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Operating precautions for cat-
alytic converters
Your vehicle is equipped with a cat-
alytic converter emission control
device.
Therefore, the following precautions
must be observed:
• Use only UNLEADED FUEL for
gasoline engine (unleaded).
• Do not operate the vehicle when
there are signs of engine malfunc-
tion, such as misfire or a noticeable
loss of performance.
• Do not misuse or abuse the
engine. Examples of misuse are
coasting with the ignition off and
descending steep grades in gear
with the ignition off.• Do not operate the engine at high
idle speed for extended periods (5
minutes or more).
• Do not modify or tamper with any
part of the engine or emission con-
trol system. All inspections and
adjustments must be made by an
authorized Kia dealer.
Failure to observe these precautions
could result in damage to the catalyt-
ic converter and to your vehicle.
Additionally, such actions could void
your warranties.
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9WARNING- Fire
A hot exhaust system can ignite
flammable items under your
vehicle.Do not park the vehicle
over or near flammable objects,
such as grass, vegetation,
paper, leaves,etc.
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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 liter (a gallon) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in both
fuel and repairs:• Avoid lengthy warm-up idling.
Once the engine is running
smoothly, begin driving.
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 mainte-
nance schedule. This will increase
the life of all parts and lower your
operating costs.
• Do not use the air conditioner
unnecessarily.
• Slow down when driving on rough
roads.
• For longer tire life and better fuel
economy, always keep the tires
inflated to the recommended pres-
sures.• Maintain a safe distance from other
vehicles to avoid sudden stops.
This will reduce wear on brake lin-
ings 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 econo-
my.
• Improper wheel alignment results
in faster tire wear and lower fuel
economy.
• 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.
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Off-road driving with your
four-wheel drive vehicle
Off-road driving can be great fun. But
it has definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the
paved road system behind. Traffic
lanes are not marked. Curves are not
banked.
There are no carefully engineered
road signs to warn you of dangerous
conditions or to advise you of a safe
speed. You have to assess the envi-
ronment yourself. Surfaces can be
slippery, rough, uphill or downhill.
Off-road driving involves learning
new skills. That’s why it’s important
that you read and understand this
section. You’ll find useful driving
information and suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving
safer and more enjoyable.
Before you go off-roading
There are some things to do before
you leave the paved roads. Be sure
to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done beforehand.
Be sure to read all the information
about your four-wheel drive vehicle
in this manual. Is there enough fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the
fluid levels at the proper levels? What
are the local laws that apply to off-
roading where you’ll be driving? If
you don’t know, you should check
with law enforcement people in the
area. Will you be on someone’s pri-
vate land? If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
Loading your vehicle for off-road
driving
There are some important items to
remember about how to properly
load your vehicle.
• The heaviest things should be in
the cargo area and forward of your
rear axle. Place heavier items as
far forward as you can.
• Be sure the load is properly
secured, so driving over off-road
terrain doesn’t shift your load or
throw items toward the driver or
passengers.
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After off-road driving
Remove any brush or debris that has
collected on the underbody, chassis
or under the hood. These accumula-
tions can be a fire hazard.
After driving in mud or sand, clean
and check the brake linings.
Accumulation of mud or sand can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage. Also,
check the fuel lines and cooling sys-
tem for any leakage. Your vehicle will
also require more frequent service
due to off-road use.WARNING- Water
Driving through rushing water
can be dangerous.Deep water
can sweep your vehicle down-
stream and you and your pas-
sengers could drown.If it’s only
inches deep,it can still wash
away the ground from under
your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle.
Never drive through rushing
water.
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WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE
This section will guide you in the
proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle
weight within its design rating capa-
bility, with or without a trailer.
Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of the vehi-
cle design performance. Before load-
ing your vehicle, familiarize yourself
with the following terms for determin-
ing your vehicle's weight ratings, with
or without a trailer, from the vehicle's
Specifications and the Vehicle
Certification Label:
Base curb weight
This is the weight of the vehicle
including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not
include passengers, cargo, or option-
al equipment.
Vehicle curb weight
This is the weight of your new vehicle
when you picked it up from your deal-
er plus any aftermarket equipment.
Cargo weight
This figure includes all weight added
to the Base Curb Weight, including
cargo and optional equipment. When
towing, trailer tongue load or king pin
weight also is part of the Cargo
Weight.
GAW (Gross axle weight)
This is the total weight placed on
each axle (front and rear) - including
vehicle curb weight and all payload.
