2008 KIA Sportage check engine

Driving tips
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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.

Driving tips
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Maintenance when trailer tow-
ing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. Each item is cov-
ered in this manual, 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 mainte-
nance schedule that accompanied
your trailer and check it periodically.
Preferably, conduct the check at the
start of each day’s driving. Most
importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight.
✽
NOTICE
• Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur in
hot days or during uphill driving.
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 transaxle
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.
OVERLOADING
CAUTION - Vehicle weight
The gross axle weight rating
(GAWR) and the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) for your
vehicle are on the manufactur-
er's label attached to the dri-
ver's door.Exceeding these rat-
ings can cause an accident or
vehicle damage.You can calcu-
late the weight of your load by
weighing the items (and people)
before putting them in the vehi-
cle.Be careful not to overload
your vehicle.

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In case of an emergency
OVERHEATING
If your temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss
of power, or if you hear a loud knock-
ing or pinging noise, the engine has
probably overheated. Should any of
these symptoms occur, use the fol-
lowing procedure:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flash-
er, then drive to the nearest safe
location and stop your vehicle; set
the automatic transaxle in P
(Park), or shift the manual
transaxle 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 reser-
voir 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 another prob-
lem that may have caused the
engine to overheat, do not operate
the engine until it has been cor-
rected. Call an Authorized Kia
Dealer for assistance. If you do not
find a leak or other problem, care-
fully add coolant to the reservoir.
If the engine frequently overheats,
have the cooling system checked
and repaired by an Authorized Kia
Dealer.
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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 seri-
ous injury.

In case of an emergency
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Jump starting procedure
1. Make sure the booster battery is
12-volt and that its negative termi-
nal is grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, do not allow the vehicles
to touch.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical
loads.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the
exact sequence shown in the pre-
vious illustration. First connect one
end of a jumper cable to the posi-
tive terminal of the discharged bat-
tery (
➀), then connect the other
end to the positive terminal on the
booster battery (
➁). Proceed to
connect one end of the other
jumper cable to the negative ter-
minal of the booster battery (
➂),
then the other end to a solid, sta-
tionary, metallic point (for exam-
ple, the engine lifting bracket)
away from the battery (
➃). Do not
connect it to or near any part that
moves when the engine is
cranked.Do not allow the jumper cables to
contact anything except the cor-
rect battery terminals or the cor-
rect ground. Do not lean over the
battery when making connections.
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with
the booster battery and let it run at
2,000 rpm, then start the engine of
the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
If the cause of your battery discharg-
ing is not apparent, you should have
your vehicle checked by an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
Refer to illustration on page 6-5.
Push-starting
Your manual transaxle-equipped
vehicle should not be push-started
because it might damage the emis-
sion control system.
Vehicles equipped with automatic
transaxle cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section
for jump-starting.
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CAUTION
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge for-
ward when the engine starts
could cause a collision with the
tow vehicle.
CAUTION - Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper
cable from the negative terminal
of the booster battery to the
negative terminal of the dis-
charged battery.This can cause
the discharged battery to over-
heat and crack, releasing bat-
tery acid.

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In case of an emergency
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT PROTECTION
Fuses
A vehicle’s electrical system is pro-
tected from electrical overload dam-
age by fuses.
This vehicle has two fuse panels,
one located in the driver's side panel
bolster, the other in the engine com-
partment near the battery.If any of your vehicle’s lights, acces-
sories, or controls do not work, check
the appropriate circuit fuse. If a fuse
has blown, the element inside the
fuse will be melted.
If the electrical system does not
work, first check the driver’s side
fuse panel.
Always replace a blown fuse with
one of the same rating.If the replacement fuse blows, this
indicates an electrical problem. Avoid
using the system involved and imme-
diately consult an Authorized Kia
Dealer.
Two kinds of fuses are used: stan-
dard for lower amperage rating and
main for higher amperage ratings.
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1LDA4002 Standard
Main fuse
NormalNormal
Blown
Blown

In case of an emergency
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Fuse replacement
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NOTICE
Do not use a screwdriver or any
other metal object to remove fuses
because it may cause a short circuit
and damage the system.
Driver’s side panel
1. Turn the ignition switch and all
other switches off.
2. Open the left side trim of the dri-
ver’s instrument panel. Do not
remove the trim from the panel
completely.
3. Pull the suspected fuse straight
out. Use the removal tool provided
in the fuse panel.
4. Check the removed fuse; replace it
if it is blown.
Spare fuses are provided in the
fuse panel.
5. Push in a new fuse of the same
rating, and make sure it fits tightly
in the clips.
If it fits loosely, consult an Authorized
Kia Dealer.
If you do not have a spare, use a
fuse of the same rating from a circuit
you may not need for operating the
vehicle, such as the cigar lighter
fuse.
If the headlights or other electrical
components do not work and the
fuses are OK, check the fuse block in
the engine compartment. If a fuse is
blown, it must be replaced.
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1KMB40031KMA4004
WARNING - Fuse replace-
ment
• Never replace a fuse with any-
thing but another fuse of the
same rating.
•A higher capacity fuse could
cause damage possibly a fire.
• Never install a wire instead of
the proper fuse - even as a
temporary repair.It may cause
extensive wiring damage and
possibly a fire.

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In case of an emergency
Engine compartment
1. Turn the ignition switch and all
other switches off.
2. Remove the fuse box cover by
pressing the taps on both ends
and pulling up.
3. Check the removed fuse; replace it
if it is blown. To remove or insert
the fuse, use the fuse puller in the
driver's side panel in the vehicle.
4. Push in a new fuse of the same
rating, and make sure it fits tightly
in the clips.
If it fits loosely, consult an Authorized
Kia Dealer.
✽
NOTICE
After checking the fuse box in the
engine compartment, securely
install the fuse box cover. If not,
electrical failures may occur from
water leaking in.
Main fuse
If the ALT fuse is blown, it must be
removed as follows:
1. Disconnect the negative battery
cable.
2. Remove the screws shown in the
picture above.
3. Replace the fuse with a new one
of the same rating.
4. Reinstall in the reverse order of
removal.
✽
NOTICE
If the ALT fuse is blown, consult an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
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1KMB40061KMA4008

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Maintenance
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Chart symbols:
I- Inspect these items and their related parts. If necessary, correct, clean, refill, adjust of replace.
R- Replace or change
L- Lubricate.
(1) Refer to the lubricant and coolant specifications in the Owner’s Manual.
(2) More frequent maintenance is required if driving under dusty conditions.
(3) More frequent maintenance is required if the vehicle is operated under any of the following conditions:
a. Short-distance driving.
b. Driving on dusty roads.
c. Extensive idling or slow-speed driving in stop-and-go traffic.
(4) If necessary, rotate and balance the wheels.
* Note: Check the engine oil and coolant levels every week.