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 head-
lights.• Keep your headlights clean and
properly aimed on vehicles not
equipped with the automatic head-
light aiming feature. Dirty or
improperly aimed headlights will
make it much more difficult to see
at night.
• Avoid staring directly at the head-
lights of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.WARNING- Spinning tires
Do not spin the wheels,espe-
cially at speeds more than 56
km/h (35 mph).Spinning the
wheels at high speeds when the
vehicle is stationary could
cause a tire to overheat, explode
and injure bystanders.

Driving tips
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Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous, especially if you’re not
prepared 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 dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle,
so slow down.
• Keep your windshield wiping
equipment 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 condi-
tion, 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
easier for others to see you.
• Driving too fast through large pud-
dles 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
operation returns.
Winter driving
• We recommend that you carry
emergency equipment, including
tire chains, a window scraper,
windshield de-icer, a bag of sand
or salt, flares, a small shovel and
jumper cables.
• Make sure you have sufficient eth-
ylene-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.

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Driving tips
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Driving on a hill (“4WD LOCK”
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 (“4WD LOCK”
for full-time 4WD operation)
• Avoid driving through ditches if
possible, especially if there is
water in the ditch. Your vehicle may
stall if the electrical system gets
wet. If you must cross a ditch,
select 4WD LOCK 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 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 align-
ment of the front wheels and sus-
pension.
Sharp turns at low speeds should be
carried out with caution.
CAUTION - 4WD
When turning sharply on a
paved road at low speed while
in four-wheel drive,steering
control will be difficult.

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Driving tips
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Scanning the terrain
Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain. You
need to be familiar with the terrain
and its many different features. Here
are some things to consider.
Surface conditions
Off-roading can take you over hard-
packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass,
sand, mud, snow or ice. Each of
these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration, and braking of your
vehicle in different ways.
Depending upon the kind of surface
you are on, you may experience slip-
ping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction,
and longer braking distances.
Surface obstacles
Unseen or hidden obstacles can be
hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or
bump can startle you if you’re not
prepared. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow or
even the rise and fall of the terrain
itself. Here are some things to con-
stantly evaluate:
• Is the path ahead clear?
• Will the surface texture change
ahead?
• Does the path take you uphill or
downhill?
• Might you have to stop suddenly or
change direction quickly?
When you drive over obstacles or
rough terrain, it is critical that you
keep a firm grip on the steering
wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other sur-
face features can force the wheel out
of your hands if you’re not prepared.When you drive over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, your wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
can’t control the vehicle as well or
perhaps at all. Because you will be
on an unpaved surface, it’s especial-
ly important to avoid sudden acceler-
ation, sudden turns, or sudden brak-
ing. Any of these actions could cause
the center of gravity of the vehicle to
shift and destabilize the vehicle,
leading to a collision or rollover acci-
dent.
Off-road driving requires a different
kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There
are no road signs, posted speed lim-
its or signal lights. You have to use
your own judgment about what is
safe and what isn’t. Bad judgment in
this uncontrolled environment can be
fatal.