GAWR (Gross axle weight rating)
This is the maximum allowable
weight that can be carried by a single
axle (front or rear). These numbers
are shown on the Vehicle
Certification Label. The total load on
each axle must never exceed its
GAWR.
GVW (Gross vehicle weight)
This is the Base Curb Weight plus
actual Cargo Weight plus passen-
gers.
GVWR (Gross vehicle weight
rating)
This is the maximum allowable weight
of the fully loaded vehicle (including
all options, equipment, passengers
and cargo). The GVWR is shown on
the Vehicle Certification Label located
on the driver's door pillar.
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TRAILER TOWING
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NOTICE
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section.
Your Sportage equipped with a 2.7
liter engine can tow a trailer.
However, we do not recommend
trailer towing for the Sportage
equipped with the 2.0 liter engine. To
identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section.
Remember that trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in han-
dling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering requires
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.This section contains many time-
tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Please read this
section carefully before you pull a
trailer.
Load-pulling components such as
the engine, transaxle, wheel assem-
blies, and tires are forced to work
harder against the load of the added
weight. The engine is required to
operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads. This addi-
tional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements.
WARNING- Towing a
trailer
If you don't use the correct
equipment and drive properly,
you can lose control when you
pull a trailer.For example,if the
trailer is too heavy, the brakes
may not work well - or even at
all.You and your passengers
could be seriously or fatally
injured.Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in
this section.Item 2.7L Engine
Maximum trailer Without trailer brakes 454 (1000)
weight kg (lbs.) With trailer brakes 907 (2000)
Maximum permissible static vertical
load on the coupling device kg (lbs.)91 (200)
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Refer to your vehicle's tire and load-
ing information label for specific
information about your vehicle's
capacity weight and seating posi-
tions. The combined weight of the
driver, passengers and cargo should
never exceed your vehicle's capacity
weight.Compliance label
The compliance label is located on
the driver's door sill.
The label shows the size of your orig-
inal tires and the inflation pressures
needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is
called the GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occu-
pants, fuel and cargo.
This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weights that can be supported
by the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
To find out the actual loads on your
front and rear axles, you need to go
to a weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help you with
this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the center-
line.WARNING - Over loading
• Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, or the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle.
• Do not load your vehicle any
heavier than the GVWR, or
either the maximum front or
rear GAWR.If you do, parts on
your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehi-
cle handles.This could cause
you to lose control and crash.
Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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In case of an emergency
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Description Fuse rating Protected component
TAIL RH 10A Taillight (right)
RR HTR 30A Rear defroster
HAZARD 15A Hazard warning light
SAFETY P/WDW 15A Safety power window
HTD MIRR 10A Outside rearview mirror defroster
TAIL LH 10A Taillight (left)
ECU (B+) 10A TCU, Immobilizer
P/OUTLET.RR 15A Power outlet (rear)
RR FOG 10A Rear fog lamp
RR WIPER 15A Rear wiper
F/MIRROR 10A
Folding the outside rearview mirror
START 10AIgnition lock/inhibitor switch,
Theft-alarm system
AV 10A Audio
P/OUTLET.FR 15A Power outlet (front)
OBD II 10A OBD II, Diagonosis
S/HTR 20A Seat warmer
SPARE 15A Spare fuse
C/LIGHTER 15A Cigar lighter
AUDIO 10AETACS, Audio, Door lock,
Electric remote control mirror
ROOM LP 10ACluster, ETACS, A/C, Clock,
Room lamp
S/ROOF & D/LOCK 20A Sunroof, Door lock
A/CON 10A Air conditioner
IGN 10A Fuel filter heater, AQS, Headlight
P/WDW-1 30A Power window (left)
Description Fuse rating Protected component
P/WDW-2 30A Power window (right)
SPARE 10A Spare fuse
IG COIL 20A Ignition coil
T/SIG 15A Turn signal light
A/BAG IND 10A Cluster
CLUSTER 10A Cluster
SPARE FUSE 15A Spare fuse
SPARE FUSE 10A Spare fuse
B/UP 10A Back-up light
A/BAG 15A Airbag
ABS 10A Anti-lock brake system
ECU 10A TCS, ESP, Immobilizer
SPARE FUSE 30A Spare fuse
SPARE FUSE 20A Spare fuse
P/CONN 30A Power connector fuse
SHUNT CONN - Shunt connector
Driver side panel