2008 KIA Sportage clutch

Driving your vehicle
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1. Make sure the parking brake is
applied.
2.Manual Transaxle- Depress the
clutch pedal fully and shift the
transaxle into Neutral. Keep the
clutch pedal depressed while turn-
ing the ignition switch to the start
position. The starter will not oper-
ate if the clutch pedal is not fully
depressed.
Automatic Transaxle- Place the
transaxle shift lever in P (Park).
Depress the brake pedal fully.
You can also start the engine
when the shift lever is in the N
(Neutral) position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to START
and hold it there until the engine
starts (a maximum of 10 seconds),
then release the key.
4. In extremely cold weather (below
-18°C / 0°F) or after the vehicle
has not been operated for several
days, let the engine warm up with-
out depressing the accelerator.
Whether the engine is cold or warm,
it should be started without
depressing the accelerator.
✽
NOTICE
Do not engage the starter for more
than 10 seconds. If the engine stalls
or fails to start, wait 5 to 10 seconds
before re-engaging the starter.
Excessive or improper use of the
starter may damage it.
The starter will not operate if:
•Manual Transaxle- the clutch
pedal is not fully depressed.
•Automatic Transaxle- the shift
lever is NOT in the P (Park) or N
(Neutral) position.
STARTING THE ENGINE
CAUTION - Stall
If the engine stalls while you are
in motion, do not attempt to
move the shift lever to the P
(Park) position.If traffic and
road conditions permit, you may
put the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position while the
vehicle is still moving and turn
the ignition switch to the START
position in an attempt to restart
the engine.
CAUTION
Always wear appropriate shoes
when operating your vehicle.
Unsuitable shoes (high heels,
ski boots,etc.) may interfere
with your ability to use the
brake and accelerator pedal,
and the clutch (if equipped).

Manual transaxle operation
The manual transaxle has five for-
ward gears.
Press the clutch pedal down fully
while shifting, then release it slowly.
A special safety feature prevents
inadvertent shifting from 5 (Fifth) to
R (Reverse). The gearshift lever must
be returned to the neutral position
before shifting into R (Reverse).
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into R
(Reverse).
Never operate the engine with the
tachometer (rpm) in the red zone.
✽
NOTICE
To avoid premature clutch wear and
damage, do not drive with your foot
resting on the clutch pedal. Also,
don’t use the clutch to hold the vehi-
cle stopped on an upgrade, while
waiting for a traffic light, etc.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or while driving up steep hills,
downshift before the engine starts to
labor. Downshifting reduces the
chance of stalling and gives better
acceleration when you again need to
increase your speed. When the vehi-
cle is traveling down steep hills,
downshifting helps maintain safe
speed and prolongs brake life.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
1KMA3052
WARNING- Manual
transaxle
Before leaving the driver’s seat,
always set the parking brake
fully and shut the engine off.
Then make sure the transaxle is
shifted into 1
stgear when the
vehicle is parked on a level or
uphill grade, and shifted into R
(Reverse) on a downhill grade.
Unexpected and sudden vehicle
movement can occur if these
precautions are not followed in
the order identified.
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Driving your vehicle
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Driving your vehicle
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3. Push down the SET/COAST ( - /
SET) switch, and release it at the
speed you want. The “SET” indica-
tor light in the instrument cluster will
illuminate. Release the accelerator
at the same time. The desired
speed will automatically be main-
tained.
The SET function cannot be activated
until approximately 2 seconds after the
CRUISE ON-OFF button has been
engaged.
On a steep grade, the vehicle may
momentarily slow down while going
downhill.
To cancel cruise control, do
one of the following:
• Press the brake pedal.
• Press the clutch pedal with a manu-
al transaxle or shift into N (Neutral)
with an automatic transaxle.
• Pull the CANCEL switch.
1KMB2187
8KMB2187
Type A
Type B
1KMB2188
8KMB2188
Type A
Type B

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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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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
vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
• If your engine is still running, shift
the transaxle into reverse, release
the parking brake, and slowly back
down the hill in reverse.• If your engine has stopped run-
ning, you’ll need to restart it. With
the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift a
manual transaxle to N (Neutral), or
an automatic transaxle 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.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
vehicle. Then apply the parking
brake. Shift into reverse, release the
parking brake, and slowly back
down.

Driving tips
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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 down-
hill braking, you may feel the vehicle
starting to slide sideways. To regain
your direction, just ease off the
brakes and steer to keep the front of
the vehicle pointing straight downhill.CAUTION - Downhill
Before beginning to go down-
hill,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 occu-
pants, or interfere with your
ability to control the vehicle.
WARNING- Braking
Heavy braking when going
down a hill can cause your
brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control
and a serious accident.Apply
the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed
under control.CAUTION - 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.

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9Maintenance services / 7-3
Maintenance schedule / 7-4
Owner maintenance / 7-8
Engine compartment / 7-11
Engine oil and oil filter / 7-13
Engine cooling system / 7-15
Brakes and clutch / 7-18
Parking brake / 7-19
Drive belts / 7-20
Power steering / 7-21
Steering wheel / 7-22
Automatic transaxle / 7-23
Manual transaxle / 7-25
Rear differential (4WD) / 7-25
Transfer case (4WD) / 7-25
Lubricants and fluids / 7-26
Air cleaner / 7-27
Climate control air filter / 7-28
Wiper blades / 7-29
Maintenance

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Maintenance
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MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE (CONTINUED)
Kilometers or time in months,whichever comes first
× 1,000 km 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96 104 112 120 128
# Months4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64
Air conditioner compressor operation &
IIIII
refrigerant amount (if equipped)
Exhaust pipes, heat shield & mountings I IIIIIII
Transfer case fluid (4WD) I I I I R I I I I R I I I I R I
Rear differential fluid (4WD) I I I I I I I I I R I I I I I I
Front suspension ball joints I I I I
Brakes/clutch fluid (1) I I I I I I I RIIIII IIR
Front brake pads & discs (3) I I I I I IIIIIIII III
Rear brake pads & discs/drums (3) I I I I I IIIIIIII III
Parking brake I I IIIIII
Brake lines & connections
IIIII
(including booster)
Manual transaxle oil (1) I I I R I I I R I I I R I I I R
Clutch & brake pedal free play I I I I I IIIIIIII III
MAINTENANCE
INTERVALS
MAINTENANCE
ITEM
Chassis and